ἀλήθω

I grind

Definition

The Greek verb ἀλήθω (alēthō) means 'to grind,' specifically referring to the action of grinding grain into flour using a hand mill. In its two New Testament occurrences, it describes the daily domestic task performed by women. The word carries no extended metaphorical meaning in the biblical text; its usage is strictly literal, depicting a common household chore. Both instances are found in parallel sayings of Jesus about the suddenness of his return.

Biblical Usage

ἀλήθω is used only twice in the New Testament, both times in the Gospels within a nearly identical prophetic saying by Jesus. In Matthew 24:41 and Luke 17:35, Jesus says, 'Two women will be grinding (ἀλήθουσαι) at the mill; one will be taken and one left.' The word is used in a simple, present participial form to depict an ordinary, ongoing activity. Its usage is entirely literal and serves to illustrate the normalcy of daily life that will be abruptly interrupted at the time of judgment.

Etymology

The verb ἀλήθω (alēthō) is derived from the root *alē-, related to grinding or milling. It is not, as sometimes suggested, derived from ἀ- (a negative prefix) and λήθω (lēthō, 'to escape notice'). This is a case of false etymology. Its true cognates are found in other Indo-European languages with meanings related to grinding. The word's meaning remained stable and specific throughout its use.

Semantic Range

While the word itself is mundane, its theological significance lies entirely in its narrative context within Jesus' eschatological teaching. The image of women grinding grain highlights the sudden, unexpected, and separating nature of the Son of Man's return (Matthew 24:40-41, Luke 17:34-35). It underscores that judgment will occur during the routine course of ordinary life, dividing even those engaged in the same intimate, cooperative task. Understanding this specific cultural activity enriches the reader's grasp of the passage's startling contrast between daily normalcy and divine interruption.

Grinding grain was a fundamental, daily task in a first-century Palestinian household, almost exclusively performed by women. It involved two women sitting opposite each other, working a small hand mill (a lower stationary stone and an upper rotating stone). This was time-consuming, essential labor for bread-making. The image Jesus uses would have been immediately familiar to his audience as a symbol of shared, routine domestic life. The sudden separation of the two women at the mill would have been a powerfully disruptive image.

μυλάω (mylaō, G3458) — A near synonym also meaning 'to grind at a mill,' used in the parallel saying in Matthew 24:41 in some manuscript traditions. ἀλήθω is the more specific term for the act of grinding itself.

Word Details

Scripture References