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 2:4See alsoEsther 7:8;Daniel 5:10
Honoured guests were given special places
Luke 14:7-11See alsoProverbs 25:6-7;Matthew 23:6 ppMark 12:39 ppLuke 20:46
Guests reclined on couches
Esther 1:6;Matthew 26:7 ppMark 14:3 ppLuke 7:36;John 12:2
Invitations were sent out
Luke 14:17 ppMatthew 22:3
Occasions for holding banquets
To celebrate weddings
Matthew 22:2See alsoGenesis 29:21-22a feast celebrates Jacob's wedding;Judges 14:10Samson gives a wedding feast;Esther 2:18Xerxes celebrates Esther's choice as queen with a banquet;Matthew 25:10;Luke 12:36;John 2:8-9;Revelation 19:9the marriage supper of the Lamb
To celebrate birthdays
Genesis 40:20;Mark 6:21
To celebrate other events
Genesis 21:8Abraham celebrates Isaac's weaning.
Jews celebrate their deliverance from Haman in what became the Feast of Purim:
Esther 8:17;Esther 9:17-19Luke 15:23The father celebrates the prodigal son's return.
Religious celebrations
Psalm 22:29See also2 Chronicles 30:21-22; 2 C 13;Zechariah 7:6
Activities at banquets
Good food and drink
Isaiah 25:6See alsoJob 1:4;Zechariah 7:6;Matthew 22:4;Luke 15:23
Drunkenness and revelry
1 Samuel 25:36See alsoEsther 1:7-8,10;Ecclesiastes 10:19;Jeremiah 51:39;Daniel 5:3-4
Music and dancing
Isaiah 5:12See alsoMatthew 14:6 ppMark 6:22;Luke 15:25
Further examples of banquets
Genesis 26:30Isaac holds a feast for Abimelech;Genesis 43:34Joseph feasts with his brothers;2 Samuel 3:20David holds a feast for Abner;1 Kings 3:15Solomon gives a feast for all his court.
Xerxes gives a banquet for his nobles and officials:
Esther 1:3,5Esther 1:9Queen Vashti holds a banquet for the women of the palace.
Esther prepares banquets for the king and Haman:
Esther 5:4-5,8Daniel 5:1-2Belshazzar has a banquet for 1,000 nobles;Luke 5:29 ppMatthew 9:10Levi holds a banquet for Jesus Christ;Luke 14:1Jesus Christ is the guest of a leading Pharisee.
An invitation to a banquet seen as a sign of God's grace
Luke 14:12-14See also2 Kings 6:23The king of Israel prepares a banquet for captured Aramean troops;Matthew 22:8-10 ppLuke 14:21-23
The Messianic banquet
Matthew 8:11See alsoLuke 13:29;Luke 14:15
See also
4404 food4434 drinking4438 eating5231 birthday5355 invitations5699 guests5710 marriage, customs5742 wedding5878 honour7354 feasts and festivals8642 celebration9150 Messianic banquet
