Aretas
"King of the Nabataeans whose governor in Damascus attempted to arrest the apostle Paul."
Biblical Profile
Aretas IV was the powerful monarch of the Nabataean Kingdom, with its capital in Petra. In the biblical context, his name appears linked to one of the most dangerous moments in the early ministry of Paul. The governor (ethnarch) under the command of Aretas in Damascus guarded the city with guards to seize the apostle, possibly due to the agitation caused by his preaching among the Jewish and Arab population. To escape this siege coordinated by Aretas's authority, the disciples lowered Paul in a basket through an opening in the city wall at night. In addition to this incident, Aretas is known historically for his conflict with Herod Antipas, who divorced Aretas's daughter to marry Herodias, leading to a war in which the Nabataean king defeated Herod, an event mentioned indirectly in the complaints of John the Baptist.
Scripture References
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