VINE, THE (win, thi'). 'Ile following words in the original Scriptures denote the vine: 1. Gheh'fen (Hel). IV:), twining (Gen. xl:q, and many other places).
2. So-rake' (Hcb. or so-ray-Raw' is a term denoting a choice kind of vine (Jer. ii:21; Is. v:2; Gen. thought to be the same as that called " serki " in :Nblrocco.
3. Nil 17( C unpruned; an " un dressed vine" (A. V. Lev. NNV:5, 11) one which every seventh and every fiftieth year was not !Pruned.
4. Ant'pebas (Gr. dreNot), a word of generic signification for vine. (Mc. & Str. Cyc.) (1) Culture. The grapevine (Vitus vini(cra) is supposed to be a native of the shores of the Caspian. Its culture "extends from about the twenty-first to the fiftieth degree of north lati tude, and reaches from Portugal on the west to the confines of India on the east. It is, however, only along the center of this zone that the finest wines are made" (Hogg, Vegetable Kingdom, p. 181). The vine is very frequently mentioned in Scripture, as might be expected from its being a native of the East, well known to ancient na tions, and highly esteemed for its various natural and artificial products. Every part of the vine was and still continues to be highly valued. The sap was at one time used in medicine. Verjuice expressed from wild grapes is well known for its acidity. The late Sir A. Burnes mentions that in Caubul they use grape powder, obtained by drying and powdering the unripe fruit, as a pleasant acid. When ripe, the fruit is everywhere highly esteemed, both fresh, and in its dried state as raisins. The juice of the ripe fruit, called must, is valued as a pleasant beverage. By fer mentation, wine, alcohol, and vinegar are ob tained ; the lees yield tartar ; an nil is sometimes expressed from the seeds and the ashes of the twigs were formerly 'alined in consequence of yielding a salt, which we now know to be car bonate of potash.
It is not surprising, therefore, that there are so many allusions to the vine in the Old and in the New Testament, for it was one of the most valuable products of Palestine. and of particu larly fine quality in some of the districts. Those of Eshcol, Sorek• Jibmah, Jazar, and Abel, were particularly distinguished.
(2) The Vintage Season. The vintage was a season of general festivity which commenced in September. At present the towns arc deserted, and the people live among the vineyards in the lodges and tents (comp. Judg. ix :27; Is. xvoio). The grapes were gathered with shouts of joy (Jer. xxv :30), and put into baskets (see Jer. vi :9). They were then carried to the "wine press." Those intended for eat ing were perhaps put into flat open baskets of wickerwork, as was the custom in Egypt. In Palestine. at present, the finest grapes, says Dr. Robinson, are dried as raisins, and the juice of the remainder, after having been trodden and pressed, "is boilrd down to a sirup. which. under the name of dibs, is much used by all classes wherever vine yards are found, as a condiment with their food." The leaves were used as fodder, and the wood as fuel (Ezek. xv :3, 4; comp. John NV :6).
(3) Vineyards. The vineyard was erally on a hill (Is. v Jer. xxxi :5 : Amos ix •t 3) tl otnorl ht. n wall or bodar • in order to keep out wild boars (Ps. lxxx:
15), jackals and foxes (Num. xxii:24: Cant. ii: 15 ; Ezra xiii :4, 5: Matt. xxi :33). The vineyard had one or more towers of stone in which the vinedressers lived (Is. i :8; v:2; Matt. xxi :33).
(4) The Press. The press and vat dug (Matt. xxi :33) out of the rocky soil were part of the vineyard furniture (Is. v :2).
(5) Culture of the Vine in Egypt. That the vine was known in Egypt we learn from Gen. xl :9-11 ; Num. xx :5 ; Ps. lxxviii :47 ; and Pales tine had vineyards before the advent of the Israel ites (Dent. vi ; XXVIII :30; Num. xiii :3).
(6) Mosaic Laws. Moses enacted laws regu lating the culture of grapes while his people were still wandering (Exod. xxii :5 ; xxiii :it; Lev. xxv :5, I I ; Num. vi :3 ; Deut. xxii :9; xxiii :24 ; xxiv:21). The gleanings were for the poor and the stranger (Jer. xlix :9; Deut. xxiv :21). Only in the fifth year did the fruit fall to the owners' disposal (Lev. xix :23-25 ; comp. Mark xii :2). As space will not permit us to notice all the passages in which the vine, the grape, and wine are men tioned, we must refer to Celsius, Hierobot. vol. i. PP. 400-444; Calmet's Dictionary; Rosenmfiller's Biblical Bot. p. 22o; and to Kitto's Physical His tory of Palestine, p. 324, in all of which the sub ject is amply discussed and clearly elucidated.
J. F. R.
Figurative. (I) A fruitful vine is often ad duced as an emblem of the Hebrew nation, and also the vine that was brought out of Egypt (Ps. lxxx :8). (2) A petiod of security and repose is figured by every one sitting under his own vine and fig tree (1 Kings iv:25; Ps. cxxviii:3) ; and prosperity by 'Judah, a lion's whelp, binding his foal to the vine, and his ass's colt to the choice vine;' both indications of Eastern manners, when sitting in the shade is most pleasant, and where tying cattle in similar situations is a common prac tice. (3) Rebellious Israel is compared to wild grapes, etc. (Is. :a 4; Jer. ii:2I ; Hos. x (4) Mere professors of Christ are likened to unpro ductive branches of the vine (John xv:I-6), the wicked to the worthlessness of its wood (Ezek. xv :2, 3, 6). (5) A vine that does not mature its fruit is likened to Israel not fulfilling the ex pectation of God (Hos. x :I). (6) To plant a vineyard is the symbol of peace (Nell. ix:25; Is. lxv :21 ; Ezek. xxviii :26). It is also a symbol of Israel (Is, v :7; xxvii :2; Jer. xii:to), and the failure of the vine represents dire calamity (Is. xxxii no). (7) Christ is likened to a vine; he is called the true vine (John xv:i). (8) The quick growth of the vine is a symbol of the growth of saints in grace (Hos. xiv :7). (9) The church is a vineyard. God, the proprietor, first planted the Jews there, as his vine, and gave them his taber nacle or temple as their wine press, and his or acles, ordinances, and blessings. He let ant this vineyard to their keepers, and sent the prophets, and at last his Son, to demand their good fruits; but these being abused and maltreated, he gave their church state to the Gentiles, and at different seasons of time and life calls men to labor in it (Is. v:1-7; Matt. xxi :28-45; Luke xiii:6, 7; Matt. xx:1-16).