The distinction the scriptures make in relation to beverages that are intoxicating, i.e. have an alcohol content, must be considered.
6 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: 3 He 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. 4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Nu 6.
| 6 | Then | the | Lord | spoke | to | Moses | , | saying | , | 2 | “ | Speak | to | the | children | of | |||||||||||||
| 3068 | 1696 | 413 | 4872 | 559 | 1696 | 413 | 1121 |
| Israel | , | and | say | to | them | : | ‘ | When | either | a | man | or | woman | 1 | • | consecrates | an | ||||||||||||
| 3478 | 559 | 413 | 1992 | 6381 | 176 | 376 | 802 | 3588 |
| offering | to | take | the | vow | of | a | Nazirite | , | a | to | separate | himself | to | the | Lord | , | 3 | b | |||||||||||||
| 5087 5088 | 5139 | 5144 | 3068 |
| he | shall | separate | himself | from | wine | and | similar | drink | ; | he | shall | drink | neither | ||||||||||||
| 5144 | 4480 | 3196 | 7941 | 8354 | 3808 |
| vinegar | made | from | wine | nor | vinegar | made | from | similar | drink | ; | neither | shall | he | ||||||||||||
| 2558 | 3196 | 2558 | 7941 | 3808 |
| drink | any | grape | juice | , | nor | eat | fresh | grapes | or | raisins | . | 4 | All | the | days | of | his | ||||||||||||||
| 8354 | 3605 | 6025 | 4952 | 3808 | 398 | 3892 | 6025 | 3002 | 3605 | 3117 | 1931 |
| 2 | • | separation | he | shall | eat | nothing | that | is | produced | by | the | grapevine | , | ||||||||||
| 4480 | 5145 | 398 | 3605 3808 | 834 | 6213 | 4480 | 1612 3196 |
| from | seed | • | to | skin | . | |||
| 4480 | 2785 | 5704 | 2085 |
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Nu 6:1–4.
In the NKJV:
3 He 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.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Nu 6:3.
*Compare the differences in this passage between wine, strong or similar derived drink and grape juice.
3196. יַיִן yayin (406b); from an unused word; wine:—banquet(1), grape(1), wine(136).
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
6025. עֵנָב enab (772a); from an unused word; a grape:—grape(1), grapes(17), raisin*(1).
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
4952. מִשְׁרָה mishrah (1056a); from 8281; juice:—juice(1).
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
**When we consider the positive command for the elements of the Lord’s Supper, why is there confusion?