Acts 12:20

ὁ Ἡρώδης omitted with אABD. Unrepresented in Vulg.

20. ἦν δὲ θυμομαχῶν, now he was highly displeased. The word is of very rare occurrence, being found once in Polybius and once in Diodorus Siculus, and nowhere else. It implies a very deep seated feeling of anger.

Τυρίοις καὶ Σιδωνίοις, with them of Tyre and Sidon. These cities were still seats of maritime industry, and perhaps Herod’s regard for the people of Berytus (Beyrout), another Phoenician seaport a little north of Sidon, may have been connected as cause or effect with his anger at the people of the two older cities. Josephus (XIX. 7. 5) gives an account of splendid buildings which this king provided for Berytus. It is clear that the way in which the royal anger had made itself felt was one which interfered with the commercial prosperity of Tyre and Sidon.

ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ παρῆσαν πρὸς αὐτόν, but they came with one accord to him, i.e. they joined in a common embassy and sent persons from both towns to make representations and to use their influence to appease Herod’s anger.

Βλάστον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος τοῦ βασιλέως, Blastus the king’s chamberlain. The name Blastus is Roman, and the man had probably taken office under this eastern king because he was high in the favour of the Roman emperor.

ᾐτοῦντο εἰρήνην, they asked for peace. We are not to understand from these words that Agrippa was making war on Tyre and Sidon, but only that he was on unfriendly terms with them and was impeding their trade.

διὰ τὸ τρέφεσθαι αὐτῶν τὴν χώραν�, because their country was nourished by the king’s country. The extent of Herod’s rule was very great, and if he encouraged another port, and made regulations by which traffic was diverted from the towns of Tyre and Sidon, it was in his power to take away from them at least one-half of the commerce which was their support.