Reference: Entertain
Easton
Entertainments, "feasts," were sometimes connected with a public festival (De 16:11,14), and accompanied by offerings (1Sa 9:13), in token of alliances (Ge 26:30); sometimes in connection with domestic or social events, as at the weaning of children (Ge 21:8), at weddings (Ge 29:22; Joh 2:1), on birth-days (Mt 14:6), at the time of sheep-shearing (2Sa 13:23), and of vintage (Jg 9:27), and at funerals (2Sa 3:35; Jer 16:7).
The guests were invited by servants (Pr 9:3; Mt 22:3), who assigned them their respective places (1Sa 9:22; Lu 14:8; Mr 12:39). Like portions were sent by the master to each guest (1Sa 1:4; 2Sa 6:19), except when special honour was intended, when the portion was increased (Ge 43:34).
The Israelites were forbidden to attend heathenish sacrificial entertainments (Ex 34:15), because these were in honour of false gods, and because at such feast they would be liable to partake of unclean flesh (1Co 10:28).
In the entertainments common in apostolic times among the Gentiles were frequent "revellings," against which Christians were warned (Ro 13:13; Ga 5:21; 1Pe 4:3). (See Banquet.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
The child grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
"Don't make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;
and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are in the midst of you, in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there.
and you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite, and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates.
They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
As soon as you have come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you shall find him."
Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons.
All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."
It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
neither shall men break [bread] for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.
But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.
and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.
"When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, don't sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him,
The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus' mother was there.
Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," don't eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness."
envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.