Vine – Viper

Vine

vin:

1. Hebrew Words:

(1) gephen, usually the cultivated grape vine. In Numbers 6:4; Judges 13:14 we have gephen ha-yayin, literally, "vine of wine," translated "grape vine" (Numbers) and "vine," margin "grape vine" (Jgs); 2 Kings 4:39, gephen sadheh English Versions of the Bible "wild vine"; Deuteronomy 32:32, gephen cedhom, "vine of Sodom."

(2) soreq, in Isaiah 5:2, "choicest vine"; soreq, in Jeremiah 2:21, "noble vine"; soreqah, in Genesis 49:11, "choice vine"; compare SOREK, VALLEY OF (which see). The Hebrew is supposed to indicate dark grapes and, according to rabbinical tradition, they were unusually sweet and almost, if not quite, stoneless.

(3) nazir, in Leviticus 25:5,Leviticus 25:11, "undressed vine," the King James Version "vine undressed," margin "separation." This may mean an unpruned vine and be a reference to the uncut locks of a Nazirite, but it is equally probable that nazir should be batsir, "vintage."

For the blossom we have peraq (Isaiah 18:5), "blossom"; nitstsah, either the blossom or half-formed clusters of grapes (Genesis 40:10; Isaiah 18:5); cemadhar, "sweet-scented blossom" (Song of Songs 2:13,Song of Songs 2:15; Song of Songs 7:12).

For grapes we have commonly: `enabh (a word common to all Semitic languages) (Genesis 40:10; Deuteronomy 32:14; Isaiah 5:2, etc.); dam `anabhim, literally, "blood of grapes," i.e. wine (Genesis 49:11); bocer, "the unripe grape" (Isaiah 18:5, "ripening grape," the King James Version "sour grape"; Job 15:33, "unripe grapes"; Jer 31:29 f; Eze 18:2, "sour grapes"); be'ushim "wild grapes" (Isaiah 5:2,Isaiah 5:4; see GRAPES, WILD); 'eshkol, a "cluster" of ripe grapes (Genesis 40:10; Song of Songs 7:8; Habakkuk 3:17, etc.; compare ESHCOL (which see)); qartsannim, usually supposed to be the kernels of grapes (Numbers 6:4).

2. Greek and Latin:

In Greek we have ampelos, "vine" (Matthew 26:29, etc.), staphule (Sirach 39:26, "blood of grapes"; Matthew 7:16, "grapes," etc.), and botrus (Revelation 14:18), "cluster of the vine." In the Latin of 2 Esdras vinea is "vine" in 5:23 ("vineyard" in 16:30,43); botrus (9:21) and racemus (16:30) are "cluster"; acinium (9:21) and uva (16:26) are "a grape."

3. Antiquity and Importance:

Palestine appears to have been a vine-growing country from the earliest historic times. The countless wine presses found in and around centers of early civilization witness to this. It is probable that the grape was largely cultivated as a source of sugar: the juice expressed in the "wine press" was reduced by boiling to a liquid of treacle-like consistency known as "grape honey," or in Hebrew debhash (Arabic, dibs). This is doubtless the "honey" of many Old Testament references, and before the days of cane sugar was the chief source of sugar. The whole Old Testament witnesses to how greatly Palestine depended upon the vine and its products. Men rejoiced in wine also as one of God's best gifts (Judges 9:13; Psalms 104:15). But the Nazirite might eat nothing of the vine "from the kernels even to the husk" (Numbers 6:4; Judges 13:14).

The land promised to the children of Israel was one of "vines and fig trees and pomegranates" (Deuteronomy 8:8); they inherited vineyards which they had not planted (Deuteronomy 6:11; Joshua 24:13; Nehemiah 9:25). Jacob's blessing on Judah had much reference to the suitability of his special part of the land to the vine (Genesis 49:11). When the leading people were carried captive the poor were left as vine dressers (2 Kings 25:12; Jeremiah 52:16), lest the whole land should lapse into uncultivated wilderness. On the promised return this humble duty was, however, to fall to the "sons of the alien" (Isaiah 61:5 the King James Version).

4. Its Cultivation:

The mountain regions of Judea and Samaria, often little suited to cereals, have always proved highly adapted to vine culture. The stones must first be gathered out and utilized for the construction of a protecting wall or of terraces or as the bases of towers (Isaiah 5:2; Matthew 21:33). Every ancient vineyard had its wine press cut in a sheet of rock appearing at the surface. As a rule the vinestocks lie along the ground, many of the fruit-bearing branches falling over the terraces (compare Genesis 49:22); in some districts the end of the vine-stock is raised by means of a cleft stick a foot or more above the surface; exceptionally the vine branches climb into trees, and before a dwelling-house they are sometimes supported upon poles to form a bower (compare 1 Kings 4:25, etc.).

The cultivation of the vine requires constant care or the fruit will very soon degenerate. After the rains the loosely made walls require to have breaches repaired; the ground must be plowed or harrowed and cleared of weeds--contrast with this the vineyard of the sluggard (Proverbs 24:30–31); in the early spring the plants must be pruned by cutting off dead and fruitless branches (Leviticus 25:3,Leviticus 25:4; Isaiah 5:6) which are gathered and burned (John 15:6). As the grapes ripen they must be watched to keep off jackals and foxes (Song of Songs 2:15), and in some districts even wild boars (Psalms 80:13). The watchman is stationed in one of the towers and overlooks a considerable area. When the grape season comes, the whole family of the owner frequently take their residence in a booth constructed upon one of the larger towers and remain there until the grapes are practically finished. It is a time of special happiness (compare Isaiah 16:10). The gleanings are left to the poor of the village or town (Leviticus 19:10; Deuteronomy 24:21; Judges 8:2; Isaiah 17:6; Isaiah 24:13; Jeremiah 49:9; Micah 7:1). In the late summer the vineyards are a beautiful mass of green, as contrasted with the dried-up parched land around, but in the autumn the leaves are sere and yellow (Isaiah 34:4), and the place desolate.

5. Vine of Sodom:

The expression "vine of Sodom" (Deuteronomy 32:32) has been supposed, especially because of the description in Josephus (BJ, IV, viii, 4), to refer to the colocynth (Citrullus colocynthis), but it is far more probable that it means "a vine whose juices and fruits were not fresh and healthy, but tainted by the corruption of which Sodom was the type" (Driver, Commentary on Deuteronomy).

See SODOM, VINE OF.

Figurative: Every man "under his vine and under his fig-tree" (1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10) was a sign of national peace and prosperity. To plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof implied long and settled habitation (2 Kings 19:29; Psalms 107:37; Isaiah 37:30; Isaiah 65:21; Jeremiah 31:5; Ezekiel 28:26; Amos 9:14); to plant and not eat the fruit was a misfortune (Deuteronomy 20:6; compare 1 Corinthians 9:7) and might be a sign of God's displeasure (Deuteronomy 28:30; Zechariah 1:13; Amos 5:11). Not to plant vines might be a sign of deliberate avoidance of permanent habitation (Jeremiah 35:7). A successful and prolonged vintage showed God's blessing (Leviticus 26:5), and a fruitful wife is compared to a vine (Psalms 128:3); a failure of the vine was a sign of God's wrath (Psalms 78:47; Jeremiah 8:13; Joel 1:7); it might be a test of faith in Him (Habakkuk 3:17). Joseph "is a fruitful bough, .... his branches run over the wall" (Genesis 49:22). Israel is a vine (Isaiah 5:1–5) brought out of Egypt (Psalms 80:8 Jeremiah 2:21; Jeremiah 12:10; compare Ezekiel 15:2,Ezekiel 15:6; Ezekiel 17:6). At a later period vine leaves or grape clusters figure prominently on Jewish coins or in architecture.

Three of our Lord's parables are connected with vineyards (Matthew 20:1 Matthew 21:28,Matthew 21:33), and He has made the vine ever sacred in Christian symbolism by His teaching regarding the true vine (John 15:1–27).

E. W. G. Masterman

Vinegar

vin'-e-ger (chomets; oxos): Vinegar, whose use as a condiment (Ruth 2:14) needs no comment, is formed when a saccharine fluid passes through a fermentation that produces acetic acid. In the ancient world vinegar was usually made of wine, although any fruit juice can be utilized in its manufacture, and "vinegar of strong drink" (palm juice?) is mentioned in Numbers 6:3. Undiluted vinegar is of course undrinkable, and to offer it to a thirsty man is mockery (Psalms 69:21), but a mixture of water and vinegar makes a beverage that was very popular among the poor (Greek oxos, oxukraton, Latin posca--names applied also to diluted sour wine). It is mentioned in Numbers 6:3 (forbidden to the Nazirite) and again in the Gospels in the account of the Crucifixion. The executioners had brought it in a vessel (John 19:29) for their own use and at first "offered" it to Christ, while keeping it out of reach (Luke 23:36). But at the end the drink was given Him on a sponge (Mark 15:36; Matthew 27:48; John 19:29,John 19:30). In addition, the King James Version, following Textus Receptus of the New Testament, has "vinegar .... mingled with gall" in Matthew 27:34, but this rests on a false reading, probably due to Psalms 69:21, and the Revised Version (British and American) rightly has "wine." Vinegar, like all acids, is injurious to the teeth (Proverbs 10:26); and when it is combined with niter an effervescence is produced (Proverbs 25:20). The appropriateness of the last figure, however, is obscure, and Septuagint reads "as vinegar on a wound," causing pain.

Burton Scott Easton

Vineyard

vin'-yard.

See VINE.

Vineyards, Meadow (Plain) Of The

(Judges 11:33).

See ABEL-CHERAMIM; MEADOW.

Vintage

vin'-taj.

See VINE.

Viol

vi'-ol (nebhel, nebhel): the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) in Isaiah 14:11; Amos 5:23; Amos 6:5; the King James Version alone in Isaiah 5:12, the Revised Version (British and American) "lute." "Viol" is derived from Latin vitella, a doublet of vitula, a "viol"; hence, French vielle, doublet of viole. The viol was a bowed instrument, the parent of the violin tribe, and is not a true equivalent for nebhel.

See MUSIC.

Violence, Violent

vi'-o-lens; vi'-o-lent: Chiefly for gazal, qamac; bia, and their derivatives. Difficulty is offered only by the very obscure passage Matthew 11:12 parallel Luke 16:16. Both Matthew and Luke contain the verb biazetai, but this form maybe either a middle, "presses violently," "storms," or a passive, "is forced." Matthew, in addition, contains the adjective biastai, but whether this is a term of praise, "heroic enthusiasts," or of blame, "hot-headed revolutionaries," is again a problem. Nor can it be determined whether the words "from the days of John the Baptist until now" are meant to include or exclude the work of the Baptist himself. The difference in wording in Matthew and Luke further complicates the problem, and, in consequence, scholars are widely at variance as to the proper interpretation. "The Baptist has fanned a new Messianic storm of ill-advised insurrection," "the Pharisees have shamefully used forcible suppression of God's teachers," "the Kingdom of God comes like a storm and is received by those who have used drastic self-discipline," are instances of the differing explanations proposed.

Burton Scott Easton

Viper

vi'-per ('eph`eh (Job 20:16; Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 59:5); echidna (Matthew 3:7 = Luke 3:7; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 23:33; Acts 28:3)): Several vipers are found in Palestine, but it is not certain that 'eph`eh referred definitely to any of them.

See SERPENT.