Reference

Hosea 4:11

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

“Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.”

And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

The verse explicitly mentions "wine" and "new wine" alongside "whoredom" as things that "take away the heart." In biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts, "wine" (yayin) almost universally refers to fermented alcoholic beverage. While "new wine" (tirosh) could refer to unfermented grape juice, it was also commonly used for partially fermented or freshly fermented wine. The parallelism with "whoredom," a clearly destructive and intoxicating vice, strongly suggests that the "wine" and "new wine

Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

The verse mentions "wine" and "new wine" but does not mention "strong drink" at all, nor does it make any distinction between the two types of wine it does mention, treating them as having the same effect.

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

Cross-References

Proverbs 20:1Thematic

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

Proverbs 20:1Thematic

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

Proverbs 31:4Thematic

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:”

Luke 21:34Thematic

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.”