רֵחֶה
𐤓𐤇𐤄
rêcheh
H7347 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A millstone; specifically, the lower or upper stone used for grinding grain by hand. Refers to the large, circular stone component of a hand-mill upon which or with which grain is ground into flour. In biblical contexts, the term is used for either the stationary lower stone or the movable upper stone, with some ambiguity depending on passage. The word occurs in contexts emphasizing daily life, sustenance, and the basic processes of food preparation.
Semantic Range
millstone, grinding stone, mill (particularly hand-mill component), essential tool for grinding grain
Root / Etymology
Derived from an unused root, possibly related to רחה, with the core sense of 'to crush, grind, pulverize.' The vocalization and form רֵחֶה suggests a feminine noun, but its etymology remains uncertain; the root itself is unattested elsewhere, and it is preserved only in this noun form, which is attested rarely in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רֵחֶה (rêcheh) is a rare term in biblical Hebrew, found mostly in poetic or legal passages. The more common term for millstone is רֶחַיִם (rekhayim), a dual form referring to the pair of stones used in grinding, whereas רֵחֶה may refer either to one of the stones individually or generically to a millstone. In Deuteronomy 24:6, the taking of a 'millstone' or 'mill' (רֵחֶה) as a pledge is prohibited, signifying the indispensable role of the hand-mill in daily subsistence; confiscating it would endanger a household's livelihood. The term does not carry religious or ritual overtones but is a concrete item of household technology central to survival in agrarian Israelite society. Later translations often used 'millstone' or simply 'mill,' but these renderings can obscure the cultural and gendered aspects of ancient grinding practices, which were typically women's work.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to pulverize; a mill-stone; mill (stone).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רחה (r-ḥ-h) — to grind, crush, pulverize
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7365 | רְחַץ | they entrusted themselves |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7347-02 |
רֵחַ֖יִם | rechayim | HNcmda |
millstone | pair of grinding-stones | 3 |
H7347-01 |
הָ/רֵחָ֑יִם | harechayim | HTd/Ncmda |
the millstones | the two grinding-stones | 1 |
H7347-03 |
בָ/רֵחַ֗יִם | varechayim | HRd/Ncmda |
in mills | pair of millstones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7347-01 |
Exodus 11:5 | הָ/רֵחָ֑יִם | harechayim | HTd/Ncmda |
the millstones | the two grinding-stones |
H7347-03 |
Numbers 11:8 | בָ/רֵחַ֗יִם | varechayim | HRd/Ncmda |
in mills | pair of millstones |
H7347-02 |
Deuteronomy 24:6 | רֵחַ֖יִם | rechayim | HNcmda |
millstone | pair of grinding-stones |
H7347-02 |
Isaiah 47:2 | רֵחַ֖יִם | rechayim | HNcmda |
millstones | pair of grinding-stones |
H7347-02 |
Jeremiah 25:10 | רֵחַ֖יִם | rechayim | HNcmda |
of-millstones | pair of grinding-stones |