29 Bible Verses about Named Gentile Rulers

After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to welcome Festus. Since they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. He said, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix. When I went to Jerusalem, the high priests and the Jewish elders informed me about him and asked me to condemn him. read more.
I answered them that it was not the Roman custom to sentence a man to be punished until the accused met his accusers face to face and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charge. So they came here with me, and the next day without any delay I sat down in the judge's seat and ordered the man to be brought in. When his accusers stood up, they didn't accuse him of any of the crimes I was expecting. Instead, they had several arguments with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but Paul kept asserting he was alive. I was puzzled how I should investigate such matters, so I asked if he would like to go to Jerusalem and be tried there for these things. But Paul appealed his case and asked to be held in prison until the decision of his Majesty. So I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to the emperor." Agrippa told Festus, "I would like to hear the man." "Tomorrow," he said, "you will hear him." The next day, Agrippa and Bernice arrived with much fanfare and went into the auditorium along with the tribunes and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all you men who are present with us! You see this man about whom the whole Jewish nation petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. I find that he has not done anything deserving of death. But since he has appealed to his Majesty, I have decided to send him. I have nothing reliable to write our Sovereign about him, so I have brought him to all of you, and especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I will have something to write after he is cross-examined.

Then Agrippa told Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.

Indeed, the king knows about these things, and I can speak to him freely. For I'm certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this wasn't done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!" Agrippa asked Paul, "Can you so quickly persuade me to become a Christian?"read more.
Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I wish to God that not only you but everyone listening to me today would become what I am except for these chains!" Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and those who were sitting with him got up. As they were leaving, they began to say to each other, "This man hasn't been doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment." Agrippa told Festus, "This man could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to the emperor."

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, after having been warned in a dream. So he left for the region of Galilee

After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod, wise men arrived in Jerusalem from the east and asked, "Where is the one who was born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, as was all of Jerusalem. read more.
He called together all the high priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, because that is what was written by the prophet: "O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, because from you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod secretly called together the wise men, found out from them the time the star had appeared, and sent them to Bethlehem. He told them, "As you go, search carefully for the child. When you find him, tell me so that I, too, may go and worship him."

Herod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been tricked by the wise men, so he ordered the execution of all the male children in Bethlehem and all its neighboring regions, who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the wise men.

During the reign of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

At that time Herod the tetrarch, hearing about the fame of Jesus, told his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and that's why these miracles are being done by him." Herod had arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.read more.
John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." Although Herod wanted to kill him, he was afraid of the crowd, since they regarded John as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday celebration was held, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests. She pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me, right here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist." Under pressure because of his promises and his assembled guests, the king ordered that it be done. So he sent word and had John beheaded in prison.

King Herod heard about this, because Jesus' name had become well-known. He was saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead! That's why he is able to do these miracles." Others were saying, "He is Elijah." Still others were saying, "He is a prophet like one of the other prophets." But when Herod heard about it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised," read more.
because Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom Herod had married. John had been telling Herod, "It's not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she couldn't do it because Herod was afraid of John. He knew that John was a righteous and holy man, and so he protected him. Whenever he listened to John, he did much of what he said. In fact, he liked listening to him. An opportunity came during Herod's birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. So the king told the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." He swore with an oath to her, "I'll give you anything you ask for, up to half of my kingdom." So she went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?" Her mother replied, "The head of John the Baptist." Immediately the girl hurried back to the king with her request, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." The king was deeply saddened, yet because of his oaths and his guests he was reluctant to refuse her. 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.

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,

Now Herod the tetrarch had been rebuked by John because he had married his brother's wife Herodias and because of all of the other evil things Herod had done.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was happening. He was puzzled because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by others that Elijah had appeared, and by still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. Herod said, "I beheaded John. But who is this man I'm hearing so much about?" So Herod kept trying to see Jesus.

When he learned with certainty that Jesus came from Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time. Now Herod was very glad to see Jesus, because he had been wanting to see him for a long time on account of what he had heard about him. He was also hoping to see some sign done by him. So he continued to question him for a long time, but Jesus gave him no answer at all. read more.
Meanwhile, the high priests and the scribes stood nearby and continued to accuse him vehemently. Even Herod and his soldiers treated him with contempt and made fun of him. He put a magnificent robe on Jesus and sent him back to Pilate. So Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day. Before this they had been enemies.

For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate actually met together with unbelievers and the people of Israel to oppose your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

Neither does Herod, because he sent him back to us! Indeed, this man has done nothing to deserve death.

About that time, Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church and mistreated them. He even had James, the brother of John, killed with a sword. When he saw how this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter, too. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

Herod searched for him but didn't find him, so he questioned the guards and ordered them to be executed. Then he left Judea, went down to Caesarea, and stayed there for a while. Now Herod had been in a violent quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him as a group. After they had won over Blastus, who oversaw security for the king's sleeping quarters, they asked for a peace agreement because their country depended on the king's country for food. Therefore, at a set time Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the royal seat, and made a speech to them. read more.
The people kept shouting, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man!" Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Punish their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

They executed the five kings of Midian, including Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also executed Beor's son Balaam with a sword.

all of the cities of the plain, the entire kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who used to reign in Heshbon and whom Moses attacked, along with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, nobles of Sihon who lived in the land.

They captured two Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. While they were pursuing the Midianites, they executed Oreb at Oreb's Rock and Zeeb at Zeeb's Winepress, and then they carried the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from the east bank of the Jordan River.

God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the leaders of Midian, into your control. What was I able to do compared to you?" When he said this, their anger calmed down.

Governor Rehum and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:

The king replied: To: Governor Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues living in Samaria, and the remainder living beyond the Euphrates River. Greetings:

Right about then, Trans-Euphrates Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues approached and challenged them. They asked, "Who authorized you to build this Temple and to reconstruct this wall?"

Here is a copy of the letter that Trans-Euphrates Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and his colleagues the Trans-Euphrates Persians sent to King Darius.

To: Tattenai, Trans-Euphrates Governor, Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues living beyond the Euphrates River. Stay away from there!

Because of what King Darius had mandated, Tattenai, the Trans-Euphrates Governor, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues carried out his orders quickly.