Matthew 14 · Verse 6

Matthew 14:6

But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
Matthew 14:6, King James Version

Matthew 14:6 in other translations

BSBOn Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod
WEBBut when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.
ASVBut when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod.
YLTBut the birthday of Herod being kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and did please Herod,
DARBYBut when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod;
BBEBut when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias was dancing before them, and Herod was pleased with her.
WebsterBut when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

What does Matthew 14:6 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 6-13. See also Mk 6:21-29. But when Herod's birthday was kept. Kings were accustomed to observe the day of their birth with much pomp, and commonly also by giving a feast to their principal nobility. See Gen 40:20. Mark adds, that this birthday was kept by making a supper to his "lords, high captains, and chief estates in Galilee." That is, to the chief men in office. High captains means, in the original, commanders of thousands, or of a division of a thousand men.

The daughter of Herodias. That is, Salome, her daughter by her former husband. This was a violation of all the rules of modesty and propriety. One great principle of all eastern nations is to keep their females from public view. For this purpose they are confined in a particular part of the house, called the harem. Mt 9:2. If they appear in public, it is always with a veil so closely drawn that their faces cannot be seen, No modest woman would have appeared in this manner before the court; and it is probable, therefore, that she partook of the dissolute principles of her mother. It is also probable that the dance was one well known in Greece, the lascivious and wanton dance of the Ionics.

(2) "danced before them" or, "in the midst"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Herod's birth-day - Either the day in which he was born, or the day on which he began to reign; for both were termed birth-days. See 1Sam 13:1, and Hos 7:5. The kings of Persia were accustomed to reject no petition that was preferred to them during the entertainment. See Herodotus in Calliope, and Est 5:3. The daughter - danced - This was Salome, mentioned before. Danced: by a literal rendering of the saltavit of the Vulgate, in my old MS. of the English Bible, the whole of this business seems to be treated with sovereign contempt: for thus says the translator, Shee leped in the myddle.

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 14:6 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.

ΓενεσίοιςGenesiois[The] birthdayG1077
δὲdenowG1161
γενομένοιςgenomenoishaving happenedG1096
τοῦtou<the>G3588
ἩρῴδουHērōdouof HerodG2264
ὠρχήσατοōrchēsatodancedG3738
ἡhētheG3588
θυγάτηρthugatērdaughterG2364
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
ἩρῳδιάδοςHērōdiadosof HerodiasG2266
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
μέσῳmesōmidstG3319
καὶkaiandG2532
ἤρεσενēresenpleasedG700
τῷtō<the>G3588
Ἡρῴδῃ·HērōdēHerod;G2264

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

Cross references for Matthew 14:6

  • Mark 6:21-23

    And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; 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. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

  • Hosea 1:5-6

    And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo–ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

  • Genesis 40:20

    And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

  • Matthew 22:24

    Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

  • Esther 1:2-12

    That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace; …

  • 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.

  • Mark 6:19

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

  • Luke 3:19

    But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

  • Esther 2:18

    Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

  • Daniel 5:1-4

    Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
birth-day.
Ge 40:20; Es 1:2-9; 2:18; Da 5:1-4; Ho 1:5,6; Mr 6:21-23
the daughter.
22:24
danced.
Es 1:10-12
before them. Gr. in the midst.

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

Context

  • Matthew 14:5

    And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

  • Matthew 14:6

    But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

  • Matthew 14:7

    Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

Read all of Matthew 14

Matthew 14:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas celebrándose el día del nacimiento de Herodes, la hija de Herodías danzó en medio, y agradó á Herodes.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mais lorsqu’on célébrait l’anniversaire de la naissance d’Hérode, la fille d’Hérodias dansa devant tous, et plut à Hérode:
German
Elberfelder 1871
Als aber der Geburtstag des Herodes begangen wurde, tanzte die Tochter der Herodias vor ihnen, und sie gefiel dem Herodes;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Die autem natalis Herodis saltavit filia Herodiadis in medio, et placuit Herodi: