Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 6:19
Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
19. had a quarrel ] or as it is rendered in the margin, “ had an inward grudge ” against him. The word here translated “had a quarrel” occurs in Luk 11:53, where we have rendered it, “and the Pharisees began to urge Him vehemently,” and in Gen 49:23, where the dying Jacob says of Joseph, “The archers sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him.” It denotes literally (1) to “hold” or “keep fast within one;” then (2) to “lay up” or “cherish wrath” against another. Comp. Herod. i. 118, vi. 119. In Tyndale and Cranmer’s Versions it is rendered “laid waite for him,” in the Rhemish, “sought all occasion against him.”
would have killed ] The word in the original is much stronger, and denotes that she had a settled wish to kill him. Some Versions read “ she sought ” or “ kept seeking ” means to kill him.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 19. Would have killed] , SOUGHT to kill him. C and five of the Itala.
See the whole of this account, from Mr 6:17-29, explained on Mt 14:2-12.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrelagainst himrather, as in the Margin, “had a grudgeagainst him.” Probably she was too proud to speak to him; stillless would she quarrel with him.
and would have killed him;but she could not.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him,…. Was angry with him, conceived wrath, and laid up hatred against him, and was an adversary to him; which is the sense of the Oriental versions. She bore him an inward grudge, and lay in wait to take the first opportunity of dispatching him:
and would have killed him, but she could not; being hindered by Herod, who as yet would not suffer it; partly through fear of the people, and partly through the respect he had for John.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And Herodias set herself against him (H H ). Dative of disadvantage. Literally,
had it in for him . This is modern slang, but is in exact accord with this piece of vernacular Koine. No object of is expressed, though or may be implied. The tense is imperfect and aptly described the feelings of Herodias towards this upstart prophet of the wilderness who had dared to denounce her private relations with Herod Antipas. Gould suggests that she “kept her eye on him” or kept up her hostility towards him. She never let up, but bided her time which, she felt sure, would come. See the same idiom in Ge 49:23. She
desired to kill him ( ). Imperfect again.
And she could not ( ). here has an adversative sense, but she could not. That is, not yet. “The power was wanting, not the will” (Swete).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Had a quarrel against him [ ] . There is some dispute about the rendering. The Rev. renders Set herself against him, with no alternative translation in the margin; and in Luk 11:53, Press upon him vehemently, with set themselves against him in the margin. I see no objection to rendering was angry at him, taking ejneicen aujtw with an ellipsis of colon, anger. Very literally, had within herself [] anger against him. So Herodotus, 1, 118. Astyages concealing the anger [ ] which he felt toward him [ ] . 6 119, ejneice sfi deinon colon, nourished a fierce anger against them. So Moulton, Grimm, and De Wette.
Desired [] . Imperfect tense, was desiring all along. Her demand for John’s murder was the result of a long – cherished wish.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him,”(he de Herodias eneichen auto) “Now Herodias had a grudge against him,” against John the Baptist. She held. this grudge, with malice, until John’s execution, Mar 6:28, until she saw his head cut off and on a platter before her, Eph 4:31-32.
2) ”And would have killed him,” (kai ethelen auton apokteinai) ”And wished strongly, emotionally, to kill him herself.” She kept in mind a fixed hate for John, and held a covert desire for revenge, to kill him.
3) ”But she could not:” (kai ouk edunato) ”And she was not able to do so,” to accomplish her end, for a time; Yet the cunning of her malice and old grudge burned in her, until she vented it in the demand for the head of John the Baptist.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(19) Herodias had a quarrel.Better, as in the margin, had a grudge, or spite, against him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
Ver. 19. Herodias had a quarrel against him ] Gr. , hung over him, as highly displeased at him, and waiting an occasion to be even with him. Veritas odium parit, they that follow truth close at heels, may have their teeth struck out, though she be a good mistress. Tange montes et fumigabunt. As wild beasts cannot endure fire, so neither can carnal hearts fervency and plain dealing. Poor Zegedine suffered many years’ captivity in misery and irons by the Turk, for one word in a sermon, which distasted a woman, without the least cause. Melch. Adanl. in Vita.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 6:19 . .: the murderous mood is by Mark ascribed to Herodias; in her it would certainly be strongest and unchecked by any other feeling. In Herod, if the mood was there, it was accompanied by worthier impulses ( vide on Matthew). , had a grudge ( understood, so Fritzsche al. ) against him , dative of disadvantage); or, kept in mind what John had said, treasured up against him, with fixed hate and purpose of revenge. , and was not able, to compass her end for a while.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
had a quarrel = kept cherishing a grudge.
would have = was desiring to. See App-102.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 6:19. ) had an inward grudge towards him.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Herodias: Gen 39:17-20, 1Ki 21:20
a quarrel: or, an inward grudge, Ecc 7:9, Eph 4:26, Eph 4:27
Reciprocal: Num 35:20 – by laying 2Sa 3:8 – Abner 2Ki 20:14 – What said 2Ch 18:7 – I hate him Est 5:14 – said Zeresh Pro 29:10 – The bloodthirsty Isa 42:20 – opening Jer 20:10 – we shall Jer 26:21 – the king sought Jer 44:19 – without Mat 14:5 – when Jam 5:9 – Grudge not 1Jo 3:15 – hateth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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John’s rebuke especially angered Herodias who would have killed John if she could have done as she felt about it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
6:19 Therefore Herodias {m} had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
(m) Sought all means to hurt him.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Antipas’ passion for Herodias conflicted with his respect for and interest in John. He wanted to maintain both relationships, and tension arose as a result.
"Kingliness changed places: the subject did not fear the sovereign; the sovereign feared the subject." [Note: Morison, p. 152.]
Antipas could live with this tension, but Herodias could not, so she sought to kill her rival. Antipas evidently protected John from Herodias, the latter day Jezebel. John was righteous in his relations with other people and holy in his relationship to God. The perplexity the king felt undoubtedly arose over his conflicting affections for Herodias and John. Sometimes unrepentant sinners are curious about spiritual matters and spiritual people. This seems to have been true of Antipas. Probably the king and John conversed when Herod visited the Machaerus fortress east of the Jordan River where John was a prisoner. Its site in southern Perea, south of the north end of the Dead Sea, overlooked that Sea. This was probably the site of this whole event. [Note: Lane, p. 216; Harold W. Hoehner, Herod Antipas, pp. 146-48.]
"Herod was awed by the purity of John’s character, feared him as the bad fear the good." [Note: Swete, p. 123.]