Deuteronomy 24:6
New International Version
Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a person’s livelihood as security.

New Living Translation
“It is wrong to take a set of millstones, or even just the upper millstone, as security for a loan, for the owner uses it to make a living.

English Standard Version
“No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not take a pair of millstones or even an upper millstone as security for a debt, because that would be taking one’s livelihood as security.

King James Bible
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge.

New King James Version
“No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone in pledge, for he takes one’s living in pledge.

New American Standard Bible
“No one shall seize a handmill or an upper millstone as a pledge for a loan, since he would be seizing the debtor’s means of life as a pledge.

NASB 1995
“No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge.

NASB 1977
“No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge.

Legacy Standard Bible
“No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge.

Amplified Bible
“No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone [used to grind grain into bread] as security [for a debt], for he would be taking a [person’s] life in pledge.

Christian Standard Bible
“Do not take a pair of grindstones or even the upper millstone as security for a debt, because that is like taking a life as security.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not take a pair of millstones or an upper millstone as security for a debt, because that is like taking a life as security.”

American Standard Version
No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man's life to pledge.

Contemporary English Version
When you lend money to people, you are allowed to keep something of theirs as a guarantee that they will pay back the loan. But don't take one or both of their millstones, or else they may starve. They need these stones for grinding grain into flour to make bread.

English Revised Version
No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Never let a family's handmill for grinding flour-or even part of a handmill-be taken to guarantee a loan. The family wouldn't be able to prepare food in order to stay alive.

Good News Translation
"When you lend someone something, you are not to take as security his millstones used for grinding his grain. This would take away the family's means of preparing food to stay alive.

International Standard Version
"Don't take a pair of millstones, especially the upper millstone, as collateral for a loan, because this means taking a man's livelihood.

Majority Standard Bible
Do not take a pair of millstones or even an upper millstone as security for a debt, because that would be taking one’s livelihood as security.

NET Bible
One must not take either lower or upper millstones as security on a loan, for that is like taking a life itself as security.

New Heart English Bible
No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he takes a life in pledge.

Webster's Bible Translation
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone for a pledge: for he taketh a man's life for a pledge.

World English Bible
No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes a life in pledge.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
No one takes millstones and rider in pledge, for it [is one’s] life he is taking in pledge.

Young's Literal Translation
None doth take in pledge millstones, and rider, for life it is he is taking in pledge.

Smith's Literal Translation
He shall not take the two mill-stones as a pledge, and the rider, for it is taking the soul as a pledge.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not take the nether, nor the upper millstone to pledge: for he hath pledged his life to thee.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You shall not accept an upper or lower millstone as collateral. For then he will have placed his life with you.

New American Bible
No one shall take a hand mill or even its upper stone as a pledge for debt, for that would be taking as a pledge the debtor’s life.

New Revised Standard Version
No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone as a pledge; for he takes a man's life to pledge.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do not take a millstone or its upper millstone as security, for it is a soul you grieve.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man's life to pledge.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt not take for a pledge the under millstone, nor the upper millstone; for he who does so takes life for a pledge.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Additional Laws
6Do not take a pair of millstones or even an upper millstone as security for a debt, because that would be taking one’s livelihood as security. 7If a man is caught kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. So you must purge the evil from among you.…

Cross References
Exodus 22:26-27
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, / because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Job 24:3
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge.

Proverbs 22:22-23
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, / for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.

Amos 2:8
They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. And in the house of their God, they drink wine obtained through fines.

Nehemiah 5:2-5
Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” / Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” / Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. ...

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

Ezekiel 18:7
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.

Jeremiah 22:13
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages,

Leviticus 19:13
You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand.

Micah 2:1-2
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands. / They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.

Matthew 5:42
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Luke 6:34-35
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. / But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

James 2:15-16
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. / If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?

1 John 3:17
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?

Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ / Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ...


Treasury of Scripture

No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he takes a man's life to pledge.

Exodus 22:26,27
If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: …

Revelation 18:22
And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;

life

Deuteronomy 20:19
When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:

Genesis 44:30
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

Luke 12:15
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

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Account Crushed Debt Handmill Life Mill Millstone Millstones Nether Pair Pledge Rider Security Stones Upper
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Deuteronomy 24
1. Of divorce
5. A new married man goes not to war
6. Of pledges
7. Of kidnapping
8. Of leprosy
10. Of pledges
14. The hire is to be given
16. Of justice
19. Of charity














Do not take
The phrase "do not take" is a direct command, reflecting the imperative nature of the Mosaic Law. In Hebrew, the verb used here is "לֹא־תַחֲבֹל" (lo tachavol), which means "do not seize" or "do not take in pledge." This command underscores the importance of compassion and justice in financial dealings, emphasizing that certain items are essential for daily living and should not be confiscated.

a pair of millstones
Millstones were essential tools in ancient agrarian societies, used for grinding grain into flour. The Hebrew word for millstones is "רֵחַיִם" (rechaim), which refers to the two stones used in the grinding process. The lower stone was stationary, while the upper stone was turned to grind the grain. This phrase highlights the importance of preserving a person's means to provide for themselves and their family.

or even the upper one
The specification of "even the upper one" indicates the critical role of both stones in the milling process. The upper millstone, or "רֶכֶב" (rechev), was the movable part that crushed the grain. By prohibiting the taking of even one part of the millstone set, the law ensures that the debtor retains the ability to produce food, thus safeguarding their basic sustenance.

as security for a debt
The concept of taking items "as security for a debt" refers to the practice of pledging personal property as collateral. In Hebrew, the term "חָבֹל" (chavol) is used, which means to take a pledge or to bind. This practice was common in ancient times, but the law here sets boundaries to protect individuals from losing their means of livelihood.

because that would be taking
The phrase "because that would be taking" introduces the rationale behind the command. It implies a moral and ethical consideration, emphasizing the consequences of such actions. The Hebrew root "לָקַח" (laqach) means to take or seize, and it is used here to highlight the unjust nature of depriving someone of their essential tools for survival.

a man’s livelihood
The term "a man’s livelihood" refers to the essential means by which a person earns a living. In Hebrew, the word "נֶפֶשׁ" (nefesh) is often translated as "soul" or "life," but in this context, it signifies one's life-sustaining resources. This underscores the biblical principle of protecting human dignity and ensuring that individuals can maintain their basic needs.

as security
The repetition of "as security" reinforces the prohibition against taking essential items as collateral. It serves as a reminder of the ethical responsibility to consider the well-being of others in financial transactions. The law seeks to balance justice with mercy, ensuring that the vulnerable are not exploited.

(6) The nether or the upper millstone.--Literally, the two millstones, or even the upper one.

A man's life.--Literally, a soul. This word connects the two verses (6, 7).

Verses 6-14. - Various prohibitions. Verse 6. - No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge; rather, the hand mill and the upper millstone (literally, the rider) shall not be taken (literally, one shall not take) in pledge. Neither the mill itself nor the upper millstone, the removal of which would render the mill useless, was to be taken. The upper millstone is still called the rider by the Arabs (Hebrew reehebh, Arabic rekkab). For he taketh a man's life to pledge; or for (thereby) life itself is pledged; if a man were deprived of that by which food for the sustaining of life could be prepared, his life itself would be imperiled (cf. Job 22:6; Proverbs 22:27; Amos 2:8).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

take a pair of millstones
רֵחַ֖יִם (rê·ḥa·yim)
Noun - md
Strong's 7347: A mill-stone

or even an upper millstone
וָרָ֑כֶב (wā·rā·ḵeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

as security for a debt,
יַחֲבֹ֥ל (ya·ḥă·ḇōl)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2254: To wind tightly, to bind, a pledge, to pervert, destroy, to writhe in pain

because
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

that would be
ה֥וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

taking one’s livelihood
נֶ֖פֶשׁ (ne·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

as security.
חֹבֵֽל׃ (ḥō·ḇêl)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2254: To wind tightly, to bind, a pledge, to pervert, destroy, to writhe in pain


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 24:6 No man shall take the mill (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 24:5
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