59 Bible Verses about Leaders, Political

Then the LORD raised up leaders, who delivered Israel from domination by their marauders.

Deborah, a woman, prophet, and wife of Lappidoth, was herself judging Israel during that time.

When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. His sons did not follow Samuel's example. Instead, they pursued dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.read more.
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. 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.

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?

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." Samuel said, "How can I go? Saul will hear about this and kill me!" The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, "I've come to offer a sacrifice to the LORD.' You are to invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I'll show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one I tell you."read more.
Samuel did what the LORD said and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came out to meet him trembling, and said, "May your coming be in peace." He said, "Peace, I've come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." Samuel consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab, and said, "Surely he's the LORD's anointed." 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." Then Jesse summoned Abinadab and brought him before Samuel, and he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Then Jesse brought Shammah, and he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Jesse brought seven of his sons before Samuel, and Samuel told Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these." Then Samuel told Jesse, "Are these all the young men?" He said, "There yet remains the youngest one, and right now he's tending the sheep." Samuel told Jesse, "Send someone to get him, for we won't do anything else until he arrives here." So he sent and brought him. He had a dark, healthy complexion, with beautiful eyes, and he was handsome. The LORD said, "Get up and anoint him, for this is the one." 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 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.

"Call Bathsheba for me," King David replied. So she came in and stood in front of the king. "As the LORD lives," the king said with an oath, "who has redeemed me from all sorts of troubles, I certainly did tell you in the name of the LORD God of Israel, "Your son Solomon will be king after me and will sit on my throne in my place.' I'm certainly going to make this happen today!"read more.
"King David," Bathsheba said as she bowed low in front of the king with her face to the ground, "your majesty, may you live forever." "Get me Zadok the priest," King David said, "along with Nathan the prophet, and Jehoiada's son Benaiah." So they were ushered into the king's presence and David addressed them. "Take your lord's servants, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. Have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Then sound a trumpet and declare "Long live King Solomon!' After this, you are to follow him back here, and he is to come and sit on my throne and take my place as king, because I've appointed him to be Commander-in-Chief over Israel and Judah." "Amen!" replied Jehoiada's son Benaiah to the king. "May the LORD God of your majesty make this happen! As the LORD has been with your majesty the king, so may he be with Solomon. May he make his throne greater than the throne of your majesty, King David." So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, the special forces and mercenaries went out and had Solomon ride the king's mule all the way to Gihon. Zadok the priest brought from his tent a horn filled with oil and anointed Solomon, a trumpet was sounded, and everybody yelled out, "Long live King Solomon!" All the people followed after him, playing on wind pipes and so full of joy that the earth shook because of all the noise!

When Moses came, he summoned the elders of the people and told them everything that the LORD had commanded him.

"If a murder victim is found fallen in the open country of the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess, and it is not known who killed him, then let your elders and judges go out and measure the distance from the dead body to the neighboring cities.

Meanwhile, Boaz approached the city gate and sat down there. Just then, the very same related redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, "Come over and sit down here, my friend!" So the man came over and sat down. Boaz selected ten of the town elders and spoke to them, "Sit down here." So they sat down

"Whenever I went out to the city gate, a seat had been reserved for me in the plaza. The young men would see me and withdraw, and the aged would rise and stand. Nobles would refrain from speaking, covering their mouths with their hands.read more.
The voices of the commanders-in-chief were hushed, and their tongues would cling to the roofs of their mouths." "When people heard me speak, they blessed me; when people saw me, they approved me, because I delivered the poor who were crying for help, along with orphans who had no one to help them.

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,

Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

The LORD told Moses, "Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, and I'll write on the tablets the words which were on the first tablets that you broke.

He removed the high places, demolished the sacred pillars, and tore down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had crafted, because the Israelis had been burning incense to it right up until that time. Hezekiah called it a piece of brass.

At the conclusion of all of these activities, everybody in Israel who was in attendance traveled throughout the cities of Judah, broke down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and altars throughout the territories of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh until they had eliminated all of them. Then the people of Israel went back to their cities and back to their work.

These are the men to whom David handed responsibility for music in the Temple of the LORD, after the ark came to rest there.

Then he told Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, because this is what the LORD God of Israel says:

So go! I am sending you to Pharaoh. Bring my people the Israelis out of Egypt."

The LORD looked straight at him and replied, "Go with this determination of yours and deliver Israel from Midian's domination. I've directed you, haven't I?"

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."

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. 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.

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."

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 rule your people with right decisions and your oppressed ones with justice.

A king sits on a throne of justice, sifting out all sorts of evil with his glance.

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

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.

His delight will be in the fear of the LORD. He won't judge by what his eyes see, nor decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he will judge the needy, and decide with equity for earth's poor. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and the wicked will be killed with the breath of his lips.

Then he chose his servant David, whom he took from the sheepfold. He brought him from birthing sheep to care for Jacob, his people, Israel, his possession. David shepherded them with a devoted heart, and led them with skillful hands. A Psalm of Asaph

"Son of Man, prophesy against Israel's shepherds. Tell those shepherds, "This is what the Lord GOD says: "Woe to you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves and not the sheep. Shouldn't shepherds feed the sheep? You're eating the best parts, clothing yourselves with the wool, and slaughtering the home-grown sheep without having fed the sheep! You haven't strengthened the weak, treated the sick, set broken bones, regathered the scattered, or looked for the lost. Instead, you've dominated them with brutal force and ruthlessness.read more.
"Since they have no shepherd, they have been scattered around and have become prey for all sorts of wild animals. How scattered they are! My sheep have gone wandering on all of the mountains, on all of the hills, and throughout every high place in the whole world, with no one to look for them or go out in search of them.

"A shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will bear fruit from his roots. The Spirit of the LORD will rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.

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."

His delight will be in the fear of the LORD. He won't judge by what his eyes see, nor decide disputes by what his ears hear,

Righteousness will be the sash around his loins, and faithfulness the belt around his waist."

Kings reign by me, and rulers dispense justice through me. By me leaders rule, as do noble officials and all who govern justly.

But Jesus called the disciples and said, "You know that the rulers of the unbelievers lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them.

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. Also, he must not accumulate wives for himself (otherwise, his affection will become diverted), nor accumulate for himself excessive quantities of silver and gold.

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. read more.
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.

"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."

"How terrible for him who builds his house without righteousness, and its upper rooms without justice, who makes his neighbor work for nothing, and does not pay him his wage.

Saul waited seven days for the appointment set by Samuel. When Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, as the people began to scatter from Saul, Saul said, "Bring the burnt offering and the peace offering to me," and he offered the burnt offering. Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet and greet him.read more.
Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul replied, "When? I saw that the people were scattering from me, that you didn't come at the appointed time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash. I thought, "The Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal but I've not sought the favor of the LORD,' so I forced myself to offer the burnt offering." Then Samuel told Saul, "You have acted foolishly. You haven't obeyed the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever,

But after he had become strong, in his arrogance he acted corruptly and became unfaithful to the LORD his God, and he dared to enter the LORD's Temple to burn incense on the incense altar. Azariah the priest ran after him, along with 80 of the LORD's valiant priests, and they opposed King Uzziah. "Uzziah, it's not for you to burn incense to the LORD," they told him, "but for the priests to do, Aaron's descendants who are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary now, because you have been unfaithful and won't receive any honor from the LORD God."

Later, Solomon even constructed a high place on the mountain east of Jerusalem that was dedicated to Chemosh, that detestable Moabite idol, and to Molech, the detestable Ammonite idol. Solomon did this for all of his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their own gods.

Manasseh began to reign at the age of twelve, and he reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Hephzibah. He did what the LORD considered to be evil, following the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD had expelled in full view of the people of Israel. He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He erected altars for Baal, crafted an Asherah, just as King Ahab of Israel had done, and worshipped and served the stars of heaven. read more.
He also built altars in the LORD's Temple, about which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will place my Name." He built two altars to every star in the heavens in the two courts of the LORD's Temple. He made his son into a burnt offering, practiced witchcraft, used divination, and consorted with mediums and spirit-channelers. He practiced many things that the LORD considered to be evil and provoked him.

"How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the chariot, because there are so many, and in charioteers, because they are so strong but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or seek the LORD!

Some time later, Berodach-baladan, the son of King Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he had heard that Hezekiah had been ill.

"Oh, you stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out plans but they are not mine, and who make alliances but not by my Spirit, piling sin upon sin. They set out to go down to Egypt, without asking my advice; taking refuge in Pharaoh's protection, and seeking shelter in Egypt's shadow.

"Ephraim is also like a silly dove, lacking sense: They call out to Egypt, and turn toward Assyria.

He told them, "Go and tell that fox, "Listen! I am driving out demons and healing today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will finish my work.

In the first year of the reign of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel dreamed a dream, receiving visions in his mind while in bed, after which he recorded the dream, relating this summary of events. Daniel said, "I observed the vision during the night. Look! The four winds of the skies were stirring up the Mediterranean Sea. Four magnificent animals were rising from the sea, each different from the other. read more.
The first resembled a lion, but it had eagles' wings. I continued to watch until its wings were plucked off, it was lifted up off the ground, and it was forced to stand on two feet like a man. A human soul was imparted to it. "Then look! a second animal resembling a bear followed it. It was raised up on one side, with three ribs held between the teeth in its mouth. Therefore people kept telling it, "Get up and devour lots of meat!' "After this, I continued to watch and look! there was another one, resembling a leopard with four birds' wings on its back. The animal also had four heads, and authority was imparted to it. "After this, I continued to observe the night visions. And look! there was a fourth awe-inspiring, terrifying, and viciously strong animal! It had large, iron teeth. It devoured and crushed things, and trampled under its feet whatever remained. Different from all of the other previous animals, it had ten horns.

I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten royal crowns on its horns. On its heads were blasphemous names. The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bear's feet, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and complete authority. One of the beast's heads looked like it had sustained a mortal wound, but its fatal wound was healed. Rapt with amazement, the whole world followed the beast.

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,

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.

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.

But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men!

But if not, rest assured, your majesty, that we won't serve your gods, and we won't worship the golden statue that you have set up."

Then they told the king, "Daniel, who is one of the Judean exiles, pays no attention to you, your majesty, or to the written decree, since he is still praying three times a day."

First of all, then, I urge you to offer to God petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions of thanks for all people, for kings, and for everyone who has authority, so that we might lead a quiet and peaceful life with all godliness and dignity.