Dictionary of Bible Themes – 4410 banquets
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4410 banquets

4410 banquets

Grand, celebratory meals consisting usually of rich food and flowing wine. Banquets usually accompanied weddings, religious festivals and other celebrations. Prophecies of the Messianic age refer to a banquet to which the righteous will be invited.

Characteristics of banquets

They were usually held in a hall SS 2:4 See also Est 7:8; Da 5:10

Honoured guests were given special places Lk 14:7-11 See also Pr 25:6-7; Mt 23:6 pp Mk 12:39 pp Lk 20:46

Guests reclined on couches Est 1:6; Mt 26:7 pp Mk 14:3 pp Lk 7:36; Jn 12:2

Invitations were sent out Lk 14:17 pp Mt 22:3

Occasions for holding banquets

To celebrate weddings Mt 22:2 See also Ge 29:21-22 a feast celebrates Jacob’s wedding; Jdg 14:10 Samson gives a wedding feast; Est 2:18 Xerxes celebrates Esther’s choice as queen with a banquet; Mt 25:10; Lk 12:36; Jn 2:8-9; Rev 19:9 the marriage supper of the Lamb

To celebrate birthdays Ge 40:20; Mk 6:21

To celebrate other events Ge 21:8 Abraham celebrates Isaac’s weaning. Jews celebrate their deliverance from Haman in what became the Feast of Purim: Est 8:17; Est 9:17-19
Lk 15:23 The father celebrates the prodigal son’s return.

Religious celebrations Ps 22:29 See also 2Ch 30:21-22; 2Ch 35:13; Zec 7:6

Activities at banquets

Good food and drink Isa 25:6 See also Job 1:4; Zec 7:6; Mt 22:4; Lk 15:23

Drunkenness and revelry 1Sa 25:36 See also Est 1:7-8,10; Ecc 10:19; Jer 51:39; Da 5:3-4

Music and dancing Isa 5:12 See also Mt 14:6 pp Mk 6:22; Lk 15:25

Further examples of banquets

Ge 26:30 Isaac holds a feast for Abimelech; Ge 43:34 Joseph feasts with his brothers; 2Sa 3:20 David holds a feast for Abner; 1Ki 3:15 Solomon gives a feast for all his court. Xerxes gives a banquet for his nobles and officials: Est 1:3,5
Est 1:9 Queen Vashti holds a banquet for the women of the palace. Esther prepares banquets for the king and Haman: Est 5:4-5,8
Da 5:1-2 Belshazzar has a banquet for 1,000 nobles; Lk 5:29 pp Mt 9:10 Levi holds a banquet for Jesus Christ; Lk 14:1 Jesus Christ is the guest of a leading Pharisee.

An invitation to a banquet seen as a sign of God’s grace

Lk 14:12-14 See also 2Ki 6:23 The king of Israel prepares a banquet for captured Aramean troops; Mt 22:8-10 pp Lk 14:21-23

The Messianic banquet

Mt 8:11 See also Lk 13:29; Lk 14:15

See also

4404food
4434drinking
4438eating
5231birthday
5355invitations
5699guests
5710marriage, customs
5742wedding
5878honour
7354feasts and festivals
8642celebration
9150Messianic banquet

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