John Gill Commentary Matthew 14:7

"Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she should ask." — Matthew 14:7 (ASV)

Whereupon he promised with an oath
On account of her fine dancing, and being extremely pleased with it himself, and the more so because it gave such pleasure to the whole court, he first promised her,

to give her whatsoever she would ask ;
and then repeating it, he confirmed it with an oath; adding, as Mark says, that he would give it her, even "to the half of his kingdom": a way of speaking used by princes to give persons full power to ask what they will, expressing great munificence and liberality, signifying that whatever is asked, no matter how great or costly (even as much as half a kingdom), will be granted; see (Esther 5:3Esther 5:6) .

These were a very foolish promise and a rash oath, made upon such a consideration as only a fine dance. If she, as Theophylact observes, had asked for his head, would he have given it her? And if he swore by his head, which was a common form of swearing with the Jews ^F21 , she answers him very appropriately, though unjustly, as Dr. Lightfoot observes: 'As you have swore by your head, give me John Baptist's head.'

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FOOTNOTES:

• F21: Misn. Sanhedrim, c. 3. sect 2. T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 3. 1. Derech Eretz, c. 6. fol. 18. 2.