Mark 6:25
in Mark 6At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
KJV
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
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This verse in Mark 6
Commentary
12 notes on this verse(ubi sup.) His oath does not excuse his murder, for perchance his reason for swearing was, that he might find an opportunity for slaying, and if she had demanded the death of his father and mother, he surely would not have granted it. It goes on, And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. Worthy is blood to be asked as the reward of such a deed as dancing. It goes on, And she came in straightway with haste, &c.
This site's exposition
The head of John the Baptist
on Mark 6:24-25
Herodias answers at once, The head of John the Baptist, as one who had waited for this opening. The girl hurried back to the king and made it sharper than her mother's, adding on a platter immediately. Mark keeps her eagerness in the account without softening it.
This site's exposition
on a platter immediately
Theophylact of Ohrid explains the haste: she feared Herod would change his mind. Matthew Henry answers the plea of the oath. A rash promise cannot bind anyone to an unrighteous act, and sinful oaths must be repented of and left unperformed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
JosephusAntiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII, Chapter 5, Section 2 · Written before 100.
proposed
Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the …
The Medieval Church3 voices
The malignant woman begs that the head of John be given to her immediately, that is, at once, in that very hour, for she feared lest Herod should repent.
(Mor. 3, 7) I cannot, without the greatest wonder, reflect that he, who was filled even in his mother's womb with the spirit of prophecy, and who was the greatest that had arisen amongst those born of women, is sent into prison by wicked men, is beheaded for the dancing of a girl, and though a man of so great austerity, meets death through such a foul instrument. Are we to suppose that there was something evil in his life, to be wiped away by so ignominious a death? When, however, could he commit a sin even in his eating, whose food was only locusts and wild honey? How could he offend in his conversation, who never quitted the wilderness? How is it that Almighty God so despises in this life those whom He has so sublimely chosen before all ages, if it be not for the reason, which is plain to the piety of the faithful, that He thus sinks them into the lowest place, because He sees how He is rewarding them in the highest, and outwardly He throws them down amongst things despised, because inwardly He draws them up even to incomprehensible things. Let each then infer from this what they shall suffer, whom He rejects, if He so grieves those whom he loves.
"That you give me," says the wicked woman, "right now," at once.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The promise was rashly made, and could not bind him to do an unrighteous thing. Sinful oaths must be repented of, and therefore not performed; for repentance is the undoing of what we have done amiss, as far as is in our power. When Theodosius the emperor was urged by a suitor with a promise, he answered, I said it, but did not promise it if it be unjust.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And she came in straightway with haste unto the, king,....
Christ's retirement into a desert place with his disciples; the crowds that followed him thither to receive instruction from him; and his feeding five thousand of them with five loaves and two fishes,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses describe the death of one of the most eminent saints of God. They relate the murder of John the Baptist. Of all the evangelists none tells this melancholy story so fully as Mark. Let us see what practical lessons the passage contains for our own souls. We see, in the first place, the amazing power of truth over the conscience . Herod "fears" John the Baptist while he lives, and is troubled about him after he dies. A friendless, solitary preacher, with no other weapon than God's truth, disturbs and terrifies a king. Everybody has a conscience. Here lies the secret of a faithful minister's power. This is the reason why Felix "trembled," and Agrippa was "almost persuaded," when Paul the prisoner spoke before them. God has not left Himself without witness in the hearts of unconverted people. Fallen and corrupt as man is, there are thoughts within him accusing or excusing, according as he lives — thoughts that will not be shut out — thoughts that can make even kings, like Herod, restless and afraid. None ought to remember this so much as ministers and teachers. If they preach and teach Christ's truth, they may rest assured that their work is not in vain. Children may seem inattentive in schools. Hearers may seem careless in congregations. But in both cases there is often far more going on in the conscience than our eyes see. Seeds often spring up and bear fruit, when the sower, like John the Baptist, is dead or gone. We see, in the second place, how far people may go in religion, and yet miss salvation by yielding to one master-sin. King Herod went further than many. He "feared John." He "knew that he was a just man and holy." He "observed" him. He "heard him, and did many things" in consequence. He even "heard him gladly." But there was one thing Herod would not do. He would not cease from adultery. He would not give up Herodias.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses describe the death of one of the most eminent saints of God. They relate the murder of John the Baptist. Of all the evangelists none tells this melancholy story so fully as Mark. Let us see what practical lessons the passage contains for our own souls. We see, in the first place, the amazing power of truth over the conscience . Herod "fears" John the Baptist while he lives, and is troubled about him after he dies. A friendless, solitary preacher, with no other weapon than God's truth, disturbs and terrifies a king. Everybody has a conscience.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰσελθοῦσα | eiselthousa | having entered | G1525 → | 194 times |
| εὐθὺς | euthus | immediately | G2112 → | 87 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| σπουδῆς | spoudes | haste | G4710 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλέα | basilea | king | G935 → | 114 times |
| ᾐτήσατο | etesato | she asked | G154 → | 70 times |
| λέγουσα· | legousa | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| θέλω | thelo | I desire | G2309 → | 208 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἐξαυτῆς | exautes | at once | G1824 → | |
| δῷς | dos | may you give | G1325 → | 412 times |
| μοι | moi | to me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | on | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πίνακι | pinaki | a platter | G4094 → | |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κεφαλὴν | kephalen | head | G2776 → | 75 times |
| Ἰωάννου | ioannou | of John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βαπτιστοῦ. | baptistou | Baptist. | G910 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰσελθοῦσαhaving entered
eiselthousaG1525 →194 times
εὐθὺςimmediately
euthusG2112 →87 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
σπουδῆςhaste
spoudesG4710 →
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
βασιλέαking
basileaG935 →114 times
ᾐτήσατοshe asked
etesatoG154 →70 times
λέγουσα·saying;
legousaG3004 →1325 times
θέλωI desire
theloG2309 →208 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
ἐξαυτῆςat once
exautesG1824 →
δῷςmay you give
dosG1325 →412 times
μοιto me
moiG3165 →1936 times
ἐπὶon
epiG1909 →883 times
πίνακιa platter
pinakiG4094 →
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
κεφαλὴνhead
kephalenG2776 →75 times
Ἰωάννουof John
ioannouG2491 →134 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
βαπτιστοῦ.Baptist.
baptistouG910 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Romans 3:15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
it leads to
- Isaiah 59:7–8
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
- Proverbs 6:18
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 1:16
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
- Isaiah 59:7–8
Through
Proverbs 1:16For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
it leads to
- Isaiah 59:7
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
- Proverbs 4:16
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
- Romans 3:5
But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.
- Isaiah 59:7
Through
Numbers 7:13His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for…
it leads to
- Exodus 30:13
Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.
- Leviticus 2:1
“When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it,
- Exodus 30:13
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII, Chapter 5, Section 2; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.