### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **çôbeʼ**, represented by `{{H5435}}`, refers to **drink** or **wine**, and can describe the abstract concept of **carousal** or being **drunken**. It is derived from the root word `{{H5433}}`. This term appears 3 times across 3 unique verses, where it is used to signify both a literal substance and a state of being associated with moral and spiritual decline.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H5435}}` consistently appears in contexts of judgment and corruption. In Isaiah, it is used metaphorically to describe the degradation of Jerusalem, where the "thy **wine** mixed with water" symbolizes a loss of purity and value [[Isaiah 1:22]]. In Hosea, the "sour **drink**" of the people is directly linked to their spiritual unfaithfulness, as they have "committed whoredom continually" [[Hosea 4:18]]. Finally, Nahum uses the term to describe the wicked as "**drunkards**" who, in their drunken state, will be devoured and judged [[Nahum 1:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help illuminate the context of `{{H5435}}`:
* `{{H5433}}` **çâbâʼ** (to quaff to satiety, i.e. become tipsy): This is the primitive root from which `{{H5435}}` is derived. It appears alongside it in [[Nahum 1:10]], where the people are "drunken as drunkards," emphasizing a state of being completely filled with intoxicating drink.
* `{{H2181}}` **zânâh** (to commit adultery): This term is used figuratively for idolatry and is linked with `{{H5435}}` in [[Hosea 4:18]], where the people's sour drink accompanies their act of committing "whoredom continually" against God.
* `{{H157}}` **ʼâhab** (to have affection for, love): This word appears in [[Hosea 4:18]], where the rulers' corrupted state is highlighted by their "love" for shame, tying their unfaithful actions and sour drink to a perverted affection.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5435}}` is significant, consistently symbolizing negative spiritual conditions.
* **Symbol of Degradation:** Just as silver becoming dross is a sign of impurity, so is wine mixed with water. It illustrates a fall from a state of purity and honor into one of worthless corruption [[Isaiah 1:22]].
* **Indicator of Spiritual Adultery:** The term is directly connected with idolatry. The "sour drink" in Hosea is a symptom of a heart that has turned away from God to commit spiritual "whoredom" [[Hosea 4:18]].
* **A Precursor to Judgment:** Being "drunken as drunkards" is not portrayed as a state of revelry, but as a condition of vulnerability and helplessness that precedes imminent destruction from God [[Nahum 1:10]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5435}}` is not merely a word for wine or drink, but a powerful biblical symbol for moral decay, spiritual unfaithfulness, and impending judgment. Whether describing diluted wine, a soured drink, or the state of a drunkard, its presence in Scripture serves as a stark warning against the kind of corruption that invites divine consequence. It demonstrates how a physical substance can represent a profound spiritual reality.
TRV