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Easy-to-Read Version

Matthew 3:17

A voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with him."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God;   Holy Spirit;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Revelation;   Scofield Reference Index - Repentance;   Thompson Chain Reference - Christ;   Divine;   Divinity;   Divinity-Humanity;   Favour, Divine;   Favour-Disfavour;   God;   Pleasing God;   Son;   Witness;   The Topic Concordance - Holy Spirit;   Jesus Christ;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Excellency and Glory of Christ, the;   Preciousness of Christ;   Trinity, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Baptism;   Holy spirit;   Jesus christ;   John the baptist;   Messiah;   Son of god;   Trinity;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Death of Christ;   Delight;   Faith;   God;   Jesus Christ;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Holy Ghost;   Hutchinsonians;   Joy of God;   Oracle;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jesus Christ;   Joseph;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Baptism;   Children (Sons) of God;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Ordinances;   Trinity;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jordan;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Mss;   Thunder;   Trinity;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acceptance (2);   Atonement (2);   Attributes of Christ;   Begetting;   Beloved;   Chosen One;   Communion (2);   Complacency;   Confession (of Sin);   Doctrines;   Dove ;   Elect, Election ;   Endurance;   Goodness;   Heaven ;   Impotence;   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Mediator;   Messiah;   Names and Titles of Christ;   Pre-Eminence ;   Preaching Christ;   Premeditation;   Psalms (2);   Redemption (2);   Session;   Seven Words, the;   Son, Sonship;   Uniqueness;   Voice (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Numbers as Symbols;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Christ;   Holiness;   Turtle;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Kingdom of christ of heaven;   Kingdom of god;   Kingdom of heaven;   Levi;   Names titles and offices of christ;   Trinity;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Anoint;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - John, the Baptize;   Jesus of Nazareth;   Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Baptism (Lutheran Doctrine);   Bath Kol;   Beloved;   Children of God;   Christ, Offices of;   Desire of All Nations;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Love;   Son of God, the;   Trinity;   Virgin-Birth (of Jesus Christ);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Baptism;   Bat Ḳol;   Birth, New;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for March 26;   Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 21;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 3;   My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for October 13;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
And a voice from heaven said: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”
King James Version (1611)
And loe, a voice from heauen, saying, This is my beloued Sonne, in whom I am well pleased.
King James Version
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
English Standard Version
and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
New American Standard Bible
and behold, a voice from the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
New Century Version
And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him."
Amplified Bible
and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased and delighted!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And loe, a voyce came from heauen, saying, This is my beloued Sonne, in whome I am well pleased.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."
Legacy Standard Bible
and behold, there was a voice out of the heavens saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."
Berean Standard Bible
And a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!"
Contemporary English Version
Then a voice from heaven said, "This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him."
Complete Jewish Bible
and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him."
Darby Translation
and behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight.
George Lamsa Translation
And behold, a voice from heaven, which said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am pleased.
Good News Translation
Then a voice said from heaven, "This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased."
Lexham English Bible
And behold, there was a voice from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Literal Translation
And behold! A voice out of the heaven saying, This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I have been delighting. Psa. 2:7; Gen. 22:2; Isa. 42:1
American Standard Version
and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Bible in Basic English
And a voice came out of heaven, saying, This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
Hebrew Names Version
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
International Standard Version
Then a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him!"Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 12:18; 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 9:35; John 12:28; Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 1:13; 2 Peter 1:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And, lo, the voice from heaven, which said, This (is) my Son, the Beloved, in whom I have delighted.
Murdock Translation
And lo, a voice from heaven, which said: This is my beloved Son, in whom I have delight.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And loe, there (came) a voyce from the heauens, saying: This is my beloued sonne, in whom I am well pleased.
English Revised Version
and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
World English Bible
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And lo a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I delight.
Weymouth's New Testament
while a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
a vois fro heuenes, seiynge, This is my louyd sone, in which Y haue plesid to me.
Update Bible Version
and look, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Webster's Bible Translation
And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
New English Translation
And a voice from heaven said, "This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight."
New King James Version
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
New Living Translation
And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."
New Life Bible
A voice was heard from heaven. It said, "This is My much-loved Son. I am very happy with Him."
New Revised Standard
And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and lo! a voice out of the heavens, - saying, This, is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold a voice from heaven saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Revised Standard Version
and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And lo there came a voyce from heven sayng: Thys ys that my beloved sonne in whom is my delyte.
Young's Literal Translation
and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, `This is My Son -- the Beloved, in whom I did delight.'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And lo, there came a voyce fro heue sayng: Thys ys that my beloued sonne, in whom is my delyte.
Mace New Testament (1729)
of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: at the same time a voice was heard from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Simplified Cowboy Version
Out of heaven a voice said, "This is my Son who I love. I am pleased with everything that he is."

Contextual Overview

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He came to John, wanting John to baptize him. 14 But John tried to stop him. John said, "Why do you come to me to be baptized? I should be baptized by you!" 15 Jesus answered, "Let it be this way for now. We should do whatever God says is right." Then John agreed. 16 So Jesus was baptized. As soon as he came up out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw God's Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17 A voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with him."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lo: John 5:37, John 12:28-30, Revelation 14:2

This: Matthew 12:18, Matthew 17:5, Psalms 2:7, Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 42:21, Mark 1:11, Mark 9:7, Luke 3:22, Luke 9:35, Ephesians 1:6, Colossians 1:13, 2 Peter 1:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:55 - Go unto Leviticus 3:8 - sprinkle Leviticus 4:31 - a sweet Leviticus 15:15 - an atonement Numbers 15:3 - a sweet Deuteronomy 4:12 - only ye heard a voice 2 Samuel 7:14 - I will be 2 Samuel 12:25 - Jedidiah 2 Samuel 22:20 - delighted 2 Chronicles 7:16 - eyes Esther 6:6 - whom the king Job 42:8 - him Psalms 22:8 - seeing Psalms 60:5 - That Psalms 85:11 - righteousness Psalms 89:3 - my chosen Psalms 108:6 - That thy Proverbs 8:30 - I was daily Isaiah 49:5 - yet Isaiah 53:10 - pleased Jeremiah 30:21 - and I Daniel 4:31 - fell Matthew 4:3 - if Matthew 5:22 - I say Matthew 12:42 - behold Matthew 21:37 - last Matthew 28:19 - the name Mark 12:6 - his Mark 14:61 - the Son Luke 3:21 - the heaven Luke 20:13 - I will Luke 22:70 - the Son Luke 23:35 - Christ John 1:34 - this John 3:35 - Father John 5:20 - the Father John 5:32 - is another John 6:27 - for him John 8:29 - for Romans 1:3 - his Son Romans 8:8 - please Romans 8:32 - that 2 Corinthians 1:19 - the Son Hebrews 1:2 - spoken Hebrews 10:6 - thou 1 John 5:7 - The Father 1 John 5:9 - for Revelation 2:18 - the Son Revelation 14:13 - a voice

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
The woman answered the snake, "No, we can eat fruit from the trees in the garden.
Genesis 3:3
But there is one tree we must not eat from. God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die.'"
Genesis 3:5
God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree you will learn about good and evil, and then you will be like God!"
Genesis 3:6
The woman could see that the tree was beautiful and the fruit looked so good to eat. She also liked the idea that it would make her wise. So she took some of the fruit from the tree and ate it. Her husband was there with her, so she gave him some of the fruit, and he ate it.
Genesis 3:7
Then it was as if their eyes opened, and they saw things differently. They saw that they were naked. So they got some fig leaves, sewed them together, and wore them for clothes.
Genesis 3:9
The Lord God called to the man and said, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:11
God said to the man, "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat fruit from that special tree? I told you not to eat from that tree!"
Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What have you done?" She said, "The snake tricked me, so I ate the fruit."
Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake, "You did this very bad thing, so bad things will happen to you. It will be worse for you than for any other animal. You must crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.
Genesis 3:16
Then God said to the woman, "I will cause you to have much trouble when you are pregnant. And when you give birth to children, you will have much pain. You will want your husband very much, but he will rule over you."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And lo, a voice from heaven, saying,.... At the same time the heavens were opened, and the Spirit of God descended as a dove, and lighted on Christ, and whilst it abode upon him, an extraordinary voice was heard; hence the note of attention and admiration, "lo", is prefixed unto it, as before, to the opening of the heavens; being what was unusual and surprising; and as denoting something to be expressed of great moment and importance. The Jews, in order to render this circumstance less considerable, and to have it believed, that these voices from heaven heard in the time of Jesus, and in relation to him were common things, have invented a great many stories concerning

בת קול משמים, "the voice", or "the daughter of the voice from heaven"; which they pretend came in the room of prophecy: their t words are,

"after the death of the latter prophets, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, the holy Spirit departed from Israel, and thenceforwards they used "Bath Kol", the "voice". One time they were sitting in the chamber of the house of Guria in Jericho, and there came to them בת קיל משמים, "the voice from heaven", (saying;) there is one here, who is fit to have the Shekinah (or divine majesty) abide on him, as Moses our master; but because his generation was not worthy, therefore the wise men set their eyes on Hillell, the elder; and when he died, they said concerning him, this was a holy man, a meek man, a disciple of Ezra. Again, another time they were sitting in a chamber in Jabneh, and there came to them "the voice from heaven", (saying;) there is one here, who is fit to have the Shekinah dwell on him; but because his generation was not worthy, therefore the wise men set their eyes on Samuel the little.''

I have cited this passage at large, partly because, according to them, it fixes the date and use of "the voice"; and partly, because it affords instances of it, wherefore more need not be mentioned; for, it would be endless to repeat the several things spoken by it; such as encouraging Herod to rebel, and seize his master's kingdom u; forbidding Ben Uzziel to go on with his paraphrase on the Hagiographa, or holy books, when he had finished his Targum on the prophets w; declaring the words of Hillell and Shammai to be the words of the living God x; signifying the conception, birth, and death of y persons, and the like; all which seem to be mere fiction and imagination, diabolical delusions, or satanical imitations of this voice, that was now heard, in order to lessen the credit of it. But, to proceed; this extraordinary voice from heaven, which was formed in articulate sounds for the sake of John; and, according to the other Evangelists, was directed to Christ, Mark 1:11 expressed the following words, "this is my beloved Son". "This" person, who had been baptized in water, on whom the holy Spirit now rested, is no other than the Son of God in human nature; which he assumed, in order to be obedient to this, and the whole of his Father's will: he is his own proper "son", not by creation, as angels, and men; nor by adoption, as saints; nor by office, as magistrates; but in such a way of filiation as no other is: he is the natural, essential, and only begotten Son of God; his beloved Son, whom the Father loved from everlasting, as his own Son; the image of himself, of the same nature with him, and possessed of the same perfections; whom he loved, and continued to love in time, though clothed with human nature, and the infirmities of it; appearing in the likeness of sinful flesh; being in his state of humiliation, he loved him through it, and all sorrows and sufferings that attended it. Christ always was, and ever will be considered, both in his person as the Son of God, and in his office as mediator, the object of his love and delight; wherefore he adds,

in whom I am well pleased. Jehovah the Father took infinite delight and pleasure in him as his own Son, who lay in his bosom before all worlds; and was well pleased with him in his office relation, and capacity: he was both well pleased in him as his Son, and delighted in him as his servant, Isaiah 42:1 he was pleased with his assumption of human nature; with his whole obedience to the law; and with his bearing the penalty and curse of it, in the room and stead of his people: he was well pleased with and for his righteousness, sacrifice and atonement; whereby his law was fulfilled, and his justice satisfied. God is not only well pleased in, and with his Son, but with all his people, as considered in him; in him he loves them, takes delight in them, is pacified towards them, and graciously accepts of them. It would be almost unpardonable, not to take notice of the testimony here given to the doctrine of the Trinity; since a voice was heard from the "father" in heaven, bearing witness to "the Son" in human nature on earth, on whom "the Spirit" had descended and now abode. The ancients looked upon this as so clear and full a proof of this truth, that they were wont to say; Go to Jordan, and there learn the doctrine of the Trinity. Add to all this, that since this declaration was immediately upon the baptism of Christ, it shows that his Father highly approved of, and was well pleased with his submission to that ordinance; and which should be an encouraging motive to all believers to follow him in it.

t T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 11. 1. Sota, fol. 48. 2. Yoma. fol. 9. 2. u T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 3. 2. w Megilla, fol. 3. 1. x T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 3. 2. y T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 22. 1. T. Hieros. Sabbat. fol. 8. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A voice from heaven - A voice from God. This was probably heard by all who were present. This voice, or sound, was repeated on the mount of transfiguration, Matthew 17:5; Luke 9:35-36; 2 Peter 1:17. It was also heard just before his death, and was then supposed by many to be thunder, John 12:25-30. It was a public declaration that Jesus was the Messiah.

My beloved Son - This is the title which God himself gave to Jesus. It denotes the nearness of his relation to God, and the love of God for him, Hebrews 1:2. It implies that he was equal with God, Hebrews 1:5-8; John 10:29-33; John 19:7. The term “Son” is expressive of love of the nearness of his relation to God, and of his dignity and equality with God.

I am well pleased - or, I am ever delighted. The language implies that he was constantly or uniformly well pleased with him; and in this solemn and public manner he expressed his approbation of him as the Redeemer of the world.

The baptism of Jesus has usually been regarded as a striking manifestation of the doctrine of the Trinity, or the doctrine that there are three Persons in the divine nature:

(1) There is the Person of “Jesus Christ,” the Son of God, baptized in Jordan, elsewhere declared to be equal with God, John 10:30.

(2) The Holy Spirit descending in a bodily form upon the Saviour. The Holy Spirit is also equal with the Father, or is also God, Acts 5:3-4.

(3) The Father, addressing the Son, and declaring that He was well pleased with him.

It is impossible to explain this transaction consistently in any other way than by supposing that there are three equal Persons in the divine nature or essence, and that each of these sustains an important part in the work of redeeming people.

In the preaching of John the Baptist we are presented with an example of a faithful minister of God. Neither the wealth, the dignity, nor the power of his auditors deterred him from fearlessly declaring the truth respecting their character. He called things by their right names. He did not apologize for their sins. He set their transgressions fairly before them, and showed them faithfully and fearlessly what must be the consequence of a life of sin. So should all ministers of the Gospel preach. Rank, riches, and power should have nothing to do in shaping and gauging their ministry. In respectful terms, but without shrinking, all the truth of the Gospel must be spoken, or woe will follow the ambassador of Christ, 1 Corinthians 9:16.

In John we also have an example of humility. Blessed with great success, attended by the great and noble, and with nothing but principle to keep him from turning it to his advantage, he still kept himself out of view, and pointed to a far greater Personage at hand. So should every minister of Jesus, however successful, keep the Lamb of God in his eye, and be willing - nay, rejoice - to lay all his success and honors at Jesus’ feet.

Everything about the work of Jesus was wonderful. No person had before come into the world under such circumstances. God would not have attended the commencement of his life with such wonderful events if it had not been of the greatest moment to our race, and if he had not possessed a dignity above all prophets, kings, and priests. His “name” was to be called “Wonderful, Councillor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace;” “of the increase of his government and peace” there was to be “no end;” “upon the throne of David and of his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice forever” Isaiah 9:6-7; and it was proper that a voice from heaven should declare that he was the long-promised prince and Saviour; that the angels should attend him, and the Holy Spirit signalize his baptism by his personal presence. And it is proper that we, for whom he came, should give to him our undivided affections, our time, our influence, our hearts, and our lives.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 3:17. In whom I am well pleased. — εν ω ενδακησα in whom I have delighted - though it is supposed that the past tense is here used for the present: but Matthew 17:5. By this voice, and overshadowing of the Spirit, the mission of the Lord Jesus was publicly and solemnly accredited; God intimating that he had before delighted in him: the law, in all its ordinances, having pointed him out, for they could not be pleasing to God, but as they were fulfilled in, and showed forth, the Son of man, till, he came.

As the office of a herald is frequently alluded to in this chapter, and also in various other parts of the New Testament, I think it best to give a full account of it here, especially as the office of the ministers of the Gospel is represented by it. Such persons can best apply the different correspondences between their own and the herald's office.

At the Olympic and Isthmian games, heralds were persons of the utmost consequence and importance. Their office was: -

1. To proclaim from a scaffold, or elevated place, the combat that was to be entered on.

2. To summon the Agonistae, or contenders, to make their appearance, and to announce their names.

3. To specify the prize for which they were to contend.

4. To admonish and animate, with appropriate discourses, the athletae, or combatants.

5. To set before them, and explain, the laws of the agones, or contenders; that they might see that even the conqueror could not receive the crown or prize, unless he had strove lawfully.

6. After the conflict was ended, to bring the business before the judges, and, according to their determination, to proclaim the victor.

7. To deliver the prize to the conqueror, and to put the crown on his head, in the presence of the assembly.

8. They were the persons who convoked all solemn and religious assemblies, and brought forth, and often slew, the sacrifices offered on those occasions.

9. They frequently called the attention of the people, during the sacrifices, to the subject of devotion, with hoc age! τουτο πραττε: mind what you are about, don't be idle; think of nothing else. See PLUTARCH in Coriolanus.

The office, and nearly the word itself, was in use among the ancient Babylonians, as appears from Daniel 3:4, where the Chaldee word כרוזא caroza, is rendered by the Septuagint κηρυξ kerux, and by our translation, very properly, herald. His business in the above place was to call an assembly of the people, for the purpose of public worship; to describe the object and nature of that worship, and the punishment to be inflicted on those who did not join in the worship, and properly assist in the solemnities of the occasion.

Daniel 3:4, is the only place in our translation, in which the word herald is used: but the word κηρυξ, used by St. Paul, 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11, and by St. Peter, 2 Peter 3:5, is found in the Septuagint, Genesis 41:43, as well as in Daniel 3:4, and the verb κηρυσσω is found in different places of that version, and in a great number of places in the New Testament.

It is worthy of remark, that the office of the κηρυξ, kerux, or herald, must have been anciently known, and indeed established, among the Egyptians: for in Genesis 41:43, where an account is given of the promotion of Joseph to the second place in the kingdom, where we say, And they cried before him, saying, Bow the knee; the Septuagint has και εκηρυξεν εμπροσθεν αυτου κηρυξ. And a HERALD made proclamation before him. As the Septuagint translated this for Ptolemy Philadelphus, the Egyptian king, and were in Egypt when they translated the law, we may safely infer that the office was not only known, but in use among the Egyptians, being denominated in their language אברק abrek, which our translators, following the Vulgate, have rendered, Bow the knee; but which the Septuagint understood to be the title of an officer, who was the same among the Egyptians as the κηρυξ among the Greeks. This is a probable meaning of the word, which escaped me when I wrote the note on Genesis 41:43.

As every kind of office had some peculiar badge, or ensign, by which it was known among the ancients, so the heralds were known by generally carrying a caduceus. This was a rod with two spread wings at the top, and about which two serpents were entwined. The poets fabled that this rod was given by Apollo, the god of wisdom and music, to Mercury, the god of eloquence, and the messenger of the gods. To it wonderful properties are ascribed - especially that it produces sleep, and that it raises the dead. Who does not at once see, that the caduceus and its properties clearly point out the office, honour, and influence of the herald? As persons of strong voice, and ready speech, and copious eloquence, were always chosen for heralds, they were represented as endued with wisdom and eloquence from above. They lulled men to sleep, i.e. by their persuasive powers of speech, they calmed the turbulent dispositions of an inflamed populace, when proceeding to acts of rebellion and anarchy; or they roused the dormant zeal of the community, who, through long oppression, despairing of succour or relief, seemed careless about their best interests being stupidly resolved to sink under their burdens, and expect release only in death.

As to the caduceus itself, it was ever the emblem of peace among the ancients: the rod was the emblem of power; the two serpents, of wisdom and prudence; and the two wings, of diligence and despatch. The first idea of this wonderful rod seems to have been borrowed from the rod of Moses. Exodus 4:17.

The word κηρυξ kerux, or herald, here used, is evidently derived from κηρυσσειν, to proclaim, call aloud; and this from γηρυς, the voice; because these persons were never employed in any business, but such only as could not be transacted but by the powers of speech, and the energy of ratiocination.

For the derivation of the word herald, we must look to the northern languages. Its meaning in Junius, Skinner, and Minshieu, are various, but not essentially different; they all seem to point out different parts of the herald's office.

1. In the Belgic, heer signifies army. Hence heer-alt, a senior officer, or general, in the army.

2. Or heer-held, the hero of the army: he who had distinguished himself most in his country's behalf.

3. Or from the Gallo-teutonic herr-haut, the high lord, because their persons were so universally respected, as we have already seen.

4. Or from the simple Teutonic herr-hold, he who is faithful to his lord.

5. And, lastly, according to Minshieu, from the verb hier-holden, stop here; because, in proclaiming peace, they arrested bloodshed and death, and prevented the farther progress of war.

These officers act an important part in all heroic history, and particularly in the Iliad and Odyssey, from which, as the subject is of so much importance, I shall make a few extracts.

I. Their character was sacred. Homer gives them the epithet of divine, θειοι.

----------δολων, ευμηδεος υιος,

κηρυκος θειοι.

Iliad x. 315.


"Dolon, son of Eumedes, the divine herald."


They were also termed inviolable, ασυλοι; also, great, admirable, c. In the first book of the Iliad, we have a proof of the respect paid to heralds, and the inviolability of their persons. Agamemnon commands the heralds, Talthybius and Eurybates, his faithful ministers, to go to the tent of Achilles, seize the young Briseis, and bring her to him. They reluctantly obey but, when they come into the presence of Achilles, knowing the injustice of their master's cause, they are afraid to announce their mission. Achilles, guessing their errand, thus addresses them:-

Χαιρετε, κηρυκες, Διος αγγελοι, ηδε και ανδρων. κ. τ. λ.

"Hail, O ye heralds, messengers of God and of men! come forward. I cannot blame you-Agamemnon only is culpable, who has sent you for the beautiful Briseis. But come, O godlike Patroclus, bring forth the damsel, and deliver her to them, that they may lead her away," c., Iliad i. 334, c.

II. Their functions were numerous they might enter without danger into besieged cities, or even into battles.

III. They convoked the assemblies of the leaders, according to the orders they received from the general or king.

IV. They commanded silence, when kings were to address the assembly, (Iliad xviii. 503. Κηρυκες δ' αρα λαων ερητυον. See also Iliad ii. 280,) and delivered the sceptre into their hands, before they began their harangue.

Ην δ' απα κηρυξ

Χερσι σκηπτρον εθηκε, σιωπησαι τ' εκελευσεν.

Iliad xxiii. 567.

V. They were the carriers and executors of the royal commands, (Iliad i. 320,) and went in search of those who were summoned to appear, or whose presence was desired.

VI. They were entrusted with the most important missions and accompanied princes in the most difficult circumstances. Priam, when he went to Achilles, took no person besides a herald with him. (Iliad xxiv. 674, 689.) When Ulysses sent two of his companions to treat with the Lestrygons, he sent a herald at the same time. (Odys. x. 102.) Agamemnon, when he wished to soften Achilles, joined Eurybates and Hodius, his heralds, to the deputation of the princes. (Iliad ix. 170.)

VII. Heralds were employed to proclaim and publish whatever was to be known by the people. (Odys. xx. 276.)

VIII. They declared war and proclaimed peace. (Odys. xviii. 334.)

IX. They took part in all sacred ceremonies: they mingled the wine and water in the large bowls for the libations, which were made at the conclusion of treaties. They were the priests of the people in many cases; they led forth the victims, cut them in pieces, and divided them among those engaged in the sacrifices. (Odys. i. 109, c.)

X. In Odyssey lib. xvii., a herald presents a piece of flesh to Telemachus, and pours out his wine.

XI. They sometimes waited on princes at table, and rendered them many other personal services. (Iliad ii. 280 Odys. i. 143, c., 146, 153 ii. 6,38.) In the Iliad, lib. x. 3, Eurybates carries the clothes to Ulysses. And a herald of Alcinous conducts Demodocus, the singer, into the festive hall. (Odys. viii. 470.) Many others of their functions, services, and privileges, the reader may see, by consulting DAMM'S Homeric Lexicon, under κρω.


 
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