Charger
“A deep dish or bowl”
Summary
A large flat dish or platter used for temple offerings and infamously for presenting the head of John the Baptist.
☩Temple Vessels
Silver chargers (Hebrew: qearah, meaning 'deep dish') were among the vessels offered by the tribal leaders for the service of the Tabernacle. Each prince brought a silver charger weighing 130 shekels (about 65 ounces). These were bowls used for presenting offerings of fine flour with oil. Similar chargers (aghartal) were among the temple vessels taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar and later restored by Cyrus.
☩John the Baptist's Martyrdom
The charger (Greek: pinax, a broad platter) on which John the Baptist's head was presented to Herodias was a large serving tray. At Oriental meals, the tray was laid upon a low stool for dishes, or carried by attendants when presenting wine or drinks. When Salome demanded John's head 'in a charger,' the unfeeling demand implied this would be her professional fee and portion of the feast—a jest that revealed the moral atrophy of Herod's court. The atrocity was John's last testimony against the artificial and insincere spirit of the age.
Related Verses19 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Charger," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Charger," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Charger," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 4.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Charger," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).