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

18At daybreak there was great consternation among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19When 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. Now 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. 22But the crowd began to shout, “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 was the father of Sidon his firstborn, Heth,
• Joshua 19:29It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib,
• Isaiah 23:1Here is a message about Tyre: Wail, you large ships, for the port is too devastated to enter! From the land of Cyprus this news is announced to them.
• Matthew 11:21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
• Proverbs 17:14Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!
• Proverbs 20:18Plans are established by counsel, so make war with guidance.
• Proverbs 25:8Do not go out hastily to litigation, or what will you do afterward when your neighbor puts you to shame?
• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.
• Isaiah 27:4I am not angry. I wish I could confront some thorns and briers! Then I would march against them for battle; I would set them all on fire,
• Luke 14:31Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
• 1 Kings 5:9My servants will bring the timber down from Lebanon to the sea. I will send it by sea in raft-like bundles to the place you designate. There I will separate the logs and you can carry them away. In exchange you will supply the food I need for my royal court.”
• 2 Chronicles 2:10Look, I will pay your servants who cut the timber 20,000 kors of ground wheat, 20,000 kors of barley, 120,000 gallons of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
• Ezra 3:7So they provided money for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia.
• Ezekiel 27:17Judah and the land of Israel were your clients; they traded wheat from Minnith, millet, honey, olive oil, and balm for your merchandise.
• Hosea 2:8Yet until now she has refused to acknowledge that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and that it was I who lavished on her the silver and gold – which they used in worshiping Baal!
• Amos 4:6“But surely I gave you no food to eat in any of your cities; you lacked food everywhere you live. Still you did not come back to me.” The Lord is speaking!

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