Deuteronomy 24:6 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge. The nether or the upper mill-stone - Small hand-mills which can be worked by a single person were formerly in use among the Jews, and are still used in many parts of the East. As therefore the day's meal was generally ground for each day, they keeping no stock beforehand, hence they were forbidden to take either of the stones to pledge, because in such a case the family must be without bread. On this account the text terms the millstone the man's life.