Bible Strands
Matthew 27:5
So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Judas addresses the chief priests after confessing his betrayal of innocent blood, then acts alone at the temple before departing to take his own life. This sequence occurs immediately after the priests refuse responsibility for the innocent blood in Matthew 27:4.
The words — ῥίψας (rhipsas) carries the literal sense "having cast down," marking the decisive disposal of the silver. ἀνεχώρησεν (anechōrēsen) denotes his subsequent withdrawal from the temple precincts prior to his death.
The thread — The narrative aligns with the despair-driven suicides recorded in 2 Samuel 17:23 and 1 Samuel 31:4. The New Testament later introduces a divergent detail in Acts 1:18 regarding a field Judas acquired.
Why it lands — The text records the physical aftermath of betrayal without commentary, leaving the reader to observe the irreversible trajectory of the action. It requires acknowledgment of historical consequence rather than theological resolution.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Cross-references
- Acts 1:18 (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
- 2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
- 1 Samuel 31:4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
- 1 Kings 16:18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down upon himself. So he died
- Job 2:9 Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”
- Job 7:15 so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
- Psalms 55:23 But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
- Luke 1:9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
- Luke 1:21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
- Judges 9:54 He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So Abimelech’s armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.