Acts 12 · Verse 20

Acts 12:20

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.
Acts 12:20, King James Version

Acts 12:20 in other translations

BSBNow Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food.
WEBNow Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.
ASVNow he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king’s country.
YLTAnd Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians, and with one accord they came unto him, and having made a friend of Blastus, who is over the bed-chambers of the king, they were asking peace, because of their country being nourished from the king's;
DARBYAnd he was in bitter hostility with the Tyrians and Sidonians; but they came to him with one accord, and, having gained Blastus the king's chamberlain, sought peace, because their country was nourished by the king's.
BBENow he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon: and they came to him, all together, and having made friends with Blastus, the controller of the king's house, they made a request for peace, because their country was dependent on the king's country for its food.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Acts 12:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ac 12:20-25. Herod's Miserable End--Growing Success of the Gospel--Barnabas and Saul Return to Antioch.

20. 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. And Herod was highly displeased, etc. Greek, Bare an hostile mind, intending war. See the margin. The Greek word--θυμομαχων --does 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 character of Herod. It was probably from some cause relating to commerce. Tyre and Sidon were under the Roman power, and had some shadow of liberty, (Grotius;) and it is probable that they might have embarrassed Herod in some of his regulations respecting commerce.

Tyre and Sidon. Mt 11:21. They were north of Caesarea.

They came with one accord. Fearing the effects of his anger, they united in sending an embassage to him to make peace.

Blastus the king's chamberlain. See Rom 16:23. The word chamberlain denotes an officer who is charged with the direction and management of a chamber, or chambers, particularly a bed-chamber. It denotes, here, a man who had charge of the bed-chamber of Herod.

Because their country was nourished, etc. Was supplied by the territories of Herod. The country of Tyre and Sidon included a narrow strip of land on the coast of the Mediterranean. Of course they were dependent for provisions, and for articles of commerce, on the interior country; but this belonged to the kingdom of Herod; and as they were entirely dependent on his country, as he had power to dry up the sources of their supports, and commerce, they were the more urgent to secure his favour.

(1) "highly displeased" "bare an hostile mind, intending war" (*) "accord" "consent" (2) "king's chamberlain" "That was over the king's bed-chamber" (a) "their country" Eze 27:17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Highly 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 chamberlain. Desired peace - The Tyrians and Sidonians being equally subjects of the Roman government with the inhabitants of Galilee, Herod could not go to war with them; but, being irritated against them, he might prevent their supplies: they therefore endeavored to be on peaceable, i.e. friendly, terms with him. Their country was nourished by the king's country - That is, they had all their supplies from Galilee; for Tyre and Sidon, being places of trade and commerce, with little territory, were obliged to have all their provisions from the countries under Herod's jurisdiction. This had been the case even from the days of Solomon, as we learn from 1Kgs 5:11; where it is said that Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat, for food to his household; and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. See also Eze 27:17.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 12:20-25
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 carry about with us; they have in them the seeds of their own dissolution, by which they will soon be destroyed, whenever God does but speak the word. We may learn wisdom from the people of Tyre and Sidon, for we have offended the Lord with our sins. We depend on him for life, and breath, and all things; it surely then behoves us to humble ourselves before him, that through the appointed Mediator, who is ever ready to befriend us, we may be reconciled to him, lest wrath come upon us to the utmost.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 12:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἦνēnHe wasG1510
δὲdenowG1161
ἩρῴδηςHērōdēsHerodG2264
θυμομαχῶνthumomachōnfuriously angryG2371
ΤυρίοιςTurioiswith [the] TyriansG5183
καὶkaiandG2532
Σιδωνίοις·SidōnioisSidonians;G4606
ὁμοθυμαδὸνhomothumadonwith one accordG3661
δὲdethenG1161
παρῆσανparēsanthey were comingG3918
πρὸςprostoG4314
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
καὶkaiAndG2532
πείσαντεςpeisanteshaving gainedG3982
ΒλάστονBlastonBlastusG986
τὸνtonwho [was]G3588
ἐπὶepioverG1909
τοῦtoutheG3588
κοιτῶνοςkoitōnosbedchamberG2846
τοῦtouof theG3588
βασιλέωςbasileōskingG935
ᾐτοῦντοētountothey were seekingG154
εἰρήνην,eirēnēnpeace,G1515
διὰdiabecause ofG1223
τὸto<the>G3588
τρέφεσθαιtrephesthaibeing nourishedG5142
αὐτῶνautōntheirG846
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
χώρανchōranregionG5561
ἀπὸapobyG575
τῆςtēstheG3588
βασιλικῆς.¶basilikēsking’s.G937

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 12:20

  • Ezra 3:7

    They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

  • Ezekiel 27:17

    Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm.

  • Matthew 11:21-22

    Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, 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. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

  • Luke 14:31-32

    Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

  • Luke 16:8

    And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

  • Amos 4:6-9

    And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

  • 2 Chronicles 2:15

    Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:

  • Isaiah 27:4-5

    Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.

  • Genesis 10:15

    And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

  • Genesis 10:19

    And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

  • Proverbs 25:8

    Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

  • Proverbs 17:14

    The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
was highly displeased. or, bare an hostile mind intendingwar. Tyre.
Ge 10:15,19; Jos 19:29; Isa 23:1-4; Mt 11:21,22
but.
Pr 17:14; 20:18; 25:8; Ec 10:4; Isa 27:4,5; Lu 14:31,32
the king's chamberlain. Gr. that was over the king'sbed-chamber. because.
1Ki 5:9-11; 2Ch 2:10,15; Ezr 3:7; Eze 27:17; Ho 2:8,9; Am 4:6-9
Hag 1:8-11; 2:16,17; Lu 16:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 12:19

    And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode.

  • Acts 12:20

    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.

  • Acts 12:21

    And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

Read all of Acts 12

Acts 12:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Herodes estaba enojado contra los de Tiro y los de Sidón: mas ellos vinieron concordes á él, y sobornado Blasto, que era el camarero del rey, pedían paz; porque las tierras de ellos eran abastecidas por las del rey.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or il était très irrité contre les Tyriens et les Sidoniens; mais ils vinrent à lui d’un commun accord, et ayant gagné Blaste le chambellan du roi, ils demandèrent la paix, parce que leur pays était nourri par celui du roi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er war aber sehr erbittert gegen die Tyrer und Sidonier. Sie kamen aber einmütig zu ihm, und nachdem sie Blastus, den Kämmerer des Königs, überredet hatten, baten sie um Frieden, weil ihr Land von dem königlichen ernährt wurde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Erat autem iratus Tyriis et Sidoniis. At illi unanimes venerunt ad eum, et persuaso Blasto, qui erat super cubiculum regis, postulabant pacem, eo quod alerentur regiones eorum ab illo.