Act 12:19 | NETfull | STEP | When Herod had searched for him and did not find him, he questioned the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Acts 12:19

19 When Herod ^{▼▼ King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).} had searched ^{▼▼ Or “had instigated a search” (Herod would have ordered the search rather than conducting it himself).} for him and did not find him, he questioned ^{▼▼ “Questioned” is used to translate ἀνακρίνας (anakrinas) here because a possible translation offered by BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω for this verse is “examined,” which could be understood to mean Herod inspected the guards rather than questioned them. The translation used by the NIV, “cross-examined,” also avoids this possible misunderstanding.} the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. ^{▼▼ The meaning “led away to execution” for ἀπαχθῆναι (apacqēnai) in this verse is given by BDAG 95 s.v. ἀπάγω 2.c. Although an explicit reference to execution is lacking here, it is what would usually occur in such a case (Acts 16:27; 27:42; Code of Justinian 9.4.4). “Led away to torture” is a less likely option (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10, 96, 8).} Then ^{▼▼ Grk “and,” but the sequence of events is better expressed in English by “then.” A new sentence is begun in the translation because of the length of the sentence in Greek, which exceeds normal English sentence length.} Herod ^{▼▼ Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Since Herod has been the subject of the preceding material, and the circumstances of his death are the subject of the following verses (20–23), it is best to understand Herod as the subject here. This is especially true since according to Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 [19.343–352], Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44, and vv. 20–23 here describe his death. Thus the end of v. 19 provides Luke’s transition to explain how Herod got from Jerusalem to Caesarea where he died. In spite of all this evidence, the NRSV translates this phrase “Then Peter went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there,” understanding the referent to be Peter rather than Herod Agrippa I.} ^{▼▼ King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great), who died at Caesarea in a.d. 44 according to Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 [19.343–352].} went down from Judea to Caesarea ^{▼▼ Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.} ^{▼▼ For location see Map2-C1; Map4-B3; Map5-F2; Map7-A1; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.} and stayed there.