Herod in the Bible

Now [after] Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,

And [when] King Herod heard [it], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him,

Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men [and] determined precisely from them the time [when] the star appeared.

And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their [own] country by another route.

Now [after] they had gone away, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, "Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him."

And he arose, and took the young child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt, And continued there till the death of Herod;

And he was there until the death of Herod, in order that what was said by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Then Herod, [when he] saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, became very angry, and he sent [soldiers] [and] executed all the children in Bethlehem and in all the region [around] it from [the age of] two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined precisely from the wise men.

Now [after] Herod had died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

But [when he] heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream, he took refuge in the regions of Galilee.

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus

For Herod, [after] arresting John, bound him and put [him] in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,

Although Herod wanted to kill him, he was afraid of the crowd, since they regarded John as a prophet.

But [when] Herod's birthday celebration took place, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst [of them] and pleased Herod.

and so pleased Herod that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for.

Now King Herod became very distressed [over such a gruesome request]; but because he had [promised with] oaths and [to look good in front of] his party guests, he ordered John's head to be given [to her].

And they sent unto him their disciples with Herod's servants, saying, "Master, we know that thou art true, and that thou teachest the way of God truly, neither carest for any man, for thou considerest not men's estate.

And the Pharisees departed, and straightway gathered a counsel, with them that belonged to Herod, against him: that they might destroy him.

And king Herod heard of him, for his name was spread abroad; And he said, "John Baptist is risen again from death, and therefore miracles are wrought by him."

But when Herod heard of him, he said, "It is John whom I beheaded, he is risen from death again."

For Herod himself had sent forth, and had taken John, and bound him and cast him into prison for Herodias' sake, which was his brother Philip's wife. For he had married her.

John said unto Herod, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife."

For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man, and a holy, and gave him reverence; And when he heard him he did many things, and heard him gladly.

But when a convenient day was come: Herod on his birthday made a supper to the Lords, captains, and chief estates of Galilee.

And the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat at board also. Then the king said unto the maiden, "Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee."

And he charged them, saying, "Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod."

And they sent unto him certain of the Pharisees with Herod's servants, to take him in his words.

In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the order of Abijah; and he had a wife of the family of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Now in the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being ruler of Judaea, and Herod being king of Galilee, his brother Philip king of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias king of Abilene,

But Herod the king, because John had made a protest on account of Herodias, his brother's wife, and other evil things which Herod had done,

Added to all this, Herod locked John up in prison.

and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who assisted Him with their substance.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things that were done by Him; and was perplexed, because it was said by some that John was risen from the dead;

And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? and he wanted to see Him.

The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

And He said to them, "Go and tell that fox [Note: This is a metaphor signifying the sly, cunning nature of King Herod], 'Look, I am driving out evil spirits and performing [miraculous] healings today and tomorrow, but on the third day I will be finished.'

So, He said, "A certain distinguished gentleman went to a distant country to receive a royal appointment [i.e., as king over a territory] and then return. [Note: This is the only parable of Jesus' that correlates with a known incident; that of Herod's son Archelaus going to Rome to receive from Caesar Augustus an appointment to rule over Judea, Samaria and Idumaea in

So when he learned with certainty that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, He sent Him up to Herod, for he was in Jerusalem at that time.

Now Herod was very glad to see Jesus, for he had been wanting to see Him for a long time on account of what he had heard about Him; also he was hoping to see some spectacular performance done by Him.

So Herod questioned him at considerable length; Jesus gave him no answer.

Then Herod and his bodyguard treated Him with contempt and made sport of Him and put a gorgeous robe on Him and sent Him back to Pilate.

So Herod and Pilate became personal friends that very day; they had been at enmity before.

you have represented this man to me as one that was stirring up the people to a revolt: you see I have examin'd him in your presence; yet I don't find he is guilty of the crimes you have laid to his charge: no, nor even Herod;

No; nor does Herod, for he has sent Him back to us. Indeed, He has done nothing to deserve the death penalty.

Now the women who told these things to the apostles were Mary from Magdala; Joanna [Note: This was the wife of Chuzas, Herod's property manager. See Luke 8:3], and other women who were with them.

The kings of the earth [i.e., Herod and Pilate] took their stand [against Jesus], and the rulers [of the Jews] gathered against the Lord and against His Anointed One [i.e., Christ].'

For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

When he arrested Peter, Herod put him in prison and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning to bring him out to the people after Passover season.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

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 Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

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.

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

Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

And when he had read the letter, he inquired to what province he belonged. And learning that he was from Cilicia, he said: I will hear you when your accusers also have come. And he ordered him to be kept under guard in Herod's palace.

I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.

After a number of days King Agrippa [Note: This man was the great grandson of Herod the Great. See Matt. 2:1] and [his wife] Bernice arrived at Caesarea and came to greet Festus.