### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **mishteh**, represented by `{{H4961}}`, is the term for a **banquet**. It appears just **1 time** in **1 verse**, marking a very specific event. The word itself is the Aramaic corresponding term for a feast.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its sole biblical appearance, `{{H4961}}` sets the scene for a pivotal moment of royal judgment. The queen enters the **banquet** house because of the commotion caused by the "words of the king and his lords" [[Daniel 5:10]]. Her arrival is in response to the king's terror, whose thoughts troubled him and whose countenance changed [[Daniel 5:6]]. The queen attempts to reassure the king in the midst of this grand, yet disrupted, royal affair.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related Aramaic words provide the context for the **banquet**:
* `{{H1005}}` **bayith** (house): This word is used directly with `mishteh` to describe the location as the "banquet **house**" [[Daniel 5:10]]. This term has various applications, from the sacred "**house** of God" [[Ezra 6:17]] to a royal dwelling like the "**house** of the kingdom" [[Daniel 4:30]].
* `{{H4430}}` **melek** (king): The **king**, Belshazzar, is the host of the banquet [[Daniel 5:10]]. The term is central to the surrounding narrative, highlighting the contrast between an earthly **king** and the God who "removeth **kings**, and setteth up **kings**" [[Daniel 2:21]].
* `{{H7261}}` **rabrᵉbân** (lord, prince): These magnates were the guests attending the event with the king [[Daniel 5:10]]. The **lords** participated in the feast and were present for the terrifying events that unfolded [[Daniel 5:9]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4961}}` is derived entirely from the event it hosts.
* **A Stage for Divine Judgment:** The **banquet** is not a place of simple celebration but the setting where God’s judgment is delivered to King Belshazzar. The feast is interrupted by a divine sign that causes the king's **thoughts** to trouble him [[Daniel 5:10]].
* **Hubris and Defiance:** The event is characterized by human pride. At this gathering, the king and his **lords** used the sacred vessels from God's **house** for their feast, an act of defiance that directly preceded the judgment [[Daniel 5:23]].
* **Fulfillment of Prophecy:** The disruption of the **banquet** signals the end of the Babylonian kingdom. The queen's plea for the king to **live** for ever [[Daniel 5:10]] is deeply ironic, as God's judgment is being delivered at that very moment, affirming that His own kingdom is the one that will **stand** for ever [[Daniel 2:44]].
### Summary
In summary, **mishteh** `{{H4961}}` is a term whose significance is defined by its singular, dramatic context. While appearing only once, it pinpoints the location of Belshazzar's feast, a pivotal event in the book of Daniel. It provides the backdrop for a profound lesson on divine sovereignty, judgment, and the ultimate futility of human pride when set against the power of God.
TRV