Acts 12:21
 Acts 12:21 
New International Version (©2011)
On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.

New Living Translation (©2007)
and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.

English Standard Version (©2001)
On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
So on an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a public address to them.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Therefore, at a set time Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the royal seat, and made a speech to them.

NET Bible (©2006)
On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But on a notable day, Herodus was wearing the royal garments and sat down on the judgment seat and was speaking with the multitude.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The appointed day came. Herod, wearing his royal clothes, sat on his throne and began making a speech to them.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

American King James Version
And on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne, and made an oration to them.

American Standard Version
And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the throne, and made an oration unto them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And upon a day appointed, Herod being arrayed in kingly apparel, sat in the judgment seat, and made an oration to them.

Darby Bible Translation
And on a set day, clothed in royal apparel and sitting on the elevated seat of honour, Herod made a public oration to them.

English Revised Version
And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the throne, and made an oration unto them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And upon a set day, Herod arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration to them.

Weymouth New Testament
So, on an appointed day, Herod, having arrayed himself in royal robes, took his seat on the tribunal, and was haranguing them;

World English Bible
On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them.

Young's Literal Translation
and on a set day, Herod having arrayed himself in kingly apparel, and having sat down upon the tribunal, was making an oration unto them,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:20-25 Many heathen princes claimed and received Divine honours, but it was far more horrible impiety in Herod, who knew the word and worship of the living God, to accept such idolatrous honours without rebuking the blasphemy. And such men as Herod, when puffed with pride and vanity, are ripening fast for signal vengeance. God is very jealous for his own honour, and will be glorified upon those whom he is not glorified by. See what vile bodies we carry about with us; they have in them the seeds of their own dissolution, by which they will soon be destroyed, whenever God does but speak the word. We may learn wisdom from the people of Tyre and Sidon, for we have offended the Lord with our sins. We depend on him for life, and breath, and all things; it surely then behoves us to humble ourselves before him, that through the appointed Mediator, who is ever ready to befriend us, we may be reconciled to him, lest wrath come upon us to the utmost.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - Arrayed himself for arrayed, A.V.; and sat for sat, A.V. and T.R.; on the throne for upon his throne, A.V. On the throne. Βῆμα does not mean "the king's throne," and is nowhere so rendered in the A.V. but here. It means any raised stage or platform upon which a judge, or an orator, or any one wishing to address an assembly, stands. Here it means a high platform in the theatre at Caesarea, from whence the king, raised above the rest of the audience, could both see the games and make his speech to the people.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And upon a set day,.... Either on some feast day of divine appointment, as a feast day was by the Jews called "a stated day"; or on some day appointed by Herod, for the receiving of the ambassadors of Tyre and Sidon, and of hearing their petitions; or as Josephus (r) says, it was on the second day of the sports and plays, instituted by him in honour of Caesar:

Herod, arrayed in royal apparel; the same Jewish historian in the same place says, that this his apparel was all of silver, and of a wonderful contexture; and that going in this very early in the morning into the theatre, the silver shone so with the rays of the rising sun, that it struck the spectators with terror and admiration:

sat upon his throne; and very likely with the other ensigns of royalty, as a crown on his head, and a sceptre in his hand:

and made an oration unto them; either unto the ambassadors from Tyre and Sidon, or rather unto the common people, the multitude that were gathered together in the theatre, where the above historian says he was.

(r) Antiqu. l. 19, c. 8. sect 2.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. And upon a set day Herod … made an oration unto them—to the Tyrians and Sidonians especially.


Acts 12:21 Parallel Commentaries

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The Death of Herod
20And 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. 21And on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne, and made an oration to them. 22And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. …

Matthew 27:19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."
Acts 12:20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king's country for their food supply.
Acts 12:22 They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man."