15. But others were saying, It is Eliyahu HaNavi. Still others were saying, He is a navi, like one of the neviim of old. [MALACHI 4:5]
16. But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, Yochanan whom I beheaded has stood up alive from the mesim!
17. For Herod himself had sent and had Yochanan arrested and bound in the beis hasohar, on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother, Philip, for he had married her.
18. But Yochanan was saying to Herod, It is not mutar according to the Torah for you to have your brother's wife. [VAYIKRA 18:16, 20:21]
19. And Herodias bore a grudge against Yochanan and desired to kill him. But she could not.
20. For Herod feared Yochanan, knowing him [to be] a tzaddik and kadosh, and Herod was protecting Yochanan. And when Herod heard Yochanan, he was greatly disturbed, and [yet] gladly Herod was listening to Yochanan.
21. And, an opportune day having come, when Herod, on his yom huledet (birthday), gave a mishteh for the court of his nobles, and the military commanders, and those of chashivut (prominence) of the Galil, [ESTHER 1:3, 2:18]
22. And when his daughter entered and danced, she pleased Herod and the ones reclining at the seudah with him. And the king said to the girl, Ask me whatever you wish and I will give [it] to you.
23. And he made a shevuah (oath) to her solemnly, Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my Malchut. [ESTHER 5:3,6; 7:2]
24. And having gone out, she said to her mother, What should I ask [for]? And her mother said, The rosh Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva.
25. And having entered, ofen ort, with haste before the king, she made a request, saying, You may give to me upon a platter the rosh Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva.
26. And having become very sad, the king, on account of his shevuah and on account of the ones reclining at the seudah [with him], was unwilling to refuse her.
27. And, ofen ort, the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring the rosh Yochanan. And having left, the executioner beheaded Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva in the beit hasohar.
28. And he brought the rosh Yochanan upon a platter and gave it to the young girl, and the young girl gave it to her mother.
29. And, having heard this, Yochanan's talmidim came and carried away his geviyah (body) and placed it in a kever (grave).