'Rule' in the Bible

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

“Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.

It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a holy place, for it is the holiest portion for him from the fire offerings to the Lord; this is a permanent rule.”

You are not to rule over them harshly but fear your God.

You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But concerning your brothers, the Israelites, you must not rule over one another harshly.

He will stay with him like a man hired year by year. A foreign owner is not to rule over him harshly in your sight.

I will turn against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even though no one is pursuing you.

One who comes from Jacob will rule;he will destroy the city’s survivors.

When the Lord your God blesses you as He has promised you, you will lend to many nations but not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian.”

But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”

“Please speak in the presence of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that 70 men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you or that one man rule over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”

But the olive tree said to them,“Should I stop giving my oilthat honors both God and man,and rule over the trees?”

But the fig tree said to them,“Should I stop givingmy sweetness and my good fruit,and rule over trees?”

But the grapevine said to them,“Should I stop giving my winethat cheers both God and man,and rule over trees?”

Then 3,000 men of Judah went to the cave at the rock of Etam, and they asked Samson, “Don’t you realize that the Philistines rule over us? What have you done to us?”“I have done to them what they did to me,” he answered.

Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them.”

He said, “These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots.

When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man I told you about; he will rule over My people.”

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king rule over us’—even though the Lord your God is your king.

Abner said to David, “Let me now go and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you, and you will rule over all you desire.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.

The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a murderer!”

“Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt,I have not chosen a city to build a temple inamong any of the tribes of Israel,so that My name would be there.But I have chosen David to rule My people Israel.”

He said:Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.

Its abundant harvest goes to the kingsYou have set over us,because of our sins.They rule over our bodiesand our livestock as they please.We are in great distress.

so that godless men should not ruleor ensnare the people.

Moreover, keep Your servant from willful sins;do not let them rule over me.Then I will be innocentand cleansed from blatant rebellion.

Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;Death will shepherd them.The upright will rule over them in the morning,and their form will waste away in Sheol,far from their lofty abode.

May he rule from sea to seaand from the Euphratesto the ends of the earth.

You rule the raging sea;when its waves surge, You still them.

The Lord will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion.Rule over Your surrounding enemies.

the sun to rule by day,        His love is eternal.

the moon and stars to rule by night.        His love is eternal.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;Your rule is for all generations.The Lord is faithful in all His wordsand gracious in all His actions.

The diligent hand will rule,but laziness will lead to forced labor.

A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful sonand share an inheritance among brothers.

Luxury is not appropriate for a fool—how much less for a slave to rule over princes!

The rich rule over the poor,and the borrower is a slave to the lender.

When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,but when the wicked rule, people groan.

Youths oppress My people,and women rule over them.My people, your leaders mislead you;they confuse the direction of your paths.

The nations will escort Israel and bring it to its homeland. Then the house of Israel will possess them as male and female slaves in the Lord’s land. They will make captives of their captors and will rule over their oppressors.

Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you mockerswho rule this people in Jerusalem.

Indeed, a king will reign righteously,and rulers will rule justly.

See, the Lord God comes with strength,and His power establishes His rule.His reward is with Him,and His gifts accompany Him.

The prophets prophesy falsely,and the priests rule by their own authority.My people love it like this.But what will you do at the end of it?

Set apart the nations for battle against her—the kings of Media,her governors and all her officials,and all the lands they rule.

Slaves rule over us;no one rescues us from their hands.

As I live”—the declaration of the Lord God—“I will rule over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath.

Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations.

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. They will no longer be two nations and will no longer be divided into two kingdoms.

“After you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours, and then another, a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole earth.

“While I was watching, another beast appeared. It was like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads and was given authority to rule.

As for the rest of the beasts, their authority to rule was removed, but an extension of life was granted to them for a certain period of time.

He was given authority to rule,and glory, and a kingdom;so that those of every people,nation, and languageshould serve Him.His dominion is an everlasting dominionthat will not pass away,and His kingdom is onethat will not be destroyed.

Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants.

“The king of the South will grow powerful, but one of his commanders will grow more powerful and will rule a kingdom greater than his.

Saviors will ascend Mount Zionto rule over the hill country of Esau,but the kingdom will be the Lord’s.

I will make the lame into a remnant,those far removed into a strong nation.Then the Lord will rule over them in Mount Zionfrom this time on and forever.

And you, watchtower for the flock,fortified hill of Daughter Zion,the former rule will come to you,sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

“This is what the Lord of Hosts says: If you walk in My ways and keep My instructions, you will both rule My house and take care of My courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here.

Yes, He will build the Lord’s temple; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. There will also be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two of them.

“But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us!’

But bring here these enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter them in my presence.’”

They watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so they could catch Him in what He said, to hand Him over to the governor’s rule and authority.

For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living.

And again, Isaiah says:The root of Jesse will appear,the One who rises to rule the Gentiles;the Gentiles will hope in Him.

Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He abolishes all rule and all authority and power.