Dictionary of Bible Themes: 4410 banquets

4410 banquets

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

Luke 14:17 pp Matthew 22:3

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

Genesis 40:20; Mark 6:21

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