In biblical times, travelers often carried essential supplies for their journeys, among which skins filled with water and wine were particularly significant. These skins, typically made from animal hides, were practical for storing and transporting liquids due to their durability and flexibility.

Water in Skins

Water was a critical resource for travelers in the arid regions of the Near East. The scarcity of water sources along travel routes made it necessary for individuals to carry their own supply. Genesis 21:14 provides an early example of this practice: "Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar's shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba." This passage illustrates the use of a skin of water as a means of sustenance during travel through the wilderness.

Wine in Skins

Wine was another common liquid carried by travelers, serving both as a beverage and a symbol of hospitality and celebration. The fermentation process made wine a safer alternative to water, which could be contaminated. In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of wine in skins to teach a spiritual lesson. In Matthew 9:17, He states, "Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will spill and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." This metaphor highlights the importance of appropriate preparation and receptivity, drawing from the practical knowledge of wine storage.

Cultural and Practical Significance

The use of skins for carrying water and wine reflects the ingenuity and adaptability of ancient peoples. These containers were lightweight and could be easily transported by individuals or animals, making them ideal for long journeys. The practice of carrying skins filled with water and wine underscores the necessity of preparation and resourcefulness in the face of challenging travel conditions.

In addition to their practical use, these skins also held cultural significance. Sharing wine from a skin was an act of fellowship and hospitality, often marking important social and religious occasions. The biblical narrative frequently associates wine with joy and blessing, as seen in Psalm 104:15, which speaks of wine that "gladdens the heart of man."

Overall, the carrying of skins filled with water and wine by travelers in biblical times was a testament to their resilience and resourcefulness, ensuring their survival and comfort in a harsh and unpredictable environment.Genesis 21:14,15
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 9:13
And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

A Supplementary Chapter to the Bible in Spain
... to support the reservoirs of rivers, is carried off at ... cannot alter that fact, therefore
let them make the ... Therefore, gentle English travellers, when you go to ...
/.../a supplementary chapter to the.htm

Chapter xxvi
... to be the first-born, to have carried out all ... things, seeing you made me prepare
them for the ... especially the western part, of which travellers have claimed ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxvi.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... about the water's edge, ghouls lay in wait for travellers in unfrequented ... of destiny
on tablets which Shamash or Merodach carried with them to scatter ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... whether it be a hostelry for benighted travellers, or an ... or creek, now, for a long
period, filled up by ... region, but some stray bands of them, carried away by ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Letter cxxv. To Rusticus.
... Thus travellers must be always armed and on the alert, and ... Do not be carried away
by some mad caprice and ... The charges we bring against them often come home to ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxv to rusticus.htm

The Memphite Empire
... and to the Scotch beehive-shaped houses, has struck all travellers. ... mummy of Eanofir,
found in one of them, shows how far the Egyptians had carried the art ...
/.../chapter iithe memphite empire.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... Travellers arriving in Egypt at that period must have been as much ... Phoenicians visiting
the Nile valley must have carried back with them to their native ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... more or less veracious tales of exiles and travellers. ... their limbs, and their hands
failed them by reason ... the carnage which the royal urous carried into their ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... The itineraries of modern travellers mention a place ... the spoil which the Assyrian
kings carried off from ... from the few representations of them already discovered ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... bring forth food out of the earth; and wine that maketh ... them and sow them, they could
none of them become saints ... And a river went out of Eden to water the garden ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

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