חֹמֶץ
vinegar
Definition
חֹמֶץ (chômets) primarily refers to vinegar, a sour wine or acidic beverage produced from fermented grains or fruits. In the Old Testament, it consistently denotes this sharp, often unpleasant drink, as seen in Ruth 2:14 where Boaz offers it to Ruth to dip her bread. The word also carries metaphorical weight, representing something irritating or disagreeable; in Proverbs 10:26, vinegar is compared to sluggards who irritate their employers, and in Proverbs 25:20, pouring vinegar on soda symbolizes actions that cause destructive, fizzing turmoil. Its most poignant usage is in Psalm 69:21, where the psalmist laments being given vinegar to drink, a verse later seen as prophetic of Christ's suffering.
Biblical Usage
This noun appears five times across various literary contexts: legal (Numbers 6:3, where Nazirites must abstain from vinegar), narrative (Ruth 2:14, as a practical, humble food), wisdom literature (Proverbs 10:26; 25:20, for metaphorical comparisons), and poetry (Psalm 69:21, in a lament). The usage pattern shows it moving from a simple, tangible substance in legal and historical texts to a powerful symbol of irritation, folly, and suffering in the poetic and wisdom books.
Etymology
Derived from the root חָמֵץ (châmets, H2556), meaning 'to be sour, leavened, or fermented.' This root conveys the process of fermentation or becoming acidic. חֹמֶץ is the nominal form specifically denoting the sour product, vinegar. Cognates appear in other Semitic languages, like Arabic (khamīḍ) and Aramaic, with similar meanings related to sourness.
Semantic Range
While a common substance, חֹמֶץ gains theological significance through its symbolic use. In Psalm 69:21, it becomes an image of profound suffering and mockery, a passage directly referenced in the New Testament accounts of Jesus' crucifixion (Matthew 27:48, John 19:29-30). In the wisdom literature, it serves as a vivid metaphor for actions and character traits that cause relational strife and destruction (Proverbs 10:26, 25:20). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by connecting the physical bitterness of vinegar to spiritual concepts of affliction, folly, and prophetic fulfillment.
In ancient Israel, vinegar was a common, inexpensive sour drink made from wine or beer that had over-fermented. It was a staple for laborers and the poor, used as a thirst-quencher, preservative, or condiment, as seen when Boaz offers it to Ruth (Ruth 2:14). However, it was considered a lowly, sharp beverage, not a desirable drink of celebration. This cultural perception makes its use in Psalm 69:21 and the Proverbs metaphors particularly potent—it represents something cheap, unpleasant, and aggravating.
יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine; the fermented grape beverage from which vinegar was often made. שֵׁכָר (shekar, H7941) — strong drink; another intoxicating beverage, sometimes distinguished from wine.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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