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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Acts 12:20 - 12:20
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Was highly displeased (ēn thumomachōn). Periphrastic imperfect active of thumomacheō, late compound of thumos (passionate heat) and machomai, to fight. Only here in the N.T., to fight desperately, to have a hot quarrel. Whether it was open war with the Phoenicians or just violent hostility we do not know, save that Phoenicia belonged to Syria and Herod Agrippa had no authority there. The quarrel may have been over commercial matters.
They came with one accord (homothumadon parēsan). The representatives of Tyre and Sidon. See note on Act 1:14 for homothumadon. Tyre was a colony of Sidon and had become one of the chief commercial cities of the world by reason of the Phoenician ships.
The king’s chamberlain (ton epi tou koitōnos tou basileos). The one over the bedchamber (koitōnos, late word from koitē, bed, here only in the N.T.).
Made their friend (peisantes). First aorist active participle of peithō, to persuade. Having persuaded (probably with bribes as in Mat 28:14).
They asked for peace (ēitounto eirēnēn). Imperfect middle of aiteō, kept on asking for peace.
Because their country was fed (dia to trephesthai autōn tēn choran). Causal sentence with dia and the articular infinitive (present passive of trephō, to nourish or feed) and the accusative of general reference, “because of the being fed as to their country.” Tyre and Sidon as large commercial cities on the coast received large supplies of grain and fruits from Palestine. Herod had cut off the supplies and that brought the two cities to action.