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 dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter. 19Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn’t be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while. 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, 21and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them. 22The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, 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’s oldest son was Sidon, the ancestor of the Sidonians. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites,
• Joshua 19:29Then the boundary turned toward Ramah and the fortress of Tyre, where it turned toward Hosah and came to the Mediterranean Sea. The territory also included Mehebel, Aczib,
• Isaiah 23:1This message came to me concerning Tyre: Wail, you trading ships of Tarshish, for the harbor and houses of Tyre are gone! The rumors you heard in Cyprus are all true.
• Matthew 11:21“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.
• Proverbs 17:14Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.
• Proverbs 20:18Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.
• Proverbs 25:8don’t be in a hurry to go to court. For what will you do in the end if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat?
• Ecclesiastes 10:4If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.
• Isaiah 27:4My anger will be gone. If I find briers and thorns growing, I will attack them; I will burn them up—
• Luke 14:31“Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?
• 1 Kings 5:9My servants will bring the logs from the Lebanon mountains to the Mediterranean Sea and make them into rafts and float them along the coast to whatever place you choose. Then we will break the rafts apart so you can carry the logs away. You can pay me by supplying me with food for my household.”
• 2 Chronicles 2:10In payment for your woodcutters, I will send 100,000 bushels of crushed wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley, 110,000 gallons of wine, and 110,000 gallons of olive oil.”
• Ezra 3:7Then the people hired masons and carpenters and bought cedar logs from the people of Tyre and Sidon, paying them with food, wine, and olive oil. The logs were brought down from the Lebanon mountains and floated along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Joppa, for King Cyrus had given permission for this.
• Ezekiel 27:17Judah and Israel traded for your wares, offering wheat from Minnith, figs, honey, olive oil, and balm.
• Hosea 2:8She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has— the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal.
• Amos 4:6“I brought hunger to every city and famine to every town. But still you would not return 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
• 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