Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
Whereupon he promised with an oath,…. On account of her fine dancing, and being extremely pleased with it himself; and the more, that it gave such pleasure to the whole court: he first promised her,
to give her whatsoever she would ask; and then repeating it, he confirmed it with an oath; adding, as Mark says, that he would give it her, even “to the half of his kingdom”: a way of speaking used by princes, when they give full power to persons to ask what they will of them; and to express their great munificence and liberality; signifying, let it be ever so great, or cost what it will, though as much as half a kingdom comes to, it shall be granted; see Es 5:3. A very foolish promise, and a rash oath these, which were made upon such a consideration, as only a fine dance. If she, as Theophylact observes, had asked for his head, would he have given it her? And if he swore by his head, which was a common form of swearing with the Jews u, she very appropriately, though unjustly, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, answers to him; as you have swore by your head, give me John Baptist’s head.
u Misn. Sanhedrim, c. 3. sect 2. T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 3. 1. Derech Eretz, c. 6. fol. 18. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Promised with an oath ( ). Literally, “confessed with an oath.” For this verb in the sense of promise, see Ac 7:17. Note middle voice of (ask for herself). Cf. Esth 5:3; Esth 7:2.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
He promised [] . Lit., confessed; conveying the idea of acknowledging the obligation of his oath. Salome had degraded herself to perform the part of an almeh or common dancer, and could claim her reward.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Whereupon, he promised with an oath to give her,” (othen meth’ horkou homologesen aute dounai) “From which sensual pleasure, accompanied by an oath, he promised to give,” to deliver to, or dole out to her, Mr 6:22. Dancing girls were common in the East as entertainers on high occasions.
2) “Whatsoever she would ask.” (ho ean aitesetai) “Whatever (thing) she might ask,” Mr 6:23. The broadness, looseness of the public offer, suggests that Herod was perhaps inebriated or half drunk, a matter against which kings were warned, Lev 10:9; Pro 20:1; Pro 31:4-5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(7) He promised with an oath.The scandalous chronicles of the time were not without stories of extravagant rewards paid to mimes and dancers, and Herod might fancy that in this also he was reproducing the magnificence of the imperial court at Rome. But he probably hardly expected the half of his kingdom (Mar. 6:23) as the whatsoever thou shalt ask. A jewel, a bracelet, a palace, or a city, were probably in his thoughts as what she was likely to ask and he would gladly give.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Promised with an oath To reward the graceful dancer was customary; but Herod wills to reward royally. Calmet mentions a Shah Abbas, who promised to a dancer, during a drunken carouse, the revenues of a province. After his recovery, at the instance of his vizier, he broke his promise and gave her a present of two hundred pounds. Salome, doubtless, might have preferred half the kingdom, but her mother’s will preferred revenge to dominion. Perhaps she feared that Herod, in sober moments, would break his oath. She seems by her language to be in a hurry to have the present while the revel is on: “Give me here” the head. And the deed seems to have been perpetrated with an impatient haste, perhaps in the dead hour of night, with no uncommon mixture of revelry and slaughter.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.’
So he swore on oath that he would give her anything that she asked. To be fair to him he little dreamed what the consequences would be. Even he did not realise the insane jealousy and fury of his wife, and her cruel determination to gain revenge against the fearless prophet who had dared to rebuke her publicly, making her appear to be what she was.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 14:7. He promised with an oath It is very probable that this oath of Herod’s was repeatedly given; because, according to the manners of the East, it was disgraceful for women of rank to appear in public; and they never did appear, unless they were sent for, or had an important request to make. (See Est 5:2-3 and the former note.) It was immediately concluded, that Salome’s extraordinary condescension proceeded from her having some favour to ask of the king: besides, the honour she was doing to the day andthe company might be interpreted as a public acknowledgment of Herod’s civility to her, and at the same time judged a becoming expression of her gratitude. As for the king, he considered the respect shewn to his guests as terminating upon himself; and having greatly injured the young lady by debauching her mother, he was caught with flattery, and grew vain. His fancy also being heated with wine and music, and the applause of his guests, the sight of the damsel dancing, and the idea of her mother, whom he passionately loved, he made her the promise which he imagined she was silently soliciting; apromise which, though it had the air of royal munificence, suited but ill with the gravity of wisdom or with any spark of goodness. See Mar 6:22-23 and Macknight.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
Ver. 7. He promised with an oath ] He not only swore rashly, but confessed himself bound thereby to perform his oath (as the Greek word signifieth), to give her whatsoever she would ask; as Judah did Tamar, and as wantons use to do to their sweethearts. “Ask me never so much dowry and gift,” saith Shechem, “and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife,” Gen 34:12 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 14:7 . , confessed by oath; obligation to keep a promise previously given. Cf. Mar 6:22 , where the fact is more fully stated. The account in Matt. seems throughout secondary.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
with. Greek. meta. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 14:7. , promised, agreed) The girl had asked by dancing; and the king appears, even before this, to have been in the habit of giving her something on his birth-day.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Est 5:3, Est 5:6, Est 7:2
Reciprocal: Lev 5:4 – to do evil Num 22:17 – and I will do Num 30:2 – swear Jdg 11:35 – I cannot Jdg 16:25 – their hearts Pro 16:30 – moving Mar 6:23 – he
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
14:7
Herod was so overcome by the effect of the girl’s appearance before his eyes that he seems to have lost his reason. He told her with an oath and without any stipulation that she could have whatever she asked, and Mark’s account says that Herod extended his offer to include half of his kingdom.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
[He promised her with an oath, etc.] this kind of oath is called by the Talmudists a rash oath; concerning which see Maimonides, and the Talmudic tract under that title. If the form of the oath were “by his head,” which was very usual, the request of the maid very fitly, though very unjustly, answered to the promise of the king; as if she should say, ‘You swore by your head that you would give me whatsoever I shall ask; give me, then, the head of John Baptist.’
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 14:7. The promise and oath of Herod show his gratification, which Herodias had anticipated. Mark adds: unto the half of my kingdom.