Topic

Feasts

Passages from across the Bible

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

Ancient customs at

Men alone present at

Genesis 40:20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
Genesis 43:32 They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
Genesis 43:34 When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
1 Samuel 9:22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited — about thirty in all.
Esther 1:8–9 By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
Mark 6:21 On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
Luke 14:24 For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’”

Men and women attend

Exodus 32:6 So the next day they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Exodus 32:2–3 So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” Then all the people took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron.
Daniel 5:1–3 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink fr…

Riddles propounded at

Judges 14:12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.

Marriage feasts provided by the bridegroom

Judges 14:10 Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
Judges 14:17 She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people.

Guests arranged according to age

Genesis 43:33 They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

Rank

1 Samuel 9:22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited — about thirty in all.
Luke 14:8–10 “When you are invited to a wedding banquet, do not sit in the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited. Then the host who invited both of you will come and tell you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ And in humiliation, you will have to take the last place. But when you…

Reclined on couches

Amos 6:4 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall.
Amos 6:7 Therefore, you will now go into exile as the first of the captives, and your feasting and lounging will come to an end.
Luke 7:38 As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.
John 13:25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”

Served in one dish

Matthew 26:23 Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.

Were presided over by a master of ceremonies

John 2:8–9 “Now draw some out,” He said, “and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside

Host served

Genesis 18:8 Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.

Wine served at

Esther 5:6 And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
Esther 7:7 In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was planning a terrible fate for him.

Music at

Isaiah 5:12 At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.
Amos 6:4–5 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall. You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.
Luke 15:25 Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

Dancing at

Matthew 14:6 On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod
Luke 15:25 Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

Given by kings

1 Samuel 20:5 So David told him, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I am supposed to dine with the king. Instead, let me go and hide in the field until the third evening from now.
1 Samuel 25:36 When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.
2 Samuel 9:10 You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
1 Kings 2:7 But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
1 Kings 4:22 Solomon’s provisions for a single day were thirty cors of fine flour, sixty cors of meal,
1 Kings 18:19 Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
Esther 1:3–8 In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces. And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of hi…
Daniel 5:1–4 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink fr…

Drunkenness at

1 Samuel 25:36 When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.
Esther 1:10 On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him — Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas —
Daniel 5:1–4 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink fr…

Covenants ratified by

Genesis 26:28–30 “We can plainly see that the LORD has been with you,” they replied. “We recommend that there should now be an oath between us and you. Let us make a covenant with you that you will not harm us, just as we have not harmed you but have done only good to you, sending you on your way in peace. And now…

Celebrations by

Birthdays

Genesis 40:20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
Mark 6:21 On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

Coronations

1 Kings 1:25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
1 Chronicles 12:38–40 All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king. They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them. And their neig…

National deliverances

Esther 8:17 In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
Esther 9:17–19 This was done on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested, making it a day of feasting and joy. The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. So they rested on the fifteenth day, making it a day of feasting and…

Figurative

Matthew 22:1–14 Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I…
Luke 14:16–24 But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought…
Revelation 19:9 Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Revelation 19:17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,

Annual Festivals

(Instituted by Moses)

Designated as SOLEMN FEASTS

Numbers 15:3 and you present a food offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to produce a pleasing aroma to the LORD — either a burnt offering or a sacrifice, for a special vow or freewill offering or appointed feast—
2 Chronicles 8:13 He observed the daily requirement for offerings according to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed feasts — the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
Lamentations 2:6 He has laid waste His tabernacle like a garden booth; He has destroyed His place of meeting. The LORD has made Zion forget her appointed feasts and Sabbaths. In His fierce anger He has despised both king and priest.
Ezekiel 46:9 When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship must go out by the south gate, and whoever enters by the south gate must go out by the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each must go out by…

Set Feasts

Numbers 29:39 You are to present these offerings to the LORD at your appointed times, in addition to your vow and freewill offerings, whether burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, or peace offerings.”
Ezra 3:5 After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings and those for New Moons and for all the appointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as all the freewill offerings brought to the LORD.

Appointed Feasts

Isaiah 1:14 I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.

Holy Convocations

Leviticus 23:4 These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times.

First and last days were SABBATIC

Leviticus 23:39–40 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the produce of the land, you are to celebrate a feast to the LORD for seven days. There shall be complete rest on the first day and also on the eighth day. On the first day you are to gather the fruit of majestic trees, the branches…
Numbers 28:18–25 On the first day there is to be a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work. Present to the LORD a food offering, a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished. The grain offering shall consist of fine flour mixed with oil; offer three-tenths…
Numbers 29:12 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work, and you shall observe a feast to the LORD for seven days.
Numbers 29:35 On the eighth day you are to hold a solemn assembly; you must not do any regular work.
Nehemiah 8:1–18 At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and…

Kept with rejoicing

Leviticus 23:40 On the first day you are to gather the fruit of majestic trees, the branches of palm trees, and the boughs of leafy trees and of willows of the brook. And you are to rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.
Deuteronomy 16:11–14 and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name — you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you. Remember that you were slave…
2 Chronicles 30:21–26 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day, accompanied by loud instruments of praise to the LORD. And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully be…
Ezra 6:22 For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work on the house of the God of Israel.
Nehemiah 8:9–12 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law. Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is ric…
Nehemiah 8:17 The whole assembly that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.
Psalm 42:4 These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the festive procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise.
Psalm 122:4 where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Isaiah 30:29 You will sing as on the night of a holy festival, and your heart will rejoice like one who walks to the music of a flute, going up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.
Zechariah 8:19 “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”

Divine protection given during

Exodus 34:24 For I will drive out the nations before you and enlarge your borders, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the LORD your God.

The three principal were: PASSOVER, PENTECOST, TABERNACLES

All males were required to attend

Exodus 23:17 Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD.
Exodus 34:23 Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.
Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.
Psalm 42:4 These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the festive procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise.
Psalm 122:4 where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Ezekiel 36:38 Like the numerous flocks for sacrifices at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
Luke 2:44 Assuming He was in their company, they traveled on for a day before they began to look for Him among their relatives and friends.
John 4:45 Yet when He arrived, the Galileans welcomed Him. They had seen all the great things He had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they had gone there as well.
John 7 After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him. However, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near. So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are d… (whole chapter)

Aliens (non-Jews) were permitted to attend

John 12:20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.
Acts 2:1–11 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled with t…

Attended by women

1 Samuel 1:3 Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.
1 Samuel 1:9 So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.
Luke 2:41 Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.

Observed

By Jesus

Matthew 26:17–20 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” He answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him that the Teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will keep the Passover with My disciples a…
Luke 2:41–42 Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Feast.
Luke 22:15 And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.
John 2:13 When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 2:23 While He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name.
John 5:1 Some time later there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 7:10 But after His brothers had gone up to the feast, He also went — not publicly, but in secret.
John 10:22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,

By Paul

Acts 18:21 But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
Acts 19:21 After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
Acts 20:6 And after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and five days later we rejoined them in Troas, where we stayed seven days.
Acts 20:16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
Acts 24:11 You can verify for yourself that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
Acts 24:17 After several years, then, I returned to Jerusalem to bring alms to my people and to present offerings.

For full treatment of annual feasts

See Passover

See Pentecost

See Purim

See Tabernacles

See Trumpets

Word study: the Hebrew and Greek words behind “feast” →

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.