The guests were scrupulously arranged accord ing to their respective ranks. This was done either by the host or governor, who, in the case of a family, placed them according to seniority (Gen. xliii:33), and in the case of others, assigned the most honorable a place near his own person ; or it was done by the party themselves, on their successive arrivals, and after surveying the com pany, taking up the position which it appeared fittest for each according to their respective claims to occupy. It might be expected that among the Orientals, by whom the laws of etiquette in .these matters are strictly observed, many absurd and ludicrous contests for precedence must take place, from the arrogance of some and the determined perseverance of others to wedge themselves into the seat they deem themselves entitled to. Morier, who is well acquainted with the manners of the Persians, informs us that it is easy to observe by the countenances of those present when any one has taken a higher place than he ought. Dr. Clarke states that at a wedding feast he attended in the house of a rich merchant at St. Jean d'Acre, two persons who had seated themselves at the top were noticed by the master of ceremonies and obliged to move lower down. (See also Joseph.
xv:2). The knowledge of these peculiar ities serves to illustrate several passages of Scrip ture (Prov. xxv :6, 7; Matt. xxiii :6, and espe cially Luke xiv :7, where we find Jesus making the unseemly ambition of the Pharisees the sub ject of severe and merited animadversion).
(5) Reclining. According to Lightfoot (Exer cit. on John xiii :23), the tables of the Jews were either wholly uncovered, or two-thirds were spread with a cloth, while the remaining third was left bare for the dishes and vegetables. In the days of our Lord the prevailing form was the triclinium, the mode of reclining at which is de scribed elsewhere. (See ACCUHATION ; EATING). This effeminate practice was not introduced until near the close of the Old Testament history, for amongst all its writers prior to the age of Amos yashab, to sit, is the word invariably used to de scribe the posture at table (t Sam. xvi, margin, and Ps. cxxviii :3, implying that the ancient Israel ites sat round a low table, cross-legged, like the Orientals of the present day), whereas rivaatirro, to recline is the word employed in the Gospel. And whenever the word 'sit' occurs in the sew Testament, it ought to be translated ' lie,' accord ing to the universal practice of that age.
(6) Method of Eating. The convenience of spoons, knives and forks being unknown in the East, or, where known, being a modern innova tion, the hand is the only instrument used in con veying food to the mouth, and the common prac tice, their food being chiefly prepared in a liquid form, is to dip their thin, wafer-like bread in the dish, and, folding it between their thumb and two fingers, enclose a portion of the contents. It is not uncommon to see several hands plunged into one dish at the same time. But where the party is numerous the two persons near or oppo site are commonly joined in one dish; and accord ingly, at the last Passover, Judas, being close to his master, was pointed out as the traitor by being designated as the person 'dipping his hand with Jesus in the dish.' The apostle John, whose ad vantageous situation enabled him to hear the minutest parts of the conversation, has recorded the fact of our Lord, in reply to the question, 'Who is it?' answering it by 'giving a sop to Judas when he had dipped' (John xiii: 26).
In earlier ages a double or a more liberal por tion, or a choice piece of cookery, was the form in which a landlord showed his respect for the indi vidual he delighted to honor (Gen. xliii:,14; Sam. i :4 : ix :23 ; Prov. xx xi :15 ; sec VOIICeS /twig. Forbes' Orient. Mem. iii :187).
In the course of the entertainment servants are frequently employed in sprinkling the head and person of the guest with odqriferous perfumes, which (probably to counteract the effects of too copious perspiration) they use in great profusion, and the fragrance of which, though generally too strong for Europeans, is deemed an agreeable re freshment (see Ps. xlv:8; xxiii:5; cxxxiii:2).
(7) Diversion. The guests were entertained with exhibitions of music, singers and dancers, riddles, jesting and merriment (Is. xxviii•i; Wisd. ii :7; 2 Sam. XIX :35; Is. V :12; xxv :6; Judg. xiv :12).
(8) Cookery. According to the favorite cook ery of the Orientals, their animal food is for the most part cm into small pieces, stewed, or pre pared in a liquid state, such as seems to been the 'broth' presented by Gideon to the angel (Judg. vi :to). The made-up dishes arc 'savory meat. being highly seasoned, and bring to remem brance the 'narrow and fatness which were es teemed as the most choice morsels in ancient times. As to drink, when particular attention was intended to be shown to a guest, his cup was filled with wine till it ran over (I's. xxiii :5), and it is said that the ancient Persians began their feasts with wine, whence it was called 'a banquet of wine' (Esther v :6).
The hands, for occasionally both were required, besmeared with grease during the process of eat ing, were anciently cleaned by rubbing them with the soft part of the bread, the crumbs of which, being allowed to fall, became the portion of dogs (Matt. xv :27 ; Luke xvi :21). But the most common way now at the conclusion of a feast is for a servant to go round to each guest with water to wash, a service which is performed by the menial pouring a stream over their hands, which is received into a strainer at the bottom of the basin. This humble office Elisha performed to his master (2 Kings t ).
Our Lord recommended his wealthy hearers to practice giving entertainments rather than spend their fortunes, as they did, on luxurious living (Luke xiv :12) ; and as such invitations to the poor are of necessity given by public proclamation. and female messengers are employed to publish than (Ilasselquist saw ten or twelve thus peram bulating a town in Egypt), it is probably to the same venerable practice that Solomon alludes in Prov. ix :3.
(9) Seventeenth Century Signification. In the seventeenth century and earlier, banquet fre quently signified, not the general feast, but the wine that came after; not eating and drinking, but drinking only.
'Bring in the banquet quickly ; %vine enough Cleopatra's health to drink.' Shaks. Ant. and Cleop. 1. ii. tt.
'We'll dine in the great room, but let the music And banquet be prepared here.' Nlassingcr, Unnat. Comb. iii. t.
Figurative. To those who believe in the symbolical character of Solomon's Song there is a figurative meaning to banquet. Christ's word, covenant, church. and intimate fellowship with IIim, are called the banqueting-house, or house of wine; ther(by the saints arc refreshed, satisfied. strengthened, exhilarated. encouraged and com forted against all their fears and griefs (Cant. ii:4).