Any such feast was called nnj'p mishtch, the primary meaning of which is a banquet of \vine, such as that given by queen Esther (Est 5" 7"). Abraham's feast at Isaac's weaning is called a mishteh gCidul, or great drinking. Job feared lest his sons should be led into excess at their periodic feasts (P) Such drinking feasts are specially mentioned in 1 S 25'", 2 S 13-", Dn 5', and reprobated by the prophets Amos (6") and Isaiah (5"). In the NT KiiyitM are spoken of in Ro 13", Gal 5^^', and 1 P 4*. The feast in 2 K 6^ is named .ti3 IcerAh, perhaps because the prisoner guests sat in a ring (cf. 3dj in 1 S 16").
F'or tihese banquets the food animals were slaii* early in the day (Is 22'^ Pr 9'^ Mt 22'), and t» second invitation sent to remind just before the feast (Est 6'^ Pr 9', Mt 22^). The guests on arrival were sometimes welcomed Avith a kiss (To 7", Lk 7^ ; see Goezius, de Osculo, in Ugolini, xxx.), and provided with water to wash their hands, as they put their hands in the common dish (Mk 7'; see Odijss. i. 136). These washings were made burden- some by traditional rituals ( Mk 7"""). When the visitors came from a distance they were supplied with water to wash their feet. So Abraham did for the angels at their noontide feast (Gn IS''), and Lot for their evening feast (Gn 19^). So the old man at Gibeah did for the Levite and his concu- bine (Jg 19-'). See our Lord's rebuke to Simon (Lk 7'*''), His own practice (Jn 13*), and apostolic reference (1 Ti 5'"). The anointing of guests is referred to in Ps 23', Am 6", Lk 7*, Jn 12" (see Anointing ; and in addition to the literature quoted there, see Weymar, de Unctione Sacra Heh., in Ugolini, xii. ; Reinerus and Verwey, de
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Unrtionibus, and Graberg, de unrtione Christi in Belhania, in Ugolini, xxx.). The crowning of guests with garlands is mentioned in Is 28', Wis 2*, Jos. Ant. XIX. ix. 1. See Plutarcli, Sijmp. III. i. 3, and Martial, x. 19. After these pre- liminaries they sat down, males and females together (Ru 2", 1 S V, Job I-*, Lk lO*) ; and grace was said in Jewish feasts (Mt 14>», Lk 9'", Jn 6"). The guests were arranged in order of rank (Gn 43-«, 1 S 9" 20-», Lk 14", Mk \^->\ ios. Ant. XV. ii. 4), the highest occupying the 'chief room,' the seat on the prutoklisia. In Assjt. feasts they are represented as sitting ( Layard, Nine veh, ii. 4 11 ). For Jewish practice see above. According to the Tosaphoth to Berachoth, vi., each guest had a separate table, but Pr 23' speaks of sitting at meat with the host ; and David says that he sat at table with Saul (1 S 20=). The food was distributed either by the cook or by the head of the house (2 S 6'^, Gn 43'-'^), and the most honoured guest received the largest portion (Gn 43^* ; see Herod, vi. 57), or else the tit-bit (1 S 9-^). To guests who could not come, presents of food were sometimes sent (2 S IP, Neh 8'", Est 9"i-").
At a feast in NT times the guests reclined on a triclinium, t\\e couches being arranged on three sides of a square, the fourth side being open for serving, and strangers might stand around on the outer side (see Kashi, ad Berachoth, 466. 16 ; Pesachim, vii. 13). A wine cup was passed round con- taining wine mixed with three parts of water (Shahbath, viii. 1) ; to this there are many meta- phorical allusions in which the cup in tlie liand of the Lord is spoken of (Ps 75*, Jer 25" ; see Buxtorf, Synagog. Jud. xii. 242, and Werner, de Poculo Benedictionis). The guests were entertained with music (2 S 19«, Is 5'-, Am 6^>, Lk l.'r^ j see Maimonides, de Jejiiniis, 5), dancing (Mt 14^), and riddles (Jg 14'-). After the feast the hands were washed, as they were soUed by eating. Finn saw a guest taking handfuls of buttered rice from the dish, out of which he squeezed the butter between his fingers and licked it as it flowed down (Bijewaijs, 171 ; Burckhardt, Notes, i. 63). Grace was said at the close of the meal (Dt 8'°, Ro 14" ; see Berachoth, vi. § 8). Wedding feasts were given by the bride- groom ( Jg 14'°), but the arrangements were carried out under the direction of a symposinrch or ruler of the feast, and they sometimes lasted seven days (Jn 2S, To 7*; see Selden, de Uxor. Heb. ii. 11). Wedding garments given to guests are mentioned in Mt 22".
The giver of the feast sometimes marked dis- tinguished guests by giving them a sop of bread held between the thumb and finger. A \puitilov of this kind dipped in the luiruscth was given bj' our Lord to Judas. Sops are used to catch and convej' pieces of meat (Lane, i. 193 ; Burckhardt, i. 63). In Proverbs the laziness of the sluggard is said to be such that lie will not even lift up a sop (19-^ 26").
For metaphorical allusions to feasts see Is 25' ; the feast of angels at the finishing of creation is referred to in Job 38'. For Jewish feasts in general see Buxtorf, de conviviis vet. Uebricorum.