Mark 6:17

Bound him in prison. See on Luke 3:19, 20. John had probably been in prison in the fortress of Machaerus (see on Luke 3:20) from before the Passover of A.D. 29 (see Additional Note on Luke 4) to the following winter, a little less than one year.

Herodias’ See on Luke 3:19. Originally married to Philip (see below), she divorced him in preference for Herod Antipas. For his part, Herod had divorced the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia. Thus Herod and Herodias each had a living spouse. As a result of Herod’s divorcing his former wife, her father, Aretas, made war on Herod and defeated him. This defeat was looked upon by the Jews as a divine judgment upon Herod because of his indefensible alliance with Herodias (Josephus Antiquities xviii. 5. 1,2).

His brother Philip’s wife. Not Philip the Tetrarch (see on Luke 3:1, 19), but another son of Herod the Great, by Mariamne II. Herod Antipas was a son of Herod the Great by Malthace, and thus a half brother of this Philip. Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great through the son of Mariamne I, another wife of Herod the Great. Herodias had previously married Philip, her father’s half brother, then became consort of Antipas, another half uncle. See The Hasmonaeans and the Herods.