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6-7 There John sat until Herod’s birthday. On that night, Salome, Herodias’s daughter by Philip, came and danced for her stepfather and all his birthday guests. Herod so enjoyed her dancing that he vowed to give her whatever she wanted.

Salome (after whispering with her mother): Bring me the head of John the Baptist,[a] displayed on a platter.

This is not what Herod expected—he imagined his stepdaughter would ask for a necklace or maybe a slave.

Herod still thought it unwise to kill John, but because he had made such a show of his promise—because he had actually sworn an oath and because the scene was playing out in front of the watchful eyes of so many guests—Herod felt bound to give his stepdaughter what she wanted.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:8 Literally, John who immersed, to show repentance

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