it being both illegal and immoral under Jewish law, and for doing so he was thrown into prison and later beheaded. His fearless and righteous condemnation aroused the bitter hatred of Herodias, so that she seized the first opportunity to have the prophet put to death.—Matt. 14:1-11; Mark 6:16-28; Luke 3:19, 20; 9:9.

Herodias’ brother Herod Agrippa I returned from Rome in 38 C.E., having been appointed to be king of Judea. This greatly vexed Herodias, for her husband, although he was a king’s son, remained only a district ruler. She therefore did not cease pressuring her husband until he too went to Rome in hopes of also being crowned a king with a kingdom. Flavius Josephus tells how Herodias’ brother Agrippa secretly sent letters to Emperor Caligula accusing Antipas of being in conspiracy with the Parthians. As a consequence, Antipas was sent into banishment to Gaul, and was accompanied by Herodias.—Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, chap. VII; Wars of the Jews, Book II, chap. IX, par. 6.

HERODION

(He·roʹdi·on).

One to whom Paul sent personal greetings in his letter to the Christian congregation at Rome. Paul refers to Herodion as “my relative.” (Rom. 16:11) Some suggest that this may simply mean that Herodion was a fellow Jew rather than an immediate member of Paul’s family, in view of the apostle’s use of the designation “relatives” at Romans 9:3. However, since Paul does not refer to all the Jews to whom he sent greetings as “my relatives” (compare Acts 18:2; Romans 16:3), likely a closer relative is meant.—See ANDRONICUS.

HEROD, PARTY FOLLOWERS OF

[Gr., He·ro·di·a·noiʹ].

The exact identity of this group is not certain, for there is no mention of the Herodians in secular history and little Scriptural reference is made to them. (Matt. 22:16; Mark 3:6; 12:13) There are strong objections to believing, as some do, that the Herodians were either household domestics of Herod, his soldiers or his court officials. The majority of scholars believe and the weight of supporting argument is that they were Jewish partisans or party followers of the Herodian dynasty, which received its authority from Rome. During Jesus Christ’s ministry Herod Antipas headed this dynasty.

Politically, the Herodians stood on middle ground, opposed on the one hand by the Pharisees and Jewish zealots who advocated a Jewish kingdom completely independent of Roman control, and on the other hand by those who advocated complete absorption of Judea by the Roman Empire. Some of the Sadducees, rated as free thinkers and moderates in Judaism, probably belonged to the Herodian school of thought. This latter conclusion is drawn from the reports of Matthew and Mark as to Jesus’ statement about leaven. According to Matthew 16:6, Jesus said, “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,” whereas Mark 8:15 says, “Look out for the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” Repeating the word “leaven” emphasized that there was a difference in the corrupt teachings of the two parties. Instead of “Herod,” this latter text reads “Herodians” in some manuscripts, namely, the Chester Beatty Papyrus I (P⁴⁵), the Codex Washingtonianus I and the Codex Koridethianus.

There is one thing certain: the party followers of Herod and the Pharisees, though openly opposed to one another in their political and Judaistic views, were solidly united in their violent opposition to Jesus. On at least two occasions these opposing parties consulted together on how best to do away with their common opponent. The first reported instance was shortly after Passover, 31 C.E., during Jesus’ Great Galilean Ministry. Upon seeing Jesus restore a man’s dried-up hand on the sabbath, “the Pharisees went out and immediately began holding council with the party followers of Herod against him, in order to destroy him.”—Mark 3:1-6; Matt. 12:9-14.

The second reported occasion was nearly two years later, just three days before Jesus was put to death, when disciples of the Pharisees and party followers of Herod joined forces in putting Jesus to the test in the matter of taxation. These men were secretly hired “to pretend that they were righteous, in order that they might catch him in speech, so as to turn him over to the government and to the authority of the governor.” (Luke 20:20) They prefaced their direct question about taxes with words of flattery designed to throw Jesus off guard. However, Jesus, perceiving their cunning wickedness, declared: “Why do you put me to the test, hypocrites?” He then completely silenced them by his answer on the matter of paying taxes.—Matt. 22:15-22; Luke 20:21-26.

HERON

[Heb., ʼana·phahʹ].

The birds that were not to be eaten according to the Mosaic law include “the heron according to its kind” (“in its several species,” AT). (Lev. 11:13, 19; Deut. 14:12, 18) Its placement in the lists after the “stork,” and the Septuagint and Vulgate translations evidently indicate a water bird. The Hebrew name is considered by some as being derived from a root word meaning “to breathe hard,” or, possibly, “to snort,” likely in anger. Others suggest a closer connection of the name with the Hebrew word for “nose” (ʼaph), perhaps as descriptive of the bird’s beak. Since the Bible account shows that the name embraces birds within a certain “kind,” the Hebrew name may well include the different varieties to be found within the heron family (scientifically designated Ardeidae), such as the true heron, the egret and the bittern. All these birds have long sharp bills or beaks and some are noted for the unusual raucous sound they make when disturbed or excited.

The Smithsonian Series (1944, Vol. Nine, p. 111) says that, when disturbed, the young night heron “suddenly darts out its head at an intruder and with wide-open mouth utters a vociferous squawk that startles any except the steadiest of nerves.”

The birds of the heron family are basically waders, frequenting marshes, swamps, inland streams and lakes. They have long slender necks and long, bare, extraordinarily thin legs, and long toes including a large hind toe. With a stately stride they wade along, searching for frogs, small crabs, or small reptiles; or else they stand motionless, patiently waiting for small fish to come within their range, whereupon a lightning thrust of the bird’s long neck spears the fish with its pointed beak. Though nesting in colonies, they usually fish alone. Where trees are available they build their rather loosely arranged nests on the treetops, while in treeless swamps they make their nests among the rushes or reeds. Their large wings carry them in a rather slow majestic flight, legs stretched out behind but with the long neck doubled back so that the head rests between the shoulders, thus differing from the crane and ibis that fly with both their necks and legs outstretched.

While only one type of stork is frequent in Palestine, there are several varieties of herons: the common or gray heron, the buff-backed heron (often called the white ibis), and the purple heron. They may average about three feet (1 meter) in length with a wingspread of about the same span. They can be found around the Sea of Galilee, along the banks of the Jordan and Kishon Rivers, in marshy regions and along the seacoast.

The bittern is a somewhat shorter, stouter, browner variety of heron, also found in Palestine in marshy regions. With a length of about thirty inches (76 centimeters), the bittern characteristically has plumage streaked with black, buff and white, the underparts being a pale buff color with brown stripes, and the legs yellowish green. This color combination harmonizes exactly with the marsh grass it inhabits, and, when in danger, the bird stands motionless with neck and bill pointed upward. This, together with the vertical stripes, causes it to blend in perfectly with its surroundings in effective camouflage. Bitterns are also noted for the deep booming or pumping sound they make by expelling air from their gullets, the head and neck being violently contorted at the same time.

The egrets are among the most graceful and beautiful birds of the heron family, often having pure white plumage. Somewhat larger than other herons, with a length of up to four feet (1.2 meters), egrets are common in Palestine and are frequently found in association with grazing cattle, feeding on available insects.

HESED

(Heʹsed) [loving-kindness, or, loyal love].

An Israelite whose son was one of Solomon’s twelve deputies, each being responsible to provide the king and his household with food one month in the year.—1 Ki. 4:7, 10.

HESHBON

(Heshʹbon) [intelligence; stronghold].

A place identified with modern Hesban, a ruined city situated about 15.5 miles (c. 25 kilometers) E of the Jordan River at a point almost parallel with the N coast of the Dead Sea. It lies nearly midway between the Arnon and Jabbok Rivers. (Josh. 12:2) The ruins of Heshbon, occupying two hills, date primarily from Roman times. A large ruined reservoir is located a short distance to the E of Heshbon, and about 600 feet (c. 183 meters) below the city there is a fountain that has formed a succession of pools.—Compare Song of Solomon 7:4; see BATH-RABBIM.

The Amorite king Sihon captured Heshbon from the Moabites and made it his royal residence. The Moabite defeat even provided the basis for a taunting proverbial saying, either of Amorite or Israelite origin. In the event this saying stemmed from the Amorites, it mocked the Moabites and memorialized King Sihon’s victory. But, if originating with the Israelites, it signified that just as Sihon had wrested Heshbon from the Moabites, so Israel would take this and other cities from the Amorites. The taunt would then be that the victory of Sihon paved the way for the Israelites to take possession of land to which they would otherwise not have been entitled.—Num. 21:26-30; Deut. 2:9.

When King Sihon refused to allow the Israelites under Moses to pass peacefully through his land and prepared to battle against them, Jehovah gave his people the victory over Sihon. Amorite cities, undoubtedly including Heshbon, were devoted to destruction. (Deut. 2:26-36; 3:6; 29:7; Judg. 11:19-22) Afterward the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon (Num. 32:37), it being included among the cities that Moses gave to them. (Josh. 13:15-17) As a border city between Reuben and Gad, Heshbon later became a part of Gad’s territory and is named as one of the four Gadite cities assigned to the Levities.—Josh. 21:38, 39; 1 Chron. 6:77, 80, 81.

At a later period Heshbon evidently came under Moabite control, as indicated by the fact that both Isaiah and Jeremiah mention it in their pronouncements of doom against Moab. (Isa. 15:4; 16:7-9; Jer. 48:2, 34, 45) Jeremiah also refers to this city in a pronouncement against Ammon. (Jer. 49:1, 3) Some commentators understand this to indicate that Heshbon had by then come into Ammonite hands. Others suggest that this may mean either that Heshbon of Moab would share the same fate as Ai or that a different Heshbon in the territory of Ammon is intended.

According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Heshbon was in the possession of the Jews in the time of Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 B.C.E.). (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XIII, chap. XV, par. 4) Later, Herod the Great had jurisdiction over the city.—Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, chap. VIII, par. 5.

HESHMON

(Heshʹmon) [possibly, fruitfulness].

A city in the southern part of Judah (Josh. 15:21, 27), the location of which is now unknown.

HESHVAN

See CALENDAR.

HETH

[perhaps, terror, dread].

The second-listed son of Canaan and great-grandson of Noah through Ham. (Gen. 10:1, 6, 15; 1 Chron. 1:13) Heth was ancestral father of the Hittites (1 Ki. 10:29; 2 Ki. 7:6; see HITTITES), one branch of which settled in the hill country of Judah. (Ex. 3:8) It was in the vicinity of Hebron that Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite the field of Machpelah, and the cave therein, as a burial place. (Gen. 23:2-20; 25:8-10; 49:32) Of its fourteen occurrences, the name Heth appears ten times in connection with the “sons of Heth.” Two of Esau’s wives were from among the “daughters of Heth” (also called “daughters of Canaan”), these wives being a source of grief to his parents.—Gen. 26:34, 35; 27:46; 28:1, 6-8.

HETHLON

(Hethʹlon).

A site, the approach to which lay on the northern border of the land of Israel, as seen in Ezekiel’s vision. (Ezek. 47:13, 15; 48:1) Some geographers tentatively identify Hethlon with modern-day Heitela, about twenty miles (32.2 kilometers) NE of Tripoli.

HEZEKIAH

(Hez·e·kiʹah) [Jehovah has strengthened].

1. King of Judah, 745-716 B.C.E. He apparently became king when his father Ahaz died, in the “third year of Hoshea” king of Israel (perhaps meaning Hoshea’s third year as tributary king under Tiglath-pileser III), counting his reign officially from Nisan of the following year (745 B.C.E.). (2 Ki. 18:1; see CHRONOLOGY, Chart of Kings and Prophets.) Prophets contemporary with Hezekiah’s reign were Isaiah, Hosea and Micah. (Isa. 1:1; Hos. 1:1; Mic. 1:1) Hezekiah was outstanding as a king who “kept sticking to Jehovah,” doing what was right in Jehovah’s eyes and following his commandments. From the beginning of his reign he proved himself zealous for the promotion of true worship, not only in Judah, but in all the territory of Israel. In following the ways of Jehovah as David his forefather had done, it could be said of Hezekiah that “after him there proved to be no one like him among all the kings of Judah, even those who had happened to be prior to him.” For this “Jehovah proved to be with him.”—2 Ki. 18:3-7.

LITERARY CONTRIBUTIONS

Hezekiah is also known for his interest in compiling some of the Proverbs of Solomon, as the introduction to the section now known as chapters 25-29 of Proverbs reads: “These also are the proverbs of Solomon that the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah transcribed.” (Prov. 25:1) He wrote the song of thanksgiving recorded at Isaiah 38:10-20 after Jehovah healed him for his deadly sickness. In it he mentions “my string selections.” (Vs. 20) Some believe that Hezekiah wrote Psalm 119. If correct, it would seem that this Psalm was written when Hezekiah was a prince, not yet the king.

SITUATION AT HEZEKIAH’S ACCESSION

When Hezekiah came to the throne, the kingdom of Judah was under God’s disfavor, for Hezekiah’s father Ahaz had committed many detestable acts before Jehovah and had let the false worship of pagan gods run unrestrained in Judah. Therefore, Jehovah had permitted the land to suffer at the hands of its enemies, particularly the second world power, Assyria. Ahaz stripped the temple and the palace to provide a bribe for the king of Assyria. Worse yet, he cut up the utensils of the temple, closed its doors, and made altars for himself “at every corner in Jerusalem,” sacrificing to other gods. Ahaz, by an alliance, placed his kingdom under the protection of the king of Assyria during his reign. (2 Ki. 16:7-9; 2 Chron. 28:24, 25) But Hezekiah, early in his reign, “proceeded to rebel against the king of Assyria.”—2 Ki. 18:7.

At Hezekiah’s accession to the throne of Judah, the