🔼The name Herodias: Summary
- Meaning
- Of The Realm Of Herod
- Etymology
- From the name Herod.
🔼The name Herodias in the Bible
Herodias is the granddaughter of Herod the Great, mother of Salome and grandmother of Agrippa the Second, Bernice and Drusilla.
Herodias is mentioned by Matthew (14:3), Mark (6:17) and Luke (3:19), but only in relation to John the Baptist, who disproved of her incestuous relationship with her uncle Herod Antipas, for which she left her husband Philip Herod, the brother of Antipas.
John seems to have personally informed Herod Antipas of his disapproval of this abominable transaction, and Herod has him imprisoned. When Salome dances before Herod and he grants her whatever she will ask, Herodias entices her to ask for the head of John on a platter.
The name Herodias occurs 6 times in the New Testament; see full concordance.
🔼Etymology and meaning of the name Herodias
The name Herodias means Of Herodia, and Herodia could be construed as "Land of Herod," or perhaps rather "Legacy of Herod." It's not clear where the name Herod comes from, but here at Abarim Publications we like to propose that the name Herod(ias) may have to do with the Hebrew verb ערד ('arad), meaning to flee, or חרד (harad), meaning to tremble or be afraid (and please see our article on the name Herod for the details).