57 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For Herod feared John,.... Had him in great respect; he had a great veneration for him; which was the reason that Herodias could not as yet accomplish her design against him, and vent her rage upon him. Though some understand this not of his reverence, but of his dread of him: he knew as follows, that he was a man exemplary for justice and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when a convenient day was come,.... For Herodias; who had long sought and watched for an opportunity of avenging herself on John, and such a time Herod's birthday proved; though some think, that this phrase is the same with יום טוב, "a good day"; often used by the Jews for a festival, any one of their feast days; there is a tract in their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in,.... To the hall, where Herod and his guests were, after supper was over; or rather, whilst at it: she is called the daughter of Herodias, and not of Herod; she having had her not by him, but by his brother Philip: her name is thought to be Salome; [See comments on Matthew 14:6], and danced and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he sware unto her,.... He added an oath to what he had before said, the more to confirm it, and to encourage her in her request, and which he repeated in stronger language: whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom; [See comments on Matthew 14:7].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And she went forth and said unto her mother,.... The king having made such a promise to her, and annexed his oath to it, she thought proper before she asked any thing of him, to withdraw from the hall and company, and consider with herself, and consult with her mother, who was not at the entertainment; it being not usual in those eastern...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And she came in straightway with haste unto the, king,.... Having had her mother's advice, and being hastened by her, she immediately returned to the hall, where the king and his guests were, with much Concern, eagerness, and diligence: and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger, the head of John the Baptist: her petition...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king was exceeding sorry,.... [See comments on Matthew 14:9] yet for his oath's sake, [and] for their sakes which sat with him; as Matthew adds, "at meat", Matthew 14:9; for it seems as if supper was not over, when all this was transacting. He would not reject her; deny her her request, or send her away without granting it which could not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And immediately the king sent an executioner,.... [See comments on Matthew 14:10] and commanded his head to be brought; ordered him to cut off his head in prison, and bring it away forthwith in a charger to him: and he went and beheaded him in the prison; according to his orders.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And brought his head in a charger,.... In a large dish, to Herod, who gave it to the damsel; the daughter of Herodias, as she had requested: and the damsel gave it to her mother; who had instigated her to it; [See comments on Matthew 14:11].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when his disciples heard of it,.... That is, when the disciples of John heard of this barbarous execution of their master, they came; to the prison in the castle of Machaerus, and took up his corpse; the trunk of his body; for his head was carried away, to glut the revenge of Herodias; and laid it in a tomb; [See comments on Matthew 14:12].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the apostles gathered themselves together,.... The twelve apostles of Christ, whom he had sent out, two by two, into different parts, having gone through them, and finished the embassy, they were sent about, met together in one place, and came in a body together, unto Jesus; their Lord and master, who had sent them, and to whom they were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them,.... After he had heard their account, was satisfied with it, and approved of what they had said and done: come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: where they might be free from noise and hurry, and take some rest and refreshment, after their wearisome journey, hard labours, and great fatigue in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they departed into a desert place,.... Which belonged to the city of Bethsaida, Lu 9:10, by ship, privately; over some part of the sea of Tiberias, this place lying on a more remote side of it.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the people saw them departing,.... The multitude that came to and fro, saw Christ and his disciples taking ship, and launching off; for though they were as private as could be, and intended to have gone in a very private manner, yet the people observed them: and many knew him: Jesus; some copies read, "them"; and so do the Syriac and Ethiopic...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jesus, when he came out,.... Of the ship, and was got ashore, saw much people; who came partly from the places where he came from, and partly from the cities and towns adjacent: and was moved with compassion towards them; [See comments on Matthew 14:14], the reason follows, because they were as sheep, not having a shepherd. Christ observed,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when the day was now far spent,.... Or "much time was gone", in teaching the people, and healing the sick: his disciples came unto him; nearer to him, as he was preaching, or healing the sick; and said, this is a desert place, and now the time is far passed; [See comments on Matthew 14:15].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Send them away,.... Leave off preaching, dismiss the assembly; see Matthew 14:15; that they may go into the country round about; or "into the fields"; that is, to the odd houses; which were here and there in the fields; [See comments on Mr 5:14]; and into the villages; the little country towns that were near at hand: and buy themselves bread, for...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
He answered and said unto them, give ye them to eat,.... This he said to try their faith, and make way for the following miracle: and they say unto him, shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? This might be just the sum of money they now had in the bag, as Grotius, and others conjecture; and the sense be, shall...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he saith unto them, how many loaves have ye?.... This he said, not as ignorant, but as willing to try their faith yet more, and that the after miracle might be more manifest and illustrious: go and see; meaning, either that they should examine their own store, if they had any; or rather go and see what was to be had upon the spot, among the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he commanded them to make all sit down,.... Christ ordered his disciples, without any more ado, to cause the whole multitude, men, women, and children, to sit, or lie down, as they used to do at table when about to take a meal: and as they had no table before them, nor beds, or couches to sit, or lie down upon, he directed them to place them...