Drink

Drink (the verb is expressed in Hebrews by the cognate terms שָׁקָה, shakah', and שָׁתָה, shathah'; Greek πίνω). The drinks of the Hebrews were:

1. Water (q.v.); 2. Wine (q.v.); 3. Artificial liquor (שֵׁכָר, σίκερα, "strong drink" SEE SHEKAR; 4. Vinegar (q.v.).

As drinking utensils, they made use of various forms of vessels:

1, the cup (q.v.), the most general term (כּוֹס);

2, the goblet (כַּפּוֹר, covered tankard) or "basin" (q.v.), from which the fluid was poured into the chalice (גָּבַיע, bumper, comp. Jer 35:5) and bowl (מִזרָק, mixing-cup, cratera);

3, the mug (צִפִּחִת, "cruse") or pitcher; and,

4, the saucer (קִשׂוָה קָשָׂה, patera) or shallow libation dish (q.v.) Horns were probably used in the earliest times. SEE BEVERAGE.

The term "drink" is frequently used figuratively in the Scriptures (see Thomson, Land and Book, 1:496). The wise man exhorts his disciple (Pr 5:15) to "drink water out of his own cistern;" to content himself with the lawful pleasures of marriage, without wandering in his affections. To eat and drink is used in Ec 5:18, to signify people's enjoying themselves; and in the Gospel for living in a common and ordinary manner (Mt 11:18). The apostles say they ate and drank with Christ after his resurrection; that is, they conversed, and lived in their usual manner, freely, with him (Ac 10:41). Jeremiah (Jer 2:18) reproaches the Jews with having had recourse to Egypt for muddy water to drink, and to Assyria, to drink the water of their river; that is, the water of the Nile and of the Euphrates; meaning, soliciting the assistance of those people. To drink blood signifies to be satiated with slaughter (Eze 39:18). Our Lord commands us to drink his blood and to eat his flesh (John 6): we eat and drink both figuratively in the Eucharist. To drink water by measure (Eze 4:11), and to buy water to drink (La 5:4), denote extreme scarcity and desolation. On fast- days the Jews abstained from drinking during the whole day, believing it to be equally of the essence of a fast to suffer thirst as to suffer hunger. SEE FAST.