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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Lamentations 5:13 Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/lamentations/5-13.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/9/25_Lam_05_13.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Lamentations 5:13 - A Prayer for Restoration" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood." /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; 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boys stagger under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/lamentations/5.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />Young men are led away to work at millstones, and boys stagger under heavy loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/lamentations/5.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />Young men are compelled to grind at the mill, and boys stagger under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/lamentations/5.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/lamentations/5.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/lamentations/5.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Young men ground at the millstones; Boys staggered under <i>loads of</i> wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/lamentations/5.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Young men worked at the grinding mill, And youths staggered under <i>loads</i> of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/lamentations/5.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Young men worked at the grinding mill, And youths stumbled under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/lamentations/5.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Young men worked at the grinding mill; And youths stumbled under <i>loads</i> of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/lamentations/5.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Young men lifted up <i>the stone</i> at the grinding mill, And youths stumbled down under <i>loads</i> of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/lamentations/5.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Young men worked at the grinding mill, And boys fell [staggering] under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/lamentations/5.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Young men labor at millstones; boys stumble under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/lamentations/5.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Young men labor at millstones; boys stumble under loads of wood. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/lamentations/5.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />The young men bare the mill; And the children stumbled under the wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/lamentations/5.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Young men are forced to do the work of slaves; boys must carry heavy loads of wood. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/lamentations/5.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />The young men bare the mill, and the children stumbled under the wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/lamentations/5.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />[Our] young men work at the mill, and [our] boys stagger under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/lamentations/5.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />Our young men are forced to grind grain like slaves; boys go staggering under heavy loads of wood. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/lamentations/5.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Our young men must grind grain with a millstone; our youths stumble under the weight of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/lamentations/5.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/lamentations/5.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />The young men perform menial labor; boys stagger from their labor. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/lamentations/5.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />The young men grind at the mill; the boys stagger under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/lamentations/5.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/lamentations/5.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/lamentations/5.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />They have taken young men to grind, "" And youths have stumbled with wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/lamentations/5.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/lamentations/5.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />They took away the chosen ones to grind, and the young men were weak in the wood.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/lamentations/5.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />They abused the young men indecently: and the children fell under the wood. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/lamentations/5.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />They have sexually abused the adolescents, and the children were corrupted in the wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/lamentations/5.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Young men carry millstones, boys stagger under loads of wood; <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/lamentations/5.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Young men are compelled to grind, and boys stagger under loads of wood.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/lamentations/5.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />The young men grind the mill, and the youths stumble under loads of wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/lamentations/5.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />The young men ground meal with the millstone and boys stumbled with wood<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/lamentations/5.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />The young men have borne the mill, And the children have stumbled under the wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/lamentations/5.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />The chosen men lifted up <i>the voice in</i> weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/lamentations/5-13.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rKrWuOkEqzQ?start=1382" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/lamentations/5.htm">A Prayer for Restoration</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">12</span>Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect. <span class="reftext">13</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/970.htm" title="970: ba·ḥū·rîm (N-mp) -- A young man. Or bachur; participle passive of bachar; properly, selected, i.e. A youth.">Young men</a> <a href="/hebrew/5375.htm" title="5375: nā·śā·’ū (V-Qal-Perf-3cp) -- Or nacah ('abad); a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absol. And rel.">toil</a> <a href="/hebrew/2911.htm" title="2911: ṭə·ḥō·wn (N-ms) -- A hand mill, a millstone. From tachan; a hand mill; hence, a millstone.">at millstones;</a> <a href="/hebrew/5288.htm" title="5288: ū·nə·‘ā·rîm (Conj-w:: N-mp) -- A boy, lad, youth, retainer. From na'ar; a boy, from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also, a girl.">boys</a> <a href="/hebrew/3782.htm" title="3782: kā·šā·lū (V-Qal-Perf-3cp) -- To stumble, stagger, totter. A primitive root; to totter or waver; by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall.">stagger</a> <a href="/hebrew/6086.htm" title="6086: bā·‘êṣ (Prep-b, Art:: N-ms) -- Tree, trees, wood. From atsah; a tree; hence, wood.">under loads of wood.</a> </span><span class="reftext">14</span>The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/47-6.htm">Isaiah 47:6</a></span><br />I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/6-11.htm">Jeremiah 6:11</a></span><br />But I am full of the LORD’s wrath; I am tired of holding it back. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the young men gathered together. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old and the very old alike.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/12-3.htm">Jeremiah 12:3</a></span><br />But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/15-8.htm">Jeremiah 15:8</a></span><br />I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring upon them anguish and dismay.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/18-21.htm">Jeremiah 18:21</a></span><br />Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_chronicles/36-17.htm">2 Chronicles 36:17</a></span><br />So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/28-50.htm">Deuteronomy 28:50</a></span><br />a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/24-9.htm">Job 24:9</a></span><br />The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/137-9.htm">Psalm 137:9</a></span><br />Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/3-5.htm">Isaiah 3:5</a></span><br />The people will oppress one another, man against man, neighbor against neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/14-16.htm">Isaiah 14:16-17</a></span><br />Those who see you will stare; they will ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made the kingdoms tremble, / who turned the world into a desert and destroyed its cities, who refused to let the captives return to their homes?”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/11-28.htm">Matthew 11:28-30</a></span><br />Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. / Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. / For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/23-4.htm">Matthew 23:4</a></span><br />They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/11-46.htm">Luke 11:46</a></span><br />“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “For you weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/15-10.htm">Acts 15:10</a></span><br />Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.</p><p class="hdg">the young</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/exodus/11-5.htm">Exodus 11:5</a></b></br> And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that <i>is</i> behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/judges/16-21.htm">Judges 16:21</a></b></br> But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/31-10.htm">Job 31:10</a></b></br> <i>Then</i> let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.</p><p class="hdg">fell</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/exodus/1-11.htm">Exodus 1:11</a></b></br> Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/exodus/2-11.htm">Exodus 2:11</a></b></br> And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/exodus/23-5.htm">Exodus 23:5</a></b></br> If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/lamentations/4-21.htm">Bare</a> <a href="/lamentations/5-7.htm">Borne</a> <a href="/isaiah/3-4.htm">Boys</a> <a href="/lamentations/5-3.htm">Children</a> <a href="/esther/1-8.htm">Compelled</a> <a href="/lamentations/3-34.htm">Crushing</a> <a href="/lamentations/4-6.htm">Falling</a> <a href="/lamentations/4-6.htm">Fell</a> <a href="/lamentations/2-12.htm">Grain</a> <a href="/lamentations/3-16.htm">Grind</a> <a href="/jeremiah/25-10.htm">Grinding</a> <a href="/isaiah/46-1.htm">Loads</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/12-4.htm">Mill</a> <a href="/jeremiah/25-10.htm">Millstones</a> <a href="/jeremiah/25-16.htm">Stagger</a> <a href="/jeremiah/50-32.htm">Stumbled</a> <a href="/lamentations/3-5.htm">Toil</a> <a href="/lamentations/5-4.htm">Wood</a> <a href="/jeremiah/48-30.htm">Worked</a> <a href="/lamentations/4-4.htm">Young</a> <a href="/isaiah/40-30.htm">Youths</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/ezekiel/12-7.htm">Bare</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-5.htm">Borne</a> <a href="/joel/3-3.htm">Boys</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-3.htm">Children</a> <a href="/matthew/14-22.htm">Compelled</a> <a href="/daniel/2-40.htm">Crushing</a> <a href="/ezekiel/6-7.htm">Falling</a> <a href="/ezekiel/1-28.htm">Fell</a> <a href="/ezekiel/27-17.htm">Grain</a> <a href="/matthew/21-44.htm">Grind</a> <a href="/matthew/22-13.htm">Grinding</a> <a href="/matthew/23-4.htm">Loads</a> <a href="/joel/1-18.htm">Mill</a> <a href="/exodus/11-5.htm">Millstones</a> <a href="/amos/4-8.htm">Stagger</a> <a href="/daniel/11-14.htm">Stumbled</a> <a href="/ezekiel/24-12.htm">Toil</a> <a href="/ezekiel/15-2.htm">Wood</a> <a href="/ezekiel/20-9.htm">Worked</a> <a href="/lamentations/5-14.htm">Young</a> <a href="/ezekiel/30-17.htm">Youths</a><div class="vheading2">Lamentations 5</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/lamentations/5-1.htm">A complaint of Zion in prayer unto God.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/lamentations/5.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/lamentations/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/lamentations/5.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Young men toil at millstones;</b><br>In ancient times, grinding grain with millstones was typically a task for women or slaves, indicating the severity of the situation in Jerusalem. The young men, who would normally be engaged in more vigorous or skilled labor, are reduced to performing menial tasks. This reflects the dire circumstances and the reversal of societal roles due to the Babylonian conquest. The imagery of young men at millstones can be connected to the broader theme of suffering and humiliation found throughout Lamentations, as well as the consequences of Israel's disobedience as warned by prophets like Jeremiah.<p><b>boys stagger under loads of wood.</b><br>The image of boys carrying heavy loads of wood highlights the extreme hardship and exploitation faced by the people. In a society where children would typically be protected and nurtured, the fact that boys are burdened with such labor underscores the collapse of social norms and the desperation of the community. This phrase can be linked to the curses outlined in <a href="/deuteronomy/28.htm">Deuteronomy 28</a>, where disobedience to God leads to suffering and oppression. The staggering boys also evoke a sense of helplessness and vulnerability, pointing to the need for divine intervention and foreshadowing the ultimate deliverance through Christ, who bears the burdens of humanity.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/y/young_men.htm">Young Men</a></b><br>In the context of Lamentations, these are the young men of Jerusalem who are subjected to hard labor and oppression during the Babylonian captivity.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/b/boys.htm">Boys</a></b><br>Refers to the younger generation who are also burdened with heavy labor, symbolizing the widespread suffering and loss of freedom among the people of Judah.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/m/millstones.htm">Millstones</a></b><br>Large stones used for grinding grain, representing the heavy and relentless labor imposed on the captives.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/l/loads_of_wood.htm">Loads of Wood</a></b><br>Symbolizes the burdensome tasks and the physical and emotional weight carried by the young boys, indicative of the dire circumstances faced by the people.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/b/babylonian_captivity.htm">Babylonian Captivity</a></b><br>The historical event during which the people of Judah were exiled to Babylon, leading to the lamentations and expressions of grief found in this book.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_consequences_of_sin.htm">The Consequences of Sin</a></b><br>The suffering of the young men and boys is a direct result of the nation's disobedience to God. This serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of turning away from God's commandments.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_burden_of_oppression.htm">The Burden of Oppression</a></b><br>The imagery of heavy labor reflects the physical and spiritual oppression that sin brings. Believers are called to seek freedom in Christ, who offers rest and relief from burdens.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/i/intergenerational_impact.htm">Intergenerational Impact</a></b><br>The suffering of both young men and boys highlights how sin and its consequences affect multiple generations. It is crucial for believers to live righteously to protect future generations.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/h/hope_in_despair.htm">Hope in Despair</a></b><br>Even in the midst of lament, there is an underlying hope for redemption and restoration. Believers are encouraged to hold onto God's promises even in difficult times.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_call_to_compassion.htm">The Call to Compassion</a></b><br>Observing the suffering of others should move believers to compassion and action, reflecting God's love and mercy to those in need.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_lamentations_5.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Lamentations 5</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_a_millstone_mean_in_the_bible.htm">What does a millstone symbolize in the Bible?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_evidence_confirm_buying_water.htm">Lamentations 5:4 mentions buying their own water--does any historical or archaeological evidence confirm or contradict this siege condition?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_job_3's_despair_contradict_james_5_11.htm">Does the despair expressed in Job 3 contradict later biblical accounts (e.g., James 5:11) that describe Job as patient and steadfast?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_does_lamentations_4_13_align_with_communal_guilt.htm">(Lamentations 4:13) How does blaming prophets and priests for the downfall align or conflict with other biblical teachings on communal guilt?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/lamentations/5.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(13) <span class= "bld">They took . . .</span>--Better, <span class= "ital">Young men bear the mill: i.e.,</span> 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 Chaldaean armies on their way to Babylon. (Comp. <a href="/isaiah/47-2.htm" title="Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover your locks, make bore the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.">Isaiah 47:2</a>.) 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 <span class= "ital">staggered</span>) under their burdens.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/lamentations/5.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 13.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">They took the young men to grind;</span> rather, <span class="accented">the young men have borne the mill.</span> The lower millstone seems to have been specially hard, and therefore heavy (see <a href="/job/41-24.htm">Job 41:24</a>), and to carry it about must have required a more severe exertion even than the constant turning of the mill handle. Dr. Thomson "cannot recall an instance in which men were grinding at the mill" ('The Land and the Book,' edit. 1881, p. 108), and both <a href="/exodus/11-5.htm">Exodus 11:5</a> and <a href="/matthew/24-41.htm">Matthew 24:41</a> presuppose that it was women's work. The conquered Jewish youths, however, share the fate of Samson - <p><span class="accented">"Eyeless, in Gaza, at the mill with slaves."</span><br /><br />(<span class="note_acc">Samson Agonistes,' 41.</span>) Eyeless, indeed, they may some of them have been, as putting out the eyes was a common Oriental punishment (comp. <a href="/jeremiah/39-7.htm">Jeremiah 39:7</a>). <span class="cmt_word">The children.</span> This is, perhaps, too strong. The Hebrew <span class="accented">na'ar is</span> applicable, not only to children, but to <span class="accented">youths</span> at the age for marriage (<a href="/genesis/34-19.htm">Genesis 34:19</a>) or war (<a href="/1_kings/20-15.htm">1 Kings 20:15</a>). <span class="cmt_word">The wood;</span> not the wooden handle of the mill, but the wood required for fuel. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/lamentations/5-13.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">Young men</span><br /><span class="heb">בַּחוּרִים֙</span> <span class="translit">(ba·ḥū·rîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_970.htm">Strong's 970: </a> </span><span class="str2">Selected, a youth</span><br /><br /><span class="word">toil</span><br /><span class="heb">נָשָׂ֔אוּ</span> <span class="translit">(nā·śā·’ū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5375.htm">Strong's 5375: </a> </span><span class="str2">To lift, carry, take</span><br /><br /><span class="word">at millstones;</span><br /><span class="heb">טְח֣וֹן</span> <span class="translit">(ṭə·ḥō·wn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2911.htm">Strong's 2911: </a> </span><span class="str2">A hand mill, a millstone</span><br /><br /><span class="word">boys</span><br /><span class="heb">וּנְעָרִ֖ים</span> <span class="translit">(ū·nə·‘ā·rîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5288.htm">Strong's 5288: </a> </span><span class="str2">A boy, lad, youth, retainer</span><br /><br /><span class="word">stagger</span><br /><span class="heb">כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃</span> <span class="translit">(kā·šā·lū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3782.htm">Strong's 3782: </a> </span><span class="str2">To totter, waver, to falter, stumble, faint, fall</span><br /><br /><span class="word">under loads of wood.</span><br /><span class="heb">בָּעֵ֥ץ</span> <span class="translit">(bā·‘êṣ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6086.htm">Strong's 6086: </a> </span><span class="str2">Tree, trees, wood</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/lamentations/5-13.htm">Lamentations 5:13 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/lamentations/5-13.htm">OT Prophets: Lamentations 5:13 The young men bare the mill (Lam. La Lm) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/lamentations/5-12.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Lamentations 5:12"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Lamentations 5:12" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/lamentations/5-14.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Lamentations 5:14"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Lamentations 5:14" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>