Matthew 14:8 Meaning and Explanation
“And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Coached by Herodias, the girl demands John the Baptist's head served on a platter.
What Does Matthew 14:8 Mean?
The trap closes. Prompted beforehand by her mother, the girl asks not for treasure or honor but for the prophet's head on a serving dish. Herodias has used her own daughter to obtain the revenge she could not take herself. The chilling request turns a celebration into a death sentence.
Hatred nursed in secret will seize any opportunity to strike. Herodias could not silence John's voice by argument, so she silenced it by murder, and corrupted her child in the doing. Resentment left unrepented does not fade; it waits and schemes. The heart that will not forgive eventually finds a way to wound.
Matthew 14:8 in the Original Language
pinax (πίναξ), 'charger' -- a flat dish or platter for serving food at a meal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 14:8
What does Matthew 14:8 mean?
Coached by Herodias, the girl demands John the Baptist's head served on a platter.