Original Word: דֹּחַן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: dochan
Pronunciation: DO-khan
Phonetic Spelling: (do'-khan)
KJV: millet
NASB: millet
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. millet

millet

Of uncertain derivation; millet -- millet.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
millet
NASB Translation
millet (1).

דֹּ֫חַן noun masculine millet (Late Hebrew דּוֺחַן, Aramaic דּוֺחִינָא ׳ד), Ezekiel 4:9 in the series חִטִּין וּשְׂעֹרִים וּפוֺל וַעֲדָשִׁים וְכֻסְּמִים ׳וְד see Löw⁷².

Identification and Description

דֹּחַן denotes a variety of millet—a small-seeded, drought-resilient cereal cultivated throughout the Ancient Near East. Its grains are light in color, high in starch, and easily stored, making them valuable in subsistence economies and emergency rations.

Biblical Occurrence

Ezekiel 4:9 is the sole canonical appearance: “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a single vessel and make them into bread for yourself … ” (Berean Standard Bible). The prophet’s diet during his symbolic siege dramatized Jerusalem’s coming deprivation; each ingredient, including millet, underscored the scarcity that would compel the people to mix whatever grains remained.

Historical and Cultural Background

Archaeology confirms that millets were grown in Egypt, Canaan, and Mesopotamia from the third millennium B.C. onward. Though less esteemed than wheat or barley, millet flourished in marginal soils and ripened quickly, supplying a dependable fallback when traditional harvests failed (compare Genesis 41:54-57). Its inclusion in Ezekiel’s bread mirrors ancient siege practice: besieged populations often scavenged hardy grains normally reserved for fodder (2 Kings 25:3; Jeremiah 38:9).

Symbolic and Theological Significance

1. Divine Warning—The mixture of grains symbolized national humiliation; Israel’s once-pure offerings would become a meager, composite loaf.
2. Preservation Amid Judgment—Even under siege, God sustained His prophet. The presence of millet testifies that divine chastening never extinguishes covenant care (Lamentations 3:22-23).
3. Moral Urgency—The humble ingredients expose the foolishness of relying on plenty while ignoring obedience (Deuteronomy 8:10-20).

Intertextual Connections

• Bread as Revelation—From the manna (Exodus 16:4) to the “bread of life” (John 6:35), Scripture uses bread to declare God’s provision. The millet loaf anticipates Christ, who satisfies far more than physical hunger (Matthew 4:4).
• Siege Imagery—Ezekiel’s sign-act parallels earlier prophetic pictures of scarcity (Leviticus 26:26; Isaiah 3:1) and anticipates the famine scenes in Revelation 6:5-6, where grain is rationed under judgment.

Practical Ministry Reflections

• Stewardship—Millet’s resilience urges believers to cultivate habits that withstand adversity: consistent prayer, Scripture intake, mutual fellowship (Acts 2:42).
• Contentment—Paul’s testimony, “I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11-13), echoes the prophet’s acceptance of a simple, even austere, diet.
• Compassion—Modern crises still push communities toward subsistence foods. Churches that share resources embody the loaf Ezekiel baked for a watching generation (James 2:15-17).

Key Doctrinal Themes

Providence, judgment, repentance, perseverance, typology of bread pointing to Christ.

Suggested Further Reading

Leviticus 26; Jeremiah 14; Matthew 6:25-34; Hebrews 12:5-11.

וְדֹ֣חַן ודחן veDochan wə·ḏō·ḥan wəḏōḥanInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts