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Bible Encyclopedias
Press
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (פּוּרָה, purâ h; ληνός ). Among the Israelites this was a large trough, usually hewn out of stone (Isaiah 5:2; Matthew 21:33; comp. Nonni, Dionys. 12:330) or dug in the earth and walled up (Harmer, 3, 117). It had a trellised opening below. This trough was called gath, גִּת (in the Talmud also גתה ), or purâ h, פּוּרָה (Isaiah 63:3); and in it the grapes were trodden by men (five usually work together in Persia still; Kä mpfer, Aemen. p. 377). Hence the phrase to tread the wine-press (Job 24:11; Lamentations 1:15; Isaiah 63:2). The juice (Heb. tirô sh, תִּירשׁ ) flowed through the opening into a vat, usually in the earth (called yekeb, יֶקֶב Gr. προλήνιον , Isaiah 5:2, or ὑπολήνιον, Isaiah 16:10, and simply ληνός, Matthew 21:33; Lat. lacus vinarius, Colum. 12:18: in Job 24:11, this word means, however, the trough or press itself). From this it is taken for fermentation in earthen vessels. These presses, which are still common in the East and the Levant (Arvieux 4:272 sq.; Kä mpfer, ut sup.), were almost always outside of the towns, either in the vineyards or on mountains (Zechariah 14:10; Isaiah 5:2; Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1; Revelation 14:20). The slaves must usually have trodden the press, as it was hard labor (Isaiah 63:1 sq.). They were cheered in it by singing and music (see Isaiah 16:10; Jeremiah 25:30; Judges 9:27; Jeremiah 25:30; Jeremiah 48, 33). See Ugolino, De Re Rust. Vet. Hebrews 6:14 sq., in his Thesaur. 29. (See OIL); (See WINE).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Press'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/p/press.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
