Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ARETAS

(Gk. Harétas)

1. Aretas I, the first Nabatean ruler named in ancient literature. According to 2 Macc. 5:8 the Jewish high priest Jason somehow ran afoul of Aretas when he fled from Jerusalem to Nabatea in 168 b.c.e. Here, Aretas is called týrannos, which may indicate that the Nabatean rulers were not yet called kings. After the outbreak of the Maccabean Revolt, the Nabatean leaders are depicted as sympathizing with the revolutionaries (1 Macc. 5:25; 9:35).

2. Aretas II (ca. 100 b.c.e.), who promised to aid the city of Gaza when it was besieged by the Hasmonaean monarch Alexander Janneus (Josephus Ant. 13.356-364). However, his help came too late, and the city was overthrown. Josephus describes Aretas II as a “very illustrious person,” indicative of the growing power of the Nabatean kingdom.

3. Aretas III (ca. 87-62 b.c.e.), who, according to Josephus, gained control over Damascus and Coele-Syria. He invaded Judea and defeated Alexander Janneus in battle, but settled on terms and returned to his own land (Ant. 13.392; BJ 1.103). In 65 Aretas III supported Hyrcanus II in his struggle against Aristobulus II, besieging Aristobulus in Jerusalem, but he was ordered to withdraw by the Roman general Scaurus. During his retreat, Aretas was attacked and overcome by Aristobulus (Ant. 14.14-33; BJ 1.123-130).

4. Aretas IV (9 b.c.e.–40 c.e.), originally called Aeneas. He provided the Romans with troops for their campaigns against the Jews during the rebellions that followed Herod the Great’s death (4 b.c.e.; Ant. 17.287; BJ 2.68). Later in his reign (ca. 36 c.e.) Aretas IV became angry with Herod Antipas, the Jewish tetrarch, when Herod divorced Aretas’ daughter to marry Herodias. The resulting ill will was exacerbated by border disputes, and Aretas and Herod went to battle, with Aretas emerging victorious. Although reprimanded by the Roman emperor Tiberius, Aretas suffered no repercussions from the incident. Not long after, the Apostle Paul also ran afoul of Aretas IV. In 2 Cor. 11:32-33, Paul tells of how the governor of Damascus, under King Aretas, had guarded the city in order to capture Paul, but he had escaped in a basket lowered out of a window. The story reveals that Damascus was still under Nabatean control, even though it was within the Roman province of Coele-Syria.

Bibliography. G. W. Bowersock, Roman Arabia (Cambridge, Mass., 1983); A. Kasher, Jews, Idumeans, and Ancient Arabs (Tübingen, 1988); E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (175 b.c.-a.d. 135), rev. ed. (Edinburgh, 1973-1987).

Anthony J. Tomasino

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ARETAS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)