What Does Mark 6:26 Mean in the King James?
And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The king’s sorrow does not decide what happens; his oath and the company at his table do.
THE MEANING
Grief fills the king, yet his oath and the people at the table govern his choice. He will not set aside her demand for John’s death, so sorrow stands beside the violence without stopping it. A person can feel the cost and still let public expectation carry the decision.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that feeling sorrow over a harmful choice is the same as refusing to carry it out.
THE ROOT
ἀθετῆσαι
athetēsai
GROWS FROM
θε- / θη- (from τίθημι, tithēmi)
To put or set in place; with the prefix ἀ-, to set aside or nullify.
The verb translated “reject” also appears as “disannulleth” in Galatians 3:15, where it means nullifying something confirmed. That shared root sharpens the choice here: the king does not set aside her request.
ALSO GROWS
tithēmi: To put, set, or place.
τίθημι
This is the verb family beneath “reject”: the question is whether the request will be set aside.
athetēsis: Annulment or setting aside.
ἀθέτησις
This noun makes the root’s force plain: the king’s refusal to reject her lets the demand stand.
THE PATTERN
Public expectations can carry a decision beyond a person’s own hesitation.
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.THE THREAD
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.The verb translated “reject” in Mark is the same Greek verb translated “disannulleth” here: to set aside or nullify. The shared word makes the king’s choice sharper, he treats the demand as something he will not set aside.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
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