Is There Any Evidence Of Herod The Great The Biblical King?

Herod the Great or Herod I

Basileus (King) Idealized, undated portrayal of Herod'

King Herod born 73 or 74 BCE is the biblical Roman king who ruled Judea from 37 BC until his death in 4 BC.

King Herod was a complex, paranoid, insecure, obsessive, cruel, mad, bad murderous king, WHY did they call him Herod the Great? I would call him Herod the Disgrace. Let me tell you why.

By Simon Brown

Well, we know a lot about Herod thanks to our good friend Josephus’s books The Jewish Antiquities. The historian Flavius Josephus faithfully recorded in extraordinary detail the life of Herod the Great.

FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS

The history of Herod was also recorded and written by Nicolaus of Damascus who had been Herod’s personal secretary.   

Is There Any Physical Evidence Of King Herod

Yes. 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Herodian coinage are coins minted and issued by the Herodian Dynasty, Jews of Idumean descent who ruled the province of Judaea between 37 BC–92 AD. The dynasty was founded by Herod the Great who was the son of a powerful official under the King .Hyrcanus IIHasmonean Antipater Herod the Great 37–4 BC

     Largest coin of Herod the Great

Is There Any Physical Evidence Of King Herod's Tomb?

Yes. 

Aerial photo of Herodium

from the southwest 

An archaeologist, Professor Ehud Netzer and an Israeli team of archaeologists from the Hebrew University believed and then announced they had discovered the tomb which contained a broken sarcophagus but no remains of a body.

Ehud Netzer believed it was Herod's sarcophagus because of its unusual and ornate appearance which was quite unique.

"It is something very special" he said.

He said the sarcophagus had been smashed into pieces, most likely by someone seeking revenge on Herod during the great Jewish rebellion of 66-72 CE.   

Sadly Ehud Netzer fell from a railing in Herodium, south of Jerusalem and died of his serious injuries in October 28, 2010,

Archaeologist, Professor Ehud Netzer 

Did you know Herod's Tomb was at the exact location given by Flavius Josephus?  Moral judgement aside, Josephus Flavius’ accounts have been proved largely accurate.

Discovery Of Herod's Temple Quarry Found. 

An archaeologist, Yuval Baruch, discovered on September 25, 2007, a quarry compound where King Herod cut out the stones to renovate the Second Temple.

Yuval Baruch also found coins, pottery and iron stakes found to prove the date of the quarrying to be about 19 BCE.

This is evidence that it was a massive public project worked on by hundreds of slaves.

Web site for this image Sept. 24….(AP) Israeli archaeologists said they have discovered a quarry ...  focusonjerusalem.com 

READ THIS ARTICLE

Sept. 24….(AP) Israeli archaeologists said they have discovered a quarry that provided King Herod with the stones he used to renovate the biblical Second Temple compound, offering rare insight into construction of the holiest site in Judaism. Click here for this web site http://focusonjerusalem.com/newsroom86.html 

HEROD'S WALL AT ABRAHAM'S WELL. When I was making my second film, Our Search for Real Discoveries, around the dead sea

Our Search for Real Discoveries FREE DVD film.

Real Discoveries, around the dead sea DVD.

we visited a place called ABRAHAM'S WELL 

http://www.realdiscoveries.org/modules/articles/item.php?itemid=26 which is a place where Abraham moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord.

I saw and touched one of Herod's construction projects. Herod the Great built a wall around the entire area with the well still remaining in the corner. Herod's thick wall still remains today. Click here to watch this small video.

The Western Wall.  Wailing Wall or Kotel.

King Herod expanded the Second Temple Wall.  It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount. It is a remnant of the ancient wall that surrounded the Jewish Temple's courtyard, and is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism outside of the Temple Mount itself. Just over half the wall, including its 17 courses located below street level, dates from the end of the Second Temple period, having been constructed around 19 BCE by Herod the Great. This part is From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 Photo of the wailing wall, partly built by King Herod, owned by Simon Brown, FREE to use. 

 MASADA

According to Josephus Flavius, Herod the Great built the fortress of Masada between 37 and 31 BCE.

Herod, the master builder furnished this fortress as a refuge for himself. This is another place I visited. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS VIDEO BELOW. 

Josephus wrote that the first fortress at Masada was built by Jonathan, probably brother of Judah the Macabbee, high priest in 152 BC. Herod ruled from 37 to 4 BC and was aware of the strategic importance of Masada. Unsurprisingly, he chose to take refuge here from his enemies and used it as a winter palace.  

Tomb of The Patriarch,

 Masada.

This is another place I visited, Abraham's Tomb. A building built by Herod 2000 years ago now covers the cave. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS VIDEO BELOW.

The story of Herod the Great, is an interesting one for believers and unbelievers alike. I am quite excited to write and research the life of this man. I will try to keep this as short as possible for I know how busy life can be so we will just look at some of the facts.  

King Herod had some well known friends like Emperor Augustus, Julius Caesar who was killed by Mark Anthony.

King Herod had a close friendship with Rome’s man in the east – playboy and politician Mark Antony.

King Herod may of also married the well known and the world’s most desirable woman,Cleopatra of Jerusalem

King Herod was extremely disliked by the Jews. 

King Herod is well known for the order and the execution to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under. The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 2:16-18 describes an event known as the Massacre of the Innocents.  Some sceptics doubt this part to be true however as you read the rest of this article you will see this evil act is absolutely in his nature. 

King Herod was a complex paranoid insecure obsessive cruel mad bad murderous king, WHY did they call him Herod the Great? I would call him Herod the Disgrace. Let me tell you why. 

King Herod was paranoid that people were after his power.

King Herod was one of the greatest builders of all human history. This is the only one good thing I can find about this man.

He expanded the Second Temple and built Caesarea. He also built the largest artificial harbour in the Mediterranean area. You can visit today a beautiful amphitheatre and a hippodrome for chariot races like in the movie Ben Hur.

Romanian amphitheater, bult by Herod. Caesarea, Israel Copyright  ©2011 iStockphoto LP.

Chariot with driver in Roman costume.Copyright ©2011 iStockphoto LP. 

I read in one article that Herod was not Jewish. He was, in fact, an Arab. His father was an Arab and his mother was a woman of Arab descent. However I read Herod was a practicing Jew, converted to Judaism by the Hasmoneans. However I don't know how accurate this is as I also read:-

The Herod family were Idumeans. That is, they were descended from Abraham through Isaac and Esau, rather than through Isaac and Jacob. They saw themselves as Jewish, participating in God's covenant with Abraham, but their ancestors had not gone to Egypt with Joseph and returned with Moses and Joshua. This information was sourced from sundayschoollessons. com

Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard of a baby that was born in Bethlehem as this was in the same town of Herod's summer palace where his sons would inherit the title from him. He heard of the prophecy that a King of the Jews would be born. He also met the 3 wise men and tried to trick them by telling them that he would like to meet the baby as well and give him gifts.

 Matthew 2 The Magi Visit the Messiah. Copyright ©2011 iStockphoto LP.

Matthew 2 The Magi Visit the Messiah.

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. However God warned Mary and Joseph to go to Egypt for safety and hide there until further notice.

The Escape to Egypt 

13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” After Herod realised he was tricked he thought by killing all the baby boys under 2 would destroy the baby Jesus. Who can out wit God? 

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:  18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.

 His extreme insane and ruthless behaviour was condemned by the .Sanhedrin 

In 28 BCE– Herod executed his brother-in-law Kostobar.

He also executed several of his wives and some of his sons.

The most famous son was the biblical Philip the Tetrarch also called Herod Philip II. It was this son who ordered the execution and beheading of St. John the Baptist. who preached against his marriage with Salome as stated in the New Testament, because Philip also known as Herod in the bible married his brothers wife

17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”  Mark 6:17 - 19. 

I also just discovered from my research, that Herod Philip II mentioned in the Bible, Mark 6:17 - 19, who beheaded John the Baptist, was the son of, Cleopatra of Jerusalem. Amazing.

Herod Philip II also married his brother's wife Salome

It gets even better. Cleopatra of Jerusalem, may have been the half sister of Joseph “the Carpenter”, who married Miriam/Mary the Mother of Yehoshua/Jesus.                      

However please don't take my word for this, as this is very complicated indeed.

.

Josephus quotes he killed forty-five of the leading members of Antigonus" supporters.=""

After hearing a rumour of conspiracy Herod tortured three of his high-ranking guard's. Herod also tortured Alexander' associates. Many died under torture. Many were involved in a plot, including Herod's trusted friends, to dispose of Herod but they them selves were executed. He also killed certain members of the military. Herod also put to death certain Pharisees.

Attempts were also made to poison Herod. I wonder why?  Augustus remarked that it was better to be Herod's pig or dog than his son.

Herod executed his second wife Mariamne I and Herod grieved for her for many months. However the Talmudic legend states she threw herself from a roof and was killed. But Herod still had love for her and is said to have kept her body preserved in honey for seven years.

Herod paid Caesar's murderers to kill Caesar. Caesar died with 23 stab wounds.

Herod offended the Jews of Jerusalem

Herod executed some teachers and pupils by burning them alive for pulling down a golden eagle placed by Herod over the great gate of the Temple. Judas and Matthias, incited their pupils to remove the golden eagle from the entrance as it was against the Ten Commandments, which stated it was a sin to make idols.  

Herod made a plan to kill all the leading Jews upon his death, for vengeance, however thank God this failed and the Jews were released after his death.

Despite Herod's evil deeds he kept one of the Jewish laws and would eat no pork. 

At nearly seventy-years old Herod becomes seriously ill.  

Herod attempts to commit suicide, but fails. 

We now look at his death.

He suffered a grisly slow painful death.

Josephus wrote: "He had a fever, though not a raging fever, an intolerable itching of the whole skin, continuous pains in the intestines, tumours of the feet as in dropsy, inflammation of the abdomen, and gangrene of the privy parts which produced worms, and when he sat upright, he had a difficulty of breathing, According to Josephus, Herod also suffered from asthma, limb convulsions, and foul breath chronic kidney disease complicated by Fournier's gangrene depression and paranoia.

Only days before his death Herod learnt that his death would be met with joy in Judea which is why he made a plan to kill all the leading Jews upon his death,

After his death finally people could sleep for a few days at least. Herod was buried in a golden casket in the Herodion where Professor Ehud Netzer, and an Israeli team of archaeologists discovered his sarcophagus.

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:19-23 

My conclusion.

What have we learnt from this story?

Believe it or not this is just some of the complicated facts of Herod that I have gathered together regarding this king.

The many monumental constructions and projects of The Biblical King Herod are a surviving witness to a time when Jesus walked on the earth.

We can still today walk back in time to see touch and feel some of greatest buildings of all human history.

The life of Herod and his family was most certainly intertwined with Gods people and the life of Jesus and His Apostles. His father Herod Antipater has no mention of him in the New Testament but I just read ten of his descendants played major roles in the lives of Jesus and of the apostles. 

Herod's  life was full of troubles with no peace and his slow torturous suffering in the end is a perfect example of how his cruelty overshadowed his life. JOB made it clear when he said:

As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. Job 4:8

The Jews rejoiced after his death and thank God that after Agrippa II's death, who was the seventh and the last king of the family of Herod the Great, the Herodian dynasty disappeared from the stage of history for ever. But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, Hosea 10:13.

Why did Herod mock God in God's chosen land with God's Chosen people. It doesn't matter whether we are Kings Queens, rich or poor, black or white nothing is hidden from God. God knows all and is not mocked. 

Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8 The Message (MSG)

Emma Brown picking good fruits from her garden.

Even with this overwhelming evidence of Bible Archaeology walking side by side with one another most will still refuse to believe.

Even with this story of Herod's evil deeds's and troubled life, it clearly confirms that God is warning us that what we sow we reap.

Most will still close their eyes and ears. Friends, I ask you. Please humble your self before God, because God loves you and is their waiting for you. 

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16 -18 The Message (MSG) 

Dear friends do you know the Lord Jesus yet? Time is running out FAST in this evil world.