Today Most people assume that the word “wine” can refer only to fermented, intoxicating grape juice, or to the fermented juice of any fruit used as beverage.
“ Wine. 1. the alcoholic fermented juice of fresh grape used as a beverage. 2.the alcoholic usually fermented juice of a plant product ( as a fruit ) used as a beverage. 3. something that invigorates or intoxicates. 4. a dark red. “
2010, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
However, past usage of the English word “wine” does not restrict to fermented juice of grape.
Older dictionaries suggested that the word “wine” have a dual meaning, as fermented and unfermented grape juice.
“ Wine, a liquor ( anything that is liquid ) made of the juice of grape or other fruits.”
“ Must, sweet wine, newly pressed from the grape. “
1708, Dictionarium Anglo-Britannicum.
“ Wine. 1. the juice of the grape. 2. a liquor extracted from other fruits besides the grape. 3. the vapours of wine, as wine disturbs his reason. “
1748, Lingua Britannica Reformata
“ Wine. Nature wine is such as it comes from the grape, without any mixture or sophistication. Adulterated wine is that wherein some drug is added to give it strength, fineness, flavor, briskness, or some other qualification.”
1759, New Universal English Dictionary of Words and of Arts and Sciences
“ Wine. 1. The fermented juice of grapes. 2. The juice of certain fruits, prepared with sugar, spirits, &c. “
“ Must. [ L. mustum; Heb. to ferment ] New wine; wine pressed from the grape but not fermented.”
1828, American Dictionary of the English Language
“ Wine. The expressed juice of grapes, esp. when fermented; a beverage or liquor prepared from grapes by squeezing out their juice, and ( usually ) allowing it to ferment.”
1895, Webster’s International Dictionary of the English Language
“ Must. Wine or juice pressed form grapes but not fermented.”
1971, New Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language
The old English dual-definitions of the word “wine” suggest that when the King James Version of the Bible was translated ( 1604 – 1611 ), its translators must have understood the “wine” to refer to both fermented and unfermented wine.
In view of this fact, the KJV’s uniform translation of the Hebrew “yayin” and Greek “onios” as “wine” was an acceptable translation at that time.
Today, however, when “wine” has assumed the sole meaning of fermented grape juice, modern translations Bible should indicate whether the text is dealing with fermented or unfermented grape juice.
x x x
The original versions of the books of the Bible use several different words for alcoholic beverages : at least 10 in Hebrew, and 5 in Greek.
Hebrew words for “wine” :
yayin , ין = “wine”. Equivalent to Greek “gleukos”, “katoinousthai”, “ oinopotes”, “oinos”, “sumposion”
tirosh , תירוש = “must”, “new wine”, “sweet wine”, it can represent juice at any stage in the fermentation process ; in some places it ‘represents rather wine made from the first drippings of the juice before the winepress was trodden. As such it would be particularly potent’. It can certainly be alcoholic. Equivalent to Greek “methusma, “onios”.
shekar, שכר = “strong drink”, denotes any inebriating drink with about 7-10% alcoholic content, hot hard liquor, because there is no evidence of distilled liquor in ancient times. Equivalent to Greek “methê”, “oinos” ,”sikera”.
chemar, חמר = “wine”, derived from the root “hamar”, meaning ‘to boil up’. Equivalent to Greek “methê”, “oinos”.
‘asis , סיס = “sweet wine”, “new wine”. Equivalent to Greek “ glukasmos”, “methê”, “oinos”, “nama”, “neos”, .
chomets, חמץ = “vinegar”. Which was made from wine or other fermented beverage and used as a condiment, or when mixed with water, a slightly intoxicating drink. Equivalent to Greek “omphaz”, “oxos”.
shemar ( plural : shemarim ) , שמר = “lees”, “dregs of wine”, wine that has been kept on the lees, and therefore old wine. Equivalent to Greek “onios”, “trugias”.
sobhe , סבא = “drink”, “wine”, “liquor”. Equivalent to Greek “oinos”
mamsak & mesekh , ממסך = “mixed-drink”, “mixed-wine”, “drink-offering”, a mixture of wine and water with spices that increase its stimulating properties. Equivalent to Greek “kerasma”
mezeg , מזג = “mixture”, “mie\xed-wine”. Equivalent to Greek “karma”.
Greek words for “wine” :
oinos , οίνος = “wine”. Equivalent to Hebrew “ tirosh”, “chemar”, “ shekar”, “sobhe”, “ shemarim”, “ ‘asis”.
gleukos , γλευκος = “sweet wine”, “new wine”. which was intoxication.
sikera , σίκερα = derived from Hebrew “shekar”.
oxos , όξος = “vinegar”, “sour wine”, when mixed with water, it was a common, cheap drink of the poor and of the Roman army.
methusma , μέθυσμα = an intoxication drink.l
x x x
Hebrew word “yayin” as fermented wine, in Old Testament :
Genesis 9:20-23. “ 21And he drank of the wine [ H:yayin ], and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. ”
Genesis 19:30-34. “ 33And they made their father drink wine [ H:yayin ] that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.”
2 Samuel 13:23-29. “ 28Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine[ H:yayin ], and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. ”
Esther 1:10-12. “ 10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine [ H:yayin ], …”
Proverb 20:1. “1Wine [ H:yayin ] is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. ”
Hebrew word “yayin” as must, a newly pressed from the grape, in Old Testament :
Isaiah 16:10. “ 10And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine [ H:yayin ] in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease. “
Jeremiah 40:11-12. “1 2Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine [ H:yayin ], and summer fruits very much.”
Nehemiah 13:15. “ 15In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine [ H:yayin ]?, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. ”
Lamentations 2:11-12. “ 11Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. 12They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine [ H:yayin ]? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom. ”
Greek word “oinos” as fermented wine, in New Testament :
Ephesians 5:18. “ 18And be not drunk with wine [ G:oinos ], wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; ...”
Greek word “oinos” as unfermented grape juice, translated from Hebrew word “tirosh” and “yayin” to Greek word “oinos” in Septuagint, a Greek translation of Old Testament. :
Psalm 4:7. “ 7Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine [ H:tirosh translated into G:oinos ] increased.“
Proverb 3:9-10. “ 110So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. [ H:tirosh translated into G:oinos ].”
Isaiah 16:10. “ 10And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine [ H:yayin translated into G:oinos ] in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease. 10 “
Isaiah 65:8. “ 8Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine [ H:tirosh translated into G:oinos ] is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all. ”
Joel 1:10-12 . “ 10The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine [ H:tirosh translated into G:oinos ] is dried up, the oil languisheth.”
Joel 2:23-24. “ 24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine [ H:tirosh translated into G:oinos ] and oil.”
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Reference :
1. Samuel Bacchiocchi, 2001, Wine in the Bible : A Biblical Study on the Use of Alcoholic Beverages.
2. 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary. http://1828.mshaffer.com
3. Wikipedia
4. BibleGateway.com
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