Mar 6:17-20 | JFB | STEP | 17. For Herod himself had sent forth, and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison-- in the castle of Machærus, near the southern extremity of Herod's dominions, and adjoining the Dead Sea [Josephus, Antiquities, 18.5,2]. for Herodias' sake-- She was the granddaughter of Herod the Great. his brother Philip's wife-- and therefore the niece of both brothers. This Philip, however, was not the tetrarch of that name mentioned in (see on ), but one whose distinctive name was "Herod Philip," another son of Herod the Great--who was disinherited by his father. Herod Antipas' own wife was the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia; but he prevailed on Herodias, his half-brother Philip's wife, to forsake her husband and live with him, on condition, says Josephus [Antiquities, 18.5,1], that he should put away his own wife. This involved him afterwards in war with Aretas, who totally defeated him and destroyed his army, from the effects of which he was never able to recover himself.

‏ Mark 6:17-20

17. For Herod himself had sent forth, and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison--in the castle of Machærus, near the southern extremity of Herod's dominions, and adjoining the Dead Sea [Josephus, Antiquities, 18.5,2].

for Herodias' sake--She was the granddaughter of Herod the Great.

his brother Philip's wife--and therefore the niece of both brothers. This Philip, however, was not the tetrarch of that name mentioned in Lu 3:1 (see on Lu 3:1), but one whose distinctive name was "Herod Philip," another son of Herod the Great--who was disinherited by his father. Herod Antipas' own wife was the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia; but he prevailed on Herodias, his half-brother Philip's wife, to forsake her husband and live with him, on condition, says Josephus [Antiquities, 18.5,1], that he should put away his own wife. This involved him afterwards in war with Aretas, who totally defeated him and destroyed his army, from the effects of which he was never able to recover himself.

18. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife--Noble fidelity! It was not lawful because Herod's wife and Herodias' husband were both living; and further, because the parties were within the forbidden degrees of consanguinity (see Le 20:21); Herodias being the daughter of Aristobulus, the brother of both Herod and Philip [Josephus, Antiquities, 18.5,4].

19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him--rather, as in the Margin, "had a grudge against him." Probably she was too proud to speak to him; still less would she quarrel with him.

and would have killed him; but she could not.

20. For Herod feared John--but, as Bengel notes, John feared not Herod.

knowing that he was a just man and an holy--Compare the case of Elijah with Ahab, after the murder of Naboth (1Ki 21:20).

and observed him--rather, as in the Margin, "kept" or "saved him"; that is, from the wicked designs of Herodias, who had been watching for some pretext to get Herod entangled and committed to despatch him.

and when he heard him, he did many things--many good things under the influence of the Baptist on his conscience.

and heard him gladly--a striking statement this, for which we are indebted to our graphic Evangelist alone, illustrating the working of contrary principles in the slaves of passion. But this only shows how far Herodias must have wrought upon him, as Jezebel upon Ahab, that he should at length agree to what his awakened conscience kept him long from executing.