Cup

A cup in Scripture can hold blessing or judgment. David sings “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD” (Psalm 116:13). The prophets also speak of a cup of God’s anger passed to the nations (Jeremiah 25:15). Jesus knew both images. In Gethsemane he prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). At the last supper he gave his friends the cup and said, “This cup is the new testament in my blood.” Christians understand the Lord’s Supper in different ways, and these verses are where each begins.

37 verses

Genesis

Genesis 40:11

And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 12:3

But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

1 Kings

1 Kings 7:26

And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 28:17

Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:

Psalms

Psalms 11:6

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Psalms 73:10

Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

Psalms 75:8

For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

Psalms 116:13

I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

Isaiah

Isaiah 51:17

Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

Isaiah 51:22

Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 25:15

For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

Jeremiah 25:16

And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

Jeremiah 25:17

Then took I the cup at the LORD'S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:

Jeremiah 25:18

To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;

Jeremiah 25:19

Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;

Jeremiah 25:20

And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

Jeremiah 25:21

Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,

Jeremiah 25:22

And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,

Jeremiah 25:23

Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,

Jeremiah 25:24

And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,

Jeremiah 25:25

And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,

Jeremiah 25:26

And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

Jeremiah 25:27

Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

Jeremiah 25:28

And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 23:31

Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.

Ezekiel 23:32

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.

Ezekiel 23:33

Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.

Ezekiel 23:34

Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

Matthew

Matthew 20:22

But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

Matthew 20:23

And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Matthew 26:27

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Matthew 26:39

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Mark

Mark 14:23

And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

Mark 14:36

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Luke

Luke 22:20

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Luke 22:42

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

John

John 18:11

Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

A wine-cup (Gen. 40:11, 21), various forms of which are found on Assyrian and Egyptian monuments. All Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold (1 Kings 10: 21). The cups mentioned in the New Testament were made after Roman and Greek models, and were sometimes of gold (Rev. 17:4).

The art of divining by means of a cup was practiced in Egypt (Gen. 44:2-17), and in the East generally.

The “cup of salvation” (Ps. 116:13) is the cup of thanksgiving for the great salvation. The “cup of consolation” (Jer. 16:7) refers to the custom of friends sending viands and wine to console relatives in mourning (Prov. 31:6). In 1 Cor. 10:16, the “cup of blessing” is contrasted with the “cup of devils” (1 Cor. 10:21). The sacramental cup is the “cup of blessing,” because of blessing pronounced over it (Matt. 26:27; Luke 22:17). The “portion of the cup” (Ps. 11:6; 16:5) denotes one’s condition of life, prosperous or adverse. A “cup” is also a type of sensual allurement (Jer. 51:7; Prov. 23:31; Rev. 17:4). We read also of the “cup of astonishment,” the “cup of trembling,” and the “cup of God’s wrath” (Ps. 75:8; Isa. 51:17; Jer. 25:15; Lam. 4:21; Ezek. 23:32; Rev. 16:19; comp. Matt. 26:39, 42; John 18:11). The cup is also the symbol of death (Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1; Heb. 2:9).

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

The cups of the Jews, whether of metal or earthenware, were possibly borrowed, in point of shape and design, from Egypt and from the Phoenicians, who were celebrated in that branch of workmanship. Egyptian cups were of various shapes, either with handles or without them. In Solomon’s time all his drinking vessels were of gold, none of silver. (1 Kings 10:21) Babylon is compared to a golden cup. (Jeremiah 51:7) The great laver, or "sea," was made with a rim like the rim of a cup (cos), with flowers of lilies," (1 Kings 7:26) a form which the Persepolitan cups resemble. The cups of the New Testament were often no doubt formed on Greek and Roman models. They were sometimes of gold. (Revelation 17:4)

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.