Psalm 16/Notes/Lexical.v. 4.582980

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  • The word drink offering (נֶסֶךְ, here: נִסְכֵּיהֶם) refers to an "action by which humans pour out a liquid, such as wine, oil, or even blood before a deity ► as a sacrifice" (SDBH). Drink offerings consisting of wine were a regular part of Israelite worship (e.g., Lev 23:13; Num 28:7; for examples of illicit drink offerings to other gods, see Jer 7:18; 19:13; 32:29; Ezek 20:28). In this psalm, the drink offering consists, not of wine, but of "blood" (דָּם). As noted in connection with v. 3, drink offerings of blood were associated with the worship of underworld deities.