מֶסֶךְ
a mixture, i.e. of wine with spices
Definition
The Hebrew noun מֶסֶךְ (meçek) refers specifically to a mixed or spiced drink, particularly wine blended with spices or other ingredients. In its sole biblical occurrence in Psalm 75:8, it describes a cup of wine that is mixed, likely to enhance its potency or flavor. This 'mixture' is used metaphorically in the psalm to represent God's judgment, which He will pour out upon the wicked. The word does not appear elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible with a different sense, maintaining this singular meaning of a blended, intoxicating beverage.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Psalm 75:8. It appears in a poetic, prophetic context where God is described as holding a cup of judgment. The 'mixture' (מֶסֶךְ) is the contents of this cup, which the wicked of the earth are forced to drink. Its usage is entirely metaphorical, symbolizing divine wrath and punishment.
Etymology
מֶסֶךְ (meçek) is a noun derived from the root verb מָסַךְ (masak, H4537), which means 'to mix' or 'to mingle.' This root is also related to the idea of weaving or blending together. The noun form thus carries the concrete sense of a mixed substance, specifically a drink.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, מֶסֶךְ is theologically significant as a vivid image of God's judgment. In Psalm 75:8, understanding that this is a potent, spiced wine—not just any liquid—intensifies the metaphor. It portrays God's wrath as deliberate, potent, and intoxicating to those who oppose Him. This enriches the reading of the psalm by connecting to a wider biblical theme of the 'cup of wrath' (e.g., Isaiah 51:17, Jeremiah 25:15), emphasizing the inescapable and overwhelming nature of divine justice.
In the ancient Near East, wine was often mixed with spices, herbs, or even resin to preserve it, enhance its flavor, or increase its intoxicating effects. A 'mixture' (meçek) would therefore be understood as a strong, prepared drink, not simple wine. This cultural practice gives depth to the biblical metaphor, as the audience would recognize the cup's contents as something deliberately crafted and potent.
מִזְרָק (mizraq, H4219) — a bowl or basin for sprinkling blood/water, not for drinking; a ritual vessel. עֵסֶב (eseb, H6154) — an herb or plant, a potential ingredient in a mixture, but not the mixture itself.
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.
Full methodology & sources →