Lexical Summary
mishteh: banquet, feast, feasting
Original Word:מִשְׁתֶּה
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:mishteh
Pronunciation:mish-teh'
Phonetic Spelling:(mish-teh')
KJV: banquet, drank, drink, feast((-ed), -ing)
NASB:banquet, feast, feasting, drink, drank, which he drank, banquets
Word Origin:[fromH8354 (שָׁתָה - drink)]
1. a drink
2. (by implication) drinking (the act)
3. (by implication) a banquet
4. (generally) a feast
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
banquet, drank, drink, feasted,
Fromshathah; drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally) feast -- banquet, drank, drink, feast((-ed), -ing).
see HEBREWshathah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
shathahDefinitiona feast, drink
NASB Translationbanquet (16), banquets (1), drank (2), drink (3), drinking (1), feast (15), feasting (7), where they were drinking (1), which he drank (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
45Genesis 21:8 ;
; — absoluteGenesis 19:3 +; construct1 Samuel 25:36 +; suffixDaniel 1:5 + (Ges§§ 93 ss), etc.; —
feast, banquet (occasion for drinking, drinking-bout),1 Samuel 25:36 (twice in verse);Isaiah 5:12;Jeremiah 51:39 (figurative),Job 1:5;Esther 2:18;Esther 5:14;Esther 8:17;Esther 9:19; lasting seven daysJudges 14:12,17 (wedding-feast, compareGenesis 29:27, and see BenzArchaeology 143; Ency. Bib. 2949 NowArchaeology i. 163);give ormake a feast (sometimes + person)Genesis 19:3;Genesis 26:30 (both J),Genesis 21:8;Genesis 40:20 (both E),Judges 14:10;2 Samuel 3:20;1 Kings 3:15;Esther 1:3 8t. Esther;Job 1:4 +2 Samuel 13:27 (twice in verse) Th We Dr and modern;Esther 5:6;Esther 7:2,7,Jeremiah 16:8;Ecclesiastes 7:2,Esther 7:8;Esther 9:17,18, compareEsther 9:22; of s banquet for all peoplesIsaiah 25:6 (figurative of Messianic blessings); figurative also inProverbs 15:15.
drink (late):Ezra 3:7; suffixDaniel 1:5,8;Daniel 1:16;Daniel 1:10.
II. (√ of following; "" of ; =set, sit).
[ so ] (as Biblical Hebrew ]; — emphaticDaniel 5:10.
Topical Lexicon
Overviewמִשְׁתֶּה (mishtêh) refers to a festive gathering marked by abundant food and drink. Its forty-six Old Testament uses range from intimate family celebrations to national festivals, from settings of covenant loyalty to scenes of royal excess. Together they reveal how a meal can reinforce covenant, express joy, expose folly, or serve as the stage on which God advances His redemptive purposes.
Distribution across Scripture
• Patriarchs:Genesis 19:3; 21:8; 26:30; 29:22; 40:20; 43:34
• Job:Job 1:4–5, 13; 8:21
• United Monarchy:1 Samuel 25:36;2 Samuel 3:20;1 Kings 3:15; 8:65;2 Chronicles 7:8
• Wisdom Literature:Proverbs 15:15; 17:1;Ecclesiastes 3:13; 7:2; 8:15; 10:16–17
• Prophets:Isaiah 5:12;Jeremiah 51:39, 57
• Post-exilic / Persian court: all 12 occurrences in Esther
• Others:Ezra 3:7;Daniel 5:1 (Aramaic cognate)
Cultural and Historical Context
In the Ancient Near East, the shared meal ratified treaties, celebrated life events, and displayed royal power. Mishtêh events regularly featured wine, placing sobriety or excess in bold relief. While Israel had three pilgrimage “feasts” (ḥag), mishtêh is a broader social term. It overlaps with but is not identical to the Mosaic festivals.
Family and Life-cycle Celebrations
1. Weaning Feast of Isaac (Genesis 21:8). The birth-promise relished in a public meal that celebrated covenant fidelity.
2. Jacob’s wedding feast (Genesis 29:22). The joy of marriage is expressed in community before God.
3. Job’s children held “a feast in each one’s house on his day” (Job 1:4). Their regular gatherings show the legitimacy of gladness, yet Job’s sacrifices remind us of the need for holiness amid celebration.
Hospitality and Protection
Lot “prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate” (Genesis 19:3). The meal both welcomed strangers and set the stage for God’s rescue of Lot’s household. Hospitality, when guided by righteousness, becomes a conduit of salvation.
Covenant and Reconciliation Meals
• Isaac and Abimelech: “He prepared a feast for them, and they ate and drank” (Genesis 26:30).
• David and Abner: “David held a feast for Abner and the men with him” (2 Samuel 3:20).
Shared food sealed peace, demonstrating that covenant extends beyond words to tangible fellowship.
Royal Splendor and Political Display
Solomon, awakened by his dream, “came to Jerusalem … and he held a feast for all his servants” (1 Kings 3:15). At the Temple dedication he “held a feast seven days, and seven more days” (1 Kings 8:65). Such banquets showcased God-given prosperity and knit the nation to its king.
Warning against Excess
Nabal, “holding a feast in his house like that of a king … was very drunk” (1 Samuel 25:36). His death the next morning reminds readers that drunken revelry can precede divine judgment. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes contrast wise and foolish feasting:
• “Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife” (Proverbs 17:1).
• “Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth … blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth … whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness” (Ecclesiastes 10:16–17).
Mishtêh in Esther: Banquets of Divine Reversal
Esther’s narrative revolves around twelve mishtêh scenes. The Persian king’s ostentatious banquet (Esther 1:3–8) leads to Vashti’s removal; Esther’s two banquets (Esther 5:4–6; 7:1–2) expose Haman’s plot. The Jews later “held a day of feasting and joy” (Esther 9:17-22). God, though unnamed, is clearly orchestrating deliverance through the timing and setting of each feast.
Prophetic and Eschatological Overtones
Jeremiah depicts Babylon’s downfall in feasting imagery: “While they are inflamed with wine, I will prepare a feast for them and make them drunk, that they may rejoice and then sleep forever” (Jeremiah 51:39). The false security of the wicked contrasts with the promised Messianic banquet (Isaiah 25:6) where “the Lord of Hosts will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples.” Mishtêh thus anticipates the consummation when God gathers redeemed nations to His table (Matthew 8:11).
Theological Themes
1. Joy as Gift: “Every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:13).
2. Fellowship and Unity: Shared meals knit families (Genesis 43:34) and communities (Ezra 3:7).
3. Holiness and Discernment: Feasting must honor God; intoxication invites discipline (Isaiah 5:11-13).
4. Covenant Memory: Banquets commemorate God’s acts, whether Isaac’s birth or the Temple’s dedication.
5. Divine Sovereignty: God can overturn decrees and exalt the humble through the setting of a feast (Esther 6:1).
Practical Ministry Implications
• Use shared meals to strengthen congregational life and welcome outsiders, reflecting the hospitality of Abraham’s household.
• Celebrate God’s deliverances with corporate joy, remembering that gratitude fortifies faith.
• Guard against excess; model sobriety so that Christian liberty never becomes a stumbling block.
• Teach the typology of the Messianic banquet, letting every church fellowship meal anticipate the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Conclusion
Mishtêh portrays the full spectrum of human feasting—from righteous celebration to reckless indulgence—while consistently highlighting God’s presence and purpose. Each occurrence invites believers to receive joy as a gift, to honor covenant commitments, and to look forward to the ultimate feast where Christ Himself is Host and Provision.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣ה במשתה הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֜ה הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֥ה הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ המשתה וּמִשְׁתֶּ֖ה וּמִשְׁתֶּ֜ה ומשתה כְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣ה כמשתה מִמִּשְׁתֵּ֣ה מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה מִשְׁתֵּ֥ה מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֑ם מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֗ם מִשְׁתֵּיכֶ֑ם מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה מִשְׁתֶּ֨ה מִשְׁתֶּֽה׃ מִשְׁתָּ֑יו מִשְׁתָּ֔יו ממשתה משתה משתה׃ משתיהם משתיו משתיכם bə·miš·têh bemishTeh bəmištêh ham·miš·teh hammishTeh hammišteh kə·miš·têh kemishTeh kəmištêh mim·miš·têh mimishTeh mimmištêh miš·tāw miš·tê·hem miš·tê·ḵem miš·teh miš·têh mishTav mishTeh mishteiChem mishteiHem mištāw mišteh mištêh mištêhem mištêḵem ū·miš·teh umishTeh ūmišteh
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