VIII. HEROD’S BIRTHDAY

Mark 6:21.—“And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birth-day made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; and when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced,” &c.;

It is curious and worthy of remark, that a feast, under exactly similar circumstances, is incidentally described by Josephus as made by Herod, the brother of Herodias, and successor of this prince in his government. “Having made a feast on his birth-day (writes Josephus), when all under his command partook of the mirth, he sent for Silas” (an officer whom he had cast into prison for taking liberties with him), “and offered him a seat at the banquet.” (Antiq. xix. 7. § 1). This, I say, is a coincidence worth notice, because it proves that these birth-day feasts were observed in the family of Herod, and that it was customary to assemble the officers of government to share in them.