עָסִיס (a.sis)
a.sis
sweet
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun asis refers to sweet wine or fresh grape juice, specifically the unfermented liquid pressed directly from the harvest. Its root meaning points to something "pressed out," highlighting the physical process of extraction that yields a rich, sugary drink before any fermentation occurs.
This term appears in four biblical passages, most notably in Song of Solomon 1:2 and Joel 1:5, 10, 15. In these contexts, it evokes abundance and sensual pleasure, often standing as a symbol of joy or, conversely, the loss of such delights when judgment falls.
Understanding asis as fresh juice rather than aged wine clarifies its imagery in Scripture. It represents immediate vitality and the raw sweetness of the land’s bounty, a detail that enriches our reading of poetic and prophetic texts alike.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word asis points to the fresh, unfermented juice pressed directly from grapes or pomegranates. It captures the immediate sweetness of the harvest before any aging process occurs. This imagery highlights raw vitality and the natural bounty of the land.
In Scripture, this fresh juice often symbolizes joy and abundance. When it is present, it represents a season of plenty and delight. Its absence, as seen in prophetic warnings, marks a sudden loss of comfort and pleasure.
Reflecting on this term can deepen your appreciation for the simple gifts in your life. It reminds us that God provides fresh sources of joy and sustenance. We can find comfort in knowing that these blessings are tangible expressions of care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sweet wine2×
- some of/ [the] juice of1×
- and/ like <the>/ sweet wine1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עָסִ֕יס1×
- עָסִ֔יס1×
- מֵ/עֲסִ֖יס1×
- וְ/כֶ/עָסִ֖יס1×
Key Verses
-
Joel 1:5
Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth.
This verse highlights the sudden loss of daily pleasure when judgment removes the sweet wine from the drinkers' mouths.
-
Song of Solomon 8:2
I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
The speaker offers spiced pomegranate juice as a symbol of intimate care and nurturing affection within a family setting.
-
Amos 9:13
“Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the one treading grapes him who sows seed; and sweet wine will drip from the mountains, and flow from the hills.
This prophecy uses the image of sweet wine dripping from mountains to depict an era of unprecedented agricultural abundance.