Illustration created for this project
Aretas
The Nabatean king whose governor guarded Damascus to seize Paul, who escaped over the wall in a basket.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Archaeology — physical evidence · 1
Life, role & deeds
BiblePaul escaped Damascus in a basket let down the wall when the governor under King Aretas set a guard to seize him.
2 Corinthians 11:32–33
Starnutoditopo — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyThis is Aretas IV of Nabatea, a long-reigning king known from abundant coins and the great rock-cut monuments of Petra.
Nabataean silver and bronze coinage of Aretas IV Philopatris (r. c. 9 BC–AD 40), minted at Petra and often naming queens Huldu and Shaqilat; rock-cut monuments at Petra. Cf. Y. Meshorer, Nabataean Coins (Qedem 3), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1975.
Where in scripture
2 CorinthiansIn Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.
2 Corinthians 11:32 — His governor guards Damascus
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
Places in their life
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg — CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)