Who was Herod in the Bible?

Herod Antipas

Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great and ruled as tetrarch of Galilee and Perea during the time of Jesus' ministry. He is mentioned in the Gospels in connection with the imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist (Mat.14.3,6; Mrk.6.17-29; Luk.3.19-20). Herod Antipas had married Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, which John the Baptist condemned as unlawful. In retaliation, Herodias's daughter danced for Herod Antipas and requested the head of John the Baptist as a reward. Herod, though reluctant, fulfilled her request and had John beheaded. During Jesus' ministry, Herod Antipas heard about Jesus' miracles and teachings and was perplexed, thinking that John the Baptist had risen from the dead (Mat.14.1-2; Mrk.6.14-16; Luk.9.7-9). Later, during Jesus' trial, Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, who was in Jerusalem at the time (Luk.23.7-12). Herod Antipas questioned Jesus, hoping to see a miracle, but Jesus remained silent. Herod and his soldiers mocked Jesus, dressed him in an elegant robe, and sent him back to Pilate. This encounter between Herod Antipas and Jesus is unique to the Gospel of Luke.

Herod the Great

Herod, also known as Herod the Great, was the Roman-appointed king of Judea during the time of Jesus' birth. He was an Idumean (Edomite) by birth and was appointed as king by the Roman Senate in 40 BC. Herod was known for his ambitious building projects, including the expansion and renovation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. In the Bible, Herod is portrayed as a cruel and paranoid ruler. When the wise men from the East inquired about the birth of the "king of the Jews," Herod saw this as a threat to his power (Mat.2.1-8). After the wise men failed to report back to him, Herod ordered the massacre of all male children aged two and under in Bethlehem and the surrounding region (Mat.2.16-18). This event, known as the "Massacre of the Innocents," reflects Herod's ruthless nature and his determination to eliminate any perceived threats to his rule. Herod's death is mentioned in Mat.2.19, which allowed Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to return from Egypt, where they had fled to escape Herod's wrath. (Mat.2; Luk.1.5).

10 verses: Acts 23:35, Luke 1:5, Matthew 2:3, Matthew 2:7, Matthew 2:12, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:15, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 2:22

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Where does Herod appear in the Bible?

Herod is referenced in 38 verses across 4 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• Acts 4:27
• Luke 3:19
• Luke 8:3
• Luke 9:7
• Luke 9:9
• Luke 13:31
• Luke 23:7
• Luke 23:8
• Luke 23:11
• Luke 23:12
• Luke 23:15
• Matthew 14:1
• Matthew 14:3
• Matthew 14:6
• Mark 6:14
• Mark 6:16
• Mark 6:17
• Mark 6:18
• Mark 6:20
• Mark 6:21
• Mark 6:22
• Mark 8:15

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Herod.