EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Acts 12:20
20At that time, King Herod was angry with the people who lived in Tyre and Sidon. A group of men from these cities went together to speak to Herod about the problem. A man called Blastus was an important servant in King Herod's house. The group of men said to Blastus, ‘Please help us when we speak to King Herod.’ Then they went and they said to Herod, ‘Please stop being angry with our people. We want to be friends again.’ They said this because they needed to buy food in King Herod's country.
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
18When morning arrived, there was a lot of trouble at the prison. The soldiers did not understand what had happened to Peter. 19When Herod knew about it, he said to the soldiers, ‘Go and look for Peter!’ But they could not find him anywhere. Herod then asked the soldiers who guarded the prison some questions. They could not explain what had happened. So Herod commanded other soldiers to cut off their heads. After this happened, Herod left Judea. He went to Caesarea and he stayed there for some time. At that time, King Herod was angry with the people who lived in Tyre and Sidon. A group of men from these cities went together to speak to Herod about the problem. A man called Blastus was an important servant in King Herod's house. The group of men said to Blastus, ‘Please help us when we speak to King Herod.’ Then they went and they said to Herod, ‘Please stop being angry with our people. We want to be friends again.’ They said this because they needed to buy food in King Herod's country. 21Herod decided on which day he would meet with them. He put on his beautiful clothes and he sat in his special seat as king. Then he spoke his message to all the people. 22When he spoke, the people shouted, ‘This is not a man who is speaking to us. This is the voice of a god!’
Read all of Acts 12Acts 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 was the father of Sidon, who was born first. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites,
- Joshua 19:29Then the border turned towards Ramah, and it went as far as the strong city of Tyre. Then it turned to Hosah and it ended at the Mediterranean Sea. Their towns included Hebel, Aczib,
- Isaiah 23:1This is a message about Tyre. Weep aloud, you people in the great ships of Tarshish. An enemy has destroyed the port and the houses of Tyre. They heard this news in Cyprus.
- Matthew 11:21He said to them, ‘You people in Chorazin, it will be very bad for you! And it will be very bad for you, people in Bethsaida. I have done great and powerful things in your cities. If I had done such great things in Tyre and in Sidon, the people there would have changed how they lived. They would have shown they were sorry for their sins. They would have put on clothes made from goat's hair. They would also have put ashes on their heads.
- Proverbs 17:14It is difficult to stop a quarrel once it has started. It is like water that pours out of a broken pot. Stop it quickly!
- Proverbs 20:18Things will go well if you receive good advice. If you want to fight a war, ask wise people to be your advisors.
- Proverbs 25:8If you see something bad happen, do not quickly go and tell a judge. Your neighbour may show that you are wrong. Then you will be ashamed. You will not know what to do.
- Ecclesiastes 10:4If your master becomes angry with you, do not leave your place. Be patient and answer him quietly. Then he will forgive your mistakes.
- Isaiah 27:4I am not angry now. If there were thorn bushes or weeds in my vineyard, I would attack them. I would burn them all.
- Luke 14:31Then Jesus gave them another example. ‘Perhaps a king wants to fight a war against another king. But before he goes to fight, he sits down. He thinks to himself. “Can I win this war? My army is large, with 10,000 men. But the other king has twice as many soldiers in his army.
- 1 Kings 5:9My men will take the trees from the hills of Lebanon down to the sea. Then we will tie several trees together like a boat. We will take them on the sea to the place where you want them. There we will undo the ropes so that your men can carry the trees away. You will pay me with enough food to feed the people of my palace.’
- 2 Chronicles 2:10I will pay your men who cut down the trees. To pay them, I will send 2,000 tons of wheat, 2,000 tons of barley, 450,000 litres of wine and 450,000 litres of olive oil.’
- Ezra 3:7The leaders gave money to men who could work with stone and wood. They sent food, drink and olive oil to the people in Tyre and Sidon. This was to pay for beams of wood from cedar trees. They would bring the wood from Lebanon on ships that came to Joppa. Cyrus, king of Persia, had commanded them to do this.
- Ezekiel 27:17Traders came to you from Judah and Israel. They paid you with wheat from Minnith, with figs, with honey, with olive oil and with medicine.
- Hosea 2:8She did not realize that I was the one who gave her everything that she needed. I gave her grain, wine and olive oil. I even gave her lots of silver and gold. But she used my gifts to worship Baal instead of me.
- Amos 4:6‘Earlier I made you hungry in all your cities. There was no food anywhere. But you did not start to pray to me again.’ The Lord says this!
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
In the dictionaries
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
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