Acts 12:19

Acts 12:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode.
• New International Version (NIV)After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

Context of Acts 12:19

17He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet and then related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. 18At daybreak there was great consternation among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he questioned the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20Now Herod was having an angry quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they joined together and presented themselves before him. And after convincing Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, to help them, they asked for peace, because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country. 21On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them.

Acts 12:19 word by word

Ἡρῴδης δὲ ἐπιζητήσας αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ εὑρὼν ἀνακρίνας τοὺς φύλακας ἐκέλευσεν ἀπαχθῆναι, καὶ κατελθὼν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς Καισάρειαν διέτριβεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• when HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
• had soughtἐπιζητέωepizēteō · to seek afterG1934
• for himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• found himεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• notμήmē · notG3361
• he examinedἀνακρίνωanakrinō · to investigateG350
• the keepersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the keepersφύλαξphulax · guard; keeperG5441
• and commanded thatκελεύωkeleuō · to orderG2753
• should be put to deathἀπάγωapagō · to lead awayG520
• he went downκατέρχομαιkaterchomai · to descendG2718
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• JudeaἸουδαίαIoudaia · JudeaG2449
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• CesareaΚαισάρειαKaisareia · CaesareaG2542
• andδιατρίβωdiatribō · to remainG1304

Cross-references for Acts 12:19

• 1 Samuel 23:14David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver David into his hand.
• Psalms 37:32Evil men set an ambush for the godly and try to kill them.
• Jeremiah 36:26He also ordered Jerahmeel, who was one of the royal princes, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest the scribe Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. However, the Lord hid them.
• Matthew 2:13After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.”
• Acts 12:4When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
• Matthew 28:11While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened.
• Daniel 2:11What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods – but they don’t live among mortals!”
• Matthew 2:16When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.
• John 12:10So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus too,
• Acts 21:8On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
• Acts 25:13After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
• 1 Kings 20:43The king of Israel went home to Samaria bitter and angry.
• Esther 6:12Then Mordecai again sat at the king’s gate, while Haman hurried away to his home, mournful and with a veil over his head.

Commentaries on Acts 12:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Commanded that they should be put to death - He believed, or pretended to believe, that the escape of Peter was owing to the negligence of the keepers: jailers, watchmen, etc., ordinarily suffered the same kind of punishment which should have been inflicted on the prisoner whose escape they were supposed to have favored. He went down from Judea to Caesarea - How soon he went down, and how long he stayed there, we know not.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19He examined the keepers - The soldiers who were entrusted with his custody. Probably only those who had the special care of him at that watch of the night. The word “examine” here means “to inquire diligently, to make investigation.” He subjected them to a rigid scrutiny to ascertain the manner of his escape; for it is evident that Herod did not mean to admit the possibility of a miraculous interposition. Should be put to death - For having failed to keep…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 God's providence leaves room for the use of our prudence, though he has undertaken to perform and perfect what he has begun. These Christians continued in prayer for Peter, for they were truly in earnest. Thus men ought always to pray, and not to faint. As long as we are kept waiting for a mercy, we must continue praying for it. But sometimes that which we most earnestly wish for, we are most backward to believe. The Christian law of…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. 18-1918-19. as soon as it was day, &c.--His deliverance must have been during the fourth watch (three to six A.M.); else he must have been missed by the keepers at the change of the watch [Wies].Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 12:19

• Caesarea
• Herod
• Homicide
• Jerusalem
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Peter
• Prisoners
• Rulers
• Soldiers
• Watchman

In the dictionaries

• Judea
• Herod
• Judaea, or Judea
• Herod, Herod Antipas
• Herod, Herod the Great
• Judea, Judah
• Constantly
• Herod Agrippa I.
• Multiply
• Raise

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