Matthew 14:8

8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."

Matthew 14:8 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 14:8

And she being before instructed of her mother
What request to make; for as Mark says, "she went forth" to her mother immediately, as soon as she had received the king's promise, and took advice of her, what she should ask; who bid her ask for the head of John the Baptist; and accordingly she went in, "straightway with haste unto the king", as the same evangelist observes, to take him at his word, and whilst he was in the mood; being urged and hastened on by her mother, who was eager to satisfy her revenge on John; and said,

give me here John Baptist's head in a charger:
she desires his head, and this to be brought to her in a large dish, that her mother might be sure of his death; and have an opportunity of insulting that mouth and tongue, that had spoke against her incestuous marriage: and she desires to have it given "here", in that very place, at that very time, where, and while the company was together, who were witnesses of the king's promise and oath; and this she did, lest when the festival was over, and he was out of his cups, he should repent of his folly and rashness. The mother and daughter seem to be much alike, both for lasciviousness, revenge, and cruelty: and if what the historian says ^F23 be true, that this same person Salome, the daughter of Herodias, as she walked over a river which was frozen in the winter season, the ice broke, and she fell in, and the pieces of ice cut off her head; the "lex talionis", the law of retaliation, was righteously executed on her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Nicephorus, Hist. l. 1. c. 20.

Matthew 14:8 In-Context

6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod

7 so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask.

8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."

9 The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given;

10 he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.