Reference

Isaiah 24:9

Wine vs Strong Drink DistinctionSymbolic / Non-Fermented WineTotal Abstinence
“They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.”
7

The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

8

The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

9

They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

10

The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

11

There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction
Keyword Match
80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Counter-Arguments

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

Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

The verse does not explicitly define "wine" and "strong drink" as distinct substances in terms of their composition. It could be interpreted as a poetic parallelism where both terms refer to alcoholic beverages, with "strong drink" simply emphasizing the potency or effect, rather than a fundamentally different type of drink. The bitterness mentioned might be a consequence of the judgment, affecting all alcoholic beverages, rather than an inherent quality distinguishing "strong drink" from "wine.

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

The verse explicitly mentions "wine" and "strong drink," terms which in ancient contexts typically refer to fermented alcoholic beverages, and describes them as becoming "bitter," implying a change in their expected (fermented) quality rather than suggesting they were never fermented in the first place.

Total Abstinence

The verse describes a future state where wine and strong drink will be undesirable, rather than commanding or presenting abstinence as an ideal for the present. It speaks of a consequence ("shall be bitter") rather than a prohibition.

Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction
Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

Cross-References

Luke 22:18Thematic

“For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.”

Amos 8:3Thematic

“And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.”

Isaiah 5:22Thematic

“Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:”

Ecclesiastes 9:7Thematic

“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.”

Psalms 69:12Thematic

“They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.”

5 more cross-references available — Upgrade to Scholar

Thematic Connections

Wine vs Strong Drink DistinctionSymbolic / Non-Fermented WineTotal Abstinence

Private Study Note