Genesis 18:6-8

18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take ¹  three measures ²  of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” ³  18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, ⁴  who quickly prepared it. ⁵  18:8 Abraham ⁶  then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food ⁷  before them. They ate while ⁸  he was standing near them under a tree.

Genesis 21:8

21:8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared ⁹  a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. ¹⁰ 

Luke 5:29

5:29 Then ¹¹  Levi gave a great banquet ¹²  in his house for Jesus, ¹³  and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting ¹⁴  at the table with them.

John 12:2

12:2 So they prepared a dinner for Jesus ¹⁵  there. Martha ¹⁶  was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table ¹⁷  with him.

Hebrews 13:2

13:2 Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it. ¹⁸ 

[18:6]  ¹ tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.

[18:6]  ² sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.

[18:6]  ³ sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.

[18:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “the young man.”

[18:7]  ⁵ tn The construction uses the Piel preterite, “he hurried,” followed by the infinitive construct; the two probably form a verbal hendiadys: “he quickly prepared.”

[18:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:8]  ⁷ tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:8]  ⁸ tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.

[21:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “made.”

[21:8]  ¹⁰ sn Children were weaned closer to the age of two or three in the ancient world, because infant mortality was high. If an infant grew to this stage, it was fairly certain he or she would live. Such an event called for a celebration, especially for parents who had waited so long for a child.

[5:29]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[5:29]  ¹² sn A great banquet refers to an elaborate meal. Many of the events in Luke take place in the context of meal fellowship: 7:36-50; 9:12-17; 10:38-42; 11:37-54; 14:1-24; 22:7-38; 24:29-32, 41-43.

[5:29]  ¹³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:29]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “reclining.” This term reflects the normal practice in 1st century Jewish culture of eating a meal in a semi-reclining position. Since it is foreign to most modern readers, the translation “sitting” has been substituted.

[12:2]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity and to conform with contemporary English style.

[12:2]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “And Martha.” The connective καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation because it would produce a run-on sentence in English.

[12:2]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “reclining at the table.”

[13:2]  ¹⁸ sn This is a vague allusion to people described in scripture and extra-biblical literature and may include Abraham and Sarah (Gen 18:2-15), Lot (Gen 19:1-14), Gideon (Judg 6:11-18), Manoah (Judg 13:3-22), and possibly Tobit (Tob 12:1-20).