Nahum i :to, referring to the enemies of Jeho vah, we should read as follows: 'Like thorns they are woven together, and like their boiled wine the drunkard shall be devoured (even), as stubble fully dry,'—the first metaphor referring to thorns heaped up together for fuel ; the second to the burning of the so'beh in the syr or caldron from neglect, and the third to the combustion of stub ble (comp. Ezek. xxiv:6-14).
4. likeh'mer (Heb. occurs twice as a de scriptive; but in Is xxvii :2, where it is applied to the vineyard, some copies read 'fruitful.' Khchc ',ler and hi:a/enter are derived from the verb kham-ar', 'to foam: 'boil up; 'froth.' or 'ferment' (the latter term signifying no more originally than the former), and are used in reference to waters and to the waves, as well as to leaven, wine, etc. In Deut. xxxii :14, khch'iner is applied to 'the blood of the grape,'—as expressive of the juice fresh and foaming from the vat, in its pure but turbid state: and we perceive no reason for re sorting to the very secondary sense of 'red wine.' Khaw'mar, the verb in Ps. lxxv :8, is applied to pure wine, unmixed wine filled with mixture, which exactly answers to the phrase of St. John, 'the mixed unmixed' (Rev. xiv :to).
5. Chantra, a word for wine used by the prophet Daniel (v:1, 2, 4, 23), and cheh'mar, by Ezra (vi: 9; vii :22), are Chaldee terms. Cheli'mar we re gard as used for pure wine, in its fresh, foaming condition ; but chanira may have denoted some rich and royal drink, made strong by the addition of drugs. Such, probably, was the wine which Belshazzar, with his lords, wives, and concubines, drank in the holy vessels, and which Daniel would not touch.—The compilers of the Talmud consid ered khantra as a 'sweet wine.' It is a question, 'What is Carananie Rabbi Abhoo explains that khantroa (vinum dulce) is so called, which is brought hither from Asia.' 6. Afeh'sek (Heb.7.;), once translated 'mixture, (Ps. lxxv :8), once 'mixed wine' (Prow. xxiii: 3o), and once 'the drink offering' (Is. lxv :it), is derived from masach, 'to mingle ;' whence miscere and mix. In the first text four terms occur which are elsewhere all rendered 'wine'— viz., yah'yin, klieh'nzar, meh'sek, shenufrint. It should be read—'There is a cup in the hand of Jehovah, and the unmixed (or pure) wine is full of mixture; and he poureth out this, but all the wicked of the earth shall wring and suck out the dregs of it.' An inebriating and disgusting mix
ture seems to be denoted here.
The second text refers to drugged wine; either pure wine made inebriating, or fermented wine made stronger by the addition of spices and drugs. This custom has prevailed from the earliest ages. and is still extant in the East.
In the third text the idol worshipers are really said to 'fill out a mixture to Meni ; the heathenish custom of pouring out mixed wine to their gods being contrasted with the worshipers of Jehovah on his 'holy mountain,' who were enjoined not to delay the presentation of their first fruits and liquors, but to pour out 'the Pure blood of the grape' as their drink offering. When designed for the use of the priests, however, boiled wine, as we have seen, was sometimes presented.
Though, in the three texts we have examined, mehsek refers to some reprobated or offensive mixture, we must not therefore conclude that all mixed wine was pernicious or improper. We have already seen that there were two very oppo site purposes sought by the.mixture of drinks; one mixture was for the purpose of sensuality, the other for that of sobriety or use. While the wicked sought out a drugged mixture (Prov. xxiii :3o), and was 'mighty to mingle sweet drink' (Is. v :22), Wisdom, on the contrary, 'mingled her wine' with water, or with milk (Prov. ix:2, 5 ) , merely to dilute it and make it properly drink able. Of the latter mixture Wisdom invites the people to drink freely; but on the use of the for mer an emphatic woe is pronounced.
7. Shay'kawr' (Heb. 'sweet drink,' once translated 'strong wine' (Num. xxviii:7). It seems to have formed an independent subject of offering.
8. Tee-roshe' (Heb. 'vintage fruit.' 9. 'jellies,' derived from the verb shamar, `to pre serve.' It is translated 'wines on the lees,' in Is. xxv :6; but in the three other passages in which it occurs, by 'dregs' or 'lees' alone. Dregs of wine, however, can form no part of a delicious feast; while in the East various species of 'preserves' are highly esteemed.