Acts 12:20

Acts 12:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
• New International Version (NIV)He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.

Context of Acts 12:20

18Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea [Maritima] and spent some time there. Now Herod [Agrippa I] was extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and their delegates came to him in a united group, and after persuading Blastus, the king’s chamberlain [to support their cause], they asked for peace, because their country was fed by [imports of grain and other goods from] the king’s country. 21On an appointed day Herod dressed himself in his royal robes, sat on his throne (tribunal, rostrum) and began delivering a speech to the people. 22The assembled people kept shouting, “It is the voice of a god and not of a man!”

Acts 12:20 word by word

ἦν δὲ θυμομαχῶν Τυρίοις καὶ Σιδωνίοις· ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ παρῆσαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ πείσαντες Βλάστον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος τοῦ βασιλέως ᾐτοῦντο εἰρήνην, διὰ τὸ τρέφεσθαι αὐτῶν τὴν χώραν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• Herodὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• highly displeasedθυμομαχέωthumomacheō · to quarrelG2371
• with them of TyreΤύριοςTurios · TyreG5183
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• SidonΣιδώνιοςSidōnios · SidonianG4606
• they cameπάρειμιpareimi · be presentG3918
• with one accordὁμοθυμαδόνhomothumadon · unitedG3661
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• having madeπείθωpeithō · to persuadeG3982
• BlastusΒλάστοςBlastos · BlastusG986
• the king’sβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• ·ἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• chamberlainκοιτώνkoitōn · bedroom/chamberlainG2846
• desiredαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
• peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
• becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• countryχώραchōra · countryG5561
• was nourishedτρέφωtrephō · to feedG5142
• byἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the king’sβασιλικόςbasilikos · royalG937

Cross-references for Acts 12:20

• Genesis 10:15Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth
• Joshua 19:29Then the border turned to Ramah, [reaching] to the fortified city of Tyre; and it turned to Hosah, and it ended at the [Mediterranean] sea at the region of Achzib.
• Isaiah 23:1The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, For Tyre is destroyed, without house, without harbor; It is reported to them from the land of Cyprus (Kittim).
• Matthew 11:21“Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon [cities of the Gentiles], they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes [their hearts would have been changed and they would have expressed sorrow for their sin and rebellion against God].
• Proverbs 17:14The beginning of strife is like letting out water [as from a small break in a dam; first it trickles and then it gushes]; Therefore abandon the quarrel before it breaks out and tempers explode.
• Proverbs 20:18Plans are established by counsel; So make war [only] with wise guidance.
• Proverbs 25:8Do not rush out to argue your case [before magistrates or judges]; Otherwise what will you do in the end [when your case is lost and] When your neighbor (opponent) humiliates you?
• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the temper of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post [showing resistance], because composure and calmness prevent great offenses.
• Isaiah 27:4I have no wrath. Should anyone give Me briars and thorns in battle, I would step on them, I would set them all on fire.
• Luke 14:31Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one who is coming against him with twenty thousand?
• 1 Kings 5:9My servants will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the [Mediterranean] sea, and I will have them made into rafts to go by sea to the place (port) that you direct me; then I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then you shall return the favor by providing food for my household.”
• 2 Chronicles 2:10And I will give to your servants who cut timber, 20,000 measures of crushed wheat and 20,000 measures of barley, and 20,000 baths of wine and 20,000 baths of [olive] oil.”
• Ezra 3:7They gave money to the masons and to the carpenters, and gave food, drink, and [olive] oil to the people from Sidon and Tyre, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the seaport of Joppa, in accordance with the authorization they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
• Ezekiel 27:17Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of Minnith [in Ammon], cakes, honey, oil, and balm they paid for your goods.
• Hosea 2:8“For she (Israel) has not noticed nor understood nor realized that it was I [the Lord God] who gave her the grain and the new wine and the oil, And lavished on her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal and made into his image.
• Amos 4:6“I also gave you cleanness of teeth [because of the famine] in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance],” says the Lord.

Commentaries on Acts 12:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Highly displeased with them of Tyre - On what account Herod was thus displeased is not related by any historian, as far as I have been able to ascertain. Josephus, who speaks of this journey of Herod to Caesarea, says nothing of it; and it is useless for us to conjecture. Having made Blastus - their friend - Blastus was probably a eunuch, and had considerable influence over his master Herod; and, to reach the master, it is likely they bribed the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And Herod was highly displeased … - Greek: “bore a hostile mind,” intending war. See the margin. The Greek word ͂ thumomachōndoes not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to meditate war; to purpose war in the mind; or here, probably, to be enraged or angry at them. What was the cause of this hostility to the people of Tyre and Sidon is not mentioned, and conjecture is useless. It is not at all inconsistent, however, with the well known…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-25Verses 20-25 Many heathen princes claimed and received Divine honours, but it was far more horrible impiety in Herod, who knew the word and worship of the living God, to accept such idolatrous honours without rebuking the blasphemy. And such men as Herod, when puffed with pride and vanity, are ripening fast for signal vengeance. God is very jealous for his own honour, and will be glorified upon those whom he is not glorified by. See what vile bodies we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-23When Peter was missing after a thorough search, Herod questioned the guards and executed them (see 16:27). However, Herod himself then experienced a painful death. God punished him for his pride when he accepted the people's worship. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus provides more details about the death of Herod Agrippa I (Josephus, Antiquities 19.8.1–2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2520. Herod was ... displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon--for some reason unknown; but the effect on their commercial relations made the latter glad to sue for peace. their country was nourished by the king's country--See 1Ki 5:11; Ezr 3:7; Eze 27:17. Perhaps the famine (Ac 11:28) made them the more urgent for reconciliation.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:20

• Blastus
• Caesarea
• Chamberlain
• Diplomacy
• Herod
• Influence
• Jerusalem
• Self-Exaltation
• Sidon
• Tyre

In the dictionaries

• Sidon
• Tyre
• Herod
• Zidon, or Sidon
• Herod, Herod Antipas
• Herod, Herod the Great
• Sidon, Sidonians
• Tyre, Tyrians
• Bernice
• Blastus

Commentaries on Acts 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings