Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 24:41
Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill ] In southern Palestine, where there are no mill-streams, hand-mills are to be seen and heard in every village. “Two women sit at the mill facing each other; both having hold of the handle by which the upper is turned round on the nether mill-stone.” Land and Book, p. 526.
shall be taken ] See preceding verse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Two women … – Grinding in the East was performed, as it is now, chiefly by hand. The millstones were about 2 feet in diameter and 12 foot in thickness. The lower one was fixed, and the upper one was turned by a handle or crank. This was done by two persons, who sat opposite to each other. One took hold of the mill-handle and turned it half-way round; the other then seized it and completed the revolution. This was done by women – by servants of the lowest order – and was a very laborious employment. See Exo 11:5; Job 31:10; Isa 47:2; Jdg 16:21. The meaning of this verse is similar to the former. Of two persons sitting near each other, one shall be taken and the other. left. The calamity would be sudden, and would come upon them before they were aware.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 41. See Clarke on Mt 24:40.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Two women shall be grinding at the mill,…. Though the word women is not in the Greek text, yet it is rightly supplied by our translators, as it is in the Persic version; for the word rendered grinding, is in the feminine gender, and was the work of women, as appears both from the Scripture, Ex 11:5 and from several passages in the Jewish writings, concerning which their canons run thus p;
“These are the works which a woman is to do for her husband, , “she must grind”, and bake, and wash, and boil, and make his bed, c.”
And elsewhere it is asked q,
“how does she grind? she sits at the mill, and watches the flour, but she does not grind, or go after a beast, that so the mill may not stop but if their custom is to grind at a hand mill, she may grind. The sanhedrim order this to poor people; for if she brings one handmaid, or money, or goods, sufficient to purchase, she is not obliged to grind, c.”
Frequent mention is made, of women grinding together at the same mill: a case is put concerning two women grinding at an hand mill r, and various rules are given about it as, that s
“a woman may lend her neighbour that is suspected of eating the fruits of the seventh year after time, a meal sieve, a fan, a mill, or a furnace, but she may not winnow, nor “grind with her”.”
Which it supposes she might do, if she was not suspected: again t,
“the wife of a plebeian, , “may grind” with the wife of a learned man, in the time that she is unclean, but not when she is clean.”
Nor was this the custom of the Jews only, for women to grind, but also of other countries, as of the Abyssines u, and of both Greeks and Barbarians w:
the one shall be taken, and the other left; as before, one shall be taken by the Romans, and either put to death, or carried captive; and the other shall escape their hands, through the singular providence of God. The Ethiopic version, and Munster’s Hebrew Gospel add, “two shall be in one bed, one shall be taken, and the other left”; but these words are not in the copies of Matthew in common, but are taken out of Lu 17:34 though they are in the Cambridge copy of Beza’s, and in one of Stephens’s.
p Misn. Cetubot, c. 5. sect. 5. Vid. T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 47. 9. & 48. 1. q Maimon. Hilch. Ishot. c. 21. sect. 5, 6. r T. Bab. Nidda, fol. 60. 2. s Misn. Sheviith, c. 5. 9. & Gittin, c. 5. sect. 9. t T. Hieros. Teruinot, fol. 46. 3. T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 61. 2. & Cholin, fol. 6. 2. Misn. Taharot, c. 7. sect. 4. u Ludolph. Hist. Ethiop. l. 4. c. 4. w Plutarch apud Beza. in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
At the mill ( ). So Westcott and Hort and not (millhouse) Textus Receptus. The millstone and then hand-mill which was turned by two women () as in Ex 11:5. This verb is a late form for . There was a handle near the edge of the upper stone.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The mill [ ] . The ordinary hand – mill with a handle fixed near the edge of the upper stone, which is turned by two women.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(41) Two women shall be grinding at the mill.The words bring before us the picture of the lowest form of female labour, in which one woman holds the lower stone of the small hand-mill of the East, while another turns the upper stone and grinds the corn. In Jdg. 16:21, and Lam. 5:13, the employment appears as the crowning degradation of male captives taken in battle. It is probable that in this case, as in that of the fig-tree, the illustration may have been suggested by what was present to our Lords view at the time. The Mount of Olives might well have presented to His gaze, even as He spoke, the two labourers in the field, the two women at the mill.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
41. Two women A similar image in regard to the female sex for both shall alike pass the judgment test. Grinding at the mill Meal was ground anciently between two stones, one being laid up on the other to crush the grain between them by friction. The stones were often turned by women.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Ver. 41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill ] A poor trade, a hard task. God would have every man in his honest occupation to humble himself by just labour, and so to accept the punishment of their iniquity, Lev 26:41 . But one of these two poor grinders at the mill is left by Christ for her pride and profaneness. Many are humbled, but not humble; low, but not lowly. To these Christ will say, Perdidistis utilitatem calamitatis, miserrimi facti estis, et pessimi permansistis, Misery hath no wit mended you; woe be to you. (Aug. C. D. i. 33.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
women. Grinding was and is woman’s work in the East, and is done in the morning.
at = in. Greek. en. App-104.
the mill. Greek. mulon. Occurs only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 24:41. , grinding) Grinding was an occupation of women.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Two: The [Strong’s G3459] was a hand-mill composed of two stones; “the uppermost of which is turned round by a small handle of wood or iron that is placed in the rim. When this stone is large, or expedition required, a second person is called to assist; and as it is usual for women alone to be concerned in this employment, who seat themselves over against each other with the millstone between then, we may see not only the propriety of the expression, Exo 11:5,” but the force of this. – Dr. Shaw.
grinding: Exo 11:5, Isa 47:2
Reciprocal: Jdg 16:21 – grind Job 31:10 – grind Luk 17:34 – in Act 9:7 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:41
Grain was ground by rolling one millstone round over another by means of a lever fastened to the stone. The separation of these women will be done on the same basis as that of the two men in the preceding verse. Both cases show that the Lord’s people and those of the world may engage together in any honorable occupation while performing work necessary to a livelihood. That is why Jesus said “Let both grow together until the harvest” [end of the world] (chapter 13:30).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 24:41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. The employment of female slaves. Exo 11:5; Isa 47:2, etc. Women in the East, one or two together, turn the handmills, having the upper millstone in their hands, and turning it round on the nether one, which is fixed.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 41
Mill; hand-mill,–such as were used in those days.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
24:41 {x} Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
(x) The Greek women and the barbarians ground and baked.