Highly displeased with them of Tyre - On what account Herod was thus displeased is not related by any historian, as far as I have been able to ascertain. Josephus, who speaks of this journey of Herod to Caesarea, says nothing of it; and it is useless for us to conjecture.

Having made Blastus - their friend - Blastus was probably a eunuch, and had considerable influence over his master Herod; and, to reach the master, it is likely they bribed the chamberlain.

Desired peace - The Tyrians and Sidonians being equally subjects of the Roman government with the inhabitants of Galilee, Herod could not go to war with them; but, being irritated against them, he might prevent their supplies: they therefore endeavored to be on peaceable, i.e. friendly, terms with him.

Their country was nourished by the king's country - That is, they had all their supplies from Galilee; for Tyre and Sidon, being places of trade and commerce, with little territory, were obliged to have all their provisions from the countries under Herod's jurisdiction. This had been the case even from the days of Solomon, as we learn from 1 Kings 5:11; where it is said that Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat, for food to his household; and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. See also Ezekiel 27:17.

was highly displeased. or, bare an hostile mind intending war. Tyre.

Genesis 10:15,19 And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth...

Joshua 19:29 And then the coast turns to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turns to Hosah...

Isaiah 23:1-4 The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in...

Matthew 11:21,22 Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon...

but.

Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Proverbs 20:18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

Proverbs 25:8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest you know not what to do in the end thereof, when your neighbor has put you to shame.

Ecclesiastes 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for yielding pacifies great offenses.

Isaiah 27:4,5 Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together...

Luke 14:31,32 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sits not down first...

the king's chamberlain. Gr. that was over the king's bed-chamber. because.

1 Kings 5:9-11 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats to the place that you shall appoint me...

2 Chronicles 2:10,15 And, behold, I will give to your servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat...

Ezra 3:7 They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, to them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre...

Ezekiel 27:17 Judah, and the land of Israel, they were your merchants: they traded in your market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil...

Hosea 2:8,9 For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal...

Amos 4:6-9 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have you not returned to me...

Haggai 1:8-11 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, said the LORD...

Haggai 2:16,17 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten...

Luke 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely...

Peter after his Escape
'But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren, And he departed, and went into another place.' --ACTS xii. 17. When the angel 'departed from him,' Peter had to fall back on his own wits, and they served him well. He 'considered the thing,' and resolved to make for the house of Mary. He does not seem to have intended to remain there, so dangerously …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Delivered from Prison
"Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church." The government of Judea was then in the hands of Herod Agrippa, subject to Claudius, the Roman emperor. Herod also held the position of tetrarch of Galilee. He was professedly a proselyte to the Jewish faith, and apparently very zealous in carrying out the ceremonies of the Jewish law. Desirous of obtaining the favor of the Jews, hoping thus to make secure his offices and honors, he proceeded to carry out …
Ellen Gould White—The Acts of the Apostles

How the Gospels came to be Written
[Illustration: (drop cap B) Early Christian Lamp] But how did the story of the Saviour's life on earth come to be written? We have seen that many years passed before any one thought of writing it down at all. The men and women who had really seen Him, who had listened to His voice, looked into His face, and who knew that He had conquered death and sin for evermore, could not sit down to write, for their hearts were all on fire to speak. But as the years passed, the number of those who had seen Christ …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making