In biblical times, the term "grinder" refers primarily to the tools and processes used for grinding grain into flour, a staple in the ancient Near Eastern diet. The act of grinding was typically performed by women and was a daily task in most households. The Bible provides several references to grinders, illustrating their importance in daily life and their symbolic significance.

Old Testament References

The most direct reference to grinders is found in Ecclesiastes 12:3-4, which uses the imagery of grinding to describe the aging process: "On the day the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows see dimly." Here, "grinders" metaphorically represent teeth, which become fewer and less effective with age.

In Exodus 11:5, the term is used to describe the social spectrum affected by the final plague in Egypt: "And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the maidservant who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle." The "maidservant who is behind the mill" indicates the lowly position of those who operated the grinding stones, yet they were not exempt from the divine judgment.

New Testament References

While the New Testament does not explicitly mention grinders, the process of grinding is implied in the parables and teachings of Jesus. For example, in Matthew 24:41, Jesus speaks of two women grinding at the mill, one of whom will be taken and the other left, illustrating the suddenness of His return: "Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left."

Cultural and Symbolic Significance

Grinding was a labor-intensive process, typically involving a pair of stones: a larger, stationary lower stone and a smaller, movable upper stone. The grain was placed between the stones, and the upper stone was rotated to crush the grain into flour. This process was essential for producing bread, a central element of the diet and a symbol of sustenance and life.

The imagery of grinding also appears in prophetic and apocalyptic literature, symbolizing judgment and destruction. In Isaiah 47:2, Babylon is personified as a woman who is commanded to "Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil, strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, wade through the streams." This imagery signifies the humiliation and downfall of Babylon.

Spiritual Lessons

The act of grinding, with its repetitive and laborious nature, can be seen as a metaphor for the trials and tribulations of life. Just as grain is refined into flour through grinding, believers are refined through the challenges they face. The process of grinding can also symbolize the preparation and readiness required for spiritual growth and maturity.

In summary, grinders in the Bible serve as a powerful symbol of daily life, social status, and spiritual truths. They remind us of the essential nature of work, the inevitability of aging, and the importance of being prepared for the Lord's return.1. (n.) One who, or that which, grinds.

2. (n.) One of the double teeth, used to grind or masticate the food; a molar.

3. (n.) The restless flycatcher (Seisura inquieta) of Australia; -- called also restless thrush and volatile thrush. It makes a noise like a scissors grinder, to which the name alludes.

GRINDER

grin'-der.

See MILL.

3458. mulos -- a mill, a millstone
... millstone. Probably ultimately from the base of molis (through the idea of hardship);
a "mill", ie (by implication), a grinder (millstone) -- millstone. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3458.htm - 7k2912. tachan -- to grind
... grind. Word Origin a prim. root Definition to grind NASB Word Usage grind (3),
grinder (1), grinding (3), ground (1). grinder. A primitive ...
/hebrew/2912.htm - 6k

4459. maltaah -- great tooth
... for methalleoth, qv. great tooth Transp. For mthall'ah; a grinder, ie Back tooth --
great tooth. see HEBREW mthall'ah. 4458, 4459. maltaah. 4460 . ...
/hebrew/4459.htm - 5k

Carletta and the Merchant
... "Her father is a poor, consumptive organ-grinder," whispered one. "I suppose he's
too sick to be out tonight.". ... In the coffin slept the old organ-grinder. ...
/.../carletta and the merchant.htm

The Unrighteous Mammon
... I think, that if I had been an usurer or a grinder of the poor all my life, I should
not save my soul by founding almshouses with my money when I died, or even ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxiv the unrighteous mammon.htm

But if the Soul of Birds is to be Esteemed Divine Because Future ...
... was divine, while the great Ulysses, the friend of Homer's Pallas Athene, was not
divine, but understanding the words spoken by this "divine" grinder of corn ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen against celsus/chapter xciv but if the.htm

Why Man's Form is Upright; and that Hands were Given Him Because ...
... have lain between his teeth, of a kind to match his lips, fleshy, and hard, and
rough, assisting his teeth to deal with what came under his grinder, or it ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/viii why mans form is.htm

Christ Teaching by Parables
... for my sake.". "Good for Evil." At the foot of a street in New York, stood
an Italian organ grinder, with his organ. A number of ...
/.../newton/the life of jesus christ for the young/christ teaching by parables.htm

Grinder (1 Occurrence)
... It makes a noise like a scissors grinder, to which the name alludes. Int.
Standard Bible Encyclopedia. GRINDER. grin'-der. See MILL. ...
/g/grinder.htm - 7k

Grind (12 Occurrences)

/g/grind.htm - 11k

Grinders (1 Occurrence)

/g/grinders.htm - 6k

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