In NT times the usual attitude was reclining and resting on the loft elbow ; as at the supper described in Jn l.'i-', John reclined in front of our Lord, and so when he leant back to speak to Him John's head was on Jesus' breaiit. It has been sup- posed from these expressions that the patriarchal custom changed, and that the practice of sitting a« the Egyptians did was adopted by early Israel, the fashion changing in later time into the Gneco- Roman custom of reclining on a couch with a cushion for the left elbow, and the right arm free ; but it is probable that these changes were (light,
and that the phrase sitting at meat does not specify a posture such as that to which we give the nnnie. Tims our Lord uses the plirase of the attitude in His o^vn time (Lk 14* 17* 22-''), and the multitude wluim He miraculously fed sat down on the ground (Jn (i'°). Of the tahles, we have pre- sfi VI il a ligure in the shewbread table on the Arch of Titus. Thej' must have been high enough in the days of Adonibezck for the 70 captive kings to sit on a lower level (Jg 1') ; but the same phrase is used in NT times of the crumbs falling to the dogs under the table (Mt 15-'', Mk 7-''), and Lazarus is said to have sat at table at the feast (Jn 12'^). The couches or mattresses on which the eaters sat or reclined are never mentioned except in the cases given above, and the stool in the prophet's chamber 18 the onlv material seat specilied in the OT, except royal thrones. At ordinary meals it is probable that the family squatted around the dish, out of which they all helped themselves, even as is done at the present day by the Bedawin. For an account of the ancient tables see Athenseus, Deipnosop/iis/ie, especially ii. 32. The costly couches f^or reclining, with ivory corners, are mentioned in Am 3'^ and 6^. Homer refers to sitting at food, II. x. 578 ; Odi/x.i. i. 145.
I'he food at an ordinary meal at present consists of messes of lentile-pottage (in nazid) eaten with bread or wooden spoons (Robinson, ii. 86 ; Gn 25^^). Sometimes this is thickened with vegetables, or pillaus of rice with or without meat, thin sheets of bread serving for plates, and used to sop up the gravy ( Finn, 24). Sometimes bread, cheese, olives, and lehen make up the repast (Finn, 272). Doughty describes an Arab meal in which the family surrounded a vast trencher heaped with boiled mutton 'and great store of girdle bread.' Pieces torn ott' with tlie hand from the meat were lapped in the thin cakes of bread and handed to those >ylu> could not reach the dish (i. 46). Robinson saw, likewise, the guests surrounding a circular tray on whieli was a mountain of pillau of rice boiled with butter, and small pieces of meat strewed through it. Other dishes used are sausages stufl'ed with rice and chopped meat. Burckhardt gives a graphic account of the discomforts of such a feast to one unaccustomed to Eastern habits, Nctcs, i. 63. The poorer classes of Bedawin live chiefly on bread, eaten with raw leeks or radishes for flavouring, which is the 'dinner of herbs' (Pr 15" : see Ro 14-, Dn 1'=). For such a meal the son of the prophets went out to collect the '6r6th or herbs (2 K 4'"). The Bedawi meal described in Ezk 25' consisted of bread, dates, and milk. For an ordinary meal there is generally one dish, so that the member of the family who cooks, when it is brought in, has no further work. Hence our Lord's remonstrance with Martha, that one dish alone was needful ( Lk 10-^). It was the duty of the cook to bring in the dishes when prepared (1 S 9^), and that of the head of the family to distribute the portions (1 S 1'), whose size might be varied according to his affection for the members of the circle. So Joseph gave Benjamin a fivefold mess, and Elkanah gave Hannah a double portion (but LXX says that he gave her only iiepiSa filau, 'a single portion,' because she had no child). Very often, however, the circle help themselves w^hen they can reach the dish, and as the meat has been cut iip before being cooked it does not need any carving. At the present day the Mussulmans drink water or milk or leben vnth their meals, but probably in earlier tmies wine was used as a drink. In ancient times barley or polenta was used as rice is now, and the pillau was the ifKipiTUfiepa Kpia of the classics (see Oruner, de PHmit. Oblatione). The food carried on journeys consisted of bread, cakes of figs or raisins, parched com, and water. The good
Samaritan carried also wine and oil. Dough U sometimes carried tied in a wallet or cloth (sea Doughty, i. 231).
Vll. Feasts, or special meals, were provided on particular occasions, and are frequently men- tioned. These were of various kinds — (1) Feasts of hospitality for the entertainment of stiangera (Gn IS-"-). These might be at any time — Abra- ham's was at the heat of the day, Lot's (Gn 19'"') was in the evening. For such feasts at the present day see Burckhardt, Robinson, Doughty, etc. (2) Entertainments of friends specially invited (Lk 14'" and many other passages). These were usually evening feasts. (3) Religious or sacrificial feasts, non-Jewish or Jewish, ' eating bread before God ' (Ex 18"), eating of sacrifices (Ex 34"> 29'^ Lv W- «, Nu 29>=f-, Dt 12' 27''- ', 1 S 9", 2 S 6'9, 1 K 1" 3", Zeph V) ; also at the offering of tithes (Dt 14^). Closely allied were (4) anniversary feasts, such as Passover (Ex 12'*), Purim (Est 9-"''), and the Lord's Supper. (5) Celebrations of the completion of a great work, such as the building of the temple (2 Ch 7"), the carrying home of the ark (2 S 6"), a great deliverance (Jg 16-^), or the ratification of a treaty (Gn 26™ and 31'*). (6) At the beginning of a great work or lajdng a foundation. A refer- ence to such a feast is in Pr 9''^ (7) Harvest- homes (Ex 23'"), sheepshearing (1 S 25^, 2 S 13=«), vintage (Jg 9^), and other agricultural events, were likewise the occasions of feasting. (8) Family events were celebrated by feasts of relatives and friends : circumcision (Lk i^-'")^ weaning (Gn 21"), marriage (Jn 2', Gn 29^-, To 8", Jg 14'", Mt 22-), the return of a wandering member (Lk IS''^), funerals (2 S 3"», Jer 16', Hos 9S To 4"). Birtliday feasts were not common among Jews, some of whom thought them profane (Light- foot, Iselius), probably because other nations, such as the Persians, honoured them so conspicuously (see Herod, i. 133). Birt!«(lay feasts are mentioned in Gn 40'-", Job I'', Mt 14"""). Among modern Jewa the circumcision feast is an important occasion (see Circumcision).