Matthew Chapter 14 verse 9 Holy Bible
And the king was grieved; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat with him, he commanded it to be given;
read chapter 14 in ASV
And the king was sad; but because of his oaths and because of his guests, he gave the order for it to be given to her;
read chapter 14 in BBE
And the king was grieved; but on account of the oaths, and those lying at table with [him], he commanded [it] to be given.
read chapter 14 in DARBY
And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
read chapter 14 in KJV
read chapter 14 in WBT
The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given,
read chapter 14 in WEB
and the king was grieved, but because of the oaths and of those reclining with him, he commanded `it' to be given;
read chapter 14 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 9. - And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake; better, and though the king was grieved, yet for the sake of his oaths (καὶ λυπηθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς διὰ τὺος ὅρκους κ.τ.λ.). That he was grieved at John's death is a verbal contradiction to ver. 5, but after some weeks' or months' delay psychologically quite possible (cf. note there). Kubel attributes the change to his conscience recoiling when his wish had a sudden chance of being accomplished; or it may be that he still fearest the multitude (cf. ver. 5), and felt anxious lest he should bring about some political disturbance. Oaths; for in making the promise of ver. 7 he would certainly take more than one. And them which sat with him at meat. Had he uttered the promise and the oaths in private, it would have been different, but now there were so many witnesses. Observe that these said nothing to stop him. They were no friends of the enthusiast who was now a prisoner. He commanded it to be given her.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) The king was sorry.--It was the last struggle of conscience. In that moment there must have come before his mind his past reverence for the prophet, the joy which had for a time accompanied the strivings of a better life, possibly the counsels of his foster-brother Manaen. Had there been only the personal influence of Herodias these might have prevailed against it, but, like most weak men, Herod feared to be thought weak. It was not so much his regard for the oath which he had taken (that, had it been taken in secret, he might have got over), but his shrinking from the taunt, or whispered jest, or contemptuous gesture of the assembled guests, if they should see him draw back from his plighted word. A false regard for public opinion, for what people will say or think of us in our own narrow circle, was in this, as in so many other instances, an incentive to guilt instead of a restraint.
