For their sakes which sat with him - Probably these persons joined in with the request, and were glad of this opportunity to get this light of Israel extinguished; he being a public reprover of all their vices.

And the king was exceeding sorry,.... See Gill on Matthew 14:9.

yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him; as Matthew adds, "at meat", Matthew 14:9; for it seems as if supper was not over, when all this was transacting.

He would not reject her; deny her her request, or send her away without granting it which could not be without grieving her, and treating her with contempt, and defrauding her of the promise; all which ideas are expressed by some versions.

Exceeding sorry

Where Matthew has sorry.

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.

6:26 Yet for his oath's sake, and for the sake of his guests - Herod's honour was like the conscience of the chief priests, Matt 27:6. To shed innocent blood wounded neither one nor the other.

26. And the king was exceeding sorry-With his feelings regarding John, and the truths which so told upon his conscience from that preacher's lips, and after so often and carefully saving him from his paramour's rage, it must have been very galling to find himself at length entrapped by his own rash folly.

yet for his oath's sake-See how men of no principle, but troublesome conscience, will stick at breaking a rash oath, while yielding to the commission of the worst crimes!

and for their sakes which sat with him-under the influence of that false shame, which could not brook being thought to be troubled with religious or moral scruples. To how many has this proved a fatal snare!

he would not reject her.

6:14-29 Herod feared John while he lived, and feared him still more when he was dead. Herod did many of those things which John in his preaching taught him; but it is not enough to do many things, we must have respect to all the commandments. Herod respected John, till he touched him in his Herodias. Thus many love good preaching, if it keep far away from their beloved sin. But it is better that sinners persecute ministers now for faithfulness, than curse them eternally for unfaithfulness. The ways of God are unsearchable; but we may be sure he never can be at a loss to repay his servants for what they endure or lose for his sake. Death could not come so as to surprise this holy man; and the triumph of the wicked was short.