Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 6:23
And he swore unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give [it] thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
23. unto the half of my kingdom ] Compare the words of Ahasuerus (i. e. Xerxes) to Esther: “What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom ” (Est 5:3; Est 7:2).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. Unto the half of my kingdom.] A noble price for a dance! This extravagance in favour of female dancers has the fullest scope in the east, even to the present day. M. Anquetil du Perron, in the preliminary discourse to his Zend Avesta, p. 344 and 345, gives a particular account of the dancers at Surat. This account cannot be transcribed in a comment on the Gospel of God, however illustrative it might be of the conduct of Herodias and her daughter Salome: it is too abominable for a place here. He observes, that the rich vie with each other in the presents they make to the dancing girls of money and jewels; and that persons of opulence have even ruined themselves by the presents they made to those victims of debauch. He mentions a remarkable case, which may throw light on this passage: “That the dancer Laal-koner gained such a complete ascendancy over the Mogul Emperor Maaz-eddin, that he made her joint governess of the empire with himself.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
23. And hethe king, socalled, but only by courtesy (see on Mr6:14).
sware unto her Whatsoeverthou shalt ask of me, unto the half of my kingdomThose in whompassion and luxury have destroyed self-command will in a capriciousmoment say and do what in their cool moments they bitterly regret.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 Mt 14:7].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And he sware unto her ( ). The girl was of marriageable age though called (cf. Es 2:9). Salome was afterward married to Philip the Tetrarch. The swaggering oath to the half of the kingdom reminds one of Es 5:3f., the same oath made to Esther by Ahasuerus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And he sware unto her,” (kai omosen aute) “And he swore to her,” after an apparent interval of hesitation on the part of the dancing daughter, he gave a solemn oath to her.
2) “Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me,” (hoti ho ean aiteses) “That whatever you ask,” or request of me, as a king, not just as your father, in an amorous, passionate, wine-sotten, dancing, sex-incited moment, Mat 14:6-7.
3) “I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.” (doso soi heos hemisous tes basileias mou) “I will give it up (surrender it up) to you, even to half of my kingdom,” Like Pilate, he sold his soul in this oath-bound pledge, Mat 27:17-26.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
Ver. 23. To the half of my kingdom ] What was his whole kingdom to the life of that precious man, of whom the world was not worthy? Shortly after he was turned out of his kingdom, and (it is to be feared) out of God’s too.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
23. ] The contracted belongs to later Greek, as does also , Mar 6:26 . Webst. and Wilk. quote a parallel from Cic. de Senectute, c. xii.: “Flaminius, cum esset consul in Gallia, exoratus in convivio a scorto est, ut securi feriret aliquem eorum, qui in vinculis essent, damnati rei capitalis.”
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 6:23 . , genitive of , like ( , plural), a late form = the half , of my kingdom: maudlin amorous generosity.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
23.] The contracted belongs to later Greek, as does also , Mar 6:26. Webst. and Wilk. quote a parallel from Cic. de Senectute, c. xii.: Flaminius, cum esset consul in Gallia, exoratus in convivio a scorto est, ut securi feriret aliquem eorum, qui in vinculis essent, damnati rei capitalis.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
he: 1Sa 28:10, 2Ki 6:31, Mat 5:34-37, Mat 14:7
Whatsoever: Est 5:3, Est 5:6, Est 7:2, Pro 6:2, Mat 4:9
Reciprocal: Gen 25:33 – Swear Lev 5:4 – to do evil Deu 23:23 – hast vowed Jdg 21:1 – There 1Ki 13:8 – If Pro 18:7 – his lips Ecc 5:2 – not rash Act 23:12 – bound Act 25:3 – desired
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
The man was so overcome in his passion that he did not stop with a mere promise, but backed it up with an oath, and also specified the maximum limit to which she could go in her wish which was the half of his kingdom.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 6:23. Unto the half of my kingdom. The full form of the oath is here preserved. Ahasuerus (Est 7:2) made a similar oath to his queen; this was to a girl whose graceful immodesty had pleased the king.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 23
The extravagance of this promise is accounted for by the fact that it was doubtless made under the excitement of wine.