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 as to what could have become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there. Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one mind they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was supported with grain from the king’s country. 21On an appointed day, after putting on his royal apparel, Herod took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. 22The people repeatedly cried out, “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

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• he was veryθυμομαχέωthumomacheō · to quarrelG2371
• TyreΤύριοςTurios · TyreG5183
• and SidonΣιδώνιοςSidōnios · SidonianG4606
• and with oneὁμοθυμαδόνhomothumadon · unitedG3661
• to him, and having wonπείθωpeithō · to persuadeG3982
• BlastusΒλάστοςBlastos · BlastusG986
• the king’sβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• chamberlainἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• chamberlainκοιτώνkoitōn · bedroom/chamberlainG2846
• they were askingαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
• for peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
• becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• their countryχώραchōra · countryG5561
• was supportedτρέφωtrephō · to feedG5142
• from the king’sβασιλικόςbasilikos · royalG937

Cross-references for Acts 12:20

• Genesis 10:15Canaan fathered Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth,
• Joshua 19:29The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and it ended at the sea by the region of Achzib.
• Isaiah 23:1The pronouncement concerning Tyre: Wail, you ships of Tarshish, For Tyre is destroyed, without house or harbor; It is reported to them from the land of Cyprus.
• Matthew 11:21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that occurred in you had occurred 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 abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
• Proverbs 20:18Prepare plans by consultation, And make war by wise guidance.
• Proverbs 25:8Do not go out hastily to argue your case; Otherwise, what will you do in the end, When your neighbor humiliates you?
• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your place, because composure puts great offenses to rest.
• Isaiah 27:4I have no wrath. Should someone give Me briars and thorns in battle, Then I would step on them, I would burn them completely.
• 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 face the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
• 1 Kings 5:9My servants will bring the timbers down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will have them made into rafts to go by sea to the place where you direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you will carry them away. Then you shall do what I wish, by giving food to my household.”
• 2 Chronicles 2:10Now behold, I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand kors of crushed wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.”
• Ezra 3:7Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
• Ezekiel 27:17Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of Minnith, cakes, honey, oil, and balsam they paid for your merchandise.
• Hosea 2:8“Yet she does not know that it was I myself who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil, And lavished on her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal.
• Amos 4:6“But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned 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

• 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