Bible Lexicons

Ἀρέτας (WH ἀρετάς, see their Introductory § 408), Ἁρέτα (cf. Winers Grammar, § 8, 1; (Buttmann, 20 (18))), ὁ, Aretas (a name common to many of the kings of Arabia Petraea or Nabathaean Arabia (cf. B. D. under the word ); cf. Schürer, Neutest. Zeitgesch. § 17 b., p. 233f); an Arabian king who made war (A.D. 36) on his son-in-law Herod Antipas for having repudiated his daughter; and with such success as completely to destroy his army (Josephus, Antiquities 18, 5). In consequence of this, Vitellius, governor of Syria, being ordered by Tiberius to march an army against Aretas, prepared for the war. But Tiberius meantime having died (March 16, A.D. 37), he recalled his troops from the march, dismissed them to their winter quarters, and departed to Rome. After his departure Aretas held sway over the region of Damascus (how acquired we do not know), and placed an ethnarch over the city: 2 Corinthians 11:32. Cf. Winers RWB under the word; Wieseler in Herzog i., p. 488f; Keim in Schenkel i., p. 238f; Schürer in Riehm, p. 83f; (B. D. American edition under the word ; Meyer on Acts, Einl. § 4 (cf. ibid., Wendt edition)).