τράπεζ-α G5132
A table — primarily for dining and fellowship, but also a money-changer's counter or bank
The ordinary Greek word for a table, appearing across the New Testament in scenes of eating, hospitality, and sacred meals. The Syrophoenician woman's plea about crumbs falling from the master's table (Matt 15:27; Mark 7:28) and the rich man's table from which Lazarus longed for scraps (Luke 16:21) both use trapeza for the dining surface. Paul employs it theologically for the Lord's table versus the table of demons (1 Cor 10:21). In one specialized instance (Luke 19:23), it refers to a money-changer's counter — a 'bank' — as Spanish 'banco' makes strikingly clear.
2. money-changer's table, bank — A money-changer's table functioning as a financial counter or bank. In Luke 19:23, the master asks why the servant did not deposit his money 'at the bank' (literally 'upon the table'). Spanish uniquely shifts from 'mesa' to 'banco' here, directly revealing the specialized commercial sense. This usage reflects the ancient practice where bankers conducted transactions at public tables — the etymological ancestor of modern 'bank' (from Italian 'banca,' a bench or counter). 1×
AR["مائِدَةِ-الصَّيرَفي"]·ben["টেবিলে"]·DE["Tisch"]·EN["a-table"]·FR["table"]·heb["שֻׁלְחָן"]·HI["मेज़"]·ID["meja-uang"]·IT["tavola"]·jav["méja-bank,"]·KO["은행에"]·PT["banco"]·RU["стол"]·ES["banco"]·SW["benki"]·TR["masaya"]·urd["میز"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. table (for eating/serving) — A table used for meals, banquets, or ceremonial dining — the surface around which hospitality, fellowship, and sacred eating take place. Covers the Lord's table (1 Cor 10:21), the tables Jesus overturned in the temple (Matt 21:12; Mark 11:15 — these were commercial tables, but grouped with the dining cluster by usage pattern), and the domestic tables in parables. Translations are remarkably uniform: Spanish 'mesa,' French 'table,' German 'Tisch.' The apostles' declaration in Acts 6:2 that they should not neglect the word to 'serve tables' uses this sense for daily food distribution. 14×
AR["المَائِدَةُ","مائِدَةً","مائِدَةِ","مائِدَتِ","مَائِدَةِ","مَائِدَتُ","مَوائِدَ","مَوَائِدَ"]·ben["খাবার","টেবিল","টেবিলগুলো","টেবিলে","টেবিলের","মেজ"]·DE["Tisch"]·EN["of-table","table","tables"]·FR["Tisch","table"]·heb["שֻׁלְחֲנוֹת","שֻׁלְחַן","שֻׁלְחָן","שֻׁלְחָנוֹת"]·HI["मेज","मेज़","मेज़,","मेज़ें","मेजों","मेजों-की"]·ID["meja","meja-meja","meja."]·IT["tavola","trapeza"]·jav["meja","méja","méja-méja","méja-méja.","méja;"]·KO["상","상과","상들-을","상에","상을","식탁들-을","식탁에","식탁에서","식탁이","탁자들을"]·PT["de-mesa","mesa","mesa,","mesas"]·RU["их","стол","стола","столам","столе","столом","столы","трапезой","трапезу","трапезы"]·ES["de-mesa","mesa","mesas"]·SW["meza","za-"]·TR["masa","masaları","masalarını","muktedirsiniz","paylaşmaya","sofra","soframın","sofranın","sofrası","sofrasından"]·urd["دسترخوان","میز","میز-سے","میز-کی","میزوں","میزوں-کی","میزیں"]
Matt 15:27, Matt 21:12, Mark 7:28, Mark 11:15, Luke 16:21, Luke 22:21, Luke 22:30, John 2:15, Acts 6:2, Acts 16:34, Rom 11:9, 1 Cor 10:21 (+2 more)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
τράπεζ-α [τρᾰ], ης, ἡ, Doric dialect τράπεσδα Refs 7th c.BC+:— table, especially dining-table, eating-table, frequently in Refs 8th c.BC+; τ. εἰσφέρειν, ἐπάγειν, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ τ. εἰσῄρετο Refs 8th c.BC+; αἴρειν Refs 5th c.BC+; ξενίη τ. the hospitable board, ἴστω Ζεύς.. ξενίη τε τ. Refs 8th c.BC+; ὅρκον μέγαν, ἅλας τε καὶ τράπεζαν Refs 7th c.BC+; ἡ ξενικὴ τ. Refs 4th c.BC+; δέξασθαι τραπέζῃ…