Vine, the.

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 2 min. read • grade level: 10

Often found wild. 2 Kin. 4:39. Hos. 9:10¹⁰I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved. (Hosea 9:10).

CULTIVATED

In vineyards from the time of Noah. Gen. 9:20²⁰And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: (Genesis 9:20).

On the sides of hills. Jer. 31:5⁵Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. (Jeremiah 31:5).

In the valleys. SoS. 6:11.

By the walls of houses. Psa. 128:3³Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. (Psalm 128:3).

Required to be dressed and pruned to increase its fruitfulness. Lev. 25:3³Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; (Leviticus 25:3). 2 Chr. 26:10¹⁰Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. (2 Chronicles 26:10). Isa. 18:5⁵For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. (Isaiah 18:5).

Canaan abounded in. Deut. 6:18¹⁸And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, (Deuteronomy 6:18). Deut. 8:8⁸A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; (Deuteronomy 8:8).

PLACES CELEBRATED FOR

Eshcol. Num. 13:23, 24²³And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. ²⁴The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. (Numbers 13:23‑24).

Sibmah. Isa. 16:8, 9⁸For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea. ⁹Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen. (Isaiah 16:8‑9).

Lebanon. Hos. 14:7⁷They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:7).

Egypt. Psa. 78:47⁴⁷He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. (Psalm 78:47). Psa. 80:8⁸Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. (Psalm 80:8).

The dwarf and spreading vine particularly esteemed. Ezek. 17:6⁶And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. (Ezekiel 17:6).

Of Sodom bad and unfit for use. Deut. 32:32³²For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: (Deuteronomy 32:32).

Often degenerated. Isa. 5:2²And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:2). Jer. 2:21²¹Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? (Jeremiah 2:21).

Frequently injured by hail and frost. Psa. 78:47⁴⁷He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. (Psalm 78:47). Psa. 105:32, 33³²He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. ³³He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts. (Psalm 105:32‑33).

Foxes destructive to. SoS. 2:15.

The wild boar destructive to. Psa. 80:13¹³The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. (Psalm 80:13).

THE FRUIT OF,

Called grapes. Gen. 40:10¹⁰And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: (Genesis 40:10).

Peculiarly sour when unripe. Jer. 31:30³⁰But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. (Jeremiah 31:30).

Eaten fresh from the tree. Deut. 23:24²⁴When thou comest into thy neighbor's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. (Deuteronomy 23:24).

Eaten dried. 1 Sam. 25:18¹⁸Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. (1 Samuel 25:18). 1 Sam. 30:12¹²And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. (1 Samuel 30:12).

Sold in the markets. Neh. 13:15¹⁵In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. (Nehemiah 13:15).

Made into wine. Deut. 32:14¹⁴Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. (Deuteronomy 32:14). Mar. 26:29.

The wood of, fit only for burning. Ezek. 15:2-5²Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? ³Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? ⁴Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? ⁵Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned? (Ezekiel 15:2‑5).

Young cattle fed on its leaves and tender shoots. Gen. 49:11¹¹Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: (Genesis 49:11).

Probably produced two crops of fruit in the year. Num. 13:20²⁰And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes. (Numbers 13:20).

Perfumed the air with the fragrance of its flowers, &c, SoS. 2:13. Hos. 14:7⁷They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:7). (marg.)

God made, fruitful for His people when obedient. Joel 2:22²²Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. (Joel 2:22). Zech. 8:12¹²For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. (Zechariah 8:12).

Frequently made unfruitful as a punishment. Jer. 8:13¹³I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. (Jeremiah 8:13). Hos. 2:12¹²And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. (Hosea 2:12). Joel 1:7, 12⁷He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white. (Joel 1:7)
¹²The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. (Joel 1:12). Hag. 2:19¹⁹Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you. (Haggai 2:19).

Sometimes cast its fruit before it came to perfection. Job 15:33³³He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive. (Job 15:33). Mal. 3:11¹¹And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:11).

Nazarites prohibited eating any part of, &c. Num. 6:3, 4³He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. ⁴All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. (Numbers 6:3‑4).

ILLUSTRATIVE

Of Christ. John 15:1, 2¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. ²Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:1‑2).

Of Israel. Psa. 80:8⁸Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. (Psalm 80:8). Isa. 5:2, 7²And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:2)
⁷For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. (Isaiah 5:7).

(Its fruitful branches,) of saints. John 15:5⁵I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5).

(Its unfruitful branches,) of mere professors. John 15:2, 6²Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:2)
⁶If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:6).

(Its quick growth,) of the growth of saints in grace. Hos. 14:7⁷They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:7).

(Its rich clusters,) of the graces of the Church. SoS. 7:8.

(Pruning of,) of God's purifying His people by afflictions. John 15:2²Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:2).

(Worthlessness of its wood.) of the unprofitableness, of the wicked. Ezek. 15:6, 7⁶Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁷And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. (Ezekiel 15:6‑7).

(Unfruitful,) of the wicked. Hos. 10:1¹Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. (Hosea 10:1).

(Sitting under one's own,) of peace and prosperity. 1 Kin. 4: 25. Mic. 4:4⁴But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. (Micah 4:4). Zech. 3:10¹⁰In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree. (Zechariah 3:10).

Proverbial allusion to fathers eating the unripe fruit of. Jer. 31:29, 30²⁹In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. ³⁰But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. (Jeremiah 31:29‑30). Ezek. 18:2²What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? (Ezekiel 18:2).

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