Lamentations 5:13 — Word Study
WLCבַּחוּרִים֙ טְח֣וֹן נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּנְעָרִ֖ים בָּעֵ֥ץ כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃
BSA◂Young menbâchûwr [chosen or select individuals, in their prime] toilnâsâʼ■ ◂at millstonesṭᵉchôwn△ [grinding, to crush grain into flour] ◂boysnaʻar [from infancy to adolescence] staggerkâshal■ under loads of woodʻêts [heavy burdens, a strong and firm object, like a tree or a wooden plank]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בַּחוּרִים֙ | young men | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| טְח֣וֹן | a mill | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| נָשָׂ֔אוּ | they have lifted | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| וּנְעָרִ֖ים | and young men | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| בָּעֵ֥ץ | with wood | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃ | they have staggered | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood. |
| KJV | They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood. |
| ASV | The young men bare the mill; And the children stumbled under the wood. |
| YLT | Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled. |
| WEB | The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood. |
| BBE | The young men were crushing the grain, and the boys were falling under the wood. |
Where they part company is בַּחוּרִים֙ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence features two main actions linked by conjunctions, illustrating the parallel struggles of young men and boys.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectבָּחוּר
verbנָשָׂא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Lamentations 5:13
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Lament of Jerusalemgenerated
Lamentations 5:13 describes the harsh realities faced by the young men and boys in Jerusalem as they endure labor and burdens during a time of suffering. This verse highlights the loss of joy and the heavy toll that oppression has taken on the youth, contrasting their youthful potential with their current state of toil and struggle.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 11:5 | and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle. |
| 2 | Judges 16:21 | Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison. |
| 3 | Job 31:10 | then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her. |
| 4 | Isaiah 47:2 | Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. |
| 5 | Exodus 1:11 | So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בַּחוּרִים֙, ba.chu.Rimgenerated
The word בָּחוּר (bachuwr) refers to young men, typically implying those who are chosen or in their prime. It emphasizes the idea of youthfulness and selection, often seen in contexts involving soldiers or important roles.
In this verse, the young men are depicted as laborers, grinding at millstones, which illustrates their forced servitude in a time of crisis. The term indicates not just youth but also the expectation of strength and capability, now exploited in hardship.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction: the first clause describes the young men at the millstone, while the second clause depicts the boys struggling under heavy loads. This parallel structure emphasizes the plight of both groups.
The finite verbs are נָשָׂ֔אוּ (they have lifted) and כָּשָֽׁלוּ (they have staggered), indicating actions taken by the subjects, the young men and boys, respectively.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בַּחוּרִים֙ as ἐκλεκτοὶ (eklektoi), meaning 'chosen ones.' This choice highlights the idea of selection and importance of the young men, contrasting their current state of labor with their potential.
For טְח֣וֹן, the term used is κλαυθμὸν (klauthmon), which emphasizes the lamentation aspect of their toil, linking the physical grinding to the emotional weight of their suffering.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 5:13 shows that young men are forced to work hard at grinding grain, while boys struggle under heavy loads of wood. This reflects the difficult conditions and burdens faced by the youth in Jerusalem during a time of suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that the young men are subjected to hard labor, grinding grain, which reflects their loss of freedom and dignity.
The mention of boys highlights the innocence of youth being exploited, as they are forced to carry heavy burdens that are too much for them.
This verse illustrates the suffering and oppression experienced by the people of Jerusalem, particularly the young, emphasizing the loss of joy and normalcy.
We can recognize the importance of protecting and uplifting the younger generation, ensuring they are not burdened unfairly, especially in times of crisis.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can we support young people who are facing heavy burdens in our communities?
- What are some ways we can advocate for the dignity and rights of youth?
- In what situations have you seen young people being exploited or overburdened?
- How can we create environments that foster joy and hope for the younger generation?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators reference this verse to discuss the suffering of the youth in Jerusalem, highlighting the burdens placed on them during times of distress.
Thirdly, as to the youth: "Young men are compelled to grind at the mill; and boys stagger under loads of wood." The prophet Joel 3:3 declares: "And have cast lots for my people,Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 5:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey took the young men to grind,.... In the mill, which was laborious service; and which persons were sometimes put to, by way of punishment; and was the punishment of servants; see Jude 16:21.
Read John Gill on Lamentations 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood. The young men ... grind. The work of the lowest female slave, grinding at the mill, was laid on young men.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTheir base, servile condition is expressed by the labour they were put to, which was either grinding in the mill, (an ordinary employment of slaves in those countries,) or carrying millstones; and the younger children in carrying great burdens of wood, under which they fell, as being not able to stand under the burdens laid upon them.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 5:13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.Ver. 13. They took the young men to grind,] i.e., To do any base and abject business. Frustra enim hic Hieronymus et alii Sodomiticum quid cogitant. And the children fell under the wood.] Being not able to stand under such unreasonable burdens as were laid upon their backs.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) They took . . .—Better, Young men bear the mill: i.e., were not only set to grind the handmill, which was itself the work of a menial slave, commonly of women, but were made to carry the mill itself, probably as they marched along with the Chaldæan armies on their way to Babylon. (Comp. Isaiah 47:2.) So in like manner the next clause describes the sufferings of the striplings, who were made to carry the wood which was used as fuel or other purposes, and who literally “fell” (or staggered) under their burdens.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. They took the young men to grind] This was the work of female slaves. See Clarke on Isaiah 47:2.
Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. Tenderness of age did not secure against the most oppressive and menial of labours.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey took the young men to grind - Or, “The young men” have borne the mill, a menial and laborious task usually performed by slaves (compare Isaiah 47:2).
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.
Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
The young men perform menial labor; boys stagger from their labor.
Tyndale line
They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.
The young men bare the mill; And the children stumbled under the wood.
The young men bare the mill, and the children stumbled under the wood.
They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.
They tooke the yong men to grinde, and the children fell vnder the wood.
Strictly literal
The young men have borne the mill, and the youths have stumbled under the wood.
Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled.
They have taken young men to grind, || And youths have stumbled with wood.
Young men they bore to the mill, and boys stumbled under the wood.
Young men are forced to grind grain with a millstone, and boys stagger under heavy loads of wood.
From the Latin
They abused the young men indecently: and the children fell under the wood.
Simplified
Young men are forced to work at hand-mills; boys stagger under bundles of wood.
The young men were crushing the grain, and the boys were falling under the wood.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with all six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show a similar structure but include some restored words, indicating a consistent transmission of this verse.
בַּחוּרִים֙ טְח֣וֹן נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּנְעָרִ֖ים בָּעֵ֥ץ כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
בחורים טחון נשאו [ונערים] [בעץ] כשלו
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 5:13
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
בָּחוּר (bachuwr) refers to a young man or youth, often implying someone who has been selected or chosen. The term appears in contexts that highlight youthfulness, and it is derived from a root meaning 'to select.' It is notably referenced in Isaiah 62:5.
בָּחוּר n.m. young man Is 62:5 7 t.
base
H970 בָּחוּר young man
970 bachuwr baw-khoor'
or bachur {baw-khoor'}; participle passive of 977; properly,
selected, i.e. a youth (often collective):--(choice) young
(man), chosen, X hole.
see HEBREW for 0977
בָּחוּר (ba.chur) — youth.
youth, young man
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
→ General scriptures concerning Ex 24:3-5; 1Ki 12:6-15; 2Ch 10:8; Ps 119:9; 148:12,13; Pr 1:1-33; 2:1-22; 3:1-35; 4:1-27; 5:1-23; 6:1-35; 7:1-27; 10:1; 13:1; 15:5,20; 17:2,25; 19:13,26,27; 20:29; 23:15-35; 24:1-34; 27:11; 28:7; 29:3; 31:1-3; Jer 22:18-21; Mt 19:16-22; Mr 10:17-22; Lu 15:11-32; 18:18-23; 1Ti 4:12;
טְחוֹן (tchown) refers to a hand mill or millstone used for grinding. The term is specifically noted in Lamentations 5:13, where it denotes the act of grinding. It is derived from the root meaning to grind, linking it directly to the process of milling.
טְחוֹן n.[m.] grinding-mill, hand-mill; only La 5:13
ref
H2911 טְחוֹן
2911 tchown tekh-one'
from 2912; a hand mill; hence, a millstone:--to grind.
see HEBREW for 02912
טְחוֹן (te.chon) — grinding.
mill, grinding mill, hand mill
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Mill
For grinding corn, mentioned as used in the time of Abraham (Gen. 18:6). That used by the Hebrews consisted of two circular stones, each 2 feet in diameter and half a foot thick, the lower of which was called the “nether millstone” (Job 41:24) and the upper the “rider.” The upper stone was turned round by a stick fixed in it as a handle. There were then no public mills, and thus each family required to be provided with a hand-mill. The corn was ground daily, generally by the women of the house (Isa. 47:1, 2; Matt. 24:41). It was with the upper stone of a hand-mill that “a certain woman” at Thebez broke Abimelech’s skull (
The mills of the ancient Hebrews probably differed but little from those at present in use in the East. These consist of two circular stones, each about eighteen inches or two feet in diameter, the lower of which is fixed, and has its upper surface slightly convex, fitting into a corresponding concavity in the upper stone. In the latter is a hole thorough which the grain passes, immediately above a pivot or shaft which rises from the centre of the lower stone, and about which the upper stone is turned by means of an upright handle fixed near the edge. It is worked by women, sometimes singly and sometimes two together, who are usually seated on the bare ground. (Isaiah 47:1,2) "facing each other; both have hold of the handle by which the upper is turned round on the ’nether’ millstone. The one whose right hand is disengaged throws in the grain as occasion requires through the hole in the…
See CORN.
The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take
Qal
lift, lift up
Bear, carry
Take, take away
Niph.
be lifted up
refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment
be borne, carried
be taken away, carried off
Pi.
lift up = exalt
fig. = desire, long
carry, bear continuously
take, take away
Hithp. lift oneself up
Hiph.
cause one to bear iniquity
appar. cause to bring, have brought
base
H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up
. Bear, carry
. Take, take away
. . be lifted up
. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment
. be borne, carried
. be taken away, carried off
. . lift up = exalt
. fig. = desire, long
. carry, bear continuously
. take, take away
. lift oneself up
. . cause one to bear iniquity
. appar. cause to bring, have brought
5375 nasa' naw-saw'
or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to
lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and
figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,
arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring
(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,
exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,
give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,
lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,
pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,
stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.
see HEBREW for 04
see HEBREW for 06
see HEBREW for 07
נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.
: raise/take_up
1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up
1b3) to be borne, be carried
1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist
1c2) to desire, long (fig.)
1c3) to carry, bear continuously
1c4) to take, take away
1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)
1e2) to cause to bring, have brought
נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.
: look/lift(eyes)
1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
נַ֫עַר (na`ar) generally refers to a boy, lad, or youth, covering ages from infancy to adolescence. It can also imply a servant or retainer and, in some contexts, may refer to a girl of similar age. The term appears in various forms across different lexicons, with Brown-Driver-Briggs noting its usage as a shaking or scattering.
נַ֫עַר 239 n.m. 1. boy, lad, youth. 2. retainer (not in P)
boy, lad, youth (c. 133 t.)
servant, retainer (c. 105 t.)
base
H5288a נַ֫עַר usu. interpr. as a shaking, scattering H5288b נַ֫עַר, נַ֫עַר . boy, lad, youth
. retainer
5288 na`ar nah'-ar
from 5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of
infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by
interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age):--babe,
boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young
(man).
see HEBREW for 05287
נַ֫עַר (na.ar) — youth.
1) a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer
1a) boy, lad, youth
1b) servant, retainer
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/Ncmpa
עֵץ (ets) refers to a tree or wood, encompassing various forms such as timber, sticks, and planks. It can denote both singular and plural trees, as well as specific uses like gallows and firewood. The word is derived from a root meaning firmness, indicating its solid nature.
עֵץ 329 n.m. tree, trees, wood
(c. 150 t.)
a standing tree
coll. trees
(c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
base
H6086 עֵץ tree, trees, wood . (c. 150 t.) . a standing tree
. coll. trees
. (c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
6086 `ets ates
from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural
sticks):--+ carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff,
stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.
see HEBREW for 06095
עֵץ (ets) — tree: wood.
: wood
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree.
: tree
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stick.
: stick/log
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stake.
: stake/shaft
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: carpenter.
: carpenter/wood(worker)
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
wood.
See BOTANY; FOREST; TREES.
Wood
See FOREST.
[FOREST]
כָּשַׁל (kashal) means to stumble or totter, often due to weakness. It can refer to physical stumbling, as well as metaphorical weakness or failure. The verb has various forms, including causing others to stumble or making them weak. The entries suggest a range of meanings from literal stumbling to broader implications of ruin and weakness.
כָּשַׁל vb. stumble, stagger, totter
Qal
stumble at, over, something (lit. by means of)
totter
Niph.
stumble
be tottering, feeble
Pi. only apparent
Hiph.
cause to stumble
make feeble, weak
Hoph. either and let them be ones who have stumbled before thee, i.e. regard them as such, or and let them be ones overthrown before thee
base
H3782 כָּשַׁל stumble, stagger, totter .. stumble at, over, something (lit. by means of)
. totter
. . stumble
. be tottering, feeble
. only apparent
. . cause to stumble
. make feeble, weak
. either and let them be ones who have stumbled before thee, i.e. regard them as such, or and let them be ones overthrown before thee
3782 kashal kaw-shal'
a primitive root; to totter or waver (through weakness of the
legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter,
stumble, faint or fall:--bereave (from the margin), cast down,
be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make to) fall
(down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin(-ed, of), (be) overthrown,
(cause to) stumble, X utterly, be weak.
כָּשַׁל (ka.shal) — to stumble.
1) to stumble, stagger, totter
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to stumble
1a2) to totter
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to stumble
1b2) to be tottering, be feeble
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to stumble, bring injury or ruin to, overthrow
1c2) to make feeble, make weak
1d) (Hophal) to be made to stumble
1e) (Piel) bereave
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp