Lexical Summary sachat: Covering, protection, shelter Original Word: שָׂחַט Strong's Exhaustive Concordance press A primitive root; to tread out, i.e. Squeeze (grapes) -- press. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to squeeze out NASB Translation squeezed (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שָׂחַט] verb squeeze out (so Late Hebrew סָחַט, Aramaic סְחַט; Mandean סהט spread out NöM 238); — Qal Imperfect1singular וָאֶשְׂחַט Genesis 40:11 (E; אֶתהָֿעֲנָבִים אֶל). Topical Lexicon Agricultural Context in the Patriarchal Era The verb under discussion denotes the manual squeezing or pressing that extracts juice from grapes. In the patriarchal world, before large stone wine-presses became widespread, workers would often crush clusters by hand directly over a vessel. This intimate, small-scale method fit the household setting of Genesis 40, where Joseph attends to Pharaoh’s cupbearer in prison. The action conveys diligence, immediacy, and personal involvement—traits prized in ancient hospitality. Occurrence in Genesis 40:11 The only biblical use appears in the cupbearer’s dream: “Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” (Genesis 40:11) Here the verb highlights three movements: receiving the raw fruit, exerting decisive pressure, and presenting the finished product. Joseph interprets the dream as restoration, so the verb functions within a narrative of reversal from bondage to honor. The compression of grapes into royal wine mirrors the compression of suffering that leads to exaltation, both for the cupbearer and, on a larger scale, for Joseph himself. Symbolic Resonances of Grape Pressing in Scripture 1. Abundance and blessing — Wine signifies covenant blessing (Genesis 27:28; Deuteronomy 7:13). Hand-pressing the grapes is the first visible step toward that blessing. Typological Foreshadowing of Redemption The solitary use of the verb in Genesis 40 forms a literary seed that matures throughout Scripture. The cupbearer’s restored service prefigures a greater Servant who will take the cup of wrath, submit to the press of Gethsemane, and offer the cup of the new covenant (Matthew 26:39, 27; Luke 22:20). As grapes are willingly compressed, so Christ is “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). The verb therefore becomes a subtle but genuine thread in the tapestry of redemptive history. Practical Ministry Applications • Discipleship: Just as pressure releases what is inside the grape, trials reveal and refine a believer’s character (James 1:2-4). Reflection in Worship and Sacrament When congregations partake of the cup at the Lord’s Table, they recall not only the final product but the pressing that produced it. The lone Old Testament occurrence of this verb invites worshipers to meditate on the costly process behind covenant joy, fostering gratitude, reverence, and hopeful endurance. Forms and Transliterations וָֽאֶשְׂחַ֤ט ואשחט vaesChat wā’eśḥaṭ wā·’eś·ḥaṭLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 40:11 HEB: אֶת־ הָֽעֲנָבִ֗ים וָֽאֶשְׂחַ֤ט אֹתָם֙ אֶל־ NAS: the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's KJV: the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's INT: took the grapes and squeezed about cup 1 Occurrence |
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