Reference

Nehemiah 13:5

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.
3

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

4

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

5

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.

6

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:

7

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
Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

Private Study Note

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