TABLE. Translation of a number of words in the OT and NT with various meanings, including tables for ritual, eating, writing, and money-changing.

1. Terminology. There are a number of words tr. as “table” in the Eng. Bibles:

a) לוּחַ, H4283. Most often used of tables of stone on which the law given to Moses was written (Exod 24:12, etc.); “tablet” (Prov 3:3; 7:3; Isa 30:8; Jer 17:1; Hab 2:2 RSV).

b) שֻׁלְחָן, H8947. Table for bread of the Presence (Exod 25:23, etc.); table for eating (1 Sam 20:29, etc.); other Temple tables (2 Chron 4:8; Ezek 40:39-43); table of the Lord (Mal 1:7, 12).

c) מֵסַב, H4990, (from a word meaning to go around, surround [Song of Solomon 1:12]; “couch” RSV).

d) πλάξ, G4419. “Tables of the covenant,” (Heb 9:4; 2 Cor 3:3); “tablets” RSV.

e) τράπεζα, G5544. Table for eating (Matt 15:27); table for money-changers (Mark 11:15); the Lord’s table (1 Cor 10:21); table for bread of the Presence (Heb 9:2); tr. “feast” (Rom 11:9 RSV).

f) κλίνη, G3109. A reclining couch or bed (Mark 7:4). Not found in many of best MSS, therefore relegated to footnote in RSV as “beds.”

g) πινακίδιον, G4400. “Writing tablet” RSV; “writing table” KJV (Luke 1:63).

h) A number of Gr. words meaning “to sit down at a table” or “recline” are usually tr. in KJV as “sit down,” “sit at meat,” and in RSV as “sit at table”; ἀνάκειμαι, G367, (Matt 9:10; 26:7, 20; Mark 14:18; 16:14; Luke 22:27); ἀνακλινω (Matt 8:11; Luke 12:37; 13:29); ἀναπίπτω, G404, (Luke 11:37; 14:10; 17:7; 22:14); κατάκειμαι, G2879, (Mark 2:15; 14:3; Luke 5:29; 7:37; 1 Cor 8:10); κατακλίνω, G2884, (Luke 7:36; 24:30); συνανάκειμαι, G5263, (7:49; 14:10, 15; John 12:2).

i) פָּנָיו׃֮ (lit. “his face”); “before him” KJV; “at table” RSV (Gen 43:34; 2 Kings 25:29; Jer 52:33).

j) יָשַׁב, H3782, (lit. “to sit”); “sit at meat” KJV; “sit at table” RSV (1 Sam 20:5).

2. Tables for ritual

a. Table for bread of the Presence. Instructions for making the table for the bread of the Presence (called “table of shewbread” KJV) are given in Exodus 25:23-30. It was made of acacia wood, two cubits in length, a cubit in width, and one and one-half cubits high, overlaid with pure gold and a molding of gold around it. Rings of gold and poles of acacia overlaid with gold were provided for carrying the table. The table was placed outside the veil (26:35) on the N side of the Tabernacle (40:22). It was consecrated by anointing with oil (30:27). Every Sabbath the priest placed twelve cakes of fresh bread on the table in two rows of six each (Lev 24:5-8); it was to be eaten only by the priests (24:9). The Kohathites were in charge of the table (Num 3:27-31) and its transportation whenever the Tabernacle was moved (4:1-8). Solomon made a new table of gold for his Temple (1 Kings 7:48). King Ahaz desecrated the Temple with his idolatrous practices; therefore the priests cleansed the furnishings, including the table, during the reign of Hezekiah (2 Chron 29:18, 19). It was destroyed in the burning of the Temple by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:9). Antiochus IV Epiphanes stripped the Temple of its treasures, including the table for the bread of the Presence (1 Macc 1:22). After Judas Maccabeus defeated the army of Lysias, he repaired the Temple and made new Temple vessels (1 Macc 4:49-51). The table is depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome as one of the trophies of war taken by the Romans when Jerusalem fell, a.d. 70.

b. Other Hebrew ritual tables. Solomon made ten tables, which he placed in the Temple (2 Chron 4:8), from silver given him by David for this purpose (1 Chron 28:16). Ezekiel described twelve tables in his vision of the restored Temple, eight for slaying the sacrifices and four for the instruments of sacrifice and the pieces of flesh (Ezek 40:39-43).

c. Table of the Lord. Malachi referred to the table of the Lord as polluted (Mal 1:7, 12); here it is the altar of burnt offering. The communion table is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10:21.

d. In other religions. There seems to be a reference to an idolatrous practice of setting a table for the god of Fortune (Isa 65:11) The “table of demons” refers to pagan sacrificial meals (1 Cor 10:21). Oxyrhynchus Papyrus CX contains the following striking parallel to Paul’s phrase: “Chairemon invites you to a meal at the table of the lord Serapis” (see also Ps 69:22).

3. Tables for eating. The homes of common people in the ancient Near E were furnished with a minimum of household furnishings. The people squatted, even while eating, a custom still practiced. Only those who lived in palaces and better houses were accustomed to chairs, tables, and beds (2 Kings 4:10). The eating tables must have been very low, as rugs were spread for sitting at the table (Isa 21:5). Tables in NT times were taller, for reference is made to dogs eating crumbs under the table (Mark 7:28).

a. Tables of rulers. As ruler, Joseph ate at a separate table from his brothers (Gen 43:34). Defeated enemies often ate at the table of the conquering king (Judg 1:7; 2 Kings 25:29). David and Jonathan both ate at Saul’s table (1 Sam 20:29, 34), a courtesy David later extended to Mephibosheth, son of Saul (2 Sam 9:7), as if he were one of his own sons. Provision for Solomon’s table was ample (1 Kings 4:27); the queen of Sheba had “no more spirit in her,” i.e., was astonished when she saw his table (10:5). Sons of loyal friends of David ate at Solomon’s table (2:7). Prophets ate at the table of Jezebel (18:19). Officials numbering 150 sat at the table of Nehemiah when he was governor (Neh 5:17).

b. Tables in the home. There are many references in the Bible to eating in the home. The expression most often used is “he sat at table” (“sat at meat” KJV). The prophet of Judah ate with the aged prophet of Bethel (1 Kings 13:20). That which was set on the table of a prosperous man was said to be “full of fatness” (Job 36:16). The NT custom, following Gr. practice, was to recline around the outside of the table on couches. A woman anointed the feet of Jesus as He reclined at the table (Luke 7:38). The meal at the Last Supper was eaten in this manner, contrary to popular art representation (Luke 22:21; John 13:23; see also Matt 8:11; 15:35, 36; 26:20; Mark 2:15; Luke 7:37; 14:15; 24:30; John 12:2, etc. where all the verbs used suggest reclining during meals). In the Early Church, a problem arose because the apostles were having to give so much time to problems of the community relating to distribution of food that they were unable to devote their full time to preaching. The result was the choosing of seven, considered the first deacons, “to serve tables” (Acts 6:1-6).

The modern Jewish Passover (Pesach) is highlighted by the Seder service, a family banquet in the home where the family gathers around the table and participates in an elaborate ritual that essentially consists of telling the story of the Exodus.

4. Tables for writing

a. Tables of the law. The two tables on which the Ten Commandments were written were hewed out of stone (Exod 34:1), written on both sides (32:15) by God Himself, containing the words that God had spoken to Moses (Deut 9:10). Moses broke the stones in anger when he saw the people sinning (Exod 32:19), but God instructed him to cut out two new tables of stone (34:1-4), which Moses carried again to Mount Sinai where God wrote down the law again. They were later placed in the Ark (Deut 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9) where they were in the time of Solomon (2 Chron 5:10). Based on decisively confirmed data that it was normal procedure in establishing suzerainty covenants to prepare duplicate copies of the treaty text, some scholars now hold that each stone was complete in itself rather than each one containing half the laws; hence, the two tables would have been duplicate copies of the law.

b. Table of the nations. A term often applied to the genealogical account (Gen 9:18-10:32) of the descendants of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

c. Writing tables. Small tablets, ordinarily a small block of wood covered with wax, used for writing (Luke 1:63: “table” KJV; “tablet” RSV).

d. Other tables. The Ten Commandments were prob. written on stones similar to the Egyp. stone steles, with rounded tops. The “Cultus Table of Sippar” (c. 9th cent. b.c.) contained certain provisions regarding priests. A “Table of Offerings of Massilia” (3rd cent. b.c.) contains parallels to the OT, naming the specific parts of the sacrificial animal to which the priests were entitled.

5. Tables of money-changers. The stool-like tables, behind which the money-changers sat on the ground cross-legged, that Jesus overturned in indignation when He saw the commercialism in the Temple (Matt 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:15).

6. Figurative usage. Probably the best-known figure refers to the writing on the table of the heart (Prov 3:3; Jer 17:1; 2 Cor 3:3); “Wisdom...has also set her table” (Prov 9:1, 2) symbolizing the benefits of the godly life; Psalm 23:5 symbolizes the protective care of God; “all tables are full of vomit” (Isa 28:8) symbolized the great filthiness of the priests and prophets; Israel is pictured as the harlot who set her table to await her lovers (Ezek 23:41). Reference to the table was often made by Jesus in His parables (Luke 12:37; 17:7; 22:27).

7. Eschatological usage. Those faithful to the Lord are promised that they will eat and drink at His table in the kingdom (Luke 13:29; 22:30) with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matt 8:11). In one place, Ezekiel likens being filled at the table of God to judgment, as the birds and beasts are called together to feast on the enemies of God (Ezek 39:20).

Bibliography Price, Sellers, and Carlson, The Monuments and the Old Testament (1958), 128, 201; M. G. Kline, Treaty of the Great King (1963), 19; M. Noth, The Old Testament World (1966), 158.