While visiting, he became infatuated with Philip’s wife Herodias, who was ambitious for position. He took her back to Galilee and married her, divorcing Aretas’ daughter and sending her back to her home.

It was Herod Antipas’ adulterous relationship with Herodias that brought reproof from John the Baptizer. John could properly correct Antipas on this matter, for Antipas was nominally a Jew and professedly under the Law. Antipas put John into prison, desiring to kill him, but was afraid of the people, who believed John was a prophet. Nevertheless, at a celebration of Antipas’ birthday, Herodias’ daughter so pleased him that he made an oath to give her whatever she asked. Herodias instructed her daughter to ask for John’s head. Herod, though it was not pleasing to him, cravenly gave in to save face before those attending the celebration and because of his oath. (However, under the Law he would not be bound by an oath to perform an illegal act, such as murder.)​—Mt 14:3-12; Mr 6:17-29.

Banished to Gaul. When Agrippa I was made king of Philip’s tetrarchy by Gaius Caesar (Caligula), Antipas’ wife Herodias reproached her husband, saying it was only because of slothfulness on his part that he did not receive kingship. She argued that since he was already a tetrarch, whereas, by contrast, Agrippa had formerly had no office at all, Antipas should go to Rome and request a kingship from Caesar. He finally yielded to his wife’s persistent pressure. But Caligula was angered by Antipas’ ambitious request and, giving heed to accusations from Agrippa, banished Antipas to Gaul (the city of Lyons, France); he finally died in Spain. Herodias, though she could have escaped punishment because of being Agrippa’s sister, stuck with her husband, likely because of her pride. Antipas’ tetrarchy and, after his exile, his money, as well as Herodias’ estate, came to be given to Agrippa I. Thus Herodias was responsible for Antipas’ two great calamities: his near defeat by King Aretas and his banishment.