Matthew 14 · Verse 3

Matthew 14:3

For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.
Matthew 14:3, King James Version

Matthew 14:3 in other translations

BSBNow Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
WEBFor Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
ASVFor Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
YLTFor Herod having laid hold on John, did bind him, and did put him in prison, because of Herodias his brother Philip's wife,
DARBYFor Herod had seized John, and had bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother.
BBEFor Herod had taken John and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
WebsterFor Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.

What does Matthew 14:3 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 3-5. For Herod had laid hold on John, etc. See Mr 6:17-20 Lu 3:19,20. This Herodias was a grand-daughter of Herod the Great. She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probably the one that danced and pleased Herod. Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. He stopped at his brother's; fell in love with his wife; agreed to put away his own wife, the daughter of Arteas, king of Petraea; and Herodias agreed to leave her own husband, and live with him. They were living, therefore, in adultery; and John in faithfulness, though at the risk of his life, had reproved them for their crimes. Herod was guilty of two crimes in this act:

(1) of adultery, as she was the wife of another man;

(2) of incest, as she was a near relation, and such marriages were expressly forbidden, Lev 18:16.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 For Herodias' sake - This infamous woman was the daughter of Aristobulus and Bernice, and grand-daughter of Herod the Great. Her first marriage was with Herod Philip, her uncle, by whom she had Salome: some time after, she left her husband, and lived publicly with Herod Antipas, her brother-in-law, who had been before married to the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia Petraea. As soon as Aretas understood that Herod had determined to put away his daughter, he prepared to make war on him: the two armies met, and that of Herod was cut to pieces by the Arabians; and this, Josephus says, was supposed to be a judgment of God on him for the murder of John the Baptist. See the account in Josephus, Antiq. lib. xviii. c. 7.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 14:1-12

The terror and reproach of conscience, which Herod, like other daring offenders, could not shake off, are proofs and warnings of a future judgment, and of future misery to them. But there may be the terror of convictions, where there is not the truth of conversion. When men pretend to favour the gospel, yet live in evil, we must not favour their self-delusion, but must deliver our consciences as John did. The world…

Read the full comment on Matthew 14:1-12 →

Matthew 14:3 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.

ὁho<the>G3588
γὰρgarForG1063
ἩρῴδηςHērōdēsHerodG2264
κρατήσαςkratēsashaving seizedG2902
τὸνton<the>G3588
ἸωάννηνIōannēnJohnG2491
ἔδησενedēsenhe boundG1210
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνeninG1722
φυλακῇphulakēaprisonG5438
ἀπέθετοapethetoput [him] asideG659
διὰdiaon account ofG1223
ἩρῳδιάδαHērōdiadaHerodiasG2266
τὴνtēntheG3588
γυναῖκαgunaikawifeG1135
ΦιλίππουPhilippouof PhilipG5376
τοῦtoutheG3588
ἀδελφοῦadelphoubrotherG80
αὐτοῦ.autouof him.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 14:3

  • Mark 6:17

    For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.

  • Luke 3:19-20

    But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

  • Matthew 4:12

    Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

  • Mark 6:19

    Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

  • Matthew 11:2

    Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

  • Mark 6:22

    And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

  • Luke 13:1

    There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

  • John 3:23-24

    And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Herod.
4:12; Mr 6:17; Lu 3:19,20; Joh 3:23,24
Herodias'.This infamous woman was the daughter of Aristobulus and Bernice, and granddaughter of Herod the Great.
his.
Lu 13:1
Philip's.Herod Philip, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne.

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

Context

  • Matthew 14:2

    And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

  • Matthew 14:3

    For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.

  • Matthew 14:4

    For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

Read all of Matthew 14

Matthew 14:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque Herodes había prendido á Juan, y le había aprisionado y puesto en la cárcel, por causa de Herodías, mujer de Felipe su hermano;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car Hérode, ayant fait prendre Jean, l’avait fait lier et mettre en prison, à cause d’Hérodias, la femme de Philippe son frère;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn Herodes hatte Johannes gegriffen, ihn gebunden und ins Gefängnis gesetzt, um der Herodias willen, des Weibes seines Bruders Philippus.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Herodes enim tenuit Joannem, et alligavit eum: et posuit in carcerem propter Herodiadem uxorem fratris sui.