Mat 14:3-10 | MHM | STEP | v. 3 : For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. The story explains what happened earlier. Herod had arrested John the Baptist and put him in prison because John had spoken out against Herod’s marriage to Herodias, who had been his brother’s wife (Matthew 14:3 ).

‏ Matthew 14:3-10

v. 3: For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. The story explains what happened earlier. Herod had arrested John the Baptist and put him in prison because John had spoken out against Herod’s marriage to Herodias, who had been his brother’s wife (Matthew 14:3 ^a).

v. 4: For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. John bravely told Herod that it was wrong and against God’s law for him to marry Herodias. John was not afraid to speak the truth, even to a powerful ruler (Matthew 14:4 ^b).

v. 5: And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they respected John as a prophet sent by God. Herod was more afraid of public opinion than of God’s truth (Matthew 14:5 ^c).

v. 6: But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. On Herod’s birthday, Herodias’s daughter danced for the guests. Herod was pleased by her dance (Matthew 14:6 ^d).

v. 7: Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. Herod was so pleased that he made a careless promise to give her anything she asked for, even making an oath in front of his guests (Matthew 14:7 ^e).

v. 8: And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. The girl, following her mother Herodias’s instructions, asked for John the Baptist’s head on a plate. Herodias wanted John dead because he had spoken against her marriage to Herod (Matthew 14:8 ^f).

v. 9: And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. Herod was upset, but because he had made a public promise and didn’t want to look weak in front of his guests, he agreed to the terrible request (Matthew 14:9 ^g).

v. 10: And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. Herod sent the order, and John was killed in prison (Matthew 14:10 ^h).