Deuteronomy 24:6

“No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge, etc.] The first word being of the dual number takes in both stones, wherefore Vatablus renders the words, “ye shall not take for a pledge both the millstones, nor indeed the uppermost;” which is the least; so far should they be from taking both, that they were not allowed to take the uppermost, which was the shortest, meanest, and lightest; and indeed if anyone of them was taken, the other became useless, so that neither was to be taken: for he taketh [a man’s] life to pledge; or with which his life is supported, and the life of his family; for if he has corn to supply them with, yet if his mill or millstones are pawned, he…”

“No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge--The "upper" stone being concave, covers the "nether" like a lid; and it has a small aperture, through which the corn is poured, as well as a handle by which it is turned. The propriety of the law was founded on the custom of grinding corn every morning for daily consumption. If either of the stones, therefore, which composed the handmill was wanting, a person would be deprived of his necessary provision.”

“Compare Exodus 22:25-26. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Mill - stone - Used in their hand - mills. Under this, he understands all other things necessary to get a livelihood, the taking away whereof is against the laws both of charity and prudence, seeing by those things alone he can be enabled both to subsist and to pay his debts. Life - His livelihood, the necessary support of his life. Deuteronomy 24:10”

“24:6 the owner uses it to make a living (literally it is his life): Without his tool, the owner of the millstone might perish. The law imposed a limit on what could secure a loan. The millstone probably represents any means by which an individual made his living.”

“shall take: Small hand-mills, which ground at one time only a sufficient quantity for a day's consumption; hence they were forbidden to take either of the stones to pledge, because if they did, they would be deprived of the means of preparing their necessary food, and the family be without bread. On this account they are called in the text, a man's life. The same reason holds good against receiving in pledge, or distraining for debt, any instrument of labour, by which men earn their livelihood. Exo 22:26, Exo 22:27; Rev 18:22 life: Deu 20:19; Gen 44:30; Luk 12:15 Deuteronomy 24:7”

“Various Prohibitions. - Deu 24:6. "No man shall take in pledge the handmill and millstone, for he (who does this) is pawning life." רחים, the handmill; רכב, lit., the runner, i.e., the upper millstone. Neither the whole mill nor the upper millstone was to be asked for as a pledge, by which the mill would be rendered useless, since the handmill was indispensable for preparing the daily food for the house; so that whoever took them away injured life itself, by withdrawing what was indispensable to the preservation of life. The mill is mentioned as one specimen of articles of this kind, like the clothing in Exo 22:25-26, which served the poor man as bed-clothes also. Breaches of this…”