Biblical Lexicon

H2912 H2912

V-Qal-Imperf-3fs | 8× in 1 sense

To grind grain or material with a millstone; by extension, to crush or reduce to powder.

Describes the common ancient task of grinding with millstones, typically women's work in the household. It appears in contexts ranging from the mundane -- grinding manna with hand-mills in the wilderness (Num 11:8) -- to the humiliating: Samson grinding in the Philistine prison (Judg 16:21), and the metaphorical grinding of the poor by oppressive rulers (Isa 3:15). Cognates across Semitic languages (Aramaic, Arabic, Ethiopic) all center on the same milling action. Job 31:10 uses it as a figure for servile subjection: 'let my wife grind for another.'

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Senses

1. grind — To grind, especially grain or hard material, using a millstone or hand-mill, reducing it to flour or powder. The verb tachan spans literal grinding of manna (Num 11:8), the golden calf reduced to powder (Exod 32:20; Deut 9:21), the humiliation of Samson grinding in the Philistine prison house (Judg 16:21), and the prophetic imagery of Babylon's princess forced to grind flour (Isa 47:2). It also appears figuratively: grinding the faces of the poor (Isa 3:15) and Job 31:10 where grinding symbolizes servile subjection. The participle in Eccl 12:3 describes the 'grinders' (teeth) ceasing, a poetic image of old age. Spanish 'moledoras' (female grinders) and 'moliendo' (grinding) preserve the participial nuance. 8×

ARTIFACTS › Artifacts › Upper Millstone

AR["تَطحَنُ", "تَطحَنُونَ", "طَحْنًا", "هَ-طُّوحَنُوت", "وَ-اطْحَنِي", "وَ-طَحَنَهُ", "وَ-يَطْحَنُونَ", "يَطْحَنُ"]·ben["এবং-তিনি-পিষে-দিলেন", "এবং-পেষণ-কর", "এবং-পেষাই-করত", "পেষণ-করছ", "পেষণ-করুক", "পেষণকারী", "পেষাই", "পেষাইকারীরা"]·DE["[הטחנות]", "[וטחני]", "[תטחן]", "[תטחנו]", "grinding", "und-Boden", "und-er-Boden"]·EN["and-grind", "and-ground", "and-he-ground", "declares", "grinding", "let-grind", "the-grinders"]·FR["[וטחני]", "[תטחנו]", "et-il-moulu", "et-sol", "grinding", "le-הטחנות", "mouture", "תטחן"]·heb["ה-טוחנות", "ו-טחן", "ו-טחנו", "ו-טחני", "טוחן", "טחון", "תטחנו", "תיטחן"]·HI["और-पीस", "और-पीसते-थे", "और-पीसा", "तुम-पीसते-हो", "पीसता-हुआ", "पीसते-हुए", "पीसनेवालियाँ", "पीसे"]·ID["Biarlah menggiling", "dan-gilinglah", "dan-ia-menumbuk", "dan-menggiling", "dengan-menggiling", "kamu-gilas", "menggiling", "penggiling-penggiling"]·IT["[וטחני]", "[תטחנו]", "e-egli-suolo", "e-suolo", "grinding", "il-il-grinders", "let-grind"]·jav["Mugi-ngiling", "ingkang-giling", "lan-giling-a", "lan-piyambakipun-nggiling", "lan-piyambakipun-nggilingi", "nggilingi", "panjenengan-nggiling", "tiyang-ingkang-nggiling"]·KO["갈는-자들-그", "갈아넣느냐", "갈아라", "갈아서", "그리고-갈아라", "그리고-갈았다", "그리고-빻았다", "빻는-자가"]·PT["Moa", "as-moedoras", "e-moeu", "e-moíam", "e-mói", "moedor", "moeis", "moendo"]·RU["и-истолок", "и-мели", "и-молол", "мелющие,", "мелящий", "пусть-мелет", "растираете", "растирая"]·ES["Muela", "las-moledoras", "moliendo", "moléis", "y-lo-molió", "y-molieron", "y-muele"]·SW["anasaga", "asage", "kusaga", "mnasaga", "na-akaisaga", "na-saga", "na-wakasaga", "wasagaji"]·TR["ogutenler", "ogutuyorsunuz", "ve-ogut", "ve-öğüttü", "ve-öğüttüler", "Öğütsün", "öğüten", "öğütülerek"]·urd["اور-پیس", "اور-پیسا", "اور-پیستے-تھے", "تم-پیستے-ہو", "پیسا", "پیستا-ہوا", "پیسنے-والیاں", "پیسے"]

Exod 32:20, Num 11:8, Deut 9:21, Judg 16:21, Job 31:10, Eccl 12:3, Isa 3:15, Isa 47:2

BDB / Lexicon Reference

† [טָחַן] vb. grind (NH crush, olives, etc.; Aramaic ܛܚܶܢ, טְחַן grind; Arabic طَحَنَ grind; Ethiopic ጥሕን polenta, farina hordacea)— Qal Pf. וְטָֽחֲנוּ Nu 11:8; Impf. וַיִּטְחַן Ex 32:20; 3 fs. תִּטְחַן Jb 31:10; 2 mpl. תִּטְחָ֑נוּ Is 3:15; Inf. abs. טָחוֹן Dt 9:21; Imv. fs. טַחֲנִי Is 47:2; Pt. טוֹחֵן Ju 16:21; טֹחֲנוֹת Ec 12:3;—grind, the work of women, c. acc., with millstones רֵחַיִם Nu 11:8…