A king of Nabatean Arabia living during the New Testament period, mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:32.
About Aretas
The New Testament references another Aretas. The governor of Damascus under King Aretas was guarding the city to capture the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 11:32–33). To escape, Paul's associates let him down in a basket through a window in the city wall. That Aretas has been identified as Eneas, who took the title Aretas IV and ruled from 9 BC to AD 40. He attacked and defeated Herod Antipas over a boundary dispute and also as revenge. (Antipas had divorced Aretas’s daughter in order to marry Herodias.
Key References
In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
All Scripture References (1)
2 Corinthians (1)
In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.