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 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

18Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19But 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. 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. 21So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22And the people kept shouting, “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 begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth;
• Joshua 19:29And the border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea by the region of Achzib.
• Isaiah 23:1The burden against Tyre. Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, So that there is no house, no 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 which were 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 releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.
• Proverbs 20:18Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.
• Proverbs 25:8Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame?
• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses.
• Isaiah 27:4Fury is not in Me. Who would set briers and thorns Against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.
• Luke 14:31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
• 1 Kings 5:9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; I will float them in rafts by sea to the place you indicate to me, and will have them broken apart there; then you can take them away. And you shall fulfill my desire by giving food for my household.
• 2 Chronicles 2:10And indeed I will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, twenty thousand kors of ground wheat, twenty thousand kors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
• Ezra 3:7They also gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the permission which they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
• Ezekiel 27:17Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and balm.
• Hosea 2:8For she did not know That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, And multiplied her silver and gold— Which they prepared for Baal.
• Amos 4:6“Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says 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
• Bernice
• Blastus
• Chamberlain
• Constantly
• Drusilla
• 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