Aretas
    the father-in-law of Herod Antipas, and king of Arabia Petraea.
    His daughter returned to him on the occasion of her husband's
    entering into an adulterous alliance with Herodias, the wife of
    Herod-Philip, his half-brother (Luke 3:19, 20; Mark 6:17; Matt.
    14:3). This led to a war between Aretas and Herod Antipas.
    Herod's army was wholly destroyed (A.D. 36). Aretas, taking
    advantage of the complications of the times on account of the
    death of the Emperor Tiberius (A.D. 37), took possession of
    Damascus (2 Cor. 11:32; comp. Acts 9:25). At this time Paul
    returned to Damascus from Arabia.



 Aretas, agreeable, virtuous