Thematic Bible: Political


Thematic Bible



Jehovah your God will deliver them to you. You must crush them! Completely destroy them. You should make no covenant with them. Do not show them mercy. Verse ConceptsMercy, HumanForbidden AlliancesFellowship With WickedExterminationGod Without MercyThose God Gave Into Their Hands

A prophet, Jehu son of Hanani, went to meet the king. He said to him: Do you think it is right to help those who are wicked and to take the side of those who hate Jehovah? What you have done has brought Jehovah's anger upon you. Verse ConceptsHatredForbidden Alliances

You go to Egypt for help without asking for my advice. You want Egypt to protect you. You put your trust in Egypt's military might. Verse ConceptsForbidden AlliancesTrusting In Man, Warnings AgainstGod's Counsel


The people of Ephraim try to catch the wind and try to chase the east wind all day. They are very dishonest, violent and destructive. They make treaties with Assyria and take olive oil to Egypt. Verse ConceptsAliancesFeedingFalse ConfidenceIdolatry, Objections ToTreatyWindForbidden AlliancesPursuing ViolenceOut Of The EastThe East Wind

Do not make any agreement with them or with their gods. Do not allow them to live in your land for they will make you sin against me. If you serve their gods it will be a snare to you.

Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going. It will become a snare in your midst. Instead tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim. Do not worship any other god but Jehovah for his reputation is filled with zeal, and he is a God who demands exclusive devotion. read more.
Otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land. They would commit spiritual immorality (fornication) with their gods and sacrifice to their gods. Someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice.

You will make no covenant with people of this land. You will throw down their altars. You have not obeyed my voice. Why have you done this? Verse ConceptsForbidden AlliancesAllegiancesDestruction Of Satan's WorksWhat Do You Do?

Eliezer was the son of Dodavahu from Mareshah. He prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said: Jehovah will destroy your work because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah. The ships were wrecked and could not go to Tarshish. Verse ConceptsSeafaringForbidden AlliancesProphesying

This is what Jehovah said with his powerful hand on me. He warned me not to follow the ways of these people: Do not say that everything these people call a conspiracy is a conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear. Do not let it terrify you!

Pharaoh should look for a wise and intelligent man and put him in charge of Egypt. Make arrangements to appoint supervisors over the land. Take a fifth of Egypt's harvest during the seven good years. Have them collect all the food during these good years. Store up grain under Pharaoh's control, to be kept for food in the cities. read more.
This food will be a reserve supply for our country during the seven years of famine that will happen in Egypt. Then the land will not be ruined by the famine. The king and his officials approved this plan, and he said to them: We will never find a better man than Joseph. He is a man who has God's Spirit in him. The king said to Joseph: God has shown you all this. Therefore it is obvious that you have greater wisdom and insight than anyone else. I will put you in charge of my country. All my people will obey your orders. Your authority will be second only to mine. I now appoint you governor over all Egypt. Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand. He clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. He had him ride in his second chariot. They proclaimed before him: Bow the knee! Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph: Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh named Joseph, Zaphenath-paneah. He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt. Now Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. During the seven years of plenty the land produced abundantly. He gathered all the food of these seven years that occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities. He placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields. Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea. He finally stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure. Before the year of famine came, there were born to Joseph two sons, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh, because God helped him forget all his troubles and all about his father's family. He named the second son Ephraim, because God made him fruitful in the land where he had suffered. The seven years when there was plenty of food in Egypt came to an end. The seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every other country, but there was food throughout Egypt. When the Egyptians became hungry, they cried out to the king for food. So he ordered them to go to Joseph and do what he told them. The famine grew worse and spread over the entire country. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

Herod highly disagreed with them at Tyre and Sidon. But they finally came to an agreement. They secured the support of Blastus a trusted personal servant of the king. They desired peace because their country was supported by the king's country. Verse ConceptsChamberlainsPeople Providing FoodNamed People Angry With OthersPrivate Rooms

The queen came into the banquet hall. She said: O king, may you live for a very long time: do not let your thoughts trouble you or change your countenance. There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In your fathers day, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding for interpreting dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving doubts. Let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

Many seek favor from the ruler; but every man's judgment comes from Jehovah. Verse ConceptsFalse ConfidenceCelebritiesPleasing MenSeeking The Favour Of GodMaking DecisionsFavor


Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. Is this a friendly visit? She asked. Yes, he answered. I have something to discuss with you. He said. What is it? She asked. He said: You know the kingship was mine. All Israel expected me to be their king. But the kingship has been turned over to my brother because Jehovah gave it to him. read more.
I have one request to make to you. Do not say no to me. She responded: Tell me. He said: Will you go to Solomon the king for he will not say 'No' to you. And make my request that he give me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife? Bathsheba said: Indeed, I will make your request to the king.

He told his servant Gehazi to call the woman. When she came, he said to Gehazi: Ask her what I can do for her in return for all the trouble she has had in providing for our needs. Maybe she would like me to go to the king or the army commander and put in a good word for her. I have all I need here among my own people, she answered.

The leaders of Judah exchanged letters with Tobiah. For in Judah there were a number of people who had made an agreement by oath with him. For he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, the son of Arah and his son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah. They spoke a good deal about the good he had done in my presence, and reported what I said to him. Tobiah sent letters with the purpose of causing me fear.

The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons. She bowed down and requested a favor of him. What is your desire? he asked. She said to him: Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom. Jesus told her: You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup I am about to take? read more.
They said: We are able. Truly, you will take of my cup, he said. But to be seated at my right hand and at my left is not for me to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father. When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers.

One time Abner and the soldiers of Ishbosheth left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. At that time Joab the son of Zeruiah was leading David's soldiers. The two groups met at the pool in Gibeon. Abner and his men sat down on one side of the pool and Joab and his men sat on the other side. Abner yelled to Joab: Let some of our best soldiers get up and fight each other! Joab agreed. read more.
Twelve of Ishbosheth's men from the tribe of Benjamin got up to fight twelve of David's men. Each one grabbed his opponent by the head. Then he stuck his sword into his opponent's side, and they fell down together. That place in Gibeon is called the Field of Enemies. Fierce fighting broke out that day. In the end, David's men defeated Abner and the men of Israel. Zeruiah's three sons were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as fast on his feet as a wild gazelle. So Asahel started chasing Abner. He ran straight for him. Abner looked behind and asked: Are you Asahel? He answered: I am. Abner said: Soldiers are all around us. Stop chasing me and fight one of them! Kill him and take his clothes and weapons for yourself. But Asahel refused to stop. Abner spoke again to Asahel: If you do not turn back, I will have to kill you! Then I could never face your brother Joab again. However, Asahel would not turn back. So Abner struck him in the stomach with the back end of his spear. The spear went all the way through and came out of his back. Asahel fell down and died. Everyone who saw Asahel lying dead just stopped and stood still. Joab and Abishai ran after Abner. It was sun down when they arrived at the hill of Ammah. This hill is near Giah on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon. The men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They became united as one and stood on the top of a hill. Then Abner called to Joab: Must the sword devour forever? Do you not understand it will be bitter to the end? How long before you command the people to return from chasing their brothers? Joab said: As God lives; if you had not spoken the men would have continued following their brothers. So Joab blew a ram's horn and all the troops stopped. They did not chase or fight Israel anymore. That night Abner and his men marched through the plains. They crossed the Jordan River and passed through the entire Bithron until they came to Mahanaim. Joab returned from chasing Abner. He gathered the troops. Nineteen of David's officers and Asahel were missing. David's men killed three hundred and sixty of the men of Benjamin under Abner's command. They buried Asahel in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. Joab and his men marched all night. They arrived at Hebron at daybreak.

There was a long war between the royal families of Saul and David. David's family became stronger and stronger. Saul's family became weaker and weaker. Verse ConceptsDavid, Reign OfHousesWarfare, Examples OfWarfare, Nature OfWeakness, PhysicalStrong IndividualsWithout StrengthCivil WarWarBattle

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did whatever he or she wanted to do. Verse ConceptsEyes, Figurative UseChaosSelfishnessAnarchyNo King

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Verse ConceptsAuthority, of human institutionsKingship, HumanSelfishnessAnarchyNo King

The commander said: I became one by paying a large amount of money. I am one by birth, Paul answered. Verse ConceptsCivil LibertyExpensiveCitizensReligious Freedomserenity