The Grape Harvest

Biblical Academia
Oct 18
17 min read

The Grape Harvest

Introduction

Next in a series of Harvests & Celebrations studies is The Grape Harvest. The details concerning the grape harvest directly correspond to the Yom Kippur, also known as Day of Atonement. Understanding the agricultural terms for grapes will provide a better understanding of the prophecies that use their terminology and what role they play in God’s plan for his people.

Climate & Harvest Time

After the wheat harvest that started in Sivan (May/June), the temperature increases and contributes to the ripening process of the grapes. This too was an unpredictable period of time for the maturing crop. Extreme heat, hail, and heavy rains could damage the crop. The grape crops become ripe around the start of Av (July) and are in full harvest by Elul (August). In particular, the 15th of Av, called Tu B'Av, is a widely celebrated cultural holiday and generally marks the beginning of the grape harvest.

Harvesting begins when the grape turns from sour to sweet. Grapes over ripen quickly once ripe and must be harvested immediately to prevent rotting.

Isaiah 18:5 KJV - "For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches."

Recall how harvests overlap during a bountiful year. As the summer grapes are being cut from the vine, wheat is undergoing heat and pressure on the threshing floor.

Leviticus 26:5 KJV - "And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely."

Joel 2:24 KJV - "And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil."

In Joel 2:24, processing of wheat and grapes are occurring at the same time: wheat is winnowed and grapes are pressed.

Harvest Terms

The grape harvest shares two of the same terms and definitions as the barley and wheat harvests. These include "firstfruit" and "harvestman" (See The Grain Crops)

Vineyard

Simply, a vine yard. A yard full of vine producing plants.

Strong's Hebrew 3657 - כַּנָּה kannâh; from 3661; a plant (as set)

Strong’s Hebrew 3754 - כֶּרֶם kerem; from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a garden or vineyard

Strong's Greek 290 - ἀμπελών ampělṓn; from 288; a vineyard

Proverbs 31:16 KJV - "She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."

(vineyard H2754)

Vineyard Wall & Watchtower

Some vineyards have a stone wall or fence built around the perimeter, as well as a watch tower, as a defense against predators.

As a wall and fence:

Strong's Hebrew 1447 - גָּדֵר gâdêr; from 1443; a circumvallation; by implication, an inclosure:—fence, hedge, wall

Strong's Hebrew 2346 - חוֹמָה chôwmâh; feminine active participle of an unused root apparently meaning to join; a wall of protection

Strong's Hebrew 7791 - שׁוּר shûwr; from 7788; a wall (as going about)

Strong's Greek 5418 - φραγμός phragmŏs; from 5420; a fence, or inclosing barrier (literally or figuratively)

As a tower (watchtower):

Strong's Hebrew 4026 - מִגְדָּל migdâl; also (in plural) feminine; מִגְדָּלָה migdâlâh; from 1431; a tower (from its size or height); by analogy, a rostrum; figuratively, a (pyramidal) bed of flowers

Strong's Greek 4444 - πύργος purgŏs; apparently a primary word ("burgh"); a tower or castle

Numbers 22:24 KJV - "But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side."

(wall H1447)

Vine

Known best in Israel for the fruit vines produce; a vine climbs and spans outward to create the structure and room for production. It then acts as a conduit to carry the nutrients needed to bear fruit.

Strong's Hebrew 1612 - גֶּפֶן gephen; from an unused root meaning to bend; a vine (as twining), especially the grape

Strong's Hebrew 8321 - שֹׂרֵק sôrêq; or שׂוֹרֵק sôwrêq; and (feminine) שֹׂרֵקָה sôrêqâh; from 8319 in the sense of redness (compare 8320); a vine stock (properly, one yielding purple grapes, the richest variety)

Strong's Greek 288 - ἄμπελος ampělǒs; probably from the base of 297 and that of 257; a vine (as coiling about a support)

Ezekiel 15:2 KJV - "Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?"

(vine H1612)

Vine Branches

The vine branch has several parts to it. The Hebrew and Greek identify some of those parts while English simply uses the term branch.

As vine branch:

Strong's Hebrew 1808 - דָּלִיָּה dâlîyâh; from 1802; something dangling, i.e. a bough
Strong's Hebrew 2156 - זְמוֹרָה zᵉmôwrâh; or זְמֹרָה zᵉmôrâh (feminine); and זְמֹר zᵉmôr (masculine); from 2168; a twig (as pruned)
Strong's Hebrew 6057 - עָנָף ʻânâph; from an unused root meaning to cover; a twig (as covering the limbs)
Strong's Hebrew 6058 - עָנֵף ʻânêph; from the same as 6057; branching
Strong's Greek 2814 - κλῆμα klēma; from 2806; a limb or shoot (as if broken off)

As the branch tendril:

Strong’s Hebrew 5189 - נְטִישָׁה nᵉṭîyshâh; from 5203; a tendril (as an offshoot)
Strong's Hebrew 8299 - שָׂרִיג sârîyg; from 8276; a tendril (as entwining)

Genesis 40:10 KJV - "And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:"

(branches H8299)

All branches, including the trunk, start off as shoots; meaning new growths. As they grow, they harden and produce bark. Tendrils that form off of shoots help branches to grow upward by twisting itself around anything it touches for support.

Buds

Another part of the vine referred to in scripture is the bud. The bud brings forth new shoots.

The bud:

Strong’s Hebrew 6525 - פֶּרַח perach; from 6524; a calyx (natural or artificial); generally, bloom:—blossom, bud, flower

Strong's Hebrew 6524 - פָּרַח pârach; a primitive root; to break forth as a bud, i.e. bloom; generally, to spread; specifically, to fly (as extending the wings); figuratively, to flourish

Genesis 40:10 KJV - "And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:"

(budded H6525)

Flowers, Blossoms, & Sprigs

As leaves form on one side of a shoot, flowers blossom on the other side. The stem that produces the flowers and fruit is known as a sprig.

The flower:

Strong’s Hebrew 5328 - נִצָּה nitstsâh; feminine of 5322; a blossom: - flower

The blossom:

Strong's Hebrew 5322 - נֵץ nêts; from 5340; a flower (from its brilliancy); also a hawk (from it flashing speed)
Strong’s Hebrew 5563 - סְמָדַר çᵉmâdar; of uncertain derivation; a vine blossom; used also adverbially, abloom:—tender grape.

The sprigs:

Strong’s Hebrew 2150 - זַלְזַל zalzal; by reduplication from 2151; tremulous, i.e. a twig:—sprig.
Strong’s Hebrew 6288 - פְּאֹרָה pᵉʼôrâh; or פֹּרָאה pôrâʼh; or פֻּארָה pûʼrâh; from 6286; properly, ornamentation, i.e. (plural) foliage (including the limbs) as bright green:—bough, branch, sprig.

Isaiah 18:5 KJV - "For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches."

(flower H5328; sprigs H2150)

Sprigs left on the vine also harden and develop bark.

Prune

Pruning a vineyard is the cutting back of vine branches. Grape vines are pruned once a year after the last frost in late winter or early spring.

Strong’s Hebrew 2168 - זָמַר zâmar; a primitive root [compare 2167, 5568, 6785]; to trim (a vine)

Leviticus 25:3 KJV - "Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;"

(prune H2168)

By lowering the number of buds on a branch, the vine spends more energy and nutrients in other areas; thus the quality of fruit production is increased.

Hedge, Thorns, & Briers

In summer, when new fruit begins developing in the flower, the hedge is removed from the top to give the vine more sunlight. Any weed vines, including thorns, are cut down.

As a hedge and thorn hedge:

Strong's Hebrew 4881 - מְשׂוּכָה mᵉsûwkâh; or מְשֻׂכָה mᵉsûkâh; from 7753; a hedge
Strong's Hebrew 4534 - מְסוּכָה mᵉçûwkâh; for 4881; a hedge:—thorn hedge

As a thorn (bush):

Strong's Hebrew 7898 - שַׁיִת shayith; from 7896; scrub or trash, i.e. wild growth of weeds or briers (as if put on the field)

As a brier:

Strong's Hebrew 5544 - סִלּוֹן çillôwn; or סַלּוֹן çallôwn; from 5541; a prickle (as if pendulous)
Strong's Hebrew 2312 - חֵדֶק chêdeq; from an unused root meaning to sting; a prickly plant
Strong's Hebrew 8068 - שָׁמִיר shâmîyr; from 8104 in the original sense of pricking; a thorn; also (from its keenness for scratching) a gem, probably the diamond

Proverbs 15:19 KJV - "The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain."

(hedge H4881; thorns H2312)

Unripe Sour Grape

As new fruit emerges in the flower it is sour. This is referred to as the sour grape and unripe grape in scripture.

Strong's Hebrew 1154 - בֶּסֶר beçer; from an unused root meaning to be sour; an immature grape
Strong's Hebrew 1155 - בֹּסֶר bôçer; from the same as 1154:—sour grape

Job 15:33 KJV - "He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive."

(unripe grape H1154)

Grape/Cluster

Sprigs that are full of grapes are called clusters.

As a cluster:

Strong's Hebrew 811 - אֶשְׁכּוֹל ʼeshkôwl; or אֶשְׁכֹּל ʼeshkôl; probably prolonged from 810; a bunch of grapes or other fruit
Strong's Greek 4718 – σταφυλή staphylḗ; probably from the base of 4735; a cluster of grapes (as if intertwined)

Individually:

Strong's Hebrew 6025 - עֵנָב ʻênâb; from an unused root probably meaning to bear fruit; a grape
Strong's Hebrew 6528 - פֶּרֶט pereṭ; from 6527; a stray or single berry

Genesis 40:10 KJV - "And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:"

(clusters H811; grapes H6025)

Wild Grape

Also known as a wild grape weed, they grow and spread as weeds do. Some wild grapes are known to be foul tasting and poisonous. Most others are known to be overly sour.

Strong’s Hebrew 891 - בְּאֻשִׁים bᵉʼûshîym; plural of 889; poison-berries

Isaiah 5:2 KJV - "And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes."

(wild grapes H891)

Vintage

During the grape harvest season, a vintage is the reaping of grapes that have been grown for the purpose of pressing out their sweet concentrated juice.

Strong’s Hebrew 1210 - בָּצִיר bâtsîyr; from 1219; clipped, i.e. the grape crop

Leviticus 26:5 KJV - "And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely."

(vintage H1210)

Pruninghooks/Sickle

The pruninghook is a small sharp tool used to cut off the vine sprigs. It is curved similar to the sickle used for harvesting cereal grains.

As pruninghooks:

Strong’s Hebrew 4211 - מַזְמֵרָה mazmêrâh; from 2168; a pruning-knife

As a sickle:

Strong’s Greek 1407 - δρέπανον drěpanǒn; from δρέπω drěpō (to pluck); a gathering hook (especially for harvesting)
Thayer's Greek Lexicon (drěpanǒn): "...to pluck, pluck off), a sickle, a pruning-hook, a hooked vine-knife, such as reapers and vine-dressers use"

Revelation 14:18 KJV - "And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe."

(sickle G1407)

In the Old Testament, a sickle for cereal grains is distinguished from the pruninghooks used for harvesting grapes. In the New Testament however, sickle comes from a single Greek word used for any type of harvest reaping.

Gleanings

Not all grapes ripen at the same time and thus not all grapes are harvested the first time through. Grapes that are not ripe for harvest yet are left in the vine: these are referred to as gleaning grapes. The term grape gleaning is the harvesting of the gleaning grapes; historically ordered by God as a gracious provision for the poor and stranger.

As a noun:

Strong's Hebrew 3951 - לֶקֶט leqeṭ; from 3950; the gleaning
Strong's Hebrew 5955 - עֹלֵלָה ʻôlêlâh; feminine active participle of 5953; only in plural gleanings; by extension gleaning-time

As a verb:

Strong's Hebrew 3950 - לָקַט lâqaṭ; a primitive root; properly, to pick up, i.e. (generally) to gather; specifically to glean
Strong's Hebrew 5953 - עָלַל ʻâlal; a primitive root; to effect thoroughly; specifically to glean (also figuratively); by implication (in a bad sense) to overdo, i.e. maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose (also literally)

Leviticus 19:10 KJV - "And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God."

Jeremiah 49:9 KJV - "If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough."

(glean H5953; gleaning H5955)

Glean is also used as an idiom in different cultures. In Hebrew, to glean someone is to mistreat and harm them.

Husbandman, Vinedresser, & Grape-gatherer

The term husbandman holds the same definition outlined in The Grain Crops and is also used in scripture to describe a worker of the vineyard. A vinedresser specifically tends to the upkeep and maintenance of the vine and the grape gather is someone who gathers grapes.

As a vine dresser:

Strong’s Hebrew 3755 - כֹּרֵם kôrêm; active participle of an imaginary denominative from 3754; a vinedresser
Strong's Greek 289 – ἀμπελουργός ampělŏurgŏs; from 288 and 2041; a vine-worker, i.e. pruner

As a grape gatherer:

Strong's Hebrew 2490 - חָלַל châlal; a primitive root [compare 2470]; properly, to bore
Strong’s Hebrew 1219 - בָּצַר bâtsar; a primitive root; to clip off; specifically (as denominative from 1210) to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e. inaccessible by height or fortification)

Genesis 9:20 KJV - "And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:"

(husbandman H376)

Winepress, WineFat

Once cut, vintage grapes are taken to the winepress. The winepress consists of an upper and lower vat (container); though the upper vat is specifically referred to as the winepress and the lower vat is referred to as the winefat.

Strong's Hebrew 3342 - יֶקֶב yeqeb; from an unused root meaning to excavate; a trough (as dug out); specifically, a wine-vat (whether the lower one, into which the juice drains; or the upper, in which the grapes are crushed):—fats, presses, press-fat, wine(-press)
Strong's Hebrew 1660 - גַּת gath; probably from 5059 (in the sense of treading out grapes); a wine-press (or vat for holding the grapes in pressing them)
Strong's Hebrew 6333 - פּוּרָה pûwrâh; from 6331; a wine-press (as crushing the grapes)
Strong's Greek 3025 - ληνός lēnŏs; apparently a primary word; a trough, i.e. wine-vat
Strong's Greek 5276- ὑπολήνιον hupŏlěniŏn; neuter of a presumed compound of 5259 and 3025; vessel or receptacle under the press, i.e. lower wine-vat

Proverbs 3:10 KJV - "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

(presses H3342)

Grapes are pressed in the upper vat and the fresh pressed juice flows down the narrow channel into the lower vat. Some winepresses were equipped with hanging ropes to hold onto for support while treading grapes.

Tread, Trode, Trodden, & Trample

There are a variety of words used to describe the method of pressing grapes and include both literal and figurative meanings. Historically, juice was pressed out from grapes under the pressure of bare feet.

Strong's Hebrew 947 - בּוּס bûwç; a primitive root; to trample (literally or figuratively)
Strong’s Hebrew 1318 - בָּשַׁס bâshaç; a primitive root; to trample down
Strong's Hebrew 1869 - דָּרַךְ dârak; a primitive root; to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)
Strong's Hebrew 1915 - הָדַךְ hâdak; a primitive root [compare 1854]; to crush with the foot
Strong's Hebrew 4823 - מִרְמָס mirmâç; from 7429; abasement (the act or the thing)
Strong's Hebrew 6072 - עָסַס ʻâçaç; a primitive root; to squeeze out juice; figuratively, to trample
Strong's Hebrew 7429 - רָמַס râmaç; a primitive root; to tread upon (as a potter, in walking or abusively)
Strong's Hebrew 5541 - סָלָה çâlâh; a primitive root; to hang up, i.e. weigh, or (figuratively) contemn:—tread down (under foot), value
Strong's Greek 2662 – καταπατέω katapatěō; from 2596 and 3961; to trample down; figuratively, to reject with disdain
Strong's Greek 3961 - πατέω patéō; from a derivative probably of 3817 (meaning a "path"); to trample (literally or figuratively)

Jeremiah 12:10 KJV - "Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness."

(trodden H947)

Amos 5:11 KJV - "Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them."

(treading H1318)

Judges 9:27 KJV - "And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech."

(trode H1869)

Treading may be used as a figure of speech in the treading of a vineyard. In contrast to the treading of grapes or treading a winepress, treading a vineyard is to destroy the crop.

Wine

Wine is made from pressed vintage grapes. Wine can be unfermented (New Wine) , partially fermented, fermenting, and fermented (Wine), highly fermented (Strong Wine), aged (Old Wine), and mixed with water and or spices (Mixed Wine).

As wine:

Strong's Hebrew 2561 - חֶמֶר chemer; from 2560; wine (as fermenting)
Strong's Hebrew 3196 - יַיִן yayin; from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication
Strong's Hebrew 5435 - סֹבֶא çôbeʼ; from 5433; potation, concretely (wine), or abstractly (carousal)
Strong's Greek 3631 - οἶνος ŏinŏs; a primary word (or perhaps of Hebrew origin [H3196]); "wine" (literally or figuratively)

As in new & sweet wine:

Strong's Hebrew 6071 - עָסִיס ʻâçîyç; from 6072; must or fresh grape-juice (as just trodden out)
Strong's Hebrew 8492 - תִּירוֹשׁ tîyrôwsh; or תִּירֹשׁ tîyrôsh; from 3423 in the sense of expulsion; must or fresh grape-juice (as just squeezed out); by implication (rarely) fermented wine:—(new, sweet) wine
Strong's Greek 1098 - γλεῦκος glěukŏs; akin to 1099; sweet wine, i.e. (properly) must (fresh juice), but used of the more saccharine (and therefore highly inebriating) fermented wine:—new wine

As in strong wine or liquor:

Strong's Hebrew 7941 - שֵׁכָר shêkâr; from 7937; an intoxicant, i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor:-strong drink, + drunkard, strong wine
Strong's Hebrew 4952 - מִשְׁרָה mishrâh; from 8281 in the sense of loosening; maceration, i.e. steeped juice:—liquor

As in old wine:

Strong's Greek 3820 - παλαιός palaiŏs; from 3819; antique, i.e. not recent, worn out

As in mixed wine:

Strong's Hebrew 4469 - מַמְסָךְ mamçâk; from 4537; mixture, i.e. (specifically) wine mixed (with water or spices)
Strong's Hebrew 4197 - מֶזֶג mezeg; from an unused root meaning to mingle (water with wine); tempered wine:—liquor

Proverbs 3:10 KJV - "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

(new wine H8492)

Numbers 28:7 KJV - "And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering."

(strong wine H7941)

Luke 5:39 KJV - "No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better."

(old G3820)

Proverbs 23:30 KJV - "They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine."

(wine H3196 ; mixed wine H4469)

Must is the collective content of pressed out juice and their skins, seeds, and stems. The must is very sweet (saccharine). The solid portion of the must is called pomace.

When grapes are pressed open, the yeast on the grape skin interacts with the grapes natural sugars and produces alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide (effervesce in H3196 means it gives off bubbles due to carbon dioxide). The longer the juice sits in the heat, and in the pomace, the more fermented the juice naturally becomes. Fresh pressed grape juice that has been separated from the pomace will continue to ferment in warm temperatures.

Historically, due to a lack of alternative ways to clean water, a portion of fermented wine was poured into a larger portion of water; anywhere from a 1:4 to 1:10 ratio. The alcohol would kill harmful bacteria and make for a non-intoxicating drink for adults and children.

In ancient Greek, it was considered barbaric to drink undiluted wine and gluttony to linger at the wine (drink to drunkenness). This is also forbidden of Bishops according to Titus 1:7 and 3:3.

Strong's Greek 3943 - πάροινος párŏinŏs; from 3844 and 3631; staying near wine, i.e. tippling (a toper)
Strong's Greek 3632 - οἰνοφλυγία ŏinŏphlugía; from 3631 and a form of the base of 5397; an overflow (or surplus) of wine, i.e. vinolency (drunkenness)

Titus 1:7 KJV - "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;" (also 1 Timothy 3:3)

(given to wine G3943)

1 Peter 4:3 KJV - "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:"

(excess of wine G3943)

Wine Bottles

After wine was pressed it was put into containers. While jars are used for serving, it was important to put wine into containers that could be sealed off from the air. It was a common practice in ancient times to use animal skin.

Strong’s Hebrew 178 – אוֹב ʼôwb; from the same as 1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water-skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar)
Strong’s Hebrew 4997 - נֹאד nôʼd; or נאוֹד nʼôwd; also (feminine); נֹאדָה nôʼdâh; from an unused root of uncertain signification; a (skin or leather) bag (for fluids)
Strong’s Hebrew 5035 - נֶבֶל nebel or נֵבֶל nêbel; from 5034; a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty); hence, a vase (as similar in shape when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like form)
Strong’s Greek 779 - ἀσκός askŏs; from the same as 778; a leathern (or skin) bag used as a bottle

Job 32:19 KJV - "Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles."

(bottles H178)

Luke 5:37 KJV - "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish."

(bottles G779)

In Luke 5:37, Jesus points out the importance of putting new wine into new skin bags instead of old ones. As wine continues to ferment, forming alcohol and carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide builds up pressure inside the skin causing it to stretch. If new wine is put into old skin bags, the additional pressure from carbon dioxide would cause the skin to rip open.

Vinegar

Vinegar is naturally made from wine. It is sour wine, or wine gone bad.

Strong’s Hebrew 2588 – חֹמֶץ chômets; from 2556; vinegar
Strong’s Greek 3690 – ὄξος ŏxŏs; from 3691; vinegar, i.e. sour wine

Numbers 6:3 KJV - "He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried."
(vinegar H2558)

When wine comes into contact with the air, the alcohol (ethanol) oxidizes and becomes acetaldehyde; which also oxidizes and results in acetic acid and water; which is vinegar. This natural process only takes a couple days. While vinegar contains less alcohol than wine, it was also used to purify water to drink. In ancient times, water mixed with vinegar was called oxycrate or oxycrat and used for medicinal purposes. Posca was also an early Greek and Roman beverage made from a mixture of vinegar, water, salt, and any favored additions such as honey, spices, or herbs. Using vinegar for dipping food into was also common.

Raisin Cakes

Grapes that dry out (either naturally on the vine or manually) become raisins. Raisins are prepared for food in a variety of ways; one of which is pressing raisins together to form a cake. In scripture a raisin cake is referred to as a "flagon of wine".

Strong's Hebrew 809 - אֲשִׁישָׁה ʼăshîyshâh; feminine of 808; something closely pressed together, i.e. a cake of raisins or other comfits
Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon (ʼăshîyshâh): “a cake, cakes…such as were prepared from dried grapes or raisins, pressed or compacted into a certain form… raisin-cakes… They are mentioned as delicacies with which the weary and languid are refreshed. 2 Sam. 1 Chr…and were also offered to idols in sacrifice.”

1 Chronicles 16:3 KJV - "And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine."

(flagon of wine H809)