Aretas: The father-in-law of Herod Antipas, and king of Arabia Petraea. His
daughter returned to him on the occasion of her husband's entering
into an adulterous alliance with Herodias, the wife of Herod-Philip,
his half-brother
(Luke 3:19,20; Mark 6:17; Matthew 14:3) This led to a war
between Aretas and Herod Antipas. Herod's army was wholly destroyed
(A.D. 36 Aretas, taking advantage of the complications of the
times on account of the death of the Emperor Tiberius (A.D. 37)
took possession of Damascus
(2 Corinthians 11:32) comp.
(Acts 9:25) At this time
Paul returned to Damascus from Arabia.
