Deuteronomy 24:6

No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh [a man's] life to pledge.

No man shall take {H2254} the nether {H7347} or the upper millstone {H7393} to pledge {H2254}: for he taketh {H2254} a man's life {H5315} to pledge {H2254}.

"No one may take a mill or even an upper millstone as collateral for a loan, because that would be taking as collateral the debtor's very means of sustenance.

Do not take a pair of millstones or even an upper millstone as security for a debt, because that would be taking one’s livelihood as security.

No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man’s life to pledge.

Commentary

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Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 20:19 (3 votes)

    When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field [is] man's [life]) to employ [them] in the siege:

  • Luke 12:15 (3 votes)

    And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

  • Genesis 44:30 (3 votes)

    Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad [be] not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

  • Exodus 22:26 (2 votes)

    If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

  • Exodus 22:27 (2 votes)

    For that [is] his covering only, it [is] his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I [am] gracious.

  • Revelation 18:22 (2 votes)

    And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft [he be], shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;