Bible Encyclopedia: Birthday

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

BIRTHDAY

burth'-da:

(1) The custom of observing birthdays of great men, especially of kings, was widespread in ancient times (see Genesis 40:20, "the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday," etc.; compare 2 Maccabees 6:7; and Herod. ix0.11; in the New Testament, Matthew 14:6 Mark 6:21, "Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords," etc., i.e. Herod Antipas). Here we see the ancient custom reflected in two conspicuous instances centuries apart:

(a) Pharaoh, on his birthday "made a feast unto all his servants," etc., and

(b) Herod o n his birthday "made a supper to his lords, and the high captains," etc.

The King James Version (Matthew 14:6) has it "when Herod's birthday was kept," etc. The correct text here (Tischendorf, Westcott-Hort) has a very peculiar construction, but without material difference of meaning. The locative case gives the time of the principal action, "danced on Herod's birthday, when it occurred." The construction is not unexampled (see Jelf, section 699). This need not be called "a case absolute," though it corresponds to the Latin ablative (locative) absolute; and the Greek genitive absolute is itself not really "absolute," i.e. it is not cut loose from the rest of the construction, but gives some event to which the principal action is referred, for the indication of its circumstances.

(2) The term "birthday" (ta genesia) was applied also to the anniversary of a king's accession to the throne (Edersheim); but Wieseler's argument that such is the case here is not conclusive. It is easy to suppose that when Herod's birthday approached he was sojourning at the castle of Macherus, accompanied by leading military and civil officials of his dominions (Mark 6:21). Petty ruler as he was, not properly "king" at all, he affected kingly ways (compare Esther 5:3, 6; Esther 7:2).

(3) Genesia, which in Attic Greek means the commemoration of the dead, in later Greek is interchangeable with genethlia = "birthday celebrations"; and there is no good reason why the rendering of the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) here, "birthday," should not be right (See Swete on Mark 6:21, and HDB, under the word) For date of Christ's birth, etc., see JESUS CHRIST; CALENDAR, etc.

George B. Eager

Greek

1077. genesia -- a birthday celebration
... a birthday celebration. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: genesia Phonetic
Spelling: (ghen-es'-ee-ah) Short Definition: a birthday celebration ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1077.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

3205. yalad -- to bear, bring forth, beget
... 1), became the father (144), become the father (2), become the fathers (1), beget
(3), begetting (1), begot (2), begotten (3), birth (2), birthday* (1), bore ...
/hebrew/3205.htm - 7k

3117. yom -- day
... root Definition day NASB Word Usage afternoon* (1), age (8), age* (1), all (1),
always* (14), amount* (2), battle (1), birthday* (1), Chronicles* (38 ...
/hebrew/3117.htm - 7k

Library

For a Birthday.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN CCXLVI. For a Birthday. 8.6.8.6 James Montgomery. For a Birthday.
Is this the day that gave me birth? Returning year by year,. ...
/.../montgomery/sacred poems and hymns/hymn ccxlvi for a birthday.htm

On the Theophany, or Birthday of Christ.
... Oration XXXVIII. On The Theophany, Or Birthday Of Christ. On the Theophany,
or Birthday of Christ. The Title of this Oration has ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxxviii on the theophany.htm

For a Friend's Birthday.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN CCXLVII. For a Friend's Birthday. 8.8.8.8 James Montgomery.
For a Friend's Birthday. Brother and friend, with heart and voice,. ...
/.../montgomery/sacred poems and hymns/hymn ccxlvii for a friends.htm

Birthday.
... Birthday. 75. Holy Jesus, every day Keep us in the narrow way, And when
earthly things are past, Bring our ransomed souls at last ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/little folded hands/birthday.htm

Preached on his Birthday , or Day of Ordination.
... Sermons. Sermon I. Preached on his Birthday , or day of Ordination. Preached
on his Birthday [645] , or day of Ordination. Having ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon i preached on his.htm

Reflections on his Fiftieth Birthday. What a Wonderful Being is ...
... CHAPTER XIX. Reflections on his Fiftieth Birthday. What a Wonderful Being is Man! ...
Last Three Birthdays. His Trust in God. Reflections on his Fiftieth Birthday. ...
/.../chapter xix reflections on his.htm

On his Birthday, iii: Delivered on the Anniversary of his ...
... Sermons. Sermon III. On His Birthday, III: Delivered on the Anniversary
of his Elevation to the Pontificate. On His Birthday, III ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon iii on his birthday.htm

On his Birthday, ii. : Delivered on the Anniversary of his ...
... On his Birthday, II.: Delivered on the Anniversary of his Consecration. On his Birthday,
II.: Delivered on the Anniversary [654] of his Consecration. ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon ii on his birthday.htm

Marriages and Birthday Feasts are not to be Celebrated in Lent. .. ...
... Canon LII. Marriages and birthday feasts are not to be celebrated in Lent.� Marriages
and birthday feasts are not to be celebrated in Lent. Notes. ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon lii marriages and birthday.htm

This Treatise Has a Favourable Beginning, Since it is the Birthday ...
... This treatise has a favourable beginning, since it is the birthday of the holy
Virgin� ... It is the birthday of a martyr, let us offer the victim. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter ii this treatise has.htm

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Birthday

The custom of observing birthdays is very ancient, (Genesis 40:20; Jeremiah 20:15) and in (Job 1:4) etc., we read that Job's sons "feasted every one his day." In Persia birthdays were celebrated with peculiar honors and banquets, and in Egypt those of the king were kept with great pomp. It is very probable that in (Matthew 14:6) the feast to commemorate Herod's accession is intended, for we know that such feasts were common, and were called "the day of the king." (Hosea 7:5)

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The observance of birth-days was common in early times (Job 1:4, 13, 18). They were specially celebrated in the land of Egypt (Genesis 40:20). There is no recorded instance in Scripture of the celebration of birth-days among the Jews. On the occasion of Herod's birth-day John the Baptist was beheaded (Matthew 14:6).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The day in which any person is born; day of origin or commencement.

2. (n.) The day of the month in which a person was born, in whatever succeeding year it may recur; the anniversary of one's birth.

3. (a.) of or pertaining to the day of birth, or its anniversary; as, birthday gifts or festivities.

Topical Bible Verses

Genesis 40:20
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast to all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 14:6
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
Topicalbible.org

Thesaurus

Birthday (4 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) of or pertaining to the day of birth, or its anniversary; as, birthday gifts
or festivities. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BIRTHDAY. ...
/b/birthday.htm - 11k

Herodias (7 Occurrences)
... At Herod's birthday feast, Herodias induced her daughter Salome, whose dancing had
so charmed the tetrarch, to ask as her reward the head of John the Baptist ...
/h/herodias.htm - 12k

Officials (229 Occurrences)
... Mark 6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for
his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. (See NIV). ...
/o/officials.htm - 36k

Banquet (58 Occurrences)
...Birthday banquets are mentioned (Genesis 40:20; Matthew 14:6). They were sometimes
protracted, and attended with revelry and excess (Genesis 21:8; 29:22; 1 ...
/b/banquet.htm - 36k

Kept (891 Occurrences)
... (KJV WEY BBE WBS). Matthew 14:6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter
of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/k/kept.htm - 33k

Nobles (71 Occurrences)
... Mark 6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for
his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. (WEB WEY). ...
/n/nobles.htm - 33k

Opportunity (35 Occurrences)
... Herod on his birthday gave a banquet to the nobles of his court and to the
tribunes and the principal people in Galilee, (WEY RSV). ...
/o/opportunity.htm - 17k

Officers (171 Occurrences)
... Mark 6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for
his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. (WEB RSV). ...
/o/officers.htm - 37k

Opportune (4 Occurrences)
... Mark 6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for
his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. (See NIV). ...
/o/opportune.htm - 7k

Leading (101 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Mark 6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made
a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ...
/l/leading.htm - 36k

Bible Concordance

Birthday (4 Occurrences)

Matthew 14:6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 40:20 It happened the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Job 1:4 His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
(WEB)

Subtopics

Birthday

Birthday: Celebrated by Feasts

Birthday: Cursed

Related Terms

Herodias (7 Occurrences)

Officials (229 Occurrences)

Banquet (58 Occurrences)

Kept (891 Occurrences)

Nobles (71 Occurrences)

Opportunity (35 Occurrences)

Officers (171 Occurrences)