Charger

a bowl or deep dish. The silver vessels given by the heads of the tribes for the services of the tabernacle are so named ( Numbers 7:13 , etc.). The "charger" in which the Baptist's head was presented was a platter or flat wooden trencher ( Matthew 14:8 Matthew 14:11 ; Mark 6:25 Mark 6:28 ). The chargers of gold and silver of Ezra 1:9 were probably basins for receiving the blood of sacrifices.

Dish; plate.

But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a CHARGER. ( Mathew 14:6-8 )

a shallow vessel for receiving water or blood, also for presenting offerings of fine flour with oil. ( Numbers 7:79 ) The daughter of Herodias brought the head of St. John the Baptist in a charger, ( Matthew 14:8 ) probably a trencher or platter. [BASIN]

CHARGER

char'-jer (the American Standard Revised Version "platter"):

A word which meant in the older English speech a flat dish or platter. It is used in the Bible as the translation:

(1) of qe`arah, which in Numbers 7:19 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "platter") and repeatedly in that chapter denotes one of the gifts made by the several princes at the dedication of the tabernacle;

(2) of 'agharTal, a word of uncertain derivation used in Ezra 1:9 (the King James Version) twice to designate certain temple vessels which might better be called "libation bowls";

(3) of pinax, used Matthew 14:8,11; Mark 6:25,28 (EV) for the dish in which the head of John the Baptist was presented.

David Foster Estes