Isaiah 51:21 — Word Study
WLCלָכֵ֛ן שִׁמְעִי־ נָ֥א זֹ֖את עֲנִיָּ֑ה וּשְׁכֻרַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א מִיָּֽיִן׃ ס
BSAThereforekên [so, thus, in agreement] nownâʼ hearshâmaʻ [listen, obey, give attention] thiszôʼth you afflicted oneʻânîy [poor little one, troubled, depressed, humble, weak] drunkenshâkar [intoxicated, under the influence] but notlôʼ [absent, without] with wineyayin [fermented, intoxicating drink]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לָכֵ֛ן | therefore | Preposition, adverb |
| שִׁמְעִי־ | hear | Verb, Qal, imperative second person feminine singular |
| נָ֥א | please | Particle |
| זֹ֖את | this | Particle |
| עֲנִיָּ֑ה | O afflicted [one] | Adj |
| וּשְׁכֻרַ֖ת | and O drunken [one] | Conjunction |
| וְלֹ֥א | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| מִיָּֽיִן׃ ס | from wine | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, drunken, but not with wine. |
| KJV | ¶ Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: |
| ASV | Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: |
| YLT | Therefore, hear, I pray thee, this, O afflicted and drunken one, and not with wine, |
| WEB | Therefore now hear this, you afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: |
| BBE | So now give ear to this, you who are troubled and overcome, but not with wine: |
Where they part company is עֲנִיָּ֑ה — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause calls for attention, with additional phrases describing the audience's condition and the source of their intoxication.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁמַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 51:21
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Call to the Afflictedgenerated
Isaiah 51:21 addresses the people of Zion, who are in a state of distress and confusion. The Lord calls them to listen to His words, emphasizing their need for comfort and understanding. This verse is part of a larger message where God reassures His people of His protection and care, as seen in the surrounding verses that speak to their suffering and the promise of relief.
Cross References
The Key Word — עֲנִיָּ֑ה, 'a.ni.Yahgenerated
The word עָנִי (*aniy*) describes a state of being afflicted, humble, or poor. It is built from a root that conveys the idea of being depressed in mind or circumstances. This word captures the essence of those who are downtrodden or in need, reflecting a deep emotional and physical state of vulnerability.
In this verse, it serves to highlight the condition of the audience, who are called to hear the message despite their troubled state. The use of this term emphasizes their need for divine intervention and reassurance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase O afflicted one. The KJV and ASV both render it similarly, maintaining the sense of distress.
Where translations differ, they do so over the rendering of עֲנִיָּ֑ה. The DRA uses poor little one, while the BBE opts for troubled. This reflects a nuanced understanding of the term's implications.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb, שִׁמְעִי, hear, governs the sentence, with the imperative form directly addressing the afflicted one. The structure is straightforward, with the call to listen being the focal point.
The sentence is built around this imperative, with additional phrases providing context and description of the subject. The word order emphasizes the urgency of the command and the condition of the audience.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שִׁמְעִי as ἄκουε, which also means 'hear' but can imply a stronger sense of urgency or command. This choice reflects the translators' intent to convey the importance of the message being delivered.
The Greek term τεταπεινωμένη for עֲנִיָּ֑ה suggests a state of being humbled or brought low, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning while also emphasizing the emotional state of the afflicted.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 51:21 calls out to the afflicted and drunken one, urging them to listen. This verse emphasizes their troubled state and the need for God's message of comfort and hope.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
An 'afflicted one' refers to someone who is in a state of distress or suffering, often feeling humble or weak due to their circumstances.
The term 'drunken' indicates a state of being under the influence, not necessarily of wine, but of overwhelming emotions or situations that cloud judgment.
The command to 'hear' emphasizes the importance of listening to God's message, especially for those in distress who need guidance and reassurance.
This verse is part of a larger passage where God reassures His people of His protection and care, addressing their suffering and promising relief.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I feel afflicted or troubled in my life, and how can I bring those feelings to God?
- How can I be more attentive to God's voice in my own moments of distress?
- What does it mean for me to listen to God's message, especially when I am struggling?
- How can I support others who may be feeling afflicted or in need of comfort?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Jerome comments on this verse, interpreting it as a call for the afflicted and drunken to listen to God's message of comfort and hope.
Therefore, listen to these things, poor and drunken one, not from wine. This is what your Lord and your God says, who fought for his people: Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of slumber, the bottom of the cup of my indignation;Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 51 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 51:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTherefore hear now this, thou afflicted,.... By Babylon, by antichrist and his followers; hear, for thy comfort, the following prophecy: and drunken, but not with wine; not with wine in a literal
Read John Gill on Isaiah 51 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryTherefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: Thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine - (Isaiah 29:9 : cf. Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:20 here; Lamentations 3:15.)
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 51 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBut with the cup of God’ s fury, mentioned
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 51 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 51:21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:Ver. 21. Thou afflicted and drunken.] With a dry drunkenness, which thou canst not so easily sleep out.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 51 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) Drunken, but not with wine . . .—Same phrase as in Isaiah 29:9.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 51 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. Drunken, but not with wine] AEschylus has the same expression: - Αοινοιςεμμανειςθυμωμασι· Eumen. 863. Intoxicated with passion, not with wine. Schultens thinks that this circumlocution, as he calls it, gradum adfert incomparabiliter majorem; and that it means, not simply without wine, but much more than with wine. Gram. Heb. p. 182. The bold image of the cup of God's wrath, often employed by the sacred writers, (See Clarke on Isaiah 1:22,) is nowhere handled with greater force and sublimity than in this passage of Isaiah, Isaiah 51:17-23. Jerusalem is represented in person as staggering under the effects of it, destitute of that assistance which she might expect from her children…
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 51 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesCh. Isaiah 51:17 to Isaiah 52:12. The Lord will turn the Captivity of ZionThe three oracles into which this passage naturally falls are these:—(1) Isaiah 51:17-23. The prophet, returning to the thought with which the book opens (ch. Isaiah 40:2), announces that the period of Jerusalem’s degradation has expired. The city is figured as a woman lying prostrate and senseless, intoxicated with the cup of the Lord’s indignation which she has drunk to the dregs, her sons unable to help her (17–20). But the cup is now taken from her and passed to the enemies who had oppressed and insulted her (21–23). (2) Isaiah 52:1-6. In a new apostrophe, the image is carried on; let Zion lay aside her soiled…
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 51 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd drunken, but not with wine - Overcome and prostrate, but not under the influence of intoxicating drink. They were prostrate by the wrath of God.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 51 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, drunken, but not with wine.
Therefore now hear this, you afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, drunken, but not with wine.
So listen to this, oppressed one, who is drunk, but not from wine!
Tyndale line
¶ Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Therefore heare nowe this, thou miserable and drunken, but not with wine.
Strictly literal
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Therefore, hear, I pray thee, this, O afflicted and drunken one, and not with wine,
Therefore, please hear this, || O afflicted and drunken one, and not with wine,
Therefore hear now this, O thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine.
But now hear this, you oppressed one and drunken one, but not drunk with wine:
From the Latin
Therefore hear this, thou poor little one, and thou that art drunk but no with wine.
Simplified
So please listen to this, you poor people, sitting there in a drunken state, but not from drinking wine.
So now give ear to this, you who are troubled and overcome, but not with wine:
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaa agree closely, with only minor variations in spelling and word order. The Septuagint matches six of the eight words, indicating a strong correspondence between the Hebrew and Greek texts.
לָכֵ֛ן שִׁמְעִי־ נָ֥א זֹ֖את עֲנִיָּ֑ה וּשְׁכֻרַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א מִיָּֽיִן׃ ס
6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
לכן שמעי נא זואת עניה שכורת ולוא מיין
8 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 51:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'
כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest
right
veritable, true
pl. concr. honest (men)
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
כֵּן adv. so
base
H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so
3651 ken kane
from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as
adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)
rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and
relation; often with other particles):--+ after that
(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be
(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like
(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,
straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,
thus, true, well, X you.
see HEBREW for 03559
כֵּן (ken) — right.
adv
adj
1) right, just, honest, true, veritable
1a) right, just, honest
1b) correct
1c) true, veritable
[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.
adv
forasmuch as, since
כֵּן (ken) — so.
adv
1) so, therefore, thus
1a) thus, so
1b) just so
1c) therefore
1d) so...as (paired with adv)
1e) then
1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)
1g) (with prep)
1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)
1g2) hitherto
1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)
1g4) afterwards
1g5) in such case
Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)
Prep | Adv — Preposition · adverbHR/D
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
V-Qal-Impv-2fs — Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singularHVqv2fs
נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.
נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
base
H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
4994 na' naw
a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may
usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly
to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,
occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)
thee (you), go to, now, oh.
נָא (na) — please.
1) I (we) pray, now, please
1a) used in entreaty or exhortation
Part — ParticleHTj
זֹאת (zot) is a demonstrative pronoun and adverb meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone or be used in apposition to a noun, often serving as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns to add emphasis. In poetry, it may function as a relative pronoun, though this is rare.
זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here
standing alone
In appos. to subst.
More oft. as pred.
It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
With prefixes (in special senses)
base
H2063 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone
. In appos. to subst.
. More oft. as pred.
. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
. With prefixes (in special senses)
2063 zo'th zothe'
irregular feminine of 2089; this (often used adverb):--
hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she,
so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing),
thus.
see HEBREW for 02089
זֹאת (zot) — this.
1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, such
1a) (alone)
1a1) this one
1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another
1b) (appos to subst)
1b1) this
1c) (as predicate)
1c1) this, such
1d) (enclitically)
1d1) then
1d2) who, whom
1d3) how now, what now
1d4) what now
1d5) wherefore now
1d6) behold here
1d7) just now
1d8) now, now already
1e) (poetry)
1e1) wherein, which, those who
1f) (with prefixes)
1f1) in this (place) here, then
1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter
1f3) thus and thus
1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus
1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side
1f6) on this account
1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
Pron — ParticleHTm
עָנִי (aniy) describes a state of being poor, afflicted, or humble. It is built from the root meaning to be depressed in mind or circumstances. The entries indicate it covers a range of meanings including needy, lowly, and wretched. There is a noted disagreement regarding its relationship to another word, עָנָה (anah), with some lexicons viewing one as subjective and the other as objective.
עָנִי adj. poor, afflicted, humble
base
H6041 עָנִי poor, afflicted, humble
6041 `aniy aw-nee'
from 6031; depressed, in mind or circumstances (practically
the same as 6035, although the margin constantly disputes
this, making 6035 subjective and 6041 objective):--afflicted,
humble, lowly, needy, poor.
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 06035
see HEBREW for 06035
see HEBREW for 06041
עָנִי (a.ni) — afflicted.
1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched
1a) poor, needy
1b) poor and weak
1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched
1d) humble, lowly
Adj — AdjHAafsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
שָׁכַר (shakar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be or become drunk. It covers various forms, including making oneself or others drunk, and can also imply causing someone to be helpless. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, but do not provide specific verse references.
[שָׁכַר] vb. be, or become, drunk, drunken
Qal become drunken
Pi. make drunken
Hiph. id.: i.e. make princes helpless
Hithp. how long wilt thou make thyself drunken [a drunken spectacle]?
base
H7937 שָׁכַר be, or become, drunk, drunken .become drunken
. make drunken
. id.: i.e. make princes helpless
. how long wilt thou make thyself drunken [a drunken spectacle]?
7937 shakar shaw-kar'
a primitive root; to become tipsy; in a qualified sense, to
satiate with a stimulating drink or (figuratively)
influence:--(be filled with) drink (abundantly), (be, make)
drunk(-en), be merry. (Superlative of 8248.)
see HEBREW for 08248
שָׁכַר (sha.khar) — be drunk.
1) to be or become drunk or drunken, be intoxicated
1a) (Qal) to become drunken
1b)(Piel) to make drunken, cause to be drunk
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to be drunk
1d) (Hithpael) to make oneself drunk
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Aafsc
wun.
See NUMBER.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
יַ֫יִן (yayin) means 'wine' and is associated with fermentation and intoxication. It appears in various contexts, including banqueting. The word is derived from an unused root that suggests the idea of effervescence.
יַ֫יִן 141 n.m. wine
base
H3196 יַ֫יִן wine
3196 yayin yah'-yin
from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as
fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine,
wine(-bibber).
יַ֫יִן (ya.yin) — wine.
wine
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
Wine
The common Hebrew word for wine is yayin, from a root meaning “to boil up,” “to be in a ferment.” Others derive it from a root meaning “to tread out,” and hence the juice of the grape trodden out. The Greek word for wine is oinos_, and the Latin _vinun. But besides this common Hebrew word, there are several others which are thus rendered.
(1.) Ashishah (2 Sam. 6:19; 1 Chr. 16:3; Cant. 2:5; Hos. 3:1), which, however, rather denotes a solid cake of pressed grapes, or, as in the Revised Version, a cake of raisins.
(2.) ‘Asis, “sweet wine,” or “new wine,” the product of the same year (Cant. 8:2;
The manufacture of wine is carried back in the Bible to the age of Noah, (Genesis 9:20,21) to whom the discovery of the process is apparently, though not explicitly, attributed. The natural history and culture of the vine are described under a separate head. [VINE] The only other plant whose fruit is noticed as having been converted into wine was the pomegranate. (Solomon 8:2) In Palestine the vintage takes place in September, and is celebrated with great rejoicing. The ripe fruit was gathered in baskets, (Jeremiah 6:9) as represented in Egyptian paintings, and was carried to the wine-press. It was then placed in the upper one of the two vats or receptacles of which the winepress was formed, and was subjected to the process of "treading," which has prevailed in all ages in Oriental…
The vine being natural to the soil of Canaan and its vicinity, wine was much used as a beverage, especially at festivals, Es 1:7 5:6 Da 5:1-4 Joh 2:3. As one of the staple products of the Holy Land, it was employed for drink-offerings in the temple service, Ex 20:26 Nu 15:4-10; it was included among the "first-fruits," De 18:4, and was used in the celebration of the Passover, and subsequently of the Lord’s supper, Mt 26:27-29. Together with corn and oil it denoted all temporal supplies,