Herod the Great

Herod the Great. King of Judea and all Palestine at the time of Jesus' birth. He was the 2nd son of the Idumean Antipater, and thus a descendant of the ancient Edomites, but he was a Jew by citizenship and religious profession. The kingdom of Herod initially comprised Judea (including Samaria and Idumea) however, Antony took Jericho and its territory and gave it to Cleopatra of Egypt. After the battle at Actium in 31 b.c., from which Octavian emerged victor over Antony, Herod made another switch in affiliation, went to Rhodes where Octavian was, and succeeded in gaining his favor.

Herod's family life was full of tragedies, and was soiled with the blood of his closest relatives, including three of his own sons and one of his ten wives. Herod was a great builder and the founder of several magnificent cities, which were built in Hellenistic style and splendor. The city of Jerusalem also received his attention. Beginning c. 20 b.c. he rebuilt Zerubbabel's Temple, which was in a dilapidated condition, and began to erect magnificent buildings in and around the Temple. He also built a royal palace in Jerusalem, one tower of which is still partly visible in the lower section of the so—called "Tower of David" in the citadel.

Although Herod was a Hellenist in heart and practice, and surrounded himself by Hellenistic counselors, he was prudent enough to refrain from suppressing or openly defying the Jewish religion as Antiochus IV had done in the preceding century. However, the Jews hated him because he was an Idumean and a friend of the Romans, and because of his scandalous private life. They resented his extreme cruelty and the imposition upon them of a heavy tax burden necessitated by his extensive building program. The absence of open rebellion during his long reign was due to his unwavering loyalty to the Romans, to his ruthlessness in suppressing every opposition, and to the fact that there was external peace in his day.

Herod the Great appears in the New Testament in the date formula of Lk 1:5, and in the narrative of the "wise men from the east" as told in Mt 2:1—18. Upon hearing that a descendant of David was born in Bethlehem according to an ancient prophecy, the king gave orders to kill all infants in that city. This cruel act is not recorded in secular history. It is in full harmony with his other known acts of atrocity and cruelty.

The last atrocity planned by Herod was fortunately never carried out. Knowing that there would be great rejoicing in the kingdom when the people would learn of his death, he had the principal Jews shut up in the stadium in Jericho, and gave orders to have them killed as soon as he died, in order to provide some mourning over his death. However, his sister Salome and her husband Alexas, who were charged with carrying out this order, foiled his plan by releasing the unfortunate noblemen after his death, thus bringing great joy to many Jewish homes. Herod passed away in his 34th regnal year at the age of 69, in 4/3 b.c., most probably in the spring of 4 b.c.