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Here the text:
Butter of cattle, and cholov tzon, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with chittah (wheat) as fat as kidneys; and thou didst drink the pure dahm of the grape. Devarim 32:14 OJB
Curds of cows, and milk of the flock, With fat of lambs, And rams, the breed of Bashan, and goats, With the finest of the wheat- And of the blood of grapes you drank wine. Deuteronomy 32:14 NASB
About what kind of wine there it is saying?
After looking at the Hebrew: וְדַם־עֵנָ֖ב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר It appears that the Israel Bible has the closest translation: And foaming grape-blood was your drink.
It appears to be the blood from Grape (Singular) that is boiling up/foaming/to rise in bubbles (See Pulpit Commentary)
In the context of the phrases proceeding it, it appears that this blood from the Grape (singular) comes from: rising up from something and that is how it is coming into being. EG 1. curds from the herd and 2. milk from the flock, 3. with the fat of lambs, with rams from Bashan We know that water came from the rock, honey from the rock and oil from the flinty crag But with the blood of the grape, it appears to just boil (foam) up The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4 appears to say that the water/honey/oil/grape blood all came from the same rock, that they are a spiritual drink
It appears that this is fresh grape juice and not wine.
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION God is not saying that he had a case of Pinot Noir from 2150 BC. He gave them grapes. Sometimes they drank it fresh, sometimes they drank socially, sometimes they got drunk. What God gave them was prosperity with "wine" (of an unspecified type) acting as metony.
This article describes how wine was originally produced.
In the account of Noah is the first description of intoxication by wine as well as its potential horrific influences on a man.
There are many cautions in the scriptures about the hazards of "making a career" of consuming alcoholic drinks:
Pro 20:1 KJV - 1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Pro 31:4, 6 KJV - 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: ... 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Isa 5:11, 22 KJV - 11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! ... 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
("strong drink") was wine fortified with sugar to produce a higher alcohol content). Over time sources other than the grape were introduced.
However, the scriptures do not completely vilify wine because properly used it was both pleasurable and provided a much needed antiseptic for water. The water sources of old were not treated so it was necessary to add some wine to the water in order to kill off the bacteria in the water:
1Ti 5:23 NLT - 23 Don't drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.
Psa 104:13-15 NLT - 13 You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor. 14 You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth-- 15 wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength.
Personally I see the reference to the "grass" here as including marijuana since the subject seems to be not just essentials but also "niceties" for mankind. Like wine in moderation it provides a lovely sensation. And unlike wine it does not have the ability to inflict horrible stupidity on men.
I happen to think the plant "snuck out of the garden of Eden"! However, wine holds a very important place in "typology" of "blood". I mean, it is such a perfect symbol for blood, which is at the heart of the redemptive plan of God. But for a host of other benefits, including health and pleasure, pot it the better intoxicant. The Torah is focused on redemption.
Notes:
Jews today have a genetic resistance to alcohol. Today it protects about 20% of the Jews, due, I believe to a weakening of their blood line thru intermarriage. For those without that gene it turns out to be a horrible idea to drink alcohol. Marijuana is not addictive (though some can become emotionally dependent (ie: love it too much)!
