4961. mishte
Lexical Summary
mishte: banquet

Original Word: מִשְׁתֶּה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mishteh
Pronunciation: mish-teh'
Phonetic Spelling: (mish-teh')
KJV: banquet
NASB: banquet
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H4960 (מִשׁתֶּה - banquet)]

1. a banquet

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
banquet

(Aramaic) corresponding to mishteh; a banquet -- banquet.

see HEBREW mishteh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to mishteh
Definition
a feast
NASB Translation
banquet (1).

Topical Lexicon
Entry Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 4961, מִשְׁתֶּה (mishteh), designates a banquet hall or festive gathering. Though attested only once in Scripture, it stands at the intersection of royal luxury, human hubris, and divine intervention, inviting reflection on the stewardship of celebration under God’s sovereignty.

Old Testament Occurrence

Daniel 5:10: “Because of the words of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall…”. The term defines the venue where Belshazzar’s revelry took place on the eve of Babylon’s downfall.

Historical Context: Belshazzar’s Final Feast

• Date: 539 B.C., the night Babylon fell to the Medo-Persians (Daniel 5:30–31).
• Participants: Belshazzar, “a thousand of his nobles” (Daniel 5:1), wives, and concubines.
• Activities: Drinking from Jerusalem’s temple vessels, praising idols of “gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone” (Daniel 5:4).
• Divine response: The hand writing on the wall, interpreted by Daniel, announcing judgment.

The banquet hall thus becomes the stage where earthly pomp collides with heavenly verdict—“You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27).

Cultural Background of Ancient Near Eastern Banquets

Royal feasts showcased power, projected security, and cemented political alliances. Walls were adorned with reliefs celebrating military victories and deities. Abundant wine and ostentatious vessels underscored wealth. In Babylon, such gatherings often involved ritual libations to idols, making Belshazzar’s misuse of sacred vessels both sacrilegious and culturally resonant.

Theological Reflections

1. Sacred vs. Profane: The profanation of temple vessels contrasts with the holiness required for worship (Exodus 30:29).
2. Divine Surveillance: Behind closed palace doors God still observes (Psalm 139:7–12). The feast’s walls could not exclude His hand.
3. Transience of Earthly Glory: Babylon’s revelry ends abruptly; “In the same night Belshazzar…was slain” (Daniel 5:30). Celebrations rooted in pride perish, whereas those rooted in covenant faithfulness endure (Psalm 16:11).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Biblical Hospitality: Scripture commends feasting that honors God (Deuteronomy 14:26; Luke 14:13). The misuse in Daniel 5 warns against self-indulgent hosting.
• Sobriety and Watchfulness: “Let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).
• Stewardship of Sacred Things: Ministry leaders guard resources—physical and spiritual—from profane use (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Related Biblical Themes

• Contrasting Banquets: Esther 1–2 (royal excess), Esther 7 (divine reversal), Matthew 22:1–14 (Kingdom invitation), Revelation 19:9 (Marriage Supper of the Lamb).
• Prophetic Judgment at Feasts: Isaiah 22:12–14; Hosea 9:1–3.
• Joyful, Covenant-Centered Meals: Exodus 24:9–11; Acts 2:46.

Christological Foreshadowing

Belshazzar’s banquet dramatizes false security outside covenant grace, while Christ offers a better feast: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The handwriting of condemnation in Babylon finds its redemptive counterpart in Christ’s inscription on believers’ hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3).

Summary

מִשְׁתֶּה 4961 epitomizes a decisive moment where indulgent celebration meets divine judgment. Its lone occurrence magnifies themes of holiness, stewardship, and the fleeting nature of worldly splendor, urging God’s people to pursue feasting that glorifies Him and anticipates the eternal banquet prepared by the King of kings.

Forms and Transliterations
מִשְׁתְּיָ֖א משתיא miš·tə·yā mishteYa mištəyā
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Daniel 5:10
HEB: וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי לְבֵ֥ית מִשְׁתְּיָ֖א [עַלֲלַת כ]
NAS: entered the banquet hall
KJV: came into the banquet house:
INT: and his nobles hall the banquet bring in spoke

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 4961
1 Occurrence


miš·tə·yā — 1 Occ.

4960
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