Wine used to be the drink of the people in Palestine and its surroundings
until the emergence of the Islam belief. According to the Old Testament
Palestine was famous for its vines, wine belonged to life, the Bible
mentions it as a basic nourishment: ..., then I shall send rain for your
land in season, both autumn and spring rains, and you will gather your corn
and new wine and oil,...
.
I have ... food and wine for myself, the girl, and the young man; we have
all we need.
(The Book of Judges, 19. 19.) It is probable that they drank
wine as wine is mentioned as the "blood of grapes". Why are your clothes
all red, like the garments of one treading grapes in the winepress?
(The
Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 63. 2.) or ... and you, his people, drank red
wine from the juice of the grape.
(Deuteronomy, 32. 14.)
We can learn from the Old Testament that vineyards were mainly planted on
slopes.
Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria,
(The Book of the
Prophet Jeremiah, 31. 5.)
The soil was dug, stones were picked out and they took care that the animals
should not get near: My beloved had a vineyard high up on a fertile slope.
He trenched it, cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice red vines;
(The Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 5. 1-2.)
The vine was trained on fig-trees or sticks were driven near it and it was
regularly cleaned of weed.
The vintage was performed joined to amusement in those days as well. Joy
and gladness will be banished from the fields, no more will they tread wine
in the winepresses; I have silenced the shouting of the harvesters.
(The
Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 16. 10.)
Wine often appears in the Old Testament as a symbol. My belly is distended
as if with wine, about to burst open like a new wineskin;
(The Book of Job,
32. 19.) Your silver has turned to dross and your fine liquor is diluted
with water.
(The Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 1. 22.)