### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ṭᵉchôwn**, represented by `{{H2911}}`, is derived from a root word meaning to grind. Its definition includes a **hand mill**, a **millstone**, or the action **to grind**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible, making its sole appearance highly specific in its context.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single use of `{{H2911}}` occurs in [[Lamentations 5:13]], which describes a scene of intense suffering and forced labor. The verse states, "They took the young men to **grind**, and the children fell under the wood." This places the act of grinding in a context of oppression and humiliation, where the strength of the youth is exploited in a burdensome task, and even the children collapse under their physical loads.
### Related Words & Concepts
The words used alongside `{{H2911}}` in its only verse build a picture of societal collapse and suffering:
* `{{H5375}}` **nâsâʼ** (to lift... bear... carry away... take): This verb, translated as "took," describes the seizure of the young men for forced labor. Its wider usage can also mean to forgive or pardon, as seen in [[Psalms 32:1]].
* `{{H970}}` **bâchûwr** (a youth... young man): This specifies that the choicest and strongest members of society were subjected to this degrading labor [[Lamentations 5:13]].
* `{{H5288}}` **naʻar** (a boy... child... lad): This word is used for the "children" who collapsed, emphasizing the vulnerability of the very young in this time of distress [[Lamentations 5:13]].
* `{{H3782}}` **kâshal** (to totter or waver... stumble, faint or fall): This powerfully illustrates the physical weakness of the children, who "fell" under their burden. The same word is used to describe a spiritual fall due to iniquity [[Hosea 14:1]].
* `{{H6086}}` **ʻêts** (a tree... wood): This refers to the material the children were forced to carry, a simple but overwhelming burden that caused them to fall [[Lamentations 5:13]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2911}}` is derived entirely from its solemn context in Lamentations.
* **Humiliation as Judgment:** Forcing "young men" `{{H970}}` to perform the task of grinding was a form of deep humiliation and a sign of a society's complete reversal in its time of judgment. The captivity of young men is a theme of lament [[Lamentations 1:18]].
* **Comprehensive Suffering:** The passage shows that judgment affects everyone, from the strong "young men" `{{H970}}` to the vulnerable "children" `{{H5288}}`, leaving no part of the community untouched.
* **Physical Collapse as a Spiritual Metaphor:** The children's inability to bear the "wood" `{{H6086}}` until they "fell" `{{H3782}}` serves as a stark image of a people crushed by oppression. The concept of falling is linked elsewhere to sin, as when Israel is told, "thou hast fallen by thine iniquity" [[Hosea 14:1]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2911}}` is a rare biblical word whose meaning is defined by its solitary appearance. Used in [[Lamentations 5:13]], **ṭᵉchôwn** is not merely an action but a symbol of subjugation and national disgrace. It captures a moment of profound suffering where the social order is upended, the strong are humiliated, and the weak are crushed, illustrating the devastating consequences of judgment described in the book of Lamentations.
TRV