Matthew 14 8

Matthew 14:8 kjv

And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

Matthew 14:8 nkjv

So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."

Matthew 14:8 niv

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

Matthew 14:8 esv

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

Matthew 14:8 nlt

At her mother's urging, the girl said, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!"

Matthew 14 verses

Matthew 14 8 Meaning

Matthew 14:8 describes the direct request made by Herodias's daughter to Herod Antipas for the immediate execution of John the Baptist. Instigated by her mother, the girl explicitly demands John's head presented on a platter, revealing the profound malice and manipulative nature of Herodias and the tragic fulfillment of her desire for vengeance against the prophet. This moment highlights the dark interplay of political power, personal sin, and prophetic persecution.

Matthew 14 8 Context

The immediate context of Matthew 14:8 details Herod Antipas's banquet, where, impressed by the dance of Herodias's daughter, he rashly promises her anything she desires, up to half his kingdom (v. 6-7). This promise creates the stage for Herodias, who has a longstanding grudge against John the Baptist for denouncing her unlawful marriage to Herod (Mt 14:3-4). The verse represents the culmination of her hatred, as she seizes the opportune moment to eliminate her adversary.

The broader context of Matthew 14 places John's death narrative between accounts of Jesus's powerful miracles—feeding the five thousand (vv. 13-21) and walking on water (vv. 22-33). This juxtaposition is significant: while the world rejects and murders God's prophets, God's Messiah continues to display divine power and compassion. John's death also prompts Jesus to withdraw, emphasizing the cost of faithfully proclaiming God's truth and setting a tone for Jesus's own eventual rejection and suffering. Historically, John’s public rebuke challenged Herod Antipas's authority and Herodias’s social standing, making him a perceived threat. Herodias, as a cunning and ruthless figure, manipulated a social gathering and her own daughter to achieve her vengeful objective, leading to the public execution of a prophet of God.

Matthew 14 8 Word analysis

• And she (καὶ αὐτή, kai autē): Links directly to the girl whose dance pleased Herod. The conjunction "And" emphasizes immediate sequence after Herod's vow, highlighting the swift unfolding of events. "She" identifies her as the agent of the request, though not the source of its malicious intent.
• having been prompted (προβιβασθεῖσα, probibastheisa): This significant Greek passive participle, from probibazo, means "to be put forward," "to be instructed," "to be induced," or "to be persuaded from beforehand." It highlights that the demand did not originate with the girl, but she was a tool, precisely instructed and pre-positioned by another. This absolves her of the initial malicious intent but makes her complicit in the action, under severe parental pressure. It directly points to the instigator: her mother.
• by her mother (ὑπὸ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτῆς, hypo tēs mētros autēs): Clearly identifies Herodias as the mastermind behind the gruesome request. It explicitly reveals the source of the evil counsel and highlights her powerful, negative influence over her daughter.
• said (εἶπεν, eipen): A straightforward past tense verb, indicating direct speech.
• "Give me (Δός μοι, Dos moi): An imperative verb in the second person singular, conveying a direct command or forceful demand. The girl, under instruction, issues a peremptory order.
• here (ὧδε, hōde): Denotes a sense of immediacy and urgency, demanding that the gruesome item be delivered right where she stood, likely in the banquet hall, not later or elsewhere. This adds to the shocking boldness and the public nature of the demand.
• on a platter (ἐπὶ πίνακι, epi pinaki): The Greek term pinax refers to a flat board, tablet, dish, or platter. This detail underscores the macabre, deliberate presentation, turning the head of a prophet into a grotesque trophy or offering. It speaks of deep contempt and a desire for absolute humiliation and verifiable evidence of death.
• the head (τὴν κεφαλὴν, tēn kephalēn): Refers to the most prominent part of the body, symbol of life and identity. Decapitation was a known method of execution, but the request for "the head" specifically, emphasizes a desire for full proof of death and extreme dishonor.
• of John the Baptist (Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ, Ioannou tou Baptistou): Explicitly names the victim. His title "the Baptist" (ho baptistēs) identifies him by his public prophetic ministry of repentance and preparation for the Messiah. The naming confirms the target of Herodias's hatred: the divine voice that exposed her sin.

Words-Group analysis:

• "she, having been prompted by her mother": This phrase absolves the daughter from the origin of the evil deed, attributing the malevolence to Herodias. It highlights Herodias’s premeditated intent and manipulation, utilizing her daughter as a puppet to achieve her wicked ends. It also subtly condemns the parents who use their children as tools for their sinful agendas.
• "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist": This direct quotation encapsulates the shocking depravity and the calculated cruelty of the demand. The combination of "here" and "on a platter" makes the act public, immediate, and gruesome. It transformed an execution into a twisted banquet offering, an ultimate symbol of disrespect and vengeance against a prophet of God.

Matthew 14 8 Bonus section

• The incident highlights the conflict between the spiritual kingdom represented by John and the worldly, corrupt kingdom represented by Herod and Herodias. The execution of John, God's chosen messenger, by a morally compromised ruler is a direct confrontation between light and darkness, truth and sin.
• John the Baptist, as the last of the Old Testament prophets and the forerunner of Christ, effectively laid down his life for truth and righteousness, paralleling the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Himself, though under different circumstances. His martyrdom underscored the dangers faced by those who dare to speak God's truth to power.
• The account of John's death by beheading foreshadows Jesus's own suffering and death under oppressive political and religious authorities, demonstrating a consistent pattern of rejection for God's messengers in the world.

Matthew 14 8 Commentary

Matthew 14:8 is a chilling depiction of human malice and weakness leading to a prophet's demise. Herodias, consumed by bitterness over John the Baptist's condemnation of her incestuous marriage, seized an opportune moment. She manipulated her young daughter to ask for the unspeakable, demonstrating her profound hatred and cold calculation. This was not a spur-of-the-moment desire by the girl, but a precise, premeditated instruction by the mother. Herod, trapped by a rash oath made in pride and surrounded by witnesses, reluctantly capitulated, illustrating the perils of making vows in ungodly settings and prioritizing reputation over righteousness. John's death, demanded "on a platter," turns a judicial act into a public spectacle of vengeance, further highlighting the ungodliness of Herod's court. It serves as a stark reminder of the cost of truth-telling in a world opposed to God's standards and contrasts sharply with Jesus's life-giving ministry elsewhere in the chapter.