English Standard Version
Acts 12:20
20Now 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant,
Context of Acts 12:20
18Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there. 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. 21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22And the people were shouting, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!"
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 fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth,
- Joshua 19:29Then the boundary turns to Ramah, reaching to the fortified city of Tyre. Then the boundary turns to Hosah, and it ends at the sea; Mahalab, Achzib,
- Isaiah 23:1The oracle concerning Tyre. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor! From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them.
- Matthew 11:21"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- Proverbs 17:14The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
- Proverbs 20:18Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.
- Proverbs 25:8do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame?
- Ecclesiastes 10:4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
- Isaiah 27:4I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would march against them, I would burn them up together.
- Luke 14:31Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
- 1 Kings 5:9My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household."
- 2 Chronicles 2:10I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil."
- Ezra 3:7So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
- Ezekiel 27:17Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm.
- Hosea 2:8And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.
- Amos 4:6"I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me," declares 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
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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