BANQUET, a number of Heb. words and one Gr. word are so tr. in the various VSS but the instances of banqueting are more frequent than any specific term. Hebrew description in Proverbs 9:2-5 parallels closely the Ugaritic description in the legend of King Keret (III K:4-6) which describes Queen Hurriya’s feast. In both passages three events occur: (1) preparation of the meal and invitation of the guests; (2) statement of the invitation; (3) setting forth of meat and wine in sequence. (M. Lichtenstein, “The Banquet Motifs in Keret and in Proverbs 9,” Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society of Columbia University [1968], 19-31.) Another such description is apparent in Amos 6:4-6 and alluded to in Isaiah 22:13; 25:6. In all passages the action of eating meat and drinking wine is prominent. The ritual and commensal consumption of wine was an integral part of the oriental banquet. The most common Heb. term מִשְׁתֶּה, H5492, is a maqtal form of the verb שָׁתָה֮, H9272, as used in Esther. In Job 41:6 and 2 Kings 6:23 the Heb. כֵּרָה, H4130, is prob. to be connected to Akkad. kirētu, “a feast,” while Song of Solomon 2:4 uses the common Heb. יַ֫יִן, H3516, Gr. οινος (John 2:2ff.), Lat. vinum, Vul., Eng. “wine”, KJV etc. As in the OT so also in the NT “wine” fermented from grapes was the central necessity at a feast. However, in the NT Christ bids His disciples to invite men out of love and not social gain. The prophetic pictures of the kingdom of God in the NT are often stated as times of feasting (Matt 26:29; Acts 10:41; et al.). The only specific term used in the NT is Gr. ποτος (1 Pet 4:3) which refers to drunken revels, carousals and the like, and bears no rel ationship to the righteous merriment of the OT and the gospels.