Numb. xiii. 24.GRAPES, Bunch of Grapes, Racemus; in Greek, Botrus; in Hebrew, Tenab, or Eschol. There was abundance of fine Vineyards and excellent Grapes in Palestine. The Bunch of Grapes, which was cut in the Valley of Eschol, and was brought upon a staff between two men to the camp of Israel at Kadesh-barnea, may give us an opportunity of judging how large this fruit was in that country. Travellers relate, that there was some to be seen there of a Doubdan, Voyage de la Terre Sainte, c. 21.prodigious size. Doubdan assures us, that in the Valley of Eshcol there were Bunches of Grapes to be found still of ten and twelve pounds. Forster tells us, he was informed by a Religious, who had lived many years in Palestine, that there were Bunches of Grapes so large in the Valley of Hebron, that two men could scarce Brocard. Descript. Terræ Sanctæ.carry one. Brocard says, he was told by the inhabitants of Antaradus, that in Palestine and Phœnicia round about Sidon, they had three vintages in a year, and that the same vine produced grapes three times in a year. In the month of March, when the vine has produced its Grapes, they cut away the wood which did not bear any; from hence fresh shoots spring out again in April, and produce Grapes, which ripen some months after. The same wood being again cut in May, shoots out again, and brings forth other Grapes, which ripen in the latter season. These Grapes thus produced at different times, ripen one after anther; so that the first vintage is in August, the second in September, and the third in October; and hence it is, adds Brocard, that in the Holy Land they sell fresh Grapes from St. Levit. xix. 10.John’s-tide to Martinmas.
Moses in the Law commanded, that when the Israelites gathered their Grapes, they should not be careful to pick up those which fell, nor be so exact as to leave none upon the vines. What fell, and was left behind, he ordered Deut. xxiv. 21, 22.should be for the poor. The same Legislator permitted people who were passing that way, to go into another man’s vineyard, and Deut. xxiii. 24.eat what Grapes he would; but he did not allow them to carry any away with them.
Some learned men are of opinion1, that Levit. xix. 10. and Deut. xxiv. 21. Ecclus. l. 16.the prohibition delivered by Moses against gleaning Grapes after the vintage, may signify a second vintage after the first, which was never so good or so plentiful as the former; for this, they say, was over in the hot countries about the end of August, and the other in September. God requires therefore that this second vintage should be left to the poor, as well as the Grapes of the first which had escaped the observation of the Isai. xvii. 6. xxiv. 13.gatherers.
It is frequent in Scripture to describe a total destruction by the similitude of a vine stript in such a manner, that there was not a Bunch of Grapes left for those who came a gleaning. Thus shall it be in the midst of the land, there shall be as the gleaning when the vintage is done. And Jeremiah vi. 9. They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine. See likewise Jerem. xlix. 9. and Obadiah, ver. 5.
Gen. xlix. 11.The Blood of the Grape, signifies wine. He shall wash his clothes in the blood of Grapes. His habitation shall be in a country where there are vineyards. And Deuteronom. And thou didst drink the pure Blood of the Grapes. The vineyards of Sodom produced none but bitter Grapes, their Grapes are Grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter; probably because of the nitre and sulphur with which the soil was every where impregnated.
Ligaturæ uvæ passæ, 1 Sam. xxv. 18. and xxx. 12. and 2 Sam. xvi. 1. The Hebrew2 reads no more than dried Grapes, without expressing Ligatures; but generally raisins were put up in parcels.
Jer. xxxi. 29. Ezek. xviii. 2.The fathers have eaten sour Grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge, is a proverbial way of speaking in the sacred Text; meaning, that the fathers have sinned, and the children have born the punishment of their crimes. It was a kind of reproach made by the Jews to God, who punished those sins in them, whereof they pretended that they were not guilty. But the Lord said, he would cause this proverb to cease in Israel, and that for the future every one should suffer the punishment of his own faults.
It is remarked in the first Book of Maccabees, that wine was shewn to the Elephants in order to enrage and make them fierce, and that the sight of blood might not afterwards affect them.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages