SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:32
En Damasco, el capitn de la gente del rey Aretas guardaba la ciudad de los damascenos para prenderme;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 11:32
Verse 32. In Damascus the governor under Aretas] For a description of Damascus see the note on Acts ix. 2. And for the transaction to which the apostle refers see Acts ix. 23. As to King Aretas, there were three of this name. The first is mentioned 2 Maccab. v. 8. The second by Josephus, Antiq. l. xiii. c. 15, sec. 2; and l. xvi. c. 1, sec. 4. The third, who is the person supposed to be referred to here, was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas, of whom see the notes, Acts ix. 23, &c. But it is a question of some importance, How could Damascus, a city of Syria, be under the government of an Arabian king? It may be accounted for thus: Herod Antipas, who married the daughter of Aretas, divorced her, in order to marry Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. Aretas, on this indignity offered to his family, made war upon Herod. Herod applied to Tiberius for help, and the emperor sent Vitellius to reduce Aretas, and to bring him alive or dead to Rome. By some means or other Vitellius delayed his operations, and in the meantime Tiberius died; and thus Aretas was snatched from ruin, Joseph., Antiq. lib. xviii. c. 5. What Aretas did in the interim is not known; but it is conjectured that he availed himself of the then favourable state of things, made an irruption into Syria, and seized on Damascus. See Rosenmuller; and see the introduction to this epistle, sec.
ii.
The governor] eqnarchv? Who this ethnarch was, we cannot tell. The word ethnarch signifies the governor of a province, under a king or emperor.
Desirous to apprehend me] The enemies of the apostle might have represented him to the governor as a dangerous spy, employed by the Romans.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 32. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king , etc..] Aretas or Al-Hareth was a king of Arabia, of the family of the Gassanii; among whom were many of this name f113 ; and who for some hundreds of years ruled over Syria, of which Damascus was the metropolis. The fourth king of that family was of this name, and perhaps is the person here meant; and after him there were four more of the same family so called; it was a name of Arabian kings in other families. The fifteenth king of the Yamanensians was of this name, and so was the seventeenth of the Hirensians f114 , and the third of the kings of Cenda; in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes, there was an Aretas king of the Arabians, mentioned in the Apocrypha f115 . In the end therefore he had an unhappy return, being accused before Aretas the king of the Arabians, fleeing from city to city, pursued of all men, hated as a forsaker of the laws, and being had in abomination as an open enemy of his country and countrymen, he was cast out into Egypt. (2 Maccabees 5:8) Josephus also makes mention of Aretas king of the Arabians, who seems to have been king of Arabia Petraea, since his royal seat was at Petra, to whom Hyrcanus fled by the advice of Antipater, the father of Herod the great; and there was also one of this name in the times of Herod himself, who succeeded Obodas f117 ; yea, there was an Aretas king of Petraea, in the times of Herod the tetrarch, whose daughter Herod married, and put her away when he took Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, which occasioned a quarrel between him and Aretas, which issued in a battle, in which Herod was beaten f118 ; and who is thought to be the same king which is here spoken of: the name Aretas or Al-Hareth, as Hillerus f119 , observes, signifies the lion; and a lion with the eastern nations was a symbol of royalty and dominion; hence such names were given to persons of illustrious birth and power; so Ali, the son-in-law of Mahomet, was called by the Arabs and Persians the lion of God: now Syria, where Damascus was, and which is called by Pliny Damascus of Syria, had been of long time in the hands of the kings of Arabia; and Josephus makes mention of Aretas, king of Coele Syria, who was called to the government by those who had Damascus in their hands; very probably by Milesius, who was governor of the tower of Damascus, and commanded twn damaskhnwn thn polin , the city of the Damascenes, as Josephus calls Damascus, just as it is here in the next clause; in which country of Coele Syria, Ptolomy f122 also places Damascus; and Grotius has proved from Justin Martyr and Terlullian f124 , that Damascus formerly belonged to Arabia, though in their times it was reckoned to Syro Phoenicia: here the apostle preached to the confounding of the Jews that dwelt there, which provoked them to enter into a consultation to take away his life; and that he might not escape their hands, they moved to the then governor who was under the king, that the gates might be watched day and night; (see Acts 9:23-25) to which he agreed; and as the apostle here says, kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison , or set a guard about it; or as the Arabic version reads it, he shut up the city; and placed a watch at the gates of it night and day, or allowed the Jews to do so: desirous to apprehend me ; in order to deliver him into their hands, who were now his sworn enemies for the Gospel's sake; willing to do them this favour to ingratiate himself into their affections; or perhaps it might be insinuated to him, that he was a seditious person.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 22-33 - The apostle gives an account of his labours and sufferings; not out of pride or vain-glory, but to the honour of God, who enabled him to d and suffer so much for the cause of Christ; and shows wherein he excelled the false apostles, who tried to lessen his character an usefulness. It astonishes us to reflect on this account of his dangers hardships, and sufferings, and to observe his patience, perseverance diligence, cheerfulness, and usefulness, in the midst of all thes trials. See what little reason we have to love the pomp and plenty of this world, when this blessed apostle felt so much hardship in it. Ou utmost diligence and services appear unworthy of notice when compare with his, and our difficulties and trials scarcely can be perceived. I may well lead us to inquire whether or not we really are followers of Christ. Here we may study patience, courage, and firm trust in God Here we may learn to think less of ourselves; and we should eve strictly keep to truth, as in God's presence; and should refer all to his glory, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 PREP δαμασκω 1154 N-DSF ο 3588 T-NSM εθναρχης 1481 N-NSM αρετα 702 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM βασιλεως 935 N-GSM εφρουρει 5432 5707 V-IAI-3S την 3588 T-ASF δαμασκηνων 1153 A-GPM πολιν 4172 N-ASF πιασαι 4084 5658 V-AAN με 3165 P-1AS θελων 2309 5723 V-PAP-NSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
32. The governor (eqnarchv). Only here in the New Testament. A governor ruling in the name of a king: a prefect.Aretas. Or Hareth, the father-in-law of Herod Antipas. Hs capital was the rock-city of Petra, the metropolis of Arabia Petraea. Herod's unfaithfulness to his daughter brought on a quarrel, in which Herod's army was defeated, to the great delight of the Jews. The further prosecution of the war by Roman troops was arrested by the death of Tiberius, and it is supposed that Caligula assigned Damascus as a free gift to Aretas.
Kept with a garrison (efrourei). Imperfect tense, was maintaining a constant watch. Compare Acts ix. 24: They watched the gates day and night.
To apprehend (piasai). See on Acts iii. 7.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:32 {The governor under Aretas} (ho eqnarces hareta). How it came to pass that Damascus, ruled by the Romans after B.C. 65, came at this time to be under the rule of Aretas, fourth of the name, King of the Nabatheans (II Macc. 5:8), we do not know. There is an absence of Roman coins in Damascus from A.D. 34 to 62. It is suggested (Plummer) that Caligula, to mark his dislike for Antipas, gave Damascus to Aretas (enemy of Antipas). {Guarded} (efrourei). Imperfect active of frourew, old verb (from frouros, a guard) to guard by posting sentries. In #Ac 9:24 we read that the Jews kept watch to seize Paul, but there is no conflict as they cooperated with the guard set by Aretas at their request. {To seize} (piasai). Doric first aorist active infinitive of piezw (#Lu 6:38) for which see on Ac 3:7.
