Aretas
Nabatean king during Paul's time
Aussi appelé : Aretas IV
Aretas IV, with the nickname Philopatris ('the one who loves his people'), was ruler of the Nabatean kingdom based in the rock city of Petra. In the Bible, his name appears in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, where the apostle tells how the king's governor (ethnarch) guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest him. Paul escaped by being lowered in a basket through an opening in the city wall (2 Cor 11:32–33). This event sheds light on the political dangers faced by the first Christian preachers and on the Nabatean king's influence far beyond his own core territory. Before his conversion, Paul had stayed in 'Arabia' – likely Nabatean territory – which may have contributed to the hostility he later encountered. The Jewish historian Josephus reports that Aretas came into armed conflict with Herod Antipas after Herod divorced Aretas's daughter to marry Herodias, an event also reflected in the gospels' criticism of this marriage.
Événements clés
The governor's attempt to arrest Paul in Damascus
King Aretas' governor (ethnarch) kept watch over the city of Damascus with the aim of arresting the apostle Paul. Paul avoided capture by being lowered in a basket through an opening in the city wall. This event testifies to the political danger that early Christian preachers faced from various authorities.
Paul's stay in Arabia
After his conversion, Paul went to Arabia, an area under Nabatean rule. The Bible does not elaborate on what Paul did there, but several scholars have suggested that this stay may have aroused Nabatean opposition and contributed to the hostility he later experienced in Damascus under Aretas' governor.
The background of the conflict with Herod Antipas
Herod Antipas married Herodias after leaving his wife, who was the daughter of Aretas IV. The Gospels' mention of this marriage forms the biblical background for the military conflict between Aretas and Herodes described in detail by the Jewish historian Josephus. It should be noted that Aretas is not mentioned by name in the Gospels in this context.