But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.
Parallel translations
- WEB But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.
- KJV But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
- BSB On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod
- NASB But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,
- NLT But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
At Herod's birthday feast the daughter of Herodias danced and pleased him. A moment of indulgent pleasure sets a deadly plan in motion.
Overview
During Herod's birthday celebration, Herodias's daughter danced before the guests and delighted Herod. The festive, self-indulgent setting becomes the occasion for a manipulated scheme against John. The verse shows how unguarded pleasure and pride can be exploited, and it advances the tragic account of John's execution.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mark 6:21–23Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.
- Gen 40:20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
- Hos 1:5–6It will happen in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”
- Mark 6:17For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her.
- Matt 22:24saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.’
- Esth 1:2–12in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
- Mark 6:19Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t,
- Dan 5:1–4Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
- Luke 3:19but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,
- Esth 2:18Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 14:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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