Balancings – Banuas

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Balancings

bal'-ans-ins: "The balancings of the clouds" (), the manner in which they are poised and supported in the air, alike with their mysterious spreadings and motions, challenge the strongest intellect to explain.

Balasamus

ba-las'-a-mus.

See BAALSAMUS.

Bald Locust

bold lo'kust.

See LOCUST.

Baldness

bald'-ness qorchah: The reference in the Bible to baldness is not to the natural loss of hair, but to baldness produced by shaving the head. This was practiced as a mark of mourning for the dead (; ; ); as the result of any disaster (; ). The custom arose from the fact that the hair was regarded as a special ornament. It was the custom of the people of the land, and the Israelites were strictly forbidden to practice it (; ). These are striking passages with reference to the knowledge the Israelites had concerning the future life. This is saying to them what Paul said to the Thessalonians (). To call one a "bald head" was an epithet of contempt, and was sometimes applied to persons who were not naturally bald. It was the epithet applied by certain infidel young men to Elisha (,). In a figurative sense it is used to express the barrenness of the country ().

See HAIR; SHAVING.

Jacob W. Kapp

Ball

bol (dur): A rare Hebrew word used in this sense only in , and correctly rendered in the American Standard Revised Version "He will surely wind thee round and round, and toss thee like a ball into a large country." De Or, Bottcher, Jastrow, following Talmud, regard the noun as kaddur, but perhaps incorrectly.

Balm

bam (tseri, tsori; Septuagint rhetine): The name of an odoriferous resin said to be brought from Gilead by Ishmaelite Arabs on their way to Egypt (). It is translated "balm" in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), but is called "mastic," the Revised Version, margin. In it is one of the gifts sent by Jacob to Joseph, and in it is named as one of the exports from Judea to Tyre. The prophet Jeremiah refers figuratively to its medicinal properties as an application to wounds and as a sedative (; ; ). The name is derived from a root signifying "to leak," and is applied to it as being an exudation. There is a sticky, honeylike gum resin prepared at the present day at Jericho, extracted from the Balanites Aegyptiaca grown in the Ghor, and sold to travelers in small tin boxes as "Balm of Gilead," but it is improbable that this is the real tscori and it has no medicinal value. The material to which the classic authors applied the name is that known as Mecca balsam, which is still imported into Egypt from Arabia, as it was in early times. This is the exudation from the Balsamodendron opobalsamum, a native of southern Arabia and Abyssinia. The tree is small, ragged-looking and with a yellowish bark like that of a plane tree, and the exudation is said to be gathered from its smaller branches. At the present day it grows nowhere in Palestine. Dr. Post and other botanists have sought for it on the Ghor and in Gilead, and have not found it, and there is no trace of it in the neighborhood of Jericho, which Pliny says is its only habitat. Strabo describes it as growing by the Sea of Galilee, as well as at Jericho, but both these and other ancient writers give inconsistent and incorrect descriptions of the tree evidently at second hand. We learn from Theophrastus that many of the spices of the farther East reached the Mediterranean shore through Palestine, being brought by Arab caravans which would traverse the indefinitely bounded tract East of Jordan to which the name Gilead is given, and it was probably thus that the balm received its local name. Mecca balsam is an orange-yellow, treacly fluid, mildly irritating to the skin, possibly a weak local stimulant and antiseptic, but of very little remedial value.

Alex. Macalister

Balm Of Gilead

The people of Jericho today prepare for the benefit of pilgrims a "Balm of Gilead" from the zaqqum (Balanites Aegyptiaca), but this has no serious claims to be the balm of antiquity. If we are to look beyond the borders of modern Palestine we may credit the tradition which claims that Mecca balsam, a product of Balsamodendron Gileadense and B. opobalsamum, was the true "balm," and Post (HDB, I, 236) produces evidence to show that these plants were once grown in the Jordan valley. Yet another suggestion, made by Lagarde, is that the tsori = sturax, and if so then "balm" would be the inspissated juice of the Storax- tree (Stytax officinalis), a common inhabitant of Gilead.

Balnuus

bal-nu'-us (Codex Alexandrinus, Balnouos; Codex Vaticanus, Balnous = Binnui ()): Balnuus put away his "strange wife" (1 Esdras 9:31).

Balsam

Alex. Macalister

Baltasar

bal-ta'-sar (Baltasar; the King James Version Balthasar):

(1) The Greek of Hebrew, belTesha'tstsar, or belTe'shatstsar, perhaps corresponding to BalaT-sar-ucur, "protect the life of the king," the Babylonian cognomen of Daniel. Compare Belteshazzar (; ; ff, et al.).

(2) Baltasar is also the Greek of the Hebrew belsha'tstsar, or bel'shatstsar, the name of the last king of Babylon (corresponding to the Babylonian Bel-sar-ucur; Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das Alte Testament, III, 396; Syriac Blitshazzar; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A. D.) Baltassar). Compare Baruch 1 11 and Belshazzar ( ; ).

(3) The name of one of the Magi who according to the legend visited Jesus at Bethlehem: Melchior from Nubia, Balthasar from Godolia, Caspar from Tharsis.

A. L. Breslich

Bamah

ba'-ma, ba'-ma (bamah, "high place"): The word appears in where reference is made to former "high-place worship," the prophet speaking with contempt of such manner of worship. Ewald suggests a play of words, ba', "come" and mah, "what," "what (mah) is the high place (ba-mah) whereunto ye come (ba')?" It is possible that reference is made to a prominent high place like the one at Gibeon (compare ; ; ;#2Ch 13) for which the name "Bamah" was retained after the reform mentioned by the prophet.

Bamoth; Bamoth-Baal

ba'-moth, ba'-moth-ba'-al (bamoth-ba'al, "high places of Baal"): Bamoth is referred to in ,, as a station in the journeyings of Israel North of the Arnon. It is probably the same place as the Bamoth-baal of (Revised Version margin), whither Balak, king of Moab, conducted Balaam to view and to curse Israel. Bamoth-baal is named in as one of the cities given to Reuben. Mesha, on the Moabite Stone, speaks of having "rebuilt" Beth-bamoth.

Ban

(A, Ban; B, Bainan; 1 Esdras 5:37 = Tobiah (; ); some manuscripts of the Septuagint read Boua): The descendants of Ban were not able to trace their ancestry to show "how they were of Israel."

Banaias

ban-a-i'-as (Banaias; 1 Esdras 9:35 = Benaiah ()): Banaias put away his "strange wife."

Band

The English word has two generic meanings, each shading off into several specific meanings:

(1) that which holds together, binds or encircles: a bond;

(2) a company of men. The second sense may philologically and logically have been derived from the first, men being held together by social ties. Both meanings appear in Old Testament and New Testament representing various Hebrew and Greek words.

(1) A band

(a) ('ecur): a flaxen rope (); a band of iron and brass (,); metaphorically used of a false woman's hands ().

(b) (chebhel): "The bands of the wicked have robbed me" (the King James Version of ), where "bands" = "troops" by mistr; the Revised Version (British and American) "The cords of the wicked have wrapped me round"; plural chobhlim = "bands" = the name of the prophet's symbolic staff representing the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (,).

(d) (saphah): the edge of the round opening in the robe of the ephod with a band (the Revised Version (British and American) "binding") round about the hole of it (only in ).

(e) (chartsubboth): bands (the Revised Version (British and American) "bonds") of wickedness (); bands (= pains) in death (); the Revised Version, margin ("pangs," Cheyne, "torments").

(f) (moTah): the cross bar of oxen's yoke, holding them together (; the King James Version; the Revised Version (British and American) "bars").

(g) (mocer): a fetter: "Who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass?" (; ; ; ; ; ; all in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American)). The same Hebrew word (in ; ; ; ; ) is translated "bonds " in the King James Version, and in the English Revised Version of , and , but "bands" in the English Revised Version of ; ; ; the American Standard Revised Version has "bonds" throughout. See BOND.

(h) (moshekhoth): "Canst thou .... loose the bands of Orion?" (only in ).

(i) (desmos, sundesmos): a fetter: that which binds together: of the chains of a lunatic or prisoner (; ; the King James Version), metaphorically of the mystic union of Christ and the church (). These words are often translated by "bond" in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American).

(j) (zeukteria): the rudder's bands (only in ).

(2) A company of men

(a) (gedhudh): a band of soldiers (; , the King James Version; ; ,; ; ; ,; ). So the Revised Version (British and American) (except in , "troop").

(b) (ro'sh): "head" = "division": "The Chaldeans made three bands" (); the Revised Version (British and American) translates "heads."

(d) ('aghappim): "the wings of an army," only in Ezekiel, armies of the King of Judah (12:14; 17:21); of Gomer and of Togarmah (38:6); of Gog (the Revised Version (British and American) "hordes") (38:9,22; 39:4).

(e) (machaneh): "camp": only in ,; the Revised Version (British and American) "companies."

(f) (chotsets): of locusts dividing into companies or swarms ().

(g) (speira): usually a "cohort" (see the Revised Version, margin) of Roman soldiers; the tenth part of a legion, about 600 men: (; ; ; ; ). A smaller detachment of soldiers (,; compare 2 Macc 8:23; Judith 1:4:11).

(h) (poiein sustrophen): "to make a conspiracy": "The Jews banded together" ().

T. Rees

(3) The Augustan Band (speira Sebaste) to which Julius, the Roman centurion who had charge of Paul as a prisoner on his voyage to Rome, belonged, was a cohort apparently stationed at Caesarea at the time (). Schurer (GJV, I3, 461 f) is of opinion that it was one of five cohorts mentioned by Josephus, recruited in Samaria and called Sebastenes from the Greek name of the city of Samaria (Sebaste). This particular cohort had in all likelihood for its full name Cohors Augusta Sebastenorum, Augusta being an honorific title of which examples are found in the case of auxiliary troops. Sir William Ramsay, following Mommsen (Paul the Traveler, 315, 348), thinks it denotes a body of legionary centurions, selected from legions serving abroad, who were employed by the emperor on confidential business between the provinces and Rome, the title Augustan being conferred upon them as a mark of favor and distinction. The grounds on which the views of Mommsen and Ramsay rest are questioned by Professor Zahn (Introduction to the New Testament, I, 551 ff), and more evidence is needed to establish them.

See ARMY (ROMAN).

(4) The Italian Band (speira Italike) was a cohort composed of volunteer Roman citizens born in Italy and stationed at Caesarea at this time (). Schurer maintains that there could have been no Roman cohort there at this time, although he accepts the testimony of inscriptions to the presence of an Italian cohort at a later time. He accordingly rejects the story of Cornelius, holding that the author of the Ac has given in this narrative conditions belonging to a later time (GJV, I3, 462 f). In reply to Schurer, Blass asks why one of the five cohorts mentioned by Josephus may not have been composed of Roman citizens living at Caesarea or Sebaste, and bearing this name (Blass, Acta Apostolorum, 124). From a recently discovered inscription, Sir W. M. Ramsay has ascertained that there was an Italian cohort stationed in Syria in 69 AD, which heightens the probability of one actually being found in Caesarea at 41-44 AD, and he shows that even if his cohort was at the time on duty elsewhere a centurion like Cornelius might well have been at Caesarea at the time mentioned (Expositor, 5th series, IV, V, with Schurer's rejoinder). The subject of detached service in the provinces of the Roman Empire is admittedly obscure, but nothing emerges in this discussion to cast doubt upon the historical character of Luke's narrative.

See ARMY (ROMAN).

T. Nicol.

Bands Of Rudder

See RUDDER.

Bands, Beauty And

See BEAUTY AND BANDS.

Bani

ba'-ni (bani, "posterity"):

(1) A Gadite, one of David's mighty men ().

(2) A Levite whose son was appointed for service in the tabernacle at David's time ().

(3) A Judahite whose son lived in Jerusalem after the captivity ().

(4) The descendants of Bani (called Binnui, ) returned with Zerubbabel () and had taken "strange wives" ().

(5) Bani who had taken a "strange wife" () mentioned with his brothers, the sons of Bani who also had taken "strange wives" ().

(6) Son of Bani, a Levite and builder ().

(7) Bani, who instructed the people at Ezra's time ().

(8) Three Levites mentioned in connection with the temple worship at Ezra's time (,).

(9) A Levite who sealed the covenant with Ne ().

(10) A leader of the people who also signed the covenant ().

(11) One whose son Uzzi was overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem ().

See BINNUI.

A. L. Breslich

Banias (1)

ba-ni'-as (B, Banias; A, Bani; the King James Version Banid (1 Esdras 8:36)): An ancestor of Salimoth. The descendants of Banias returned with Ezra to Jerusalem. The name is omitted (), perhaps due to the oversight of a copyist or a mistaken reading of bene, "sons of," for bani.

Banias (2)

See CAESAREA, PHILIPPI.

Banid

ba'-nid (1 Esdras 8:36): In the Revised Version (British and American) BANIAS, which see.

Banishment

ban'-ish-ment.

See PUNISHMENTS.

Bank

bank:

(1) (saphah, "lip," "edge"): "By the bank of the Jordan" (); "Upon the bank of the river were very many trees" (,).

(2) (gadhah, "cuttings"): Always of banks overflowed (; ; ), as also

(3) (gidhyah, ). (4) (solelah, "mound," "rampart"): "Cast up a bank against the city" (, the English Revised Version "mount," the American Standard Revised Version "mound"; compare ; ). "Banks of sweet herbs" (Song of Songs 5:13); "the marginal rendering is the right one, `towers of perfumes,' i.e. plants with fragrant leaves and flowers trained on trellis-work" (Speaker's Commentary in the place cited.).

(5) (charax, "a stake," "entrenchment"): "Thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee" ( the King James Version "trench"). It is probably a military term and stands for a "palisade" (so the Revised Version, margin), i.e. probably an embankment of stakes strengthened with branches and earth, with a ditch behind it, used by the besiegers as a protection against arrows or attacking parties (Latin vallum), such, no doubt, as was employed by Titus in the siege of Jerusalem, 70 AD (Josephus, BJ, V, vi, 2).

(6) BANK; BANKING (which see).

M. O. Evans

Bank; Banking

1. Introductory:

"Banking" in the full modern sense, of taking money on deposit and lending it out on interest, is of comparatively recent origin. A few "banks of deposit" were founded in Italy in the Middle Ages, but the earliest "banks of issue," of the modern sort, were those of Amsterdam (1609) and Hamburg (1619), beginning in the 17th century. The law of Moses forbade Israelites to charge each other interest (; ,; ), but let them lend on interest to Gentiles (), though this law was often evaded or disregarded (,). Banks and banking, however, are found in operation in the Greek cities; "moneychangers ," sitting at their tables (trapezai) in the market place, both changed coins and took money on deposit, giving high interest; and banking of a sort, in its incipient stages, existed among the ancient Hebrews. But the Phoenicians are now thought to have been the inventors of the money-changing, money-lending system which is found in more or less modified and developed forms among ancient peoples and in full development and operation in the palmy days of the Roman Empire. In the Greek-Roman period, without doubt, bankers both received money on deposit, paying interest, and let it out at a higher rate, or employed it in trade, as the publicani at Rome did, in farming the revenues of a province (Plumptre).

2. Banking among the Ancient Hebrews:

(1) The Hebrew money-changer, like his modern Syrian counterpart, the saraf (see PEFS, 1904, 49 ff, where the complexity of exchange in Palestine today is graphically described), changed the large coins current into those of smaller denominations, e.g. giving denarii for tetradrachms, or silver for gold, or copper for silver.

(2) But no mean part of his business was the exchanging of foreign money, and even the money of the country of a non- Phoenician standard, for shekels and half-shekels on this standard, the latter being accepted only in payment of the temple dues (see MONEY). The "money-changers" of , as the Greek signifies, were men who made small change. Such men may be seen in Jerusalem now with various coins pried in slender pillars on a table (compare epi trapezan, ), ready to be used in changing money for a premium into such forms, or denominations, as would be more current or more convenient for immediate use.

(3) "Usury" in English Versions of the Bible is simply Old English for what we today call "interest," i.e. the sum paid for the use of money, Latin usura; and "interest" should take the place of it in all passages in the Old Testament and New Testament, where it has such significance.

3. Banking in New Testament Times:

The Greek word rendered (tokos), "usury" in the New Testament (see f) means literally, "what is born of money," "what money brings forth or produces." "Usury" has come to mean "exorbitant interest," but did not mean this at the time of the King James Version, 1611.

(1) In Christ's time, and immediately following, there was great need for money-changers and money-changing, especially on the part of foreign Jews whom custom forbade to put any but Jewish coins into the temple treasury (see ). It was mainly for the convenience of these Jews of the Dispersion, and because it was in order to a sacred use, that the people thought it proper to allow the money-changers to set up their tables in the outer court of the temple (see ff).

(2) The language of , `Thou oughtest to have put my money to the bankers,' etc., would seem to indicate the recognition by Christ of the custom and propriety of lending out money on interest (compare 19:23). The "exchangers" here are "bankers" (compare ). The Greek (trapezitai) is from a word for "bank" or "bench" (trapeza), i.e. the "table" or "counter" on which the money used to be received and paid out. These "bankers" were clearly of a higher class than the "small-change men" of , etc. (compare "changers of money," , and "changers," , English Versions). Christ upbraids the "slothful servant" because he had not given his pound to "the bank" (or "banker," epi trapezan, literally, "on a banker's table"), who, it is implied, would have kept it safe and paid interest for it ( f). It is noteworthy that the "tenminae" of are those acquired by "the good servant" from the "one" which was first lent him. So these wealthier bankers even then in a way received money on deposit for investment and paid interest on it, after the fashion of the Greeks.

4. Interpretations, Figurative Uses, etc.:

(1) In Christ's parable ( ff) "the bank" (literally, "a bank," "table") is taken by some to mean "the synagogue," by others to mean "the church" (Lange, LJ, II, 1, 414); i.e. it is thought that Christ meant to teach that the organized body, "synagogue" or "church," might use the gifts or powers of an adherent or disciple, when he himself could not exercise them (compare DCG, article "Bank").

(2) Then some have thought that Christ was here pointing to prayer as a substitute for good works, when the disciple was unable to do such. Such views seem far-fetched and unnecessary (compare Bruce, Parabolic Teaching of Christ, 209 f).

(3) The "money-changers," then as now, had ever to be on guard against false money, which gives point to the oft-quoted extra-scriptural saying (agraphon) of Jesus to His disciples: "Be ye expert money-changers" (Greek ginesthai trapezitai dokimoi; see Origen, in Joam, XIX), which was taken (Clem., Hom.,. III, 61) to mean, "Be skillful in distinguishing true doctrine from false" (HDB, 1-vol).

George B. Eager

Bannaia

ba-na'-ya.

See SABANNEUS.

Bannas

ban'-as (Bannos; the King James Version, Banuas): A name occurring in the list of those who returned from the captivity with Zerubbabel (1 Esdras 5:26). Bannas and Sudias are represented by Hoodaviah in the lists of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Banneas

ban-e'-as (Bannaias; the King James Version Baanias (1 Esdras 9:26) = Benaiah ()): Banneas put away his "strange wife."

Banner

ban'-er (ENSIGN, STANDARDS): The English word "banner" is from banderia, Low Latin, meaning a banner (compare bandum, Latin, which meant first a "band," an organized military troop, and then a "flag"). It has come to mean a flag, or standard, carried at the head of a military band or body, to indicate the line of march, or the rallying point, and it is now applied, in its more extended significance, to royal, national, or ecclesiastical "banners" also. We find it applied sometimes to a streamer on the end of a lance, such as is used by the Arab sheik today. "Banner" occurs in the following significant Old Testament passages:

(1) in the singular, "Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain" ( the King James Version); "a banner to them that fear thee" (); and

(2) in the plur., "In the name of our God we will set up our banner" (); "terrible as an army with banner" (Song of Songs 6:4).

1. Military Ensigns among the Hebrews:

The Hebrews, it would seem, like the Assyrians, the Egyptians, and other ancient nations, had military ensigns. As bearing upon this question, a very significant passage is that found in : "The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers' houses." "Standard-bearer" in the King James Version, "They shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth," is not a case in point, but is to be rendered as in the Revised Version, margin, "as when a si ck man pineth away."

In this noted passage a distinction seems intentionally made (another view is held by some) between "the ensigns of their fathers' houses" (literally, "signs"; compare , where the reference is thought by some today to be to the standards of Antiochus' army), and "the standards" of the four great divisions of the Hebrew tribes in the wilderness (compare the "banner" of Song of Songs 2:4 and Song of Songs 6:4,Song of Songs 6:10).

2. A Distinction with a Difference:

The relation of these to the "standard" of f (Hebrew nec, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "standard") is by no means clear. The word nec, here translated "standard," seems to have meant at first a pole set up on an eminence as a signal for mustering troops (compare "mast" the English Revised Version, margin). But it occurs frequently in the prophets both in this literal and original sense, and in the figurative or derived sense of a rallying point for God's people (see ; ; and elsewhere). Here the rendering in English Versions of the Bible alternates between "ensign" and "banner" (see HDB, 1-vol, article "Banner").

George B. Eager

Bannus

ban'-us (Bannous (1 Esdras 9:34) = Bani or Binnui (,)): The sons of Bannus put away their "strange wives."

Banquet

ban'-kwet.

1. The Ancient Hebrew Customs:

(1) "Banquet" and "banqueting" in the King James Version always include and stand for wine-drinking, not simply "feast" or "feasting" in our sense. Thus (Song of Songs 2:4), "He brought me to the banqueting-house" is literally, "the house of wine," and has in the Hebrew "a banquet of wine." In the New Testament we see a reflection of the same fact in the King James Version, "We walked in .... excess of wine, banquetings" (Greek "drinkings"; the Revised Version (British and American) "carousings"). Compare the King James Version, "The banquet of them that stretched themselves," where the reference seems to be to reclining at wine-drinkings.

See MEALS.

The Hebrew of , "make a banquet," may refer to a social feast of a less objectionable sort (compare the King James Version), though the Hebrew for "to drink" yayin "wine," was used as synonymous with "banquet."

See SYMPOSIUM.

Music, dancing and merriment usually attended all such festivities. Certainly the ancient Hebrews, like other peoples of the ancient East, were very fond of social feasting, and in Christ's day had acquired, from contact with Greeks and Romans, luxurious and bibulous habits, that often carried them to excess in their social feasts.

2. In Christ's Teaching and Practice:

Among the Greeks the word for "feast" (doche) is from dechomai "to receive" (compare our English usage, "to receive" and "reception"). This word doche is used with poiein "to make," to signify "to make" or "give a feast." Compare where Levi "made a feast."

(1) In view of existing customs and abuses, Christ taught His followers when they gave a banquet to invite the poor, etc. (), rather than, as the fashion of the day called for, to bid the rich and influential. Much in the New Testament that has to do with banquets and banquetings will be obscure to us of the West if we do not keep in mind the many marked differences of custom between the East and the West.

(2) "Banquets" were usually given in the house of the host to specially invited guests (; ), but much more freedom was accorded to the uninvited than we of the West are accustomed to, as one finds to be true everywhere in the East today. The custom of reclining at meals (see MEALS; TRICLINIUM, etc.) was everywhere in vogue among the well-to-do in Christ's day, even in the case of the ordinary meals, the guest leaning upon the left arm and eating with the aid of the right (compare m "reclining," and , "the Lord's supper").

(3) "Banquets" were considered normal parts of weddings as they are now throughout the East. Jesus and His disciples were bidden to one at Cana in Galilee, and accepted the invitation ( ff), and wine-drinking was a part of the feast. The "banquet" Levi gave was in Christ's honor (). There were numbers present and marked gradations in the places at table (; ; ; ). Guests were invited in advance, and then, as time-pieces were scarce, specially notified when the feast was ready, which helps to explain Christ's words (), "All things are ready: come to the marriage" (compare ; ; ).

(4) Matthew tells us () that the Pharisees "love the chief place ("uppermost rooms" the King James Version) at feasts."

In , "made a marriage feast," is rendered by some simply "a feast," because Greek gamos, "marriage," was used by Septuagint to translate the Hebrew for "feast" in . But, as this is the only known example of such a use compare gamos, it is better to take it here in the literal sense of "marriage feast," as would seem to be required by the words "for his son" (Messiah). The Greek is plural (gamous) to indicate the several parts or stages of the feast (Button, 23; compare English "nuptials").

wine was provided, superintend the drinking, etc. (compare ).

3. A Distinction Giving Rise to a Question:

(1) In , "I have made ready my dinner," "dinner" in Greek is ariston (compare ). "Supper" (Greek deipnon) is found in and often in the New Testament. Both words are found in . The question arises, What was the distinction? Thus much may be said in answer: The ariston (English Versions "dinner") was a meal usually taken about the middle of the forenoon, with variations of earlier or later; the deipnon (English Versions "supper"), the one taken at the close of the day, often after dark. In Ant, V, iv, 2 Josephus supposes Eglon's guards () were negligent about noon, "both because of the heat and because their attention was turned to dinner" (ariston). So the "dinner" (ariston) was sometimes as late as noon. Yet , shows, on the other hand, that the ariston was on some occasions taken shortly after dawn.

(2) Another question raised is this, Were the ancient Jews accustomed to have two or three meals a day? Vambery, quoted by Morison, gives a saying of the Turks that is in point: "There are only two meals a day, the smaller at 10 or 11 o'clock in the morning, the second and larger after sunset." There seems no evidence to sustain the view, maintained by Grimm and entertained by others, that the Jews of Christ's day were accustomed to take a separate and slight meal on rising, as the later Greeks and some of the later Romans did. There is certainly no clear evidence that the Jews of that day had more than two meals a day (see DB, article "Meals").

(3) The marriage feast of f was an ariston, somewhat like an English "wedding-breakfast"; but that in f was a deipnon, which was as usual delayed till after dark (). Perhaps the ariston in this case was preliminary, while the marriage with its accompanying deipnon was after dark; such things are not unheard of today (compare and , "the Lord's deipnon").

George B. Eager

Banuas

ban'-u-as (1 Esdras 5:26): A misprint for BANNAS (Revised Version), which see.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (1915). Public domain. Text from the CrossWire Bible Society.