This is the account by Josephus about Herod Antipas falling in love with Herodias, the wife
of his brother Philip, and the subsequent death of John the Baptist.
Antiquities of the Jews (18:5:1-2)
About this time Aretas (the king of Arabia Petrea) and Herod (Antipas) had a quarrel, on the
account following: Herod the Tetrarch had married the daughter of Aretas, and had lived with
her a great while; but when he was once at Rome, he lodged with Herod (Philip), who was his
brother indeed, but not by the same mother; for his Herod was the son of the high priest
Simon’s daughter. However, he fell in love with Herodias, this last Herod’s wife, was was the
daughter of Aristobulus their brother, and the sister of Agrippa the Great. This man ventured
to talk to her about a marriage between them; which address when she admitted, and
agreement was made for her to change her habitation, and come to him as soon as he should
return from Rome; one article of this marriage also was this, that he should divorce Aretas’s
daughter. So Antipas, when he had made this agreement, sailed to Rome; but when he had
done there the business he went about, and was returned again, his wife having discovered the
agreement he had made with Herodias, and having learned it before he had notice of her
knowledge of the whole design, she desired him to sent her to Macherus, which is a place on
the borders of the dominions of Aretas and Herod, without informing him of any of her
intentions. Accordingly Herod sent her thither, as thinking his wife had not perceived
anything; now she had sent a good while before to Macherus, which was subject to her father,
and so all things necessary for her journey were made ready for her by the general of Aretas’s
army and by that means she soon came into Arabia, under the conduct of the several generals,
who carried her from one to another successively; and she soon came to her father, and told
him of Herod’s intentions. So Aretas made this the first occasion of his enmity between him
and Herod, who had also some quarrel with him about their limits at the country of Gamalitis.
So they raised armies on both sides, and prepared for war, and sent their generals to fight
instead of themselves; and, when they had joined battle, all Herod’s army was destroyed by
the treachery of some fugitives, who, though they were of the tetrarchy of Philip, joined with
Aretas’s army. So Herod wrote about these affairs to Tiberius; who, being very angry at the
attempt made by Aretas, wrote to Vitellius, to make war upon him, and either to take him
alive, and bring him to him in bonds, or to kill him, and send him his head. This was the
charge that Tiberius gave to the president of Syria.
Now, some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that
very justly, as punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist; for Herod
slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to
righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for
that the washing (with water) would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order
to the putting away (or the remission) of some sins (only), but for the purification of the body;
supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. Now, when
(many) others came in crowds about him, for they were greatly moved (or pleased) by hearing
his words, Herod who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it
into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he
should advise), thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might
cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of
it when it should be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod’s suspicious
temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews
had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a
mark of God’s displeasure against him.