2 Corinthians 11:32
in 2 Corinthians 11In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me:
KJV
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 11
Commentary
11 notes on this verseIn Damascus the governor under Aretas the king,.... Aretas or Al-Hareth was a king of Arabia, of the family of the Gassanii; among whom were many of this name (r); and who for some hundreds of years ruled over Syria, of which Damascus was the metropolis. The fourth king of that family was of this name, and perhaps is the person here meant; and after him there were four more of the same family so called; it was a name of Arabian kings in other families.
This site's exposition
the governor under King Aretas
on 2 Corinthians 11:32-33
The chapter closes with the escape from Damascus of Acts 9:23-25, when the governor under King Aretas secured the city. Aretas IV of Nabatea held the city in the years around Paul's conversion, one of the few fixed points for his early chronology.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
The governor of Damascus, seeing that the Jews had set a trap for the apostle, wanted to bring this wicked scheme to pass by a wrongful use of his power. He intended to capture Paul both in order to keep the Jews happy and to …
Likewise also, the renowned Paul having been oftentimes delivered up and brought in peril of death, having endured many evils, and making his boast in his numerous persecutions and afflictions, in the same city was also himself beheaded; who, in the things in which he …
"The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knoweth that I lie not. The Governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, desiring to apprehend me." What can be the reason that he here strongly confirms and gives assurance of [his truth], seeing he did not so in respect to any of the former things? Because, perhaps, this was of older date and not so well known; whilst of those other facts, his care for the churches, and all the rest, they were themselves cognisant. See then how great the war [against him] was, since on his account the city was "guarded." And when I say this of the war, I say it of the zeal of Paul; for except this had breathed intensely, it had not kindled the governor to so great madness. These things are the part of an apostolic soul, to suffer so great things and yet in nothing to veer about, but to bear nobly whatever befalls; yet not to go out to meet dangers, nor to rush upon them.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Look how strong the struggle was, if on account of him the governor was guarding the city. The ruler of the people, of course, would not have acted thus if the zeal of Paul had not inflamed everyone. Aretas was the father-in-law of Herod.
Then when he says, At Damascus, he shows the evils he avoided, and this in a certain particular danger. Here it should be noted that the Apostle first began to preach Christ in Damascus, where he was thrown to the ground and converted to the …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The governor under Aretas - King of Arabia and Syria of which Damascus was a chief city, willing to oblige the Jews, kept the city - Setting guards at all the gates day and night.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
In Damascus the governor under Aretas - For a description of Damascus see the note on Act 9:2. And for the transaction to which the apostle refers see Act 9:23. As to King Aretas, there were three of this name. The first is mentioned 2 Maccabeans Act 9:8. The second by Josephus, Antiq. l. xiii. c. 15, sec. 2; and l. xvi. c. 1, sec.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
governor--Greek, "Ethnarch": a Jewish officer to whom heathen rulers gave authority over Jews in large cities where they were numerous. He was in this case under Aretas, king of Arabia. Damascus was in a Roman province.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In Damascus - This circumstance is mentioned as an additional trial. It is evidently mentioned as an instance of peril which had escaped his recollection in the rapid account of his dangers enumerated in the previous verses. It is designed to show what imminent danger he was in, and how narrowly he escaped with his life. On the situation of Damascus, see the note, Act 9:2. The transaction here referred to is also related by Luke Act 9:24-25, though without mentioning the name of the king, or referring to the fact that the governor kept the city with a garrison. The governor - Greek, ὁ ἐθνάρχης ho ethnarchēs, “The ethnarch;” properly a ruler of the people, a prefect, a ruler, a chief. Who he was is unknown, though he was evidently some officer under the king. It is not improbable that he was a Jew, or at any rate he was one who could be influenced by the Jews, and he was doubtless excited by the Jews to guard the city, and if possible to take Paul as a malefactor. Luke informs us Act 9:23-24 that the Jews took counsel against Paul to kill him, and that they watched the gates night and day to effect their object. They doubtless represented Paul as an apostate, and as aiming to overthrow their religion. He had come with an important commission to Damascus and had failed to execute it; he had become the open friend of those whom he came to destroy; and they doubtless claimed of the civil authorities of Damascus that he should be given up and taken to Jerusalem for trial. It was not difficult, therefore, to secure the cooperation of the governor of the city in the case, and there is no improbability in the statement. Under Aretas the king - There were three kings of this name who are particularly mentioned by ancient writers. The first is mentioned in 2 Macc. […]
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Δαμασκῷ | damasko | Damascus | G1154 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐθνάρχης | ethnarches | governor | G1481 → | |
| Ἁρέτα | hareta | under Aretas | G702 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλέως | basileos | king | G935 → | |
| ἐφρούρει | ephrourei | was guarding | G5432 → | |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλιν | polin | city | G4172 → | |
| Δαμασκηνῶν | damaskenon | of the Damascenes | G1153 → | |
| πιάσαι | piasai | to seize | G4084 → | |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
ἐνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
ΔαμασκῷDamascus
damaskoG1154 →
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἐθνάρχηςgovernor
ethnarchesG1481 →
Ἁρέταunder Aretas
haretaG702 →
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
βασιλέωςking
basileosG935 →
ἐφρούρειwas guarding
ephroureiG5432 →
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
πόλινcity
polinG4172 →
Δαμασκηνῶνof the Damascenes
damaskenonG1153 →
πιάσαιto seize
piasaiG4084 →
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 11:26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger…
it leads to
- Acts 14:5
But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,
- Acts 25:3
to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
- Acts 13:50
The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
- Acts 20:19
I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
- Acts 17:5
The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas,…
- Acts 14:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
What the record shows
1 entry- Aretas IV — attested in contemporary inscriptionwell-supported
Josephus; Nabatean inscriptions; coins
Biblical figure (King of Nabatea, 9 BC-AD 40) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: Aretas IV is abundantly attested by Nabatean inscriptions and his own coinage — the dispute is over Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 11:32. There is no evidence that Nabatea ever governed Damascus in these years; the city's coins point to Roman control. Some scholars therefore read 'ethnarch' as the head of the Nabatean merchant community in the city rather than a governor holding it.
About 2 Corinthians
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Frederic Godet, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 25 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Peter of Alexandria, The Canonical Epistle; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.