Drink offering

The drink offering (Hebrew ְנֶסֶך, nesekh) was a form of libation forming one of the sacrifices and offerings of the Law of Moses.

Etymology

The Hebrew noun nesekh is formed from the Qal form of the verb nasakh, "to pour," hence "thing poured." The verb and the noun frequently come together, such as nasakh [aleha] nesekh, literally "pour [on it] a poured thing" as in the only pre-Exodus use, that of Jacob's libation at a pillar in Genesis 35:14. The etymology "poured thing" explains the existence of the rarer secondary use of the verb nasakh for "cast" (an idol), and the noun nesekh for a "thing poured" (also an idol).[1]

Hebrew Bible

The drink offering accompanied various sacrifices and offerings on various feast days. Usually the offering was of wine, but in one instance also of "strong drink" (Numbers 28:7).[2] This "strong drink" (Hebrew shekhar שֵׁכָר, Septuagint sikera σίκερα as Luke 1:15, but also methusma in Judges 13:4 and Micah 2:11) is not identified.

Mishnaic tradition

The Mishnah (Menachot chapter 8) mentions the places in the Land of Israel and in Transjordan where the finest of the grains, olive harvest and vintage wines were taken as an offertory to the Temple in Jerusalem. Among wine libations, the finest wine was said to have come from Keruthin and Hattulim (ibid., Menachot 8:6), this latter place now tentatively identified by historical geographer Samuel Klein with the ruin directly west of Sha'ar Hagai (Bâb el Wâd) called Kh. Khâtûleh (variant spelling: Kh. Khâtûla), now known locally as Giv'at Ḥatul.[3][4] Second in rank to this place was Beit Rima and Beit Luban, both places identified in Samaria.[5][6] The wine from any country was valid, but they used to bring it only from these places.[7] The drink offerings were poured out near the altar on the Temple Mount, where they fell down into a subterraneous cavern (Hebrew: שִׁית), in fulfillment of the Scripture (Numbers 28:7): "In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord."[8]

In the Temple at Jerusalem, they were not permitted to bring wine that had been sweetened or smoked or cooked and if they did so it was invalid.[7] By a rabbinic injunction, an unsealed flagon of wine prepared by an Israelite, but which had been kept under watch or in store by a heathen, is considered a forbidden libation (Hebrew: יין נסך), which must be discarded. The kashrut requirements for wine are designed to prevent the accidental or intentional use of wine previously dedicated or blessed for idolatrous use. However, an unsealed flagon of wine that had been cooked or of conditum (both of which prepared by an Israelite), since both are unfit for the altar, even though they had been watched or kept in store by a heathen, can still be consumed by an Israelite.[9]

Ancient Near East parallels

In Akkadian texts, and Ugaritic epics there are references to libations, and sometimes the same verb stem N-S-K "to pour" is used. Psalm 16:4 gives reference to a "drink offering" of blood among pagans, but generally in ANE religions libations were also of wine.[10]

Rabbinical interpretation

In the Talmud the view of Rabbi Meir was that the blood of the sacrifices permits the drink offering to the altar (B. Zeb. 44a).[11]

References
  1. Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon nesek
  2. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 p357 "Beer was also consumed widely in the ancient Near East as early as the Early Bronze Age. ... A drink offering (Heb. nesek) was poured out to the Lord at the sanctuary during many of the festival offerings (e.g., Num. 28:7-8, 10 "
  3. Romanoff, Paul (1935–1936). "Onomasticon of Palestine". Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research. American Academy for Jewish Research. 7: 160 (note 1). doi:10.2307/3622261. JSTOR 3622261., citing Samuel Klein (1922), Eretz Yisrael: Geography of Israel for High Schools and for the People (ארץ ישראל -- גיאוגרפיה של ארץ ישראל לבתי ספר תיכוניים ולעם), Menorah: Vienna, p. 93 (in Hebrew).
  4. Cf. Klein, S. (1939). Judaea: from the Return of the Babylonian Exiles to the Redaction of the Talmud (ארץ יהודה: מימי העליה מבבל עד חתימת התלמוד). Tel-Aviv: Devir. pp. 138–142. OCLC 741051578.
  5. Mishnah (1977). Herbert Danby (ed.). The Mishnah (12th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 503 (note 4). ISBN 0-19-815402-X., s.v. Menahot 8:6
  6. Neubauer, A. (1868). La géographie du Talmud : mémoire couronné par l'Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (in French). Paris: Lévy. p. 82. (cited in Finkelstein, I.; Lederman, Zvi, eds. (1997). Highlands of many cultures. Tel Aviv: Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University Publications Section. p. 245. ISBN 965-440-007-3.)
  7. Mishnah (1977). Herbert Danby (ed.). The Mishnah (12th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 503. ISBN 0-19-815402-X., s.v. Menahot 8:6
  8. Mishnah (Meilah 3:3); Midrash Hagadol on Numbers 28:7
  9. Jerusalem Talmud (Terumot 8:3); Babylonian Talmud (Avodah Zarah 30a)
  10. Article spendo (Greek "to pour"). Theological dictionary of the New Testament: V7 p532 Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich, Geoffrey William Bromiley - 1971 "In these passages the original purpose is clear: God needs drink as well as food , Aqhat, II, 6, 29 f.; cf. also II, 2, 18 f., 28. ^ The drink offering plays a particularly important role in fertility cults.28 In Israel there were ..."
  11. Jacob Neusner A history of the Mishnaic law of holy things 1978 p77 "Meir's view is that the blood of the sacrifices permits the drink-offering to the altar (B. Zeb. 44a) . Sages point out that the drink-offering may come later ( = Meir, G.)"
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