55 Bible Verses about Government

A child's heart has a tendency to do wrong, but the rod of discipline removes it far away from him.

Discipline your son while there is still hope but don't set your heart on his destruction.

Don't withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with a rod, he won't die.

Whoever does not discipline his son hates him, but whoever loves him is diligent to correct him.

A king brings stability to a land through justice, but a man who takes bribes brings it to ruin.

A large population is a king's glory, but a shortage of people is a ruler's ruin.

It is not for kings, Lemuel Not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to desire liquor. Otherwise, they may drink and forget what has been ordained, perverting justice for all the oppressed. Give liquor to someone who is perishing, and wine to someone who is deeply depressed. read more.
Let him drink, forget his poverty, and remember his troubles no more.

The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has talked to me. "When one is governing men justly, he fears God while governing.

For you, God, have heard my promises; you have assigned to me the heritage of those who fear your name. Add day after day to the king's life; may his years continue for many generations. May he be enthroned before God forever; Appoint your gracious love and truth to guard him.

Because of your rage against me, your complacency has reached my ears. I'll put my hook into your nostrils and my bit into your mouth. Then I'll turn you back on the road by which you came.'

I'm going to turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out you and your whole army along with your horses and cavalry riders, all of them richly attired, a magnificent company replete with buckler and shield, and all of them wielding battle swords.

who frustrates the omens of idle talkers, and drives diviners mad, who turns back the wise, and makes their knowledge foolish;

A king's heart is a water stream that the LORD controls; he directs it wherever he pleases.

He leads away the priests naked and overthrows the ruling class.

"To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: "The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God's creation, says this: "I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth. read more.
You say, "I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don't need anything." Yet you don't realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won't show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see. I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent! Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me. To the one who conquers I will give a place to sit with me on my throne, just as I have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne.

For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive the salvation that is in the Messiah Jesus, along with eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy: In dying with the Messiah, true life we gain. Enduring, we with him will reign. Who him denies, he will disclaim.

"Now as for me, Daniel, I was emotionally troubled, and what I had seen in the visions kept alarming me. So I approached one of those who was standing nearby and began to ask the meaning of all of this. He spoke to me and caused me to understand the interpretation of these things. He said, "These four great animals are four kings who will rise to power from the earth. read more.
But the saints of the Highest will receive the kingdom forever, inheriting it forever and ever.' "I wanted to learn the precise significance of the fourth animal that was different from all the others, extremely awe-inspiring, with iron teeth and bronze claws, and that had devoured and crushed things, trampling under its feet whatever remained. Also, I wanted to learn the significance of the ten horns on its head and the other horn that had arisen, before which three of them had fallen that is, the horn with eyes and a mouth that uttered magnificent things and which was greater in appearance than its fellows. "As I continued to watch, that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days arrived to pass judgment in favor of the saints of the Highest One and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom. So he said: "The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth, trampling it down and crushing it. Now as to the ten horns, ten kings will rise to power from this kingdom, and another king will rise to power after them. He will be different from the previous kings, and will defeat three kings. He'll speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One. He'll attempt to alter times and laws, and they'll be given into his control for a time, times, and half a time. Nevertheless, the court will convene, and his authority will be removed, annulled, and destroyed forever. Then the kingdom, authority, and magnificence of all nations of the earth will be given to the people who are the saints of the Highest One. His kingdom will endure forever, and all authorities will serve him and obey him.'

The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been determined, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom he is betrayed!" Then they began to discuss among themselves which one of them was going to do this. Now an argument sprang up among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. read more.
But he told them, "The kings of the unbelievers lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But you are not to do so. On the contrary, the greatest among you should become like the youngest, and the one who leads should become like the one who serves. Because who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? It is the one at the table, isn't it? But I'm among you as one who serves. "You are the ones who have always stood by me in my trials. And I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred a kingdom on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit down on thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel."

"To the messenger of the church in Thyatira, write: "The Son of God, whose eyes are like flaming fire and whose feet are like glowing bronze, says this: "I know what you've been doing your love, faithfulness, service, and endurance and that your last actions are greater than the first. But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and who teaches and leads my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. read more.
I gave her time to repent, but she refused to repent of her immorality. Look! I am going to strike her with illness. Those who commit adultery with her will also suffer greatly, unless they repent from acting like her. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will reward each of you as your actions deserve. "But as for the rest of you in Thyatira you who do not hold to this teaching and who have not learned what some people call the deep things of Satan I won't burden you with anything else. Just hold on to what you have until I come. To the person who conquers and continues to do what I've commanded to the end, I will give authority over the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter; shattering them like clay pots.' "Just as I have received authority from my Father, I will also give him the morning star.

Anyone who mixes anything like it or who puts any of it on an unqualified person is to be cut off from his people.'"

They asked him, "You were born a sinner and you are trying to instruct us?" And they threw him out.

You are to eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the first day be sure to remove all the leaven from your houses, because any person who eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh will be cut off from Israel.

But the person who eats meat from the sacrifice that belongs to the LORD, while still affected by his uncleanness, is to be eliminated from contact with his people.

to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, but fails to bring it to offer it to the LORD, that person is to be eliminated from contact with his people."

Then this message from the LORD came to me: "Israel, can't I deal with you like this potter?" declares the LORD. "Look, Israel, like clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand. At one moment I may speak about a nation or a kingdom to uproot it, pull it down, or destroy it. read more.
But if that nation about which I spoke turns from its evil way, I'll change my mind about the disaster that I had planned for it. At another moment I may speak about a nation or kingdom to build it or plant it. But if that nation does evil in my eyes by not obeying me, I'll change my mind about the good that I said I would bring on it.

This order is announced by the observers, and the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over human kingdoms and grants them to whomever he desires, and he places the least important of men over them.'

Who among all of these doesn't know that the LORD's hand made them, and that the life of every living thing rests in his control, along with the breath of every living human being? The ear scrutinizes speech just as the palate tastes food." read more.
"Wisdom may be found in the company of the aged. Understanding comes with longevity. With God is wisdom and strength; counsel and understanding belongs to him. When he tears down, nobody rebuilds; when he incarcerates, nobody escapes. When he withholds water, rivers dry up; when he lets them loose, they'll flood the land. "With God are strength and sound wisdom; both the deceived and those who deceive are responsible to him. He leads counselors away naked; he turns judges into fools. He strips away the authority of kings to punish and puts them in prison clothes instead. He leads away the priests naked and overthrows the ruling class. He keeps reliable advisors from speaking, and removes discernment from elders. He pours contempt on nobles and embarrasses the mighty. He uncovers the hidden dimensions from darkness, bringing what is in deep shadow to light. He makes nations great, and then destroys them; he enlarges nations, but then sends them away to captivity.

He's the one who sits above the disk of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He's the one who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in, who brings princes to nothing, and makes void the rulers of the earth.

Give them this order for their masters: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says, and this is what you are to say to your masters, "By my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth, mankind, and the animals that are on the face of the earth, and I give it to whomever I see fit. Now I've given all these lands to my servant, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I've even given him the wild animals to serve him. read more.
All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his country's time also comes, and then many nations and great kings will use him as a slave. If a nation and kingdom does not serve him King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and does not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I'll judge that nation with the sword, with famine, and with plague," declares the LORD, "until I've completely destroyed it by his hand.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a great deal and be rejected by the elders, the high priests, and the scribes. Then he would be killed, but after three days he would rise again.

When morning came, all the high priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him with chains, led him away, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

Then Jesus went into the Temple. While he was teaching, the high priests and the elders of the people came to him and asked, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

As soon as it was morning, the high priests convened a meeting with the elders and scribes and the whole Council. They bound Jesus with chains, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.

Then the high priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. They conspired to arrest Jesus by treachery and to kill him. But they kept saying, "This must not happen during the festival. Otherwise, there'll be a riot among the people."

If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather it may not bring judgment on you. And when I come I will give instructions concerning the other matters.

So the apostles and the elders met to look into this claim.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place on you any burden but these essential requirements:

For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?

Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men like brothers,

Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Then my Father will love him, and we will go to him and make our home within him. The one who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The words that you're hearing me say are not mine, but come from the Father who sent me. "I have told you this while I am still with you. read more.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything that I have told you. I'm leaving you at peace. I'm giving you my own peace. I'm not giving it to you as the world gives. So don't let your hearts be troubled, and don't be afraid. You have heard me tell you, "I'm going away, but I'm coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I'm going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. I've told you this now, before I leave, so that when I do leave, you will believe. I won't talk with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me.

So if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are dying. In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe to keep them from seeing the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah, who is the image of God.

However, I'm telling you the truth. It's for your advantage that I'm going away, because if I don't go away, the Helper won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment of sin, because they don't believe in me; read more.
of righteousness, because I'm going to the Father and you will no longer see me; and of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message of wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are passing off the scene. Instead, we speak about God's wisdom in a hidden secret, which God destined before the world began for our glory. None of the rulers of this world understood it, because if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his gracious love and for his awesome deeds on behalf of mankind. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the counsel of the elders. He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into dry ground, read more.
and a fruitful land into a salty waste, due to the wickedness of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into a pool of water, dry land into springs of water. There he settled the hungry, where they built a city to live in. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a productive harvest. Then he blessed them, and they became numerous; he multiplied their cattle. But they became few in number, and humiliated by continued oppression, agony, and sorrow. Having poured contempt on their nobles, causing them to err aimlessly in the way.

and they ate and drank in the LORD's presence with great joy.

Everybody went to Jerusalem, and the whole group made a covenant with the king in God's Temple, where Jehoiada addressed them:

"Select Nun's son Joshua. The Spirit is in that man," the LORD answered Moses. "You are to lay your hand on him and make him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the entire community. Then you are to set him in charge right before their eyes, turning over your authority to him so that the entire community of Israel knows to obey him. read more.
You are to make him stand in the presence of Eleazar the priest, who is to inquire on his behalf using the Urim in the presence of the LORD regarding a decision of judgment, because by his command he and all the Israelis with him will go out or come in." So Moses did what the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua, made him stand in the presence of Eleazar the priest and the entire community, laid his hands on him, and charged him, just as the LORD had commanded, using Moses' authority.

Then Samuel told all the people, "Do you see the man whom the LORD has chosen? For there is no one like him among all the people." Then all the people shouted, "Long live the king!"

All the elders of Israel gathered together, and came to Samuel at Ramah. They told him, "Look, you're old, and your sons don't follow your example. So appoint a king to govern us like all the other nations." Samuel was displeased when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. read more.
The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it's not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king. Like all the things they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this very day, they have forsaken me and followed other gods. They're also doing the same thing to you. Now, listen to them, but you are to clearly warn them and inform them about how the king who rules over them will operate." Samuel reported everything the LORD told him to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, "This is how the king who rules over you will operate: He will conscript your sons and assign them to his chariots. He will conscript them as his horsemen, and they'll run in front of his chariots. He will appoint his officers over thousands and officers over fifties some will plow his fields, reap his harvest, and craft his war implements and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters for perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He will take the best products of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his officers and servants. He will take your male and female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys to do his work. He will take a tenth of your flock, and you will become his servants. When all of this comes about, you will cry out because of your king whom you chose for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you at that time." The people refused to listen to Samuel. Instead, they insisted, "No! Let a king rule over us instead! We, too, will be like all the nations! Our king will govern us and go out before us to fight our battles." So Samuel listened to all the words of the people, and he repeated them directly to the LORD. The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to them, and appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you go to his own town."

When a king faithfully administers justice to the poor, his throne will be established forever.

You spoke to your faithful ones through a vision: "I will set a helper over a warrior. I will raise up a chosen one from the people. I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred oil, with whom my power will be firmly established; for my arm will strengthen him. read more.
No enemy will deceive him; no wicked person will afflict him. I will crush his enemies before him and strike those who hate him. My faithfulness and gracious love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted. I will place his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He will announce to me "You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.' "Indeed, I myself made him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. I will show my gracious love toward him forever, since my covenant is securely established with him. I will establish his dynasty forever, and his throne as long as heaven endures. "But if his sons abandon my laws and do not follow my ordinances, if they profane my statutes; and do not keep my commands, then I will punish their disobedience with a rod and their iniquity with lashes. But I will not cut off my gracious love from him, and I will not stop being faithful. I will not dishonor my covenant, because I will not change what I have spoken. I have sworn by my holiness once for all: I will not lie to David. His dynasty will last forever and his throne will be like the sun before me. It will be established forever like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky." Interlude

"""Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people for Israel planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past read more.
when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But I'll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence your throne will be secure forever."'"

King David rose to his feet and said, "My fellow citizens, may I have your attention. I intended to build a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, for a footstool of our God, so I began preparations for its construction. But then God told me, "You will not build a temple to my name, because you are a man of war, and you have committed bloodshed.' Nevertheless, the LORD God of Israel chose me from my entire ancestral household to be king over Israel forever, since he had chosen Judah as Commander-in-Chief. In my ancestor Judah's household, from my father's household, and from among my father's sons it pleased him to make me king over all of Israel. read more.
"Now out of all of my sons (since the LORD has given me many of them), he has selected my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, ruling over Israel. He told me, "I chose your son Solomon to be the one who will construct my Temple and my courts, because I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. I will establish his kingdom forever, assuming he remains strongly committed to carry out my commandments and ordinances, as he is doing today.'

"Indeed God is mighty and he doesn't show disrespect; he is mighty and strong of heart. He doesn't let the wicked live; he grants justice to the afflicted. He won't stop looking at righteous people; he seats them on thrones with kings forever, and they are exalted.

The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it's not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king.

All the people answered together: "We'll do everything that the LORD has said!"

According to whatever the LORD said, the Israelis would travel. According to whatever the LORD said, they would camp as long as the cloud remained over the Tent of Meeting.

to enter into a covenant with the LORD your God and into the oath that he is about to make with you today,

But Gideon told them, "I won't rule over you and my son won't rule over you. The LORD will rule you."

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Caesar Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

Five days later, the high priest Ananias arrived with certain elders and Tertullus, an attorney, and they summarized their case against Paul before the governor.

In addition, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah (that is, during the twelve years from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes), neither I nor my relatives relied on the provisions allotted to the governor.

Governor Rehum and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: From Governor Rehum Shimshai the scribe The rest of their colleagues

They bound him with chains, led him away, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

Have nothing to do with a divisive person after you have warned him once or twice.

These include Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Now I myself, Paul, plead with you with the gentleness and kindness of the Messiah I who am humble when I am face to face with you but forceful toward you when I am away!

turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.

I have already warned those who sinned previously and all the rest. Although I am absent now, I am warning them as I did on my second visit: If I come back, I will not spare you,

This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you would build for me, and where will my resting place be?

Your throne, God, exists forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.

The LORD has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all.

Then I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.

But I tell you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, because it is God's throne,

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the growth of his government and peace there will be no end. He will rule over his kingdom, sitting on the throne of David, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will accomplish this.

The LORD will reign forever and ever."

Say to God: "How awesome are your works! Because of your great strength your enemies cringe before you." The whole earth worships you. They sing praise to you. They sing praise to your name. Interlude Come and see the awesome works of God on behalf of human beings: read more.
He turned the sea into dry land. Israel crossed the river on foot; let us rejoice in him. He rules by his power forever, his eyes watching over the nations. Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Interlude

The LORD will reign forever, your God, Zion, for all generations! Hallelujah!

When the seventh angel blew his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The world's kingdom has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will rule forever and ever." Then the twenty-four elders who were sitting on their thrones in God's presence fell on their faces and worshipped God. They said, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to rule.

If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven. If you retain people's sins, they are retained."

I will give you the keys to the kingdom from heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven."

"I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven.

As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for them to obey.

Continue to follow and be submissive to your leaders, since they are watching over your souls as those who will have to give a word of explanation. By doing this, you will be letting them carry out their duties joyfully, and not with grief, for that would be harmful for you.

Remind believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work.

Every person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God's permission. The existing authorities have been established by God, so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval. read more.
For they are God's servants, working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to administer punishment to anyone who does wrong. Therefore, it is necessary for you to be acquiescent to the authorities, not only for the sake of God's punishment, but also for the sake of your own conscience. This is also why you pay taxes. For rulers are God's servants faithfully devoting themselves to their work. Pay everyone whatever you owe them taxes to whom taxes are due, tolls to whom tolls are due, fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.

So tell us what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" Recognizing their wickedness, Jesus asked, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." read more.
They brought him a denarius. Then he asked them, "Whose face and name is this?" They told him, "Caesar's." So he told them, "Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

So he told them, "Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

For the Lord's sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. read more.
Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God's servants. Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers, fearing God, and honoring the king.

Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the high priests and inquired, "What are you willing to give me if I betray Jesus to you?" They offered him 30 pieces of silver,

So she wrote some memos in Ahab's name, set his personal seal to them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. In the memos, she wrote the following directives: "Proclaim a public fast and seat Naboth in the front row. Seat two wicked men in front of him, and make them testify against him. Tell them to claim "You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." read more.
So the leading men of the city, along with the elders and nobles who lived there, did precisely what Jezebel had directed them to do. They followed the instructions that she had set forth in the memos: They proclaimed a public fast and seated Naboth in the front row. Two wicked men came in, sat down in front of them, and testified against Naboth in public, "Naboth cursed God and the king!" So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Afterwards, they sent a message to Jezebel that said, "Naboth has been stoned. He's dead."

I saw 70 men from the elders of the house of Israel standing among them, including Shaphan's son Jaazaniah. Each man held a censer in his hand. As the scent of the cloud of incense ascended, the Spirit asked me, "Do you see, Son of Man, what the elders of Israel's house are doing in secret, each in the chamber of his own carved idol? They keep saying, "God doesn't see us. The LORD has abandoned the land.'"

Then Judas, who had betrayed him, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the high priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."

"Aren't you the reigning king of Israel," his wife Jezebel replied. "Get up, have a meal, and get ready to be happy. I'll go get you the vineyard that Naboth the Jezreelite owns." So she wrote some memos in Ahab's name, set his personal seal to them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. In the memos, she wrote the following directives: "Proclaim a public fast and seat Naboth in the front row. read more.
Seat two wicked men in front of him, and make them testify against him. Tell them to claim "You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." So the leading men of the city, along with the elders and nobles who lived there, did precisely what Jezebel had directed them to do. They followed the instructions that she had set forth in the memos: They proclaimed a public fast and seated Naboth in the front row. Two wicked men came in, sat down in front of them, and testified against Naboth in public, "Naboth cursed God and the king!" So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Afterwards, they sent a message to Jezebel that said, "Naboth has been stoned. He's dead." When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she told Ahab, "Get up and confiscate Naboth's vineyard that he refused to sell you for cash. Naboth the Jezreelite isn't alive anymore. He's dead!" So once he heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab got up, went down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, and confiscated it.

Then King Solomon took this oath in the name of the LORD: "May God do so to me, and more besides, if Adonijah hasn't endangered his life by bringing up this subject. Now therefore, as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of my father David, and who has established a dynasty, just like he promised, Adonijah will surely be executed today." So King Solomon sent for Jehoiada's son Benaiah, who attacked and killed Adonijah.

When Joab learned what had happened, he ran to the LORD's tent and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar, since Joab had supported Adonijah (though he had not supported Absalom). Somebody informed King Solomon, "Joab just ran to the LORD's tent and now he's standing beside the altar!" But Solomon ordered Jehoiada's son Benaiah, "Go kill him!" So Benaiah went into the LORD's tent and told Joab, "The king orders you to come out!" "No," Joab said, "I'd rather die here!" So Benaiah went and informed the king, "This is how Joab answered me." read more.
The king replied to him, "Do just what he asked. Kill him and bury him so that you may remove from me and from my father's household the guilt that Joab shed needlessly. The LORD will repay him for his bloodshed because, without my father David's consent he attacked and murdered two men more righteous and better than he, Ner's son Abner, the commander of Israel's army and Jether's son Amasa, commander of Judah's army. May their blood be repaid to Joab and to his descendants forever, and may there be peace shown from the LORD forever to David, to his descendants, to his household, and to his throne." Jehoiada's son Benaiah then approached Joab, attacked him, killed him, and had him buried at Joab's home in the wilderness.

The king sent for Shimei and told him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but don't go anywhere from there. If you ever leave and cross the Kidron Brook, you can be sure that you'll die. You'll be responsible for your own death." Shimei replied to the king, "What your majesty has decreed is acceptable to me. I'll do what you've said." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for quite some time. read more.
But three years later, two of Shimei's servants escaped to Maacah's son Achish, the king of Gath. Somebody told Shimei, "Look! Your servants went to Gath!" So Shimei got up, saddled a donkey, and traveled to Gath to find his servants. He found them and brought them back from Gath. Later, Solomon found out that Shimei had left Jerusalem, gone to Gath, and had returned, so the king sent for Shimei and asked him, "Didn't I make a promise to the LORD and warn you, "The day you leave and go anywhere else, you can be sure you'll die'? And you told me, "What your majesty has decreed is acceptable to me.' So why haven't you kept the oath you made to the LORD, and why didn't you obey my personal order to you?" The king also reminded Shimei, "You know all the evil things that you admit you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD is going to repay you for all of your evil. But King Solomon will be blessed, and David's throne will be established in the presence of the LORD forever." So the king gave orders to Jehoiada's son Benaiah to go out, attack Shimei, and kill him. That is how the kingdom was established under Solomon's control.

Rehoboam traveled to Shechem because all of Israel went there to install him as king. Nebat's son Jeroboam heard about it while he was still in Egypt, where he had fled to get away from King Solomon. Jeroboam returned from Egypt after being summoned. When Jeroboam and the entire assembly of Israel arrived, they spoke to Rehoboam, read more.
"Your father made our burdens unbearable. Therefore lighten your father's requirements and his heavy burdens that he placed on us, and we'll serve you." "Come again in three days," Rehoboam told them. So the people left while King Rehoboam conferred with his advisors who had worked for his father Solomon during his administration. He asked them, "What is your advice as to how I should respond to these people?" They advised him, "If today you are a servant, you will serve this people by answering them and speaking kindly to them. Then they will serve you forever." But Rehoboam ignored the counsel that his elder advisors had given him. Instead, he consulted the younger men who had grown up with him and who worked for him. As a result, he asked them, "What's your advice so that we can give an answer to these people who have asked me, "Please lighten the burden that your father put on us.'?" "This is what you should tell these people who asked you "Your father made our burden heavy, but you must make it lighter for us!'" the young men who grew up with Rehoboam replied. "Tell them, "My little finger will be thicker than my father's whole body! Not only that, but since my father loaded you down heavily, I'm going to add to that burden. My father disciplined you with whips, but I'm going to discipline you with scorpions!'" So Jeroboam and all the people went back to Rehoboam on the third day, just as they had been directed when the king said, "Come back again in three days." But the king gave the people a harsh response, because he was ignoring the counsel that his elders had given him. Instead, Rehoboam spoke to them along the lines of what the younger men suggested. He told them, "My father burdened you heavily, but I will add to that burden. If my father disciplined you with whips, I'm going to discipline you with scorpions!" The king would not listen to the people, because the turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill his prediction that the LORD spoke by means of Ahijah the Shilonite to Nebat's son Jeroboam When all of Israel saw that the king wasn't listening to them, the people responded to the king's message, "What's the point in following David? We have no inheritance in the descendants of Jesse. Let's go home, Israel! David, take care of your own household!' So Israel left for home.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD came on David from that day forward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

The LORD told Samuel, "Don't look at his appearance or his height, for I've rejected him. Truly, God does not see what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart."

The LORD told Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I've rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse from Bethlehem because I've chosen for myself one of his sons as king."

You spoke to your faithful ones through a vision: "I will set a helper over a warrior. I will raise up a chosen one from the people. I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred oil, with whom my power will be firmly established; for my arm will strengthen him. read more.
No enemy will deceive him; no wicked person will afflict him. I will crush his enemies before him and strike those who hate him. My faithfulness and gracious love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted. I will place his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He will announce to me "You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.' "Indeed, I myself made him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. I will show my gracious love toward him forever, since my covenant is securely established with him. I will establish his dynasty forever, and his throne as long as heaven endures. "But if his sons abandon my laws and do not follow my ordinances, if they profane my statutes; and do not keep my commands, then I will punish their disobedience with a rod and their iniquity with lashes. But I will not cut off my gracious love from him, and I will not stop being faithful. I will not dishonor my covenant, because I will not change what I have spoken. I have sworn by my holiness once for all: I will not lie to David. His dynasty will last forever and his throne will be like the sun before me. It will be established forever like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky." Interlude

He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But I'll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. read more.
Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence your throne will be secure forever."'"

So Joseph got up and went to bury his father, accompanied by all of Pharaoh's servants, all of the elders of Egypt,

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials changed toward the people, and they said, "What have we done in releasing Israel from serving us?"

What Joseph proposed pleased Pharaoh and all of his advisors, so Pharaoh asked his servants, "Can we find anyone else like this someone in whom the Spirit of God lives?

Then the LORD told Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I've hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials in order to perform these signs of mine among them,

Then the officials of Pharaoh told him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go so they may serve the LORD their God! Don't you realize yet that Egypt is about to be destroyed?"

This is a record of what happened during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush.

At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch was king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer was king of Elam, and Tidal was king of the Goiim,

Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered.

AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING To the people of all nations and languages who live on earth. Peace and prosperity to you!

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 regional authorities over the kingdom throughout the realm, along with three chief administrators from them, one of which was Daniel. The regional authorities reported to these three administrators, so that the king would experience no losses. Daniel distinguished himself among all the administrators and regional authorities, because he was of an extraordinary spirit. Therefore the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.

and the LORD exalted Solomon magnificently in the sight of all Israel, bestowing upon him royal majesty such as had not been given to any king in Israel before him.

Indeed, the kingdom belongs to the LORD; he rules over the nations.

"In addition to this, the LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will eliminate Jeroboam's dynasty, starting today and from now on.

Later, a message came from the LORD to Hanani's son Jehu. It was directed to rebuke Baasha, and this is what it said: "I raised you from the dirt to become Commander-in-Chief over my people Israel, but you've been living like Jeroboam, you've been leading my people Israel into sin, and you've been provoking me to anger with their sins. So watch out! I'm going to devour Baasha and his household. I'm going to make your household just like the household of Jeroboam, Nebat's son. read more.
Anyone from Baasha's household who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the sky will eat."

Nevertheless, the LORD God of Israel chose me from my entire ancestral household to be king over Israel forever, since he had chosen Judah as Commander-in-Chief. In my ancestor Judah's household, from my father's household, and from among my father's sons it pleased him to make me king over all of Israel. "Now out of all of my sons (since the LORD has given me many of them), he has selected my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, ruling over Israel.

Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain: "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and declare to the sons of Israel, "You saw what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. And now if you carefully obey me and keep my covenant, you are to be my special possession out of all the nations, because the whole earth belongs to me, read more.
but you are to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to me.' These are the words you are to declare to the Israelis." When Moses came, he summoned the elders of the people and told them everything that the LORD had commanded him. All the people answered together: "We'll do everything that the LORD has said!"

"The LORD your God is commanding you this very day to observe these statutes and judgments. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and soul. You have declared this very day that the LORD will be your God. You are to walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commands, and judgments, and obey his voice. The LORD affirmed this day that you are his prized possession. Therefore, observe his commands, read more.
so he may elevate you far above all the nations that he has made. Then you will live to the praise, fame, and glory of God, and so be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, as he has promised."

These are the terms of the covenant that the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelis in the land of Moab in addition to the covenant that he made with them in Horeb. Moses called all Israel together and addressed them: "You saw everything that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to his whole country. Those great feats that you saw with your own eyes are signs and great wonders. read more.
Yet to this day, the LORD hasn't given you a heart that understands, eyes that perceive, and ears that discern. Though I've led you for 40 years in the desert, neither your clothes nor your shoes have worn out. You didn't have bread to eat or wine or anything intoxicating to drink, so that you would learn that I am the LORD your God. Then you reached this place, where King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan had come out to meet and fight with us, but we defeated them. We captured their land and handed it as an inheritance to the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Therefore, keep the terms of this covenant, carrying them out so that you'll be wise in everything you do." "All of you are standing today in the presence of the LORD your God the heads of your tribes, your elders, your magistrates, all the men of Israel, along with your children, your wives, even the foreigner in your camp, including the woodchopper and the water drawer to enter into a covenant with the LORD your God and into the oath that he is about to make with you today, so that he will elevate you to be a people for him. And he will be God to you, just as he promised you and swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Samuel was displeased when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it's not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king.

God used Ahaziah's visit to Joram to destroy Ahaziah. As soon as he arrived, Ahaziah went out with Joram to attack Nimshi's son Jehu, whom the LORD had appointed to eliminate Ahab's dynasty.

For the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, I won't tear away the entire kingdom. I'll leave one tribe for your son to govern."

Rehoboam traveled to Shechem because all of Israel went there to install him as king. Nebat's son Jeroboam heard about it while he was still in Egypt, where he had fled to get away from King Solomon. Jeroboam returned from Egypt after being summoned. When Jeroboam and the entire assembly of Israel arrived, they spoke to Rehoboam, read more.
"Your father made our burdens unbearable. Therefore lighten your father's requirements and his heavy burdens that he placed on us, and we'll serve you." "Come again in three days," Rehoboam told them. So the people left while King Rehoboam conferred with his advisors who had worked for his father Solomon during his administration. He asked them, "What is your advice as to how I should respond to these people?" They advised him, "If today you are a servant, you will serve this people by answering them and speaking kindly to them. Then they will serve you forever." But Rehoboam ignored the counsel that his elder advisors had given him. Instead, he consulted the younger men who had grown up with him and who worked for him. As a result, he asked them, "What's your advice so that we can give an answer to these people who have asked me, "Please lighten the burden that your father put on us.'?" "This is what you should tell these people who asked you "Your father made our burden heavy, but you must make it lighter for us!'" the young men who grew up with Rehoboam replied. "Tell them, "My little finger will be thicker than my father's whole body! Not only that, but since my father loaded you down heavily, I'm going to add to that burden. My father disciplined you with whips, but I'm going to discipline you with scorpions!'" So Jeroboam and all the people went back to Rehoboam on the third day, just as they had been directed when the king said, "Come back again in three days." But the king gave the people a harsh response, because he was ignoring the counsel that his elders had given him. Instead, Rehoboam spoke to them along the lines of what the younger men suggested. He told them, "My father burdened you heavily, but I will add to that burden. If my father disciplined you with whips, I'm going to discipline you with scorpions!" The king would not listen to the people, because the turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill his prediction that the LORD spoke by means of Ahijah the Shilonite to Nebat's son Jeroboam When all of Israel saw that the king wasn't listening to them, the people responded to the king's message, "What's the point in following David? We have no inheritance in the descendants of Jesse. Let's go home, Israel! David, take care of your own household!' So Israel left for home. And so Rehoboam ruled over the Israelis who lived in the cities of Judah. King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of conscripted labor, but all of Israel stoned him to death, and King Rehoboam had to jump in his chariot and flee back in a hurry to Jerusalem. That's how Israel came to be in rebellion against David's dynasty to this day. Now when all of Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent for him and invited him to visit their assembly, where they installed him as king over all of Israel. Nobody (with the sole exception of the tribe of Judah) would align with David's dynasty. As soon as Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he assembled 180,000 elite soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, intending to attack the dynasty of Israel and restore the kingdom to Solomon's son Rehoboam. But a message from God came to Shemaiah, a man of God: "Tell Solomon's son Rehoboam, king of Judah, all the dynasty of Judah, Benjamin, and the rest of the people, "This is what the LORD says: "You are not to fight or even approach your fellow Israelis in battle. Every soldier is to return to his own home, because this development comes from me."'" So they listened to what the LORD had to say and returned home, just as the LORD had directed.

The king would not listen to the people because the turn of events was from God, so that the LORD might fulfill his prediction that he spoke through Nebat's son Ahijah the Shilonite.

"This is what the LORD says: "You are not to fight or even to approach your relatives in battle. Every soldier is to return to his own home, for this development comes from me."'" So they listened to what the LORD had to say and called off their attack on Jeroboam.

The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning until evening?" Moses told his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. read more.
When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a person and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of God and his instructions." Moses' father-in-law told him, "What you are doing is not good. You will certainly wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it by yourself. Now listen to me. I'll advise you, and may God be with you. You are to represent the people before God and bring the disputes to God. You are to teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they're to go and the things they're to do. You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They are to judge the people at all times. Let them bring every major matter to you, but let them judge every minor matter. It will lighten your burden, and they'll bear it with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will also go to their homes in peace." Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They judged the people at all times; the difficult matters they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they judged.

Then the LORD told Moses, "Gather together for me 70 men who are elders of Israel, men whom you know to be elders of the people and officers over them. Then bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you. Then I'll come down and speak with you. I'll take some of the spirit that rests on you and apportion it among them, so that they may help you bear the burden of the people. That way, you won't bear it by yourself."

So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent. The LORD came down in a cloud, spoke to Moses, and made an apportionment from the spirit who rested on him to the 70 elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but that was it.

"I also told you at that time that I won't be able to sustain you on my own. The LORD your God greatly multiplied your numbers, and today you are like the stars in the sky. May the LORD, the God of your ancestors, increase your numbers a thousand times more, and may he bless you, as he promised you. read more.
How can I bear the burden of you and your bickering all by myself? Choose for yourselves wise and discerning men, known to your tribes, and appoint them as your leaders. You answered by saying that this plan is a good thing. So I chose leaders from your tribes, wise and respected men, and I appointed them over you commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. I charged your judges at that time, "When you hold a hearing between brothers, judge fairly between a man and his brother or between foreigners. When you hold a hearing, don't be partial in judgment toward the least important or toward the great. Never fear men, because judgment belongs to God. If the matter is difficult for you, bring it to me for a hearing.'

On the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, men came from the elders of Israel to seek the LORD. They sat down in front of me.

Set apart time for a fast! Call a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and everyone living in the land to the Temple of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD!"

In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, I had just sat down in my house, with the elders of Judah seated in front of me. All of a sudden, the hand of the Lord GOD touched me

Later, some men from the elders of Israel came to visit me. After they had sat down in my presence,

"Tell the elders of Israel, "This is what the Lord GOD asks, "Did you come to inquire of me? As long as I live, I won't let myself be sought by you," declares the Lord GOD.'

"He will say, "Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you officials of the house of Israel! You should know justice, should you not? you who despise good and love evil, who tear off the skin of my people, along with the flesh from their bones. You eat the flesh of my people, flaying their skin from them. You break their bones, chopping them in pieces like meat for a pot, like meat destined for a soup kettle.' read more.
"Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not listen to them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time, because they were so wicked in what they were doing."

But his wife Jezebel went to him and asked him, "How is it that you're so sullen and refusing to eat?" "I asked Naboth the Jezreelite, "Sell me your vineyard for cash, or if you want, I'll give you a better one in its place.' But he refused. He told me, "I won't give you my vineyard!'" "Aren't you the reigning king of Israel," his wife Jezebel replied. "Get up, have a meal, and get ready to be happy. I'll go get you the vineyard that Naboth the Jezreelite owns." read more.
So she wrote some memos in Ahab's name, set his personal seal to them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. In the memos, she wrote the following directives: "Proclaim a public fast and seat Naboth in the front row. Seat two wicked men in front of him, and make them testify against him. Tell them to claim "You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." So the leading men of the city, along with the elders and nobles who lived there, did precisely what Jezebel had directed them to do. They followed the instructions that she had set forth in the memos: They proclaimed a public fast and seated Naboth in the front row. Two wicked men came in, sat down in front of them, and testified against Naboth in public, "Naboth cursed God and the king!" So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

Purge the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

Please listen to this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you officials of the house of Israel, you who hate administering justice, who pervert the very meaning of equity, who are building up Zion by means of bloodshed, and Jerusalem by means of iniquity. Her leaders judge for the money, her priests teach only when they're paid, and her prophets prophesy for cash. Even so, don't they all rely on the LORD as they ask, "The LORD is among us, is he not? Nothing bad can possibly happen to us!'

"You are not to blaspheme God or curse a ruler of your people.

Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it.

He took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They said, "We will put into practice and obey everything that the LORD has decreed."

When Moses came, he summoned the elders of the people and told them everything that the LORD had commanded him. All the people answered together: "We'll do everything that the LORD has said!"

Then Moses came and reported all the words of the LORD and all the statutes to the people, and they all answered with one voice, "We will do everything that the LORD has decreed."

"All of you are standing today in the presence of the LORD your God the heads of your tribes, your elders, your magistrates, all the men of Israel, along with your children, your wives, even the foreigner in your camp, including the woodchopper and the water drawer to enter into a covenant with the LORD your God and into the oath that he is about to make with you today, read more.
so that he will elevate you to be a people for him. And he will be God to you, just as he promised you and swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, I'm not making this covenant and oath with you alone, but with whoever is here with us standing in the presence of the LORD our God today, as well as with those who aren't here with us today."

For the Lord's sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

Every person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God's permission. The existing authorities have been established by God, so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval. read more.
For they are God's servants, working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to administer punishment to anyone who does wrong. Therefore, it is necessary for you to be acquiescent to the authorities, not only for the sake of God's punishment, but also for the sake of your own conscience. This is also why you pay taxes. For rulers are God's servants faithfully devoting themselves to their work. Pay everyone whatever you owe them taxes to whom taxes are due, tolls to whom tolls are due, fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.

God, endow the king with ability to render your justice, and the king's son to render your right decisions. May he rule your people with right decisions and your oppressed ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people and the hills bring righteousness. read more.
May he defend the afflicted of the people and deliver the children of the poor, but crush the oppressor. May they fear you as long as the sun and moon shine from generation to generation. May he be like the rain that descends on mown grass, like showers sprinkling on the ground. The righteous will flourish at the proper time and peace will prevail until the moon is no more. May he rule from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. May the nomads bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust. May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring gifts, and may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer tribute. May all kings bow down to him, and all nations serve him. For he will deliver the needy when they cry out for help, and the poor when there is no deliverer. He will have compassion on the poor and the needy, and he will save the lives of the needy. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, since their lives are precious in his sight. May he live long and be given gold from Sheba, and may prayer be offered for him continuously, and may he be blessed every day. May grain be abundant in the land all the way to the mountain tops; may its fruits flourish like the forests of Lebanon, and may the cities sprout like the grass of the earth. May his fame be eternal as long as the sun may his name endure, and may they be blessed through him, and may all nations call him blessed.

A wise king sifts the wicked, crushing them with the threshing wheel.

David responded to Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite: "As the LORD lives, who has saved my life in every adversity, when the man who told me "Look! Saul is dead!' thought he was bringing me good news, I arrested him and had him killed at Ziklag as the reward I gave him for his news. How much worse will it be, then, when evil men kill an innocent man on his own bed in his own house! Shouldn't I avenge his blood which you are responsible for shedding by removing you from the earth?" read more.
So David commanded his personal guards, and they killed Rechab and Baanah, cut off their hands and feet, and hung up their bodies beside the pool at Hebron. They took Ish-bosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron.

Meanwhile, David asked the young man who had told him the story, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I'm an Amalekite, the son of a foreign man." At this David asked him, "How is it that you weren't afraid to raise your hand to strike the LORD's anointed?" Then David called out to one of his young men and ordered him, "Go up to him and cut him down!" So he attacked him and killed him. read more.
David told him, "Your blood is on your own head, because your own words testified against you! After all, you said, "I myself have killed the LORD's anointed!'"

The next morning, David sent a message to Joab that Uriah took with him in his hand. In the message, he wrote: "Assign Uriah to the most difficult fighting at the battle front, and then withdraw from him so that he will be struck down and killed." So as Joab began to attack the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew valiant men would be stationed. read more.
When the men of the city came out to fight Joab, some of David's army staff members fell, and Uriah the Hittite died, too.

A roaring lion and a charging bear that's what a wicked tyrant is over poor people.

Please listen to this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you officials of the house of Israel, you who hate administering justice, who pervert the very meaning of equity, who are building up Zion by means of bloodshed, and Jerusalem by means of iniquity. Her leaders judge for the money, her priests teach only when they're paid, and her prophets prophesy for cash. Even so, don't they all rely on the LORD as they ask, "The LORD is among us, is he not? Nothing bad can possibly happen to us!' read more.
"Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed up like a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps of rubble, and the Temple Mount like a forest high place."

Then David, the elders of Israel, and the leaders of groups of thousands proceeded to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Obed-edom's house, rejoicing as they went.

His closest advisors at the palace got up, remained with him, and tried to help him get up from the ground, but he would not do so. He also wouldn't eat with them.

So the angel of the ORD remained standing near the threshing floor that belonged to Ornan the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where King David entered into a covenant with them in the presence of the LORD. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel.

So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where David entered into a covenant in the presence of the LORD. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel, just as the LORD had sent word through Samuel.

Later, Abner had a talk with the elders of Israel. He said, "In the past you were looking to see David made king over you. So do it, then! Because the LORD has said this about David: "Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the control of the Philistines and from all of their enemies.'" Abner also addressed the tribe of Benjamin. Furthermore, with David's permission, Abner said anything that seemed like it would be good for Israel and for the entire tribe of Benjamin. read more.
Afterwards, Abner brought 20 soldiers to David at Hebron, and David threw a party for Abner and the men who were with him. So Abner told David, "Give me permission to go out and rally all of Israel to your majesty the king so they can enter into a formal agreement with you to reign over everything that your heart desires." So David sent Abner off, and he went away in peace.

Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was about to break out instead. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. Attend to that yourselves."

From then on, Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, "If you release this fellow, you're not a friend of Caesar! Anyone who claims to be a king is defying Caesar!" When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat in a place called The Pavement, which in Hebrew is called Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation Day for the Passover, about noon. He told the Jewish leaders, "Here is your king!" read more.
Then they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Should I crucify your king?" The high priests responded, "We have no king but Caesar!" Then Pilate handed him over to be crucified, and they took Jesus away.

While standing in his appointed place, the king made a public covenant with the LORD to follow the LORD, to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes, and to do so with all of his heart and soul, and to carry out what was written in the covenant contained in the book.

At this, the king sent for and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

The king sent word to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

Samuel told Saul, "I won't return with you because you have rejected the message from the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel." As Samuel turned to go Saul seized him by the corner of his robe, and it tore. Samuel told him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today, and he has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

Then God removed Saul and made David their king, about whom he testified, "I have found that David, the son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my wishes.'

The chief officer told Daniel, "I fear his majesty the king, who has determined what you eat and drink. If he notices that your faces are more pale than the other young men in your group, I will forfeit my head to the king."

In reply the king told the Chaldeans, "Here is what I have commanded: If you don't tell me both the dream and its meaning, you'll be destroyed and your houses will be reduced to rubble. But if you do relate the dream to me as well as its meaning, you'll receive gifts, rewards, and great honor from me. Therefore reveal the dream to me, along with its meaning." They replied again, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we'll disclose its meaning." read more.
The king responded, "I'm convinced that you're stalling for time because you're aware of what I've commanded. So if you don't disclose the dream to me, there will be only one sentence for all of you. You have conspired together to present lies and corrupt interpretations until the situation changes. Now tell me the dream and I'll know that you can reveal its true meaning." The Chaldeans answered the king directly, "There's not a single man on earth who can do what the king has commanded. No king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such a thing from any diviner, enchanter, or Chaldean. Furthermore, what the king is asking is so difficult that no one can reveal it except the gods and they don't live with human beings." At this point, the king flew into a rage and issued an order to destroy all the advisors of Babylon. When the order went out to kill the advisors, they searched for Daniel and his friends to kill them, too.

And because of the greatness that he gave him, all nations, nations, and languages revered and feared him. He executed those whom he desired to execute, he spared those whom he wished to spare, he promoted those whom he desired to promote, and he humbled those whom he wished to humble.

"Come in, wife of Jeroboam. What is this pretension at being someone else? I have some harsh news. Go tell Jeroboam: "I raised you up from among the people. "I made you Commander-in-Chief over my people Israel. "I tore the kingdom away from David's dynasty. "Then I gave it to you. But you have not lived like my servant David, who kept my commands with all his heart, and did only what I considered to be right. "Instead, you have done more evil than everyone who lived before you. "You have gone out and crafted other gods for yourself. "You made cast images. "You have provoked me to anger. "You have thrown me behind your back. read more.
"Therefore, watch while I bring calamity on Jeroboam's dynasty! "I will eliminate every male, both slave and free in Israel, from Jeroboam. "I will burn up Jeroboam's dynasty, as a man burns up manure until it is gone. Dogs will eat anyone who dies in the city that belongs to Jeroboam's household. The birds of the sky will eat anyone who dies in the open field, because the LORD has determined it.' "Now get up and go home. When your feet cross the city line, your child will die. Everyone in Israel will mourn for him and will bury him, because he alone from Jeroboam's family will receive a decent burial, because something good was observed in him with respect to the LORD God of Israel out of all the household of Jeroboam! "In addition to this, the LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will eliminate Jeroboam's dynasty, starting today and from now on. The LORD will attack Israel, and Israel will shake like a reed shakes in a river current! He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their ancestors and he will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they erected their Asherim and provoked the LORD to become angry! He will give up Israel because of Jeroboam's sins that he committed and by which Jeroboam caused Israel to sin."

So Ahijah's son Baasha from the household of Issachar conspired against him and killed Nadab at Gibbethon in Philistia while Nadab and all of Israel were attacking Gibbethon. Baasha killed him during the third year of the reign of King Asa of Judah and took Nadab's place as king. As soon as he was established as king, he killed everyone in the household of Jeroboam. He left not even one single person alive. He destroyed them completely, just as the LORD had spoken through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite, read more.
because of the sins that Jeroboam had committed, and because he led Israel into sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to become angry.

"Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat."

You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.'"

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. (The Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders.

Then Solomon gathered together the elders of Israel, including all the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the ancestral households of the Israelis, to meet with him in Jerusalem so they could bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David. So all the men gathered together to meet with King Solomon at the Festival of Tents in the month Ethanim, the seventh month. All the Elders of Israel showed up, and the priests picked up the ark

Then Solomon called Israel's elders together, including all the leaders of the tribes and families of Israel. They met in Jerusalem to transfer the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David. All the men of Israel assembled in front of the king during the Festival of Tents that takes place in the seventh month of the year. As soon as all of Israel's elders had arrived, the descendants of Levi lifted the ark

"When you have come to the land that the LORD your God is about to give you, and you have taken possession of it, and have settled in it, then you will say, "I will appoint a king over me like all the nations around me.' You will certainly set a king over you, whom the LORD your God will choose from among your relatives, but you must not place a foreign king over you who is not from your relatives. Only he must not amass horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt to obtain more horses. For the LORD said you must never return that way again. read more.
Also, he must not accumulate wives for himself (otherwise, his affection will become diverted), nor accumulate for himself excessive quantities of silver and gold. When he occupies his royal throne, he must make a copy of this Law for himself from a scroll used by the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him the rest of his life so he may learn to fear the LORD his God and observe all the words of this Law and these statutes, in order to fulfill them. He is not to exalt himself over his relatives, nor turn aside from the commandment neither to the right nor to the left so that he and his sons may reign long in Israel."

Choose for yourselves wise and discerning men, known to your tribes, and appoint them as your leaders. You answered by saying that this plan is a good thing. So I chose leaders from your tribes, wise and respected men, and I appointed them over you commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

So our leaders and all of the inhabitants of our country told us, "Take provisions along with you for your journey, go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Come now and make a treaty with us."'

A poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who will no longer accept correction. The former can come out of prison to reign, while the latter, even if born to kingship, may become poor.

Woe to the land whose king is a youth and whose princes feast in the morning.

That land is blessed whose king is of noble birth, whose princes feast at the right time, for strength, and not to become drunk.

Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul's head, kissed him, and said, "The LORD has anointed you Commander-in-Chief over his inheritance, has he not?

Now one day before Saul's arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: "About this time tomorrow I'll send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him as Commander-in-Chief over my people Israel. He'll deliver my people from the control of the Philistines, because I've seen the suffering of my people and because their cry has come up to me." When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, "Here is the man I told you about. This man will rule over my people."

As the righteous grow powerful, people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, people groan.

The softly spoken words of the wise are to be heard rather than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

My son, fear both the LORD and the king, and don't keep company with rebels. They will be destroyed suddenly, and who knows what kind of punishment will come from these two?

After these things occurred, certain officials approached me and said "The people of Israel, the priests, and the descendants of Levi have not separated themselves from the people of the lands or from the detestable behavior of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites,

Whoever would not come within three days would forfeit his assets and be separated from the community of the returning exiles, just as the high officials and elders had advised. Less than three days later, all of the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together on the twentieth day of the ninth month. Everyone sat in the plaza of the Temple of God, trembling because of everything that was happening, and also because it was raining heavily. Ezra the priest stood up and spoke to them, "You have sinned by marrying foreign wives, thereby increasing the transgressions of Israel. read more.
Now confess this to the LORD God of your ancestors, and separate yourselves from the nations of the land and from foreign wives." At this, the entire community responded with a loud cry, "We will do just as you've spoken! However, many people are involved, and it's raining heavily. Furthermore, this is not just a matter of a day or two of work, because many of us have sinned in this. So let's have our officials remain on behalf of the whole community. Then all who have married foreign wives are to come appear at specific times before the elders and judges of each city until the fierce anger of our God has been turned away from us in this matter."

All the elders of Israel gathered together, and came to Samuel at Ramah. They told him, "Look, you're old, and your sons don't follow your example. So appoint a king to govern us like all the other nations." Samuel was displeased when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. read more.
The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it's not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king. Like all the things they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this very day, they have forsaken me and followed other gods. They're also doing the same thing to you. Now, listen to them, but you are to clearly warn them and inform them about how the king who rules over them will operate." Samuel reported everything the LORD told him to the people who were asking him for a king.

The people refused to listen to Samuel. Instead, they insisted, "No! Let a king rule over us instead! We, too, will be like all the nations! Our king will govern us and go out before us to fight our battles." So Samuel listened to all the words of the people, and he repeated them directly to the LORD. read more.
The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to them, and appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you go to his own town."

The wicked flee, though no one pursues, but the righteous are bold like a lion. When a land transgresses, it gains a succession of leaders, but with an understanding and knowledgeable man, its stability endures.

When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been found, he was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the hill, with his spear in his hand. All his officials were standing around him.

Saul said, "Listen, son of Ahitub!" And he said, "Here I am, your majesty." Then Saul asked him, "Why have you conspired against me you and Jesse's son by giving him food and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, so he can rise up against me to lie in wait, as he's doing today?" Ahimelech answered the king, "Who among all your officials is as faithful as David? He is the king's son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard, and he's honored in your household. read more.
Is today the first time I inquired of God for him? Absolutely not! The king shouldn't accuse his servant, or any of my father's family of anything, because your servant didn't know anything at all about this." The king said, "Ahimelech, you will surely die, you and all your father's family!" The king told the guards, who were standing beside him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD because they supported David, and because they knew he was fleeing, but didn't inform me." But the officials of the king did not want to lift their hands to attack the priests of the LORD. Then the king told Doeg, "You turn and attack the priests." Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who carry the linen ephod. He attacked the priestly town of Nob with the sword. Men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys and sheep were put to the sword.

They are to serve as cities of refuge from a blood avenger in order to keep the inadvertent killer from dying until he has stood trial in the presence of the community.

then the community is to judge between the inadvertent killer and the blood avenger, following these ordinances. The community is to release the inadvertent killer from the blood avenger and return him to the town of refuge where he had fled. He is to live there until the High Priest dies, who will have anointed him with holy oil.

When a king faithfully administers justice to the poor, his throne will be established forever.

A Commander-in-Chief who is a cruel oppressor lacks understanding, but whoever hates unjust gain will live longer.

The diligent will take control, but the lazy will be put to forced labor.

When a ruler is listening to lies, all of his officials tend to become wicked.

But the king gave the people a harsh response, because he was ignoring the counsel that his elders had given him.

while King Rehoboam conferred with his advisors who had worked for his father Solomon during his administration. He asked them, "What is your advice as to how I should respond to these people?" They advised him, "If today you are a servant, you will serve this people by answering them and speaking kindly to them. Then they will serve you forever." But Rehoboam ignored the counsel that his elder advisors had given him. Instead, he consulted the younger men who had grown up with him and who worked for him.

As the righteous grow powerful, people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, people groan.

Saul said, "May God do this to me and even more, if you don't surely die, Jonathan!" Then the army told Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who brought about this great deliverance in Israel? As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, because today he did this with God's help."

After this, the LORD allowed Hadad the Edomite to oppose Solomon. He was part of the royal line of Edom.

God also raised up Eliada's son Rezon, who had escaped from his master King Hadadezer of Zobah.

When the Judean officials heard all these things, they came up from the king's house to the LORD's Temple and sat in the doorway of the New Gate of the LORD's Temple. The priests and prophets told the officials and all the people, "A death sentence for this man, because he prophesied against this city, as you heard with your own ears!" Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people: "The LORD has sent me to prophesy all the things you heard against this house and against this city. read more.
Now, change your habits and your deeds and obey the LORD your God, and the LORD will change his mind about the disaster that he told you about. Look, I'm in your hands, so do with me what you think is good and right. But know for certain that if you kill me, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and its residents because the LORD really did send me to you to say all these things for you to hear." The officials and all the people told the priests and the prophets, "No death sentence for this man because he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God." Some of the elders of the land got up and told all the assembled people, "Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah to all the people of Judah, "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Zion will be a plowed field, and Jerusalem a ruin. The Temple Mount will be a wooded hill."' "Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone in Judah kill him? Didn't he fear the LORD and seek the LORD's favor, and so the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he had spoken to them about. We're bringing great disaster on ourselves. There was also a man named Uriah, Shemaiah's son from Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied in the LORD's name. He prophesied about this city and this land in words similar to those of Jeremiah. King Jehoiakim, all his troops, and all the officials heard his words, and the king sought to kill him. Uriah heard about this and was afraid, so he fled and went to Egypt. King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt. He sent Achbor's son Elnathan, along with a contingent of men into Egypt. They brought Uriah out of Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who killed him with a sword. Then they threw his body into a common grave." Yet because Shaphan's son Ahikam supported Jeremiah, he was not handed over to the people for them to kill.

For evil's scepter will not rest on the land that has been allotted to the righteous, and so the righteous will not direct themselves to do wrong.

Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers, fearing God, and honoring the king.

The LORD became angry at Solomon because his heart wandered away from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and warned him about this so he would not pursue other gods. But he did not obey what the LORD had commanded, so the LORD told Solomon, "Because you have done this and haven't kept my covenant and statutes that I commanded you, I'm going to tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. read more.
I'm not going to do this during your lifetime, for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of your son's control. For the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, I won't tear away the entire kingdom. I'll leave one tribe for your son to govern."

"Pharaoh's dreams are identical," Joseph replied. "God has told Pharaoh what he is getting ready to do. The seven healthy cows represent seven years, as do the seven healthy ears. The dreams are identical. The seven gaunt cows that arose after the healthy cows are seven years, as are the seven gaunt ears scorched by the east wind. There will be seven years of famine. read more.
So the message that I have for Pharaoh is that God is telling Pharaoh what he is getting ready to do. Be advised that seven years of phenomenal abundance are coming throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them seven years of famine are ahead, during which all of the abundance will be forgotten throughout the land of Egypt. The famine will ravage the land so severely that there will be no surplus in the land due to the coming famine, because it will be very severe. "Now since Pharaoh had that dream twice, it means that this event has been scheduled by God, and God will bring it to pass very soon. Therefore let Pharaoh select a wise, discerning person to place in charge over the land of Egypt. Also, let Pharaoh immediately proceed to appoint supervisors over the land of Egypt, who will collect one fifth of its agricultural production during the coming seven years of abundance. Let them collect all the food during the coming fruitful years, store up the grain in cities governed by Pharaoh's authority, and place it under guard. Let the food be kept in reserve to feed the land for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout Egypt, so the people don't die during the famine." What Joseph proposed pleased Pharaoh and all of his advisors, so Pharaoh asked his servants, "Can we find anyone else like this someone in whom the Spirit of God lives? Since God has revealed all of this to you," Pharaoh told Joseph, "there is no one so wise and discerning as you. So you are to be appointed in charge over my palace, and all of my people are to do whatever you command them to do. Only the throne will have greater authority than you." "Look!" Pharaoh confirmed to Joseph, "I've put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt!" Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand, placed it on Joseph's hand, had him clothed in fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck. Then he provided him with a chariot as his second-in-command, outfitted with a group of people who shouted out in front of him, "Bow your knees!" And that's how Pharaoh set Joseph over the entire land of Egypt. Pharaoh also told Joseph, "I'm still Pharaoh, but without your permission nobody in all of the land of Egypt will so much as lift up their hands or take a step!" Pharaoh also changed Joseph's name to Zaphenath-paneah and gave Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, to him as his wife. And that's how Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt. Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh, king of Egypt, by traveling throughout the land of Egypt, independent from Pharaoh's oversight. While bumper crops grew during the seven abundant years, Joseph collected the surplus food throughout the land of Egypt, storing food in cities; that is, he gathered the food from fields that surrounded every city and stored it there. Joseph stored up so much grain like sand on the seashore in so much abundance! that he stopped keeping records because it was proving to be impossible to measure how much they were gathering. Before the years of famine arrived, Joseph fathered two sons with Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh because, he said, "God has made me forget all of my hard life and my father's house." He named his second son Ephraim because, he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my troubles." As soon as the seven years of abundance throughout the land of Egypt ended, the seven years of famine started, just as Joseph had predicted. It was an international famine, but there was food everywhere throughout the land of Egypt. Eventually, the land of Egypt began to feel the effects of the famine, so the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. "Go see Joseph," Pharaoh announced to all the Egyptians, "and do whatever he tells you to do." Joseph opened all of the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, because the famine was beginning to be severe throughout the land of Egypt. In addition, all of the surrounding nations came to Joseph to buy grain from Egypt, because the famine had become severe throughout the world.

So without delay the king sent a soldier and ordered him to bring John's head. The soldier went and beheaded him in prison. Then he brought John's head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

At this, the entire assembly complained, started to shout, and cried through the rest of that night. All the Israelis complained against Moses and Aaron. Then the entire assembly responded, "We wish that we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness. What's the point in the LORD bringing us to this land? To die by the sword so our wives and children would become war victims? Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?" read more.
Then they told each other, "Let's assign a leader and go back to Egypt." Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in front of the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel. Nun's son Joshua and Jephunneh's son Caleb, who had accompanied the others who also had explored the land, tore their clothes and attempted to reason with the entire congregation of Israel. They told them, "The land that we went through and explored is very, very good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he'll bring us into this land and give it to us. It flows with milk and honey. However, don't rebel against the LORD or be afraid of the people who live in the land, because we'll gobble them right up. Their defenses will collapse, because the LORD is with us. You are not to be afraid of them." But the entire congregation was talking about stoning them to death.

Then the king of Israel called together all of the elders of the land and told them, "Please note that this man is here looking for trouble. He sent a message to me, demanding my wives, my children, and my silver and gold, and I haven't refused him." "Don't listen to him," all the elders and the people replied. "And don't agree to his terms."

During the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach throughout the cities of Judah. They were accompanied by the descendants of Levi, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah. These descendants of Levi were accompanied by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah from a copy of the Book of the Law of the LORD that they took with them as they passed through all the cities of Judah, teaching among all the people.

"I've sinned," Saul said. "But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me so I may worship the LORD your God."

the LORD appeared to Solomon for a second time, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The LORD told him: "I've heard your prayer and your request that you made to me. I have consecrated this Temple that you have built by placing my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there continuously. "Now as for you, if you commune with me like your father did, with an upright heart of integrity and doing everything that I've commanded you and keeping my statutes and ordinances, read more.
then I'll make your royal throne secure forever, just as I agreed to do so for your father David when I said, "You are to not lack a man on the throne of Israel.' But if you or your descendants abandon me, and do not keep my commandments and statutes that I have given to you, and if you go away, serve other gods, and worship them, then I will eliminate Israel from the land that I gave them and from the Temple that I've consecrated for my name. I will throw them out of my sight, and Israel will become the butt of jokes and a means of ridicule among people worldwide! "This Temple will become a pile of ruins. Everyone who passes by it will be so astounded that they will ask, "Why did the LORD do this to this land and to this Temple?' They will answer, "Because they abandoned the LORD their God, who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods and served them. That's why the Lord has brought all of this disaster on them.'"

and the LORD exalted Solomon magnificently in the sight of all Israel, bestowing upon him royal majesty such as had not been given to any king in Israel before him.

So King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, "Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace, considering that what's being reported throughout all of Israel has come to the king at his palace?

the Moabites told the elders of Midian, "This horde of people is about to lick up everything around us, like an ox licks up the green ground."

So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them, and communicated Balak's concerns to him.

Later, the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring in some Israelis of royal and noble descent. They were to be young men without physical defect, handsome in appearance, skilled in all wisdom, quick to learn, prudent in how they used knowledge, and capable of serving in the king's palace. They were to learn the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them fine food and choice wine on a daily basis, ordering them to be trained for three years, at the end of which time they would enter the king's service. read more.
Included among the people of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief officer assigned the name "Belteshazzar" to Daniel, the name "Shadrach" to Hananiah, the name "Meshach" to Mishael, and the name "Abednego" to Azariah. Daniel determined within himself not to become defiled by the king's menu of rich foods or by the king's wine, so he requested permission from the chief officer not to defile himself. God granted to Daniel grace and compassion on the part of the chief officer. The chief officer told Daniel, "I fear his majesty the king, who has determined what you eat and drink. If he notices that your faces are more pale than the other young men in your group, I will forfeit my head to the king." But Daniel told the guard whom the chief officer had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days and let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare how we look with the young men who ate the king's rich food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you observe." So he listened to what Daniel said and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days their appearance was better and their faces were well-nourished compared to the young men who ate the king's rich food. So the guard took away their rich food and wine, giving them vegetables. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge, aptitude for learning, and wisdom. Daniel also could understand all kinds of visions and dreams. Then at the end of the training period that the king had established, the chief officer brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king spoke to them, none of them compared to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah as they stood before the king. In every matter of wisdom or understanding that the king discussed with them, he found them ten times superior to all the astrologers and enchanters in his entire palace.

At the same time he was hoping to receive a bribe from Paul, and so he would send for him frequently to talk with him.

Even though this plan seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all of the elders of Israel,

So our leaders and all of the inhabitants of our country told us, "Take provisions along with you for your journey, go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Come now and make a treaty with us."'

I called out to my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders have died within the city while looking for something to eat to keep themselves alive.

Look! The eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth; but I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob," declares the LORD.

Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

"I also told you at that time that I won't be able to sustain you on my own. The LORD your God greatly multiplied your numbers, and today you are like the stars in the sky. May the LORD, the God of your ancestors, increase your numbers a thousand times more, and may he bless you, as he promised you. read more.
How can I bear the burden of you and your bickering all by myself? Choose for yourselves wise and discerning men, known to your tribes, and appoint them as your leaders. You answered by saying that this plan is a good thing. So I chose leaders from your tribes, wise and respected men, and I appointed them over you commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. I charged your judges at that time, "When you hold a hearing between brothers, judge fairly between a man and his brother or between foreigners. When you hold a hearing, don't be partial in judgment toward the least important or toward the great. Never fear men, because judgment belongs to God. If the matter is difficult for you, bring it to me for a hearing.'