Matthew 14:3

3 For Herod had held John, and bound him, and putted him in prison for Herodias [and put him into prison for Herodias], the wife of his brother.

Matthew 14:3 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 14:3

For Herod had laid hold on John
By his servants, whom he sent to apprehend him:

and bound him;
laid him in chains, as if he was a malefactor;

and put him in prison,
in the castle of Machaerus F4,

for Herodias's sake;
who was angry with him, had a bitter quarrel against him, and by whose instigation all this was done; who was

his brother Philip's wife.
This Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, son to Herod the Great F5, and brother to Philip, and to this Herod; so that she was niece to them both; and first married the one, and then the other, whilst the former was living. Philip and this Herod were both sons of Herod the Great, but not by the same woman; Philip was born of Cleopatra of Jerusalem, and Herod Antipas of Malthace, a Samaritan F6; so that Philip was his brother by his father's side, but not by his mother's; the Evangelist Mark adds, "for he had married her": the case was this, Herod being sent for to Rome, called at his brother Philip's by the way, where he fell into an amorous intrigue with his wife, and agreed, upon his return, to take her with him and marry her; as he accordingly did, and divorced his own wife, who was daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia Petraea; which occasioned a war between Herod and his wife's father, in which the former was beaten F7,


FOOTNOTES:

F4 Joseph. Antiqu. 1. 18. c. 7.
F5 Ib. c. 6.
F6 Joseph. Antiqu. 1. 18. c. 6. de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 28. sect. 7.
F7 Joseph. Antiqu. 1. 18. c. 6.

Matthew 14:3 In-Context

1 In that time Herod tetrarch, [that is,] prince of the fourth part, heard the fame of Jesus;
2 and said to his children, This is John Baptist, he is risen from death, and therefore works of power work in him. [and said to his children, This is John Baptist, he hath risen from dead, and therefore virtues work in him.]
3 For Herod had held John, and bound him, and putted him in prison for Herodias [and put him into prison for Herodias], the wife of his brother.
4 For John said to him, It is not leaveful to thee to have her.
5 And he willing to slay him, dreaded the people; for they had him as a prophet.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.