Reference

Nehemiah 13:5

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine Ritual / Sacred Use Permissible Use (Moderation)Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

“And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.”

Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:

And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Ritual / Sacred Use

Keyword Match

90% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Permissible Use (Moderation)

Multi-Signal Classification

50% relevance

This verse was identified by multiple independent signals: structural patterns, prophetic context, and vocabulary — then validated by a probability model (Snorkel).

Counter-Arguments

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

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

The verse explicitly mentions "new wine" (tirosh in Hebrew), which in biblical contexts often refers to freshly pressed grape juice before fermentation or during its early stages. However, the tag "Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine" implies that the *mention* of wine itself is symbolic or refers to non-alcoholic wine. This verse is not using "wine" symbolically; it is referring to a specific agricultural product that could be either fermented or unfermented depending on the stage of processing. The

Ritual / Sacred Use

The verse does not explicitly state that wine was "used" in offerings or feasts, but rather that it was "laid" or stored in the chamber alongside other offerings. While the context implies its intended use for sacred purposes, the verse itself focuses on its storage rather than its direct application in a ritual.

Permissible Use (Moderation)

The verse mentions "new wine" as an item stored in a chamber, but it does not describe its consumption or use, nor does it explicitly state that its use is permissible or a blessing. The focus is on its storage as a tithe, not its moderation.

Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

The verse mentions "new wine" as one of the tithes, but it does not mention "strong drink" at all, nor does it make any comparison or distinction between wine and strong drink.

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

Cross-References

Malachi 3:10Thematic

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Leviticus 27:30Thematic

“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.”

Numbers 1:50Thematic

“But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.”

1 Kings 6:5Thematic

“And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:”

1 Chronicles 9:26Thematic

“For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.”

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Thematic Connections