Bible Dictionary
Entertain
To entertain in biblical usage commonly refers to receiving guests at a feast or banquet. Such meals accompanied festivals, sacrifices, weddings, family occasions, and other social events; Israelites were warned against feasts connected with idolatry and warned against revelry.
Biblical Usage
Feasts accompanied festivals, offerings, alliances, weddings, births, sheep-shearing, vintage, and funerals. Guests were invited and assigned places, and special portions could express honor. Israelites were forbidden to join heathen sacrificial feasts and were warned against revelings.
Scripture References
Deuteronomy 16:11
Deuteronomy 16:14
1 Samuel 9:13
Genesis 26:30
Genesis 21:8
Genesis 29:22
John 2:1
Matthew 14:6
2 Samuel 13:23
Judges 9:27
2 Samuel 3:35
Jeremiah 16:7
Proverbs 9:3
Matthew 22:3
1 Samuel 9:22
Luke 14:8
Mark 12:39
1 Samuel 1:4
2 Samuel 6:19
Genesis 43:34
Exodus 34:15
1 Corinthians 10:28
Romans 13:13
Galatians 5:21
1 Peter 4:3