Dictionary of Bible Themes Dictionary of Bible Themes » 4000 Creation » 4400 Vegetation and food » 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 Songs 2:4 See also Esther 7:8; Daniel 5:10 Honoured guests were given special places Luke 14:7-11 See also Proverbs 25:6-7; Matthew 23:6 pp Mark 12:39 pp Luke 20:46 Guests reclined on couches Esther 1:6; Matthew 26:7 pp Mark 14:3 pp Luke 7:36; John 12:2 Invitations were sent out Occasions for holding banquets To celebrate weddings Matthew 22:2 See also Genesis 29:21-22 a feast celebrates Jacob's wedding; Judges 14:10 Samson gives a wedding feast; Esther 2:18 Xerxes celebrates Esther's choice as queen with a banquet; Matthew 25:10; Luke 12:36; John 2:8-9; Revelation 19:9 the marriage supper of the Lamb To celebrate birthdays To celebrate other events Genesis 21:8 Abraham celebrates Isaac's weaning. Jews celebrate their deliverance from Haman in what became the Feast of Purim: Esther 8:17; Esther 9:17-19 Luke 15:23 The father celebrates the prodigal son's return. Religious celebrations Psalm 22:29 See also 2 Chronicles 30:21-22; 2 C 13; Zechariah 7:6 Activities at banquets Good food and drink Isaiah 25:6 See also Job 1:4; Zechariah 7:6; Matthew 22:4; Luke 15:23 Drunkenness and revelry 1 Samuel 25:36 See also Esther 1:7-8,10; Ecclesiastes 10:19; Jeremiah 51:39; Daniel 5:3-4 Music and dancing Isaiah 5:12 See also Matthew 14:6 pp Mark 6:22; Luke 15:25 Further examples of banquets Genesis 26:30 Isaac holds a feast for Abimelech; Genesis 43:34 Joseph feasts with his brothers; 2 Samuel 3:20 David holds a feast for Abner; 1 Kings 3:15 Solomon gives a feast for all his court. Xerxes gives a banquet for his nobles and officials: Esther 1:3,5 Esther 1:9 Queen Vashti holds a banquet for the women of the palace. Esther prepares banquets for the king and Haman: Esther 5:4-5,8 Daniel 5:1-2 Belshazzar has a banquet for 1,000 nobles; Luke 5:29 pp Matthew 9:10 Levi holds a banquet for Jesus Christ; Luke 14:1 Jesus Christ is the guest of a leading Pharisee. An invitation to a banquet seen as a sign of God's grace Luke 14:12-14 See also 2 Kings 6:23 The king of Israel prepares a banquet for captured Aramean troops; Matthew 22:8-10 pp Luke 14:21-23 The Messianic banquet Matthew 8:11 See also Luke 13:29; Luke 14:15 See also
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