Acts 12:20 Meaning and Explanation
“And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Herod is angry with Tyre and Sidon; dependent on his lands for food, the coastal cities win over his chamberlain and sue for peace.
What Does Acts 12:20 Mean?
The scene shifts to court politics. Tyre and Sidon, the great Phoenician port cities, had somehow displeased the king, and they could not afford his anger: their people ate grain from his territories, as in the days of Solomon and Hiram (1 Kings 5:9-11). So they reach Herod the way petitioners reach kings — by making a friend of Blastus, the officer of his bedchamber.
Luke sketches the ordinary machinery of power: leverage, flattery, managed access, whole cities bowing because one man controls their bread. The picture sets up the chapter's final contrast — a king grown used to being needed, ripe to accept worship. The church, meanwhile, had received its bread and its apostle's life from another King, and owed Herod nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 12:20
What does Acts 12:20 mean?
Herod is angry with Tyre and Sidon; dependent on his lands for food, the coastal cities win over his chamberlain and sue for peace.