(3.) Hometz. i.e., vinegar or “sour wine.” The Hebrew word is rendered vinegar in Ps 69:21 , a prophecy fulfilled in the history of the crucifixion (Mt 27:34 ). This was the common sour “wine” daily made use of by the Roman soldiers which contains no alcohol.
This third word in Hebrew for our study is “hometz”. This word occurs only 5 times in the entire OT. It is translated as “vinegar” in all the 5 occurrences (see Numbers 6:3 ; Ruth 2:14 ; Psalm 69:21 ; Proverbs 10:26 ; 25:20 .). The word is explained in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia as, “a condiment (Ruth 2:14 ) needs no comment, is formed when a saccharine fluid passes through a fermentation that produces acetic acid. In the ancient world vinegar was usually made of wine, although any fruit juice can be utilized in its manufacture, and “vinegar of strong drink” (palm juice?) is mentioned in Num 6:3 . Undiluted vinegar is of course undrinkable, and to offer it to a thirsty man is mockery (Ps 69:21 ), but a mixture of water and vinegar makes a beverage that was very popular among the poor (Greek “oxos”, “oxukraton”, Latin “posca” — names applied also to diluted sour wine). It is mentioned in Num. 6:3 (forbidden to the Nazarite).”
In the incident of the crucifixion of Christ — From Matthew we see that the word used was “vinegar” in Matthew 27:34 but in Mark 15:23 the word “wine” was used. There is no contradiction here for both Matthew and Mark made the right observation. The vinegar used by the soldiers was the final process of fermentation which produces acetic acid with no more alcohol. This was the common “wine” diluted with water that was given to the soldiers to drink during the Roman period. Barnes’ commentary on Matthew 27:34 is revealing when he said, “They gave him vinegar... . Mark says that ‘they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh.’ The two evangelists mean the same thing. Vinegar was made of light wine rendered acid, and was the common drink of the Roman soldiers; and this might be called either vinegar or wine, in common language. Myrrh is a bitter substance, produced in Arabia, but is used often to denote anything bitter. The meaning of the name is bitterness. Gall is, properly, a bitter secretion from the liver; but the word is also used to denote anything exceedingly bitter, as wormwood, etc. The drink, therefore, was vinegar or wine, rendered bitter by the infusion of wormwood, or some other very bitter substance. The effect of this, it is said, was to stupefy the senses. It was often given to those crucified, to render them insensible to the pains of death. Our Lord knowing this, when he had tasted it, refused to drink, he was unwilling to blunt the pains of dying. The cup which his Father gave him he rather chose to drink, he came to suffer. His sorrows were necessary for the work of the atonement; and he gave himself up to the unmitigated sufferings of the cross. This was presented to him in the early part of his sufferings, or when he was about to be suspended on the cross. Afterward, when he was on the cross, and just before his death, vinegar was offered to him without the myrrh —the vinegar which the soldiers usually drank—and of this he received. See Matt. 27:49 ; John 19:28-30 . Where Matthew and Mark say that he “would not drink,” they refer to a different thing and a different time from John, and there is no contradiction.”
4.) Chemer, Deu. 32:14 (rendered “blood of the grape”); Isaiah 27:2 (“red wine”), or “chamar” in Ezr 6:9 ; 7:22 and Da 5:1-2 , 4 . Both these words have the same root word which conveys the idea of “foaming,” as in the process of fermentation, or when poured out. It is derived from the root chamar, meaning “to boil up,” and also “to be red,” from the idea of boiling or becoming inflamed. This word definitely refers to fermented grape juice where there is alcohol in it.
In Isaiah 27:2 , the word “chemer” was used figuratively to describe the Promised Land as fertile and abundantly rich. If there were no fermented grape juices, then whatever the produce of the land was the Israelites would have consumed with no left over. But the fact that the land will produce an abundance of fermented grape juice means that Israel will have very much left over for storage. They stored them in clay vats or large jars covered by a layer of animal skin. Both these were porous. Hence fermentation takes place. For the land was described as filled with it. It was not an instruction that they were to drink this fermented grape juice. Isaiah 27:2-3 , “In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.”
In Deu. 32:14 , it was an injunction warning Israel to be careful for when she enters the Promised Land she will taste the good life. It will be a life of great abundance that they had never experienced before. As slaves in Egypt for 430 years they had only water to drink and little food to eat. But in the Land of Promise it will be a land flowing with milk and honey. There will be very good times but also dangerous times. It will a time when Israel will forget the LORD due to her good life and enjoyment. Hence the warning in Deuteronomy 32:13-15 reads, “He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. But Jeshurun [i.e. upright – an appellative for Israel] waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.” Again it was not permission to drink but a warning not to drink. That fermented grape juice existed in those days is not in doubt. But the copious warnings from the Bible discourage the drinking of it.
Ezra 6:9 and 7:22 describe the words of the Persian kings for Israel. Israel was hindered from doing the work of the LORD in Israel upon their return from exile. The assurance from the kings of Persia was to help them and give them what they wanted. The limit and nature of the help to be rendered included the above which was “chemer” fermented grape juice. In all the occurrences of Daniel 5:1-2 and 4 , the description was on the final night of drunken stupor of the king of Babylon, Belteshazzar before he and his kingdom fell to the hands of the Medes and the Persians. They drank themselves drunk and mocked Daniel and the LORD so much so that the hand writing appeared supernaturally on the wall of his palace telling him of his impending doom. It was this account in the Bible that the English language received the anecdote, “the hand writing is on the wall.”