. A comprehensive dictionary of the Bible . the deipnon =dinner, taken late in the afternoon or early in theevening, after the heat and business of the daywere over. The posture at meals varied at variousperiods: there is sufficient evidence that the oldHebrews were in the habit of silting (Gen. ; Judg. xix. 6; 1 Sam. xvi. 11, xx. 5, 18, 24; 1K. xiii. 20), but it does not hence follow that they sat on chairs (the chair was not unknown to theHebrews); they may have squatted on the ground,as was the occasional, though not perhaps the gen-eral custom of the ancient Egyptians. The tablewa
. A comprehensive dictionary of the Bible . the deipnon =dinner, taken late in the afternoon or early in theevening, after the heat and business of the daywere over. The posture at meals varied at variousperiods: there is sufficient evidence that the oldHebrews were in the habit of silting (Gen. ; Judg. xix. 6; 1 Sam. xvi. 11, xx. 5, 18, 24; 1K. xiii. 20), but it does not hence follow that they sat on chairs (the chair was not unknown to theHebrews); they may have squatted on the ground,as was the occasional, though not perhaps the gen-eral custom of the ancient Egyptians. The tablewas in this case but slightly elevated above theground, as is still the case in Egypt. As luxury in-creased, the practice of sitting was exchanged forthat of reclining : the first intimation of this occursin Amos (iii. 12, vi. 4). The custom may havebeen borrowed from the Babylonians and Syrians,among whom it prevailed at an early period ( 6, vii. 8). In the time of our Saviour, recliningwas the universal custom, as is implied in th«. Reclining at Table.—From Mcntfaucons Antiquities.—(Fairbairn ) Greek terms anakeimai, katakeimai, anaklinornai,&c, used for siltiny at meat, as the A. V. incor-rectly has it. The couch itself is only once men-tioned (Mk. vii. 4 ; A. V. tables ; Greek plural ofMine usually translated bed ), but there can belittle doubt that the Roman triclinium (see below)had been introduced, and that the arrangements ofthe table resembled those described by classicalwriters. Generally speaking, only three persons re-clined on each couch, but occasionally four or evenfive. The couches were provided with cushions onwhich the left elbow rested in support of the upperpart of the body, while the right arm remainedfree; a room provided with these was described (inGreek) as estromenon, literally spread (Mk. xiv. 15,A-V. furnished ). As several guests reclined onthe same couch, each overlapped his neighbor, as itwere, and rested his head on or near the breast of
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