Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 23. Struck him. Josephus relates, that when Herod saw he must die, he replied to the flatteries of the people, “See, he whom you call a god, is snatched out of life, in spite of himself. The necessity of suffering death proves the falsity of your words; but we must submit to the will of God.” Antiquit. lib. xvii. chapter 9. et de Bello. lib. i. chapter 21.—Princes may take warning from this example, not to take delight in the praises and flatteries of their subjects, so as to forget themselves to be men, and the God of heaven to be the supreme Lord of all, to whose just tribunal princes and subjects are equally amenable. A.—Eaten up by worms. A visible judgment of God, for his pride and vanity. Witham.