Original Word: חֶמֶר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chemer
Pronunciation: KHAY-mer
Phonetic Spelling: (kheh'-mer)
KJV: X pure, red wine
NASB: wine
Word Origin: [from H2560 (חָמַר - To boil up)]

1. wine (as fermenting)

pure, red wine

From chamar; wine (as fermenting) -- X pure, red wine.

see HEBREW chamar

Word Origin
from chamar
Definition
wine
NASB Translation
wine (2).

חֶ֫מֶר noun [masculine] wine (poetry) (Aramaic חַמְרָא; Arabic , see Lag^{BN 207}) — וְדַםעֵֿנָבתִּשְׁתֶּהחָֿ֑מֶר Deuteronomy 32:14; כֶּרֶם חֶמֶר Isaiah 27:2, but read here כֶּרֶם חֶמֶד (see חֶמֶד).

חֲמַר noun masculine wine (ᵑ7 Syriac; Biblical Hebrew חֶמֶר (in poetry and late), √ I. חמר); — absolute ׳ח Ezra 6:9; Ezra 7:22; emphatic חַמָרָא Daniel 5:1.Daniel 5:2. Daniel 5:4. Daniel 5:23.

Semantic Nuances

חֶמֶר (chemer) denotes rich, deeply-colored wine, the product of fully ripened and pressed grapes whose juice “boils up” in fermentation. The term highlights luxuriant quality—wine at its most potent and flavorful—evoking both the joy of celebration and the seriousness of covenant symbolism.

Biblical Occurrence

Deuteronomy 32:14 places chemer at the climax of a list of covenant blessings: “with curds from the herd and milk from the flock… and you drank the wine of the blood of the grape”. The lone appearance concentrates all interpretive weight on this setting.

Context within Deuteronomy 32

Moses’ Song surveys Israel’s past and future. Verses 13–14 portray how the LORD led His people to abundance in Canaan. Chemer caps the list, underscoring that Israel’s prosperity flowed directly from divine grace. Immediately after, the song pivots to Israel’s forgetfulness (32:15), making the wine a poignant contrast between God’s lavish provision and His people’s ensuing apostasy.

Agricultural and Cultural Background

In the Ancient Near East, wine making required patient cultivation, careful harvesting, and skillful fermentation. Possessing chemer signified not mere subsistence but settled security and refined enjoyment. For Israel, such produce testified that the land truly “flowed with milk and honey” and that the LORD’s covenant promises (Genesis 15:18–21; Exodus 3:8) were manifest.

Theological Significance

1. Blessing and Fellowship: Chemer embodies covenant communion. In Scripture, sharing wine often accompanies peace offerings (Numbers 15:5,10) and festive worship (Deuteronomy 14:26).
2. Responsibility: The same song that celebrates chemer warns that forgetfulness of the Giver invites judgment (Deuteronomy 32:19–25). Abundance must draw hearts to gratitude, not complacency.
3. Blood Imagery: “Blood of the grape” associates wine with life-blood. This metaphor anticipates deeper redemptive themes (Isaiah 63:3; Revelation 19:13).

Prophetic and Typological Insights

Genesis 49:11 links Judah’s royal line to garments “washed in the blood of grapes,” foreshadowing the Messiah who would provide true cleansing. At Cana, Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1–11), a sign of messianic fulfillment surpassing Old-Covenant abundance. In the Upper Room He declared, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20), binding the symbol of chemer to His atoning sacrifice. Thus the solitary Torah reference becomes a seed that blooms in the Gospel.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Gratitude: Teach believers to recognize God’s material and spiritual provisions, responding with worship rather than entitlement.
• Stewardship: Chemer cautions against abusing gifts meant for blessing (cf. Proverbs 23:29–31).
• Communion: When serving the cup, ministers may recall that Israel once drank chemer as evidence of promise; the church now drinks in remembrance of promise fulfilled and awaiting consummation (Matthew 26:29).
• Preaching the Whole Counsel: Even a hapax legomenon invites exploration of biblical theology, showing the unity of Scripture from Moses to Christ.

Related Scriptures and Themes

Genesis 27:28; Psalm 104:14–15; Isaiah 55:1; Joel 3:18; Zechariah 9:17; John 6:53–56; 1 Corinthians 10:16; Revelation 14:18–20. Each passage develops motifs of abundance, sacrifice, or judgment connected to the fruit of the vine.

Christological Implications

Chemer anticipates a greater cup. The highest quality wine described in Deuteronomy 32 foreshadows the perfect, life-giving blood of the Lamb. Where Israel tasted temporal blessing, the church partakes of eternal redemption. “How much more will the blood of Christ… cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).

Conclusion

Though appearing only once, חֶמֶר gathers together threads of covenant blessing, human responsibility, and redemptive hope. From vineyard to communion table, the image points hearts to the faithfulness of God who supplies every good gift and ultimately gives Himself.

חָֽמֶר׃ חמר׃ Chamer ḥā·mer ḥāmerInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts