55 Bible Verses about Government

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your soul on making him die.

Do not withhold correction from a boy, for if you beat him with the rod, he will not die.

He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him chastens him early.

The king establishes the land by judgment; but he taking bribes tears it down.

In the multitude of people is the king's honor, but in the lack of people is the ruin of the prince.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to lust for strong drink; lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to those who are of heavy hearts. read more.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: he who rules over men justly, ruling in the fear of God,

For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given an inheritance to those who fear Your name. You will add to the days of the king's life; his years will be for many generations. He shall abide before God forever; prepare mercy and truth to preserve him.

Because of your rage against Me, and because your arrogance has come up into My ears, even I will put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips. And I will turn you back by the way in which you came.

And I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed most perfectly, a great assembly with buckler and shield, all of them swordsmen;

who brings to nothing the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns the wise backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;

The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He will.

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

And to the angel of the church of the Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. read more.
Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne.

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. For faithful is the Word, for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

I Daniel was distressed in my spirit in its body, and the visions of my head troubled me. And I came near one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the meaning of the things. These four great beasts are four kings; they shall arise out of the earth. read more.
But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. Then I wanted to know the truth of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, very frightening, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of bronze; who devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the rest with his feet; and of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking very great things, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I watched, and that horn made war with the saints and overcame them until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High. And the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. And he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth, and shall trample it and crush it. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise. And another shall arise after them. And he shall be different from the first, and he shall humble three kings. And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his rulership, to cut off and to destroy until the end. And the kingdom and rulership, and the greatness of the kingdom under all the heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And all kingdoms shall serve and obey Him.

And truly the Son of Man goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also a dispute among them as to which of them seems to be greater. read more.
And He said to them, The kings of the nations exercise lordship over them. And they who exercise authority on them are called benefactors. But you shall not be so: but the greater among you, let him be as the lesser, and he who governs, as one who serves. For which is the greater; he who reclines, or he who serves? Is it not he who reclines? But I am among you as He who serves. You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I appoint a kingdom to you, as My Father has appointed to Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, He who has His eyes like a flame of fire and His feet like burnished metal, says these things: I know your works and love and service and faith and your patience, and your works; and the last to be more than the first. But I have a few things against you because you allow that woman Jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause My servants to go astray, and to commit fornication, and to eat idol-sacrifices. read more.
And I gave her time that she might repent of her fornication, and she did not repent. Behold, I am throwing her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death. And all the churches will know that I am He who searches the reins and hearts, and I will give to every one of you according to your works. But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put on you no other burden. But that which you have, hold fast until I come. And he who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations. And he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter they will be broken to pieces, even as I received from My Father. And I will give him the Morning Star.

Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.

They answered and said to him, You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us? And they cast him out.

You shall eat unleavened bread seven days; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

But the soul that eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings that pertain to Jehovah, having his uncleanness on him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation to offer it to Jehovah, even that man shall be cut off from among his people.

Then the Word of Jehovah came to me, saying, O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter? says Jehovah. Behold, As the clay in the potter's hands, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. The instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck it up and to pull it down, and to destroy it; read more.
if that nation, against whom I have spoken, will turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. And the instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build it and to plant it; if it does evil in My sight, not to obey My voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would do them good.

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.

who of all these does not know that the hand of Jehovah has done this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh, even of man? Does not the ear try words? And does not the mouth taste its food? read more.
With the aged is wisdom, and understanding in length of days. With Him is wisdom and strength; He has wisdom and understanding. Behold, He breaks down, and it can not be built up again; He shuts up a man, and no one opens. Behold, He withholds the waters, and they dry up; also He sends them out, and they overturn the earth. With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His. He leads wise men away stripped, and makes the judges fools. He cuts away the bonds of kings, and binds their loins with a girdle. He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty. He removes the speech of the men of trust, and takes away the understanding of the aged. He pours scorn on princes, and unties the belt of the mighty. He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings the shadow of death to light. He gives greatness to the nations, and destroys them. He spreads out the nations, and leads them away.

It is He who sits on the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in; who brings the rulers to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity.

And command them to go to their masters, saying, So says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: So you shall say to your masters, I have made the earth, man, and the animals on the face of the earth, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed right to Me. And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant. And I have also given him the beast of the field to serve him. read more.
And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the time of his own land comes. And then many nations and great kings shall enslave him. And it shall be, the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish, says Jehovah, with the sword and with the famine, and with the plague, until I have destroyed them by his hand.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

And it becoming early morning, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

And when He had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?

And immediately in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.

Then the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, assembled together to the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. And they consulted so that they might take Jesus by guile and kill Him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

But if anyone hungers, let him eat at home, so that you do not come together to condemnation. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

And the apostles and elders were assembled to see about this matter.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things:

(For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Do not sharply rebuke an elder, but exhort as a father, and the younger ones as brothers,

Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My Words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. I have spoken these things to you, being present with you. read more.
But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard how I said to you, I go away and I am coming to you again. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I go to the Father, for My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens you might believe. I shall no longer speak many things with you, for the ruler of this world comes, and he has nothing in Me.

But also if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those being lost, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them.

But I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when that One comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe on Me; read more.
concerning righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

But, we speak wisdom among those who are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which God has hidden, predetermining it before the world for our glory; which none of the rulers of this world knew (for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory).

Let them praise Jehovah for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the sons of man! And let them exalt Him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the gathering of the elders. He sets rivers to a wilderness and water-springs to thirsty ground; read more.
a fruitful land to a salty desert, because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it. He turns the wilderness into water-ponds, and dry ground into water-springs. And He makes the hungry dwell there, so that they may prepare a city to live in; and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He also blesses them, so that they are multiplied greatly; and does not allow their cattle to become few. Again, they have become few, and humbled through harshness, affliction, and sorrow. He pours scorn on nobles, and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no path.

And they ate and drank before Jehovah on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him before Jehovah as ruler, and Zadok to be as priest.

And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah has said of the sons of David.

And Jehovah said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand upon him. And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation, and give him a charge in their sight. And you shall put of your honor on him, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may be obedient. read more.
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask for him according to the judgment of Urim before Jehovah. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Moses did as Jehovah commanded him. And he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. And he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge, even as Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses.

And Samuel said to all the people, Do you see him whom Jehovah has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Let the king live!

And all the elders of Israel gathered themselves and came to Samuel to Ramah. And they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah. read more.
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even until this day, works with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods, so they do also to you. And now listen to their voice. Only, you shall surely protest solemnly to them, and show them the kind of king who shall reign over them. And Samuel told all the Words of Jehovah to the people who asked a king of him. And he said, This will be the privilege of the king who shall reign over you. He shall take your sons and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and his horsemen. And they shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint commanders over thousands, and commanders over fifties, and some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and weapons for his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your olive-yards, the best, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his eunuchs and to his servants. And he will take your male slaves and your slave girls, and your finest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep, and you shall be his servants. And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah will not answer you in that day. But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, No, but we will have a king over us. And we shall be, also we, like all the nations, so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah. And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Every man go to his city.

A king who truly judges the weak, his throne shall be established forever.

Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and You said, I have laid help on a mighty one; I have lifted up a chosen one out of the people. I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him. My hand shall be always with him; My arm also shall make him strong. read more.
The enemy shall not use force on him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him; and in My name his horn shall be lifted up. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry to Me, My Father, You are my God, and the rock of my salvation. And I will make him My first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. I will keep My mercy for him forever, and My covenant shall stand fast with him. Also I have set his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake My Law, and do not walk in My judgments; if they profane My Precepts, and do not keep My Commandments; then I will visit their wickedness with the rod, and their sin with stripes. But I will not completely take My loving-kindness from him, and I will not be false in My faithfulness. I will not break My covenant, nor change the thing that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness that I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and like a faithful witness in the heavens. Selah.

And now so shall you say to My servant David, So says Jehovah of Hosts: I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name like the name of the great ones in the earth. And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more. Neither shall the sons of wickedness afflict them any more, as before. read more.
And even from the time that I commanded judges to be over My people of Israel, so will I cause you to rest from all your enemies. Also Jehovah tells you that He will make you a house. And when your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall come out of your bowels. And I will make his kingdom sure. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not leave him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.

And David the king stood up on his feet and said, Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building. But God said to me, You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood. But Jehovah, the God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be the ruler, and of the house of Judah the house of my father. And in my father's house He was pleased to make me king over all Israel. read more.
And of all my sons (for Jehovah has given me many sons), He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And He said to me, Solomon your son shall build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. And I will establish his kingdom forever if he will always do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day.

Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise; He is mighty in strength of heart. He will not keep alive one who is wicked, but gives right to the afflicted. He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous, but they are like kings on the throne; yes, He causes them to sit forever, and they are very high.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

And all the people answered together and said, All that Jehovah has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people to Jehovah.

At the command of Jehovah the sons of Israel pulled up stakes, and at the command of Jehovah they pitched. As long as the cloud stayed upon the tabernacle they rested in camp.

so that you should enter into covenant with Jehovah your God, and into His oath, which Jehovah your God makes you today;

And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. Jehovah shall rule over you.

And in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the Trachonitus country, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene--

And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders and with a certain orator, Tertullus, who made a statement to the governor against Paul.

And from the time that I was chosen to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this way. Then Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the judges, and the emissaries, the consuls, the officials, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,

And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

After the first and second warning, reject a man of heresy,

Among these are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.

And I myself, Paul, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ; I, who indeed to look upon am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I told you before, and I say beforehand, as being present the second time and being absent now. I write to those who sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare.

So says Jehovah, Heaven is My throne, and earth My footstool. Where, then, is the house that you build for Me? And where is the place of My rest?

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the staff of Your kingdom is a staff of righteousness.

Jehovah has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all.

And I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And a place was not found for them.

But I say to you, Do not swear at all! Not by Heaven, because it is God's throne;

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. There is no end of the increase of His government and peace on the throne of David, and on His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from now on, even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this.

Jehovah shall reign forever and ever.

Say to God, How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power, Your enemies pretend obedience to You. All the earth shall worship You, and shall sing to You; they praise Your name. Selah. Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men. read more.
He turns the sea into dry land; they went through the flood on foot; there we rejoiced in Him. He rules by His power forever; His eyes behold the nations; let not the rebels lift themselves up. Selah.

Jehovah shall reign forever, even your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Jehovah!

And the seventh angel sounded. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders sitting before God on their thrones, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We thank You, O Lord God Almighty, who are, and who was, and who is coming, because You took Your great power and reigned.

Of whomever sins you remit, they are remitted to them. Of whomever sins you retain, they are retained.

And I will give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven to you. And whatever you may bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven, and whatever you may loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in Heaven.

Truly I say to you, Whatever you shall bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven; and whatever you shall loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in Heaven.

And as they passed through the cities, they delivered to them the commandments to keep, the ones that were ordained by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

Yield to those leading you, and be submissive, for they watch for your souls, as those who must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.

Put them in mind to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to every good work,

Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God. So that the one resisting the authority resists the ordinance of God; and the ones who resist will receive judgment to themselves. For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it. read more.
For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes. For they are God's servants, always giving attention to this very thing. Therefore give to all their dues; to the one due tax, the tax; tribute to whom tribute is due, fear to whom fear is due, and honor to whom honor is due.

Therefore tell us; what do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why do you tempt Me, hypocrites? Show Me the tribute money. And they brought a denarius to Him. read more.
And He said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? They said to Him, Caesar's. Then He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

And He said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.

Then be in obedience to every ordinance of men, because of the Lord, whether to a king as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him for vengeance on evildoers, but for praise on well-doers. For such is the will of God, doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish men; read more.
as free, and not having freedom as a cover of evil, but as servants of God. Honor all. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. And he said to them, What will you give me, and I will betray Him to you? And they appointed to him thirty pieces of silver.

And she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letter, saying, Proclaim a fast and set Naboth on high among the people. And set two men, sons of Belial, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You blasphemed God and the king. And carry him out and stone him so that he may die. read more.
And the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, sons of Belial, and sat before him. And the men of Belial witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth blasphemed God and the king. And they carried him out of the city and stoned him with stones so that he died. And they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead.

And seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, standing among them, these were before them, and each man with his censor in his hand. And the odor of the cloud of incense was rising. And He said to me, Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, each man in his image room? For they are saying, Jehovah does not see us; Jehovah has forsaken the earth.

Then he who had betrayed Him, seeing that He was condemned, sorrowing, Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver again to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, betraying innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? You see to that.

And his wife Jezebel said to him, Do you now rule over Israel? Rise up, eat food, and let your heart be good. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel. And she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letter, saying, Proclaim a fast and set Naboth on high among the people. read more.
And set two men, sons of Belial, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You blasphemed God and the king. And carry him out and stone him so that he may die. And the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, sons of Belial, and sat before him. And the men of Belial witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth blasphemed God and the king. And they carried him out of the city and stoned him with stones so that he died. And they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead. And it happened when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel, which he refused to give you for silver. For Naboth is not alive, but dead. And it happened when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel, to take possession of it.

And King Solomon swore by Jehovah, saying, May God do so to me, and more He shall do, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his life. And now, as Jehovah lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as He spoke, Adonijah shall be put to death today. And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And he fell on him so that he died.

And the report came to Joab. For Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he did not turn after Absalom. And Joab fled to the tabernacle of Jehovah, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. And it was told King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tabernacle of Jehovah, and, behold, he is by the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go fall on him. And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of Jehovah, and said to him, So says the king, come forth! And he said, No, but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and so he answered me. read more.
And the king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him, so that you may take away the innocent blood which Joab shed, from me and from the house of my father. And Jehovah shall return his blood on his own head, who fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David not knowing of it, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. Yea, He shall turn back their blood on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed forever. But on David, and on his seed, and on his house, and on his throne, there shall be peace forever from Jehovah. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him and killed him. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Build a house at Jerusalem and live there, and do not go forth from there anywhere. For it shall be, on the day you go out and pass over the torrent Kidron, you shall know for certain that you shall surely die. Your blood shall be on your own head. And Shimei said to the king, Your saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. And Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days. read more.
And it happened at the end of three years, two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, your servants are in Gath. And Shimei arose and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again. And the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, Did I not make you swear by Jehovah, and warn you, saying, In the day you go out, and you have gone anywhere, you certainly shall know that you shall surely die? And you said to me, The word I have heard is good. Why then have you not kept the oath of Jehovah and the command that I have charged you with? And the king said to Shimei, You know all the wickedness that your heart knows, what you did to David my father. And Jehovah shall return your wickedness on your own head. And King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Jehovah forever. And the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell on him so that he died. And the kingdom was made sure in the hand of Solomon.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem. For all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And it happened when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, heard, he being still in Egypt; for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt; they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, read more.
Your father made our yoke hard. And now lighten the hard service of your father, and the heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you. And he said to them, Go; yet in three days come back to me. And the people went away. And King Rehoboam talked with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he still lived, and said, How do you advise to return a word to this people? And they spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever. But he left the counsel of the old men which they had advised him, and talked with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. And he said to them, What advice do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, Lighten the yoke which your father put on us? And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, So shall you speak to this people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us, so you shall say to them: My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. And now my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, and I will add to your yoke. My father has whipped you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. And they came, Jeroboam and all the people, to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and left the old men's advice which they advised him, and spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke. My father whipped you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. And the king did not listen to the people, for the cause was from Jehovah, that He might perform His saying which Jehovah spoke by Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. And all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, and the people answered the king, saying, What part do we have in David? Yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to your house, O David! And Israel went to its tents.

And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah came on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have seen a king for Me among his sons.

Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and You said, I have laid help on a mighty one; I have lifted up a chosen one out of the people. I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him. My hand shall be always with him; My arm also shall make him strong. read more.
The enemy shall not use force on him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him; and in My name his horn shall be lifted up. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry to Me, My Father, You are my God, and the rock of my salvation. And I will make him My first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. I will keep My mercy for him forever, and My covenant shall stand fast with him. Also I have set his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake My Law, and do not walk in My judgments; if they profane My Precepts, and do not keep My Commandments; then I will visit their wickedness with the rod, and their sin with stripes. But I will not completely take My loving-kindness from him, and I will not be false in My faithfulness. I will not break My covenant, nor change the thing that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness that I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and like a faithful witness in the heavens. Selah.

He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not leave him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. read more.
And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.

And Joseph went up to bury his father. And all the servants of Pharaoh went up with him, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

And the king of Egypt was told that the people fled. And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people. And they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find any man like this, in whom the Spirit of God is?

And Jehovah said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, so that I might show these My signs before him,

And Pharaoh's servants said to him, How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go so that they may serve Jehovah their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?

And it happened in the days of Ahasuerus (this is the Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces).

And it happened in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations,

And it happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, that they might be over the whole kingdom. And over them were three presidents (Daniel was one of them), so that these satraps might give account to them, and the king should have no loss. Then this Daniel was made overseer of the presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king was planning to set him over all the kingdom.

And Jehovah made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel, and placed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

For the kingdom is Jehovah's; and He is the ruler among the nations.

And Jehovah shall raise up a king over Israel for Himself, a king who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day. And what? Even now!

And the Word of Jehovah came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, Since I exalted you out of the dust, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and since you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My people Israel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins, behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house. And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. read more.
Those of Baasha who die in the city shall the dogs eat. And those of his who die in the fields, the birds of the air shall eat.

But Jehovah, the God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be the ruler, and of the house of Judah the house of my father. And in my father's house He was pleased to make me king over all Israel. And of all my sons (for Jehovah has given me many sons), He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

And Moses went up to God, and Jehovah called to him out of the mountain, saying, You shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the sons of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. And now if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to Me above all the nations; for all the earth is Mine. read more.
And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the sons of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which Jehovah commanded him. And all the people answered together and said, All that Jehovah has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people to Jehovah.

Today Jehovah your God has commanded you to do these statutes and judgments. You therefore shall keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have today said that Jehovah is your God, and that you would walk in His ways, and keep His statutes and His commandments and His judgments, and listen to His voice. And Jehovah has taken you today to be His peculiar people, as He has promised you, and to keep all His commandments, read more.
and to make you high above all nations which He has made, in praise and in name and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to Jehovah your God, even as He has spoken.

These are the words of the covenant which Jehovah commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb. And Moses called to all Israel and said to them, You have seen all that Jehovah did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants, and to all his land. Your eyes have seen the great trials, the signs, and those great miracles. read more.
Yet Jehovah has not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, until today. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not become old on you, and your shoe has not become old on your foot. You have not eaten bread, neither have you drunk wine or strong drink, so that you might know that I am Jehovah your God. And when you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us to battle, and we struck them. And we took their land and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half tribe of Manasseh. Therefore, keep the words of this covenant and do them, so that you may act wisely in all that you do. You stand today, all of you, before Jehovah your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and your stranger that is in your camp, from the cutter of your wood to the drawer of your water; so that you should enter into covenant with Jehovah your God, and into His oath, which Jehovah your God makes you today; that He may establish you today for a people to Himself, and that He may be a God to you, as He has said to you, and as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah. And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

And by coming to Jehoram, the destruction of Ahaziah was of God. He went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Jehovah had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

Only, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for David My servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem. For all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And it happened when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, heard, he being still in Egypt; for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt; they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, read more.
Your father made our yoke hard. And now lighten the hard service of your father, and the heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you. And he said to them, Go; yet in three days come back to me. And the people went away. And King Rehoboam talked with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he still lived, and said, How do you advise to return a word to this people? And they spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever. But he left the counsel of the old men which they had advised him, and talked with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. And he said to them, What advice do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, Lighten the yoke which your father put on us? And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, So shall you speak to this people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us, so you shall say to them: My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. And now my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, and I will add to your yoke. My father has whipped you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. And they came, Jeroboam and all the people, to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and left the old men's advice which they advised him, and spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke. My father whipped you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. And the king did not listen to the people, for the cause was from Jehovah, that He might perform His saying which Jehovah spoke by Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. And all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, and the people answered the king, saying, What part do we have in David? Yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to your house, O David! And Israel went to its tents. As for the sons of Israel, those living in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. And King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute. And all Israel stoned him with stones so that he died. And King Rehoboam made haste to go up to get into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem. And Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day. And it happened when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come again, they sent and called him to the company, and made him king over all Israel. There was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, and he gathered all the house of Judah with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. But the Word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, So says Jehovah, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the sons of Israel. Each man return to his house. For this thing is from Me. And they listened to the Word of Jehovah and turned to go back, according to the Word of Jehovah.

And the king did not listen to the people, for the revolution was from God so that Jehovah might perform His Word which He spoke by the hand of Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

So says Jehovah, You shall not go up nor fight against your brothers. Let every man return to his house. For this thing is done by Me. And they obeyed the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

And on the next day it happened that Moses sat to judge the people. And the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing which you do to the people? Why do you sit alone by yourself, and all the people stand by you from morning to evening? And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God. read more.
When they have a matter, they come to me. And I judge between one and another, and I make known the statutes of God and His Laws. And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that you do is not good. You will surely wear away, both you and this people that is with you. For this thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it alone. Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you. You be for the people toward God, that you may bring the causes to God. And you shall teach them ordinances and laws, and shall make them know the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. And you shall look out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain. And place such over them to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. And it shall be, every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge. And make it easier for yourself, and they shall bear with you. If you will do this thing, and God command you, then you shall be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all times. The hard causes they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

And Jehovah said to Moses, Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and the officers over them. And bring them to the tabernacle of the congregation so that they may stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take of the spirit on you, and will put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you so that you do not bear it yourself alone.

And Moses went out and told the people the words of Jehovah, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them all around the tabernacle. And Jehovah came down in a cloud and spoke to him, and took of the spirit on him and gave it to the seventy elders. And it happened when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they never did so again.

And I spoke to you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you by myself. Jehovah your God has multiplied you, and, behold, today you are as the stars of heaven for multitude. May Jehovah, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times more than you are, and bless you as He has said to you! read more.
How can I by myself bear your pressure and your burden and your strife? Give wise and understanding men, and those known to your tribes, and I will appoint them rulers over you. And you answered me and said, The thing which you have spoken is good to do. And I took the chiefs of your tribes, wise and noted men, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. And I commanded your judges at that time saying, Hear the causes between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger with him. You shall not respect persons in judgment. You shall hear the small as well as the great. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's. And the cause that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.

And it happened in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to ask of Jehovah, and sat before me.

Set apart a fast; call a solemn gathering; gather the elders and all the people of the land into the house of Jehovah your God, and cry to the Lord,

And it was in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me. And the hand of the Lord Jehovah fell on me there.

And some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.

Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: Have you come to ask of Me? As I live, says the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.

And I said, Please hear, O heads of Jacob and magistrates of the house of Israel. Is it not for you to know justice? You who hate the good and love the evil; who pull their skin off them, and their flesh from their bones; who also eat the flesh of My people, and strip their skin off them. And they break their bones and chop them in pieces, like that in the pot, like those in the middle of the kettle. read more.
Then they shall cry to Jehovah, but He will not answer them. He will even hide His face from them at that time, as they have done evil in their doings.

And his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, Why is your spirit so sad that you are not eating food? And he said to her, Because I spoke to Naboth of Jezreel and said to him, Give me your vineyard for silver. Or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it. And he answered, I will not give you my vineyard. And his wife Jezebel said to him, Do you now rule over Israel? Rise up, eat food, and let your heart be good. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel. read more.
And she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letter, saying, Proclaim a fast and set Naboth on high among the people. And set two men, sons of Belial, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You blasphemed God and the king. And carry him out and stone him so that he may die. And the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, sons of Belial, and sat before him. And the men of Belial witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth blasphemed God and the king. And they carried him out of the city and stoned him with stones so that he died.

Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be founded in righteousness.

Please hear this, heads of the house of Jacob, and magistrates of the house of Israel, who hate justice and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. Her heads judge for a bribe, and her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for silver, yet they will lean on Jehovah and say, Is not Jehovah among us? No evil can come on us!

You shall not revile God, nor curse the ruler of your people.

Do not curse a king, no, not in your thought; and do not curse the rich in your bedroom; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.

And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the ears of the people. And they said, All that Jehovah has said we will do, and be obedient.

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which Jehovah commanded him. And all the people answered together and said, All that Jehovah has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people to Jehovah.

And Moses came and told the people all the Words of Jehovah, and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, All the words which Jehovah has said, we will do.

You stand today, all of you, before Jehovah your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and your stranger that is in your camp, from the cutter of your wood to the drawer of your water; so that you should enter into covenant with Jehovah your God, and into His oath, which Jehovah your God makes you today; read more.
that He may establish you today for a people to Himself, and that He may be a God to you, as He has said to you, and as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Nor do I make this covenant and this oath with you only, but with him who stands here with us today before Jehovah our God, and also with him that is not here with us today.

Then be in obedience to every ordinance of men, because of the Lord, whether to a king as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him for vengeance on evildoers, but for praise on well-doers.

Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God. So that the one resisting the authority resists the ordinance of God; and the ones who resist will receive judgment to themselves. For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it. read more.
For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes. For they are God's servants, always giving attention to this very thing. Therefore give to all their dues; to the one due tax, the tax; tribute to whom tribute is due, fear to whom fear is due, and honor to whom honor is due.

A Psalm of Solomon. Give the King Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the King's son. He will judge Your people in righteousness, and Your poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills by righteousness. read more.
He shall judge the poor of the people; He shall save the children of the needy, and shall crush in pieces the cruel one. They shall fear You as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. In His days the righteous shall flourish; and abundance of peace, until the moon is not. He shall also have the rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before Him; and His enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him. For He shall deliver the needy when he cries; and the poor with no helper. He shall have pity on the poor and needy and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and their blood shall be precious in His sight. And He shall live, and to Him shall be given the gold of Sheba; and prayer shall always be made for Him; He shall bless Him all the day long. There shall be a fullness of grain in the earth on the top of the mountains; its fruit shall shake like Lebanon, and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. His name shall endure forever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed.

A wise king scatters the wicked and brings the wheel over them.

And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, and said to them, As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him and killed him in Ziklag. I gave that to him as a reward. Indeed when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? read more.
And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

And David said to the young man who told him, From where are you? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said, Why were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed? And David called one of the young men and said, Go near; fall on him. And he struck him so that he died. read more.
And David said to him, Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.

And it happened in the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and draw back from him so that he may be stricken and die. And it happened when Joab observed the city, he sent Uriah to a place where he knew brave men were. read more.
And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell. And Uriah the Hittite also died.

Like a roaring lion and a ranging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the helpless people.

Please hear this, heads of the house of Jacob, and magistrates of the house of Israel, who hate justice and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. Her heads judge for a bribe, and her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for silver, yet they will lean on Jehovah and say, Is not Jehovah among us? No evil can come on us! read more.
Therefore, on account of you, Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house into high places of the forest.

And it happened, David and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the house of Obed-edom with joy.

And the elders of his house rose up toward him, to raise him up from the earth. But he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of Jehovah standing between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. And David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

And all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. And King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah. And they anointed David king over Israel.

And all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron. And David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the Word of Jehovah by Samuel.

The word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, You sought for David in times past to be king over you. And then do it, for Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin. And Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and all that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. read more.
And Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men came with him. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and so that you may reign over all that your heart desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

But when Pilate saw that it gained nothing, but rather that a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person. You see to it.

From this time, Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar. Then when Pilate heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement (but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha). And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, Behold your king! read more.
But they cried out, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then he delivered Him up to them that He might be crucified. And they took Jesus and led Him away.

And the king stood in his place and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah and to keep His commandments and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.

And the king sent. And they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

And the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

And when He had removed him, He raised up David to them to be their king; to whom He also witnessed and said, I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after My own heart, who shall fulfill all My will.

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has chosen your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the boys who are of your kind? Then you would forfeit my head to the king.

The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing has gone from me. If you will not make known to me the dream, with its meaning, you will be made into mere members, and your houses shall be made an outhouse. But if you make known the dream and its meaning, you shall receive gifts and a present and great honor from me. Therefore reveal to me the dream and its meaning. They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will reveal its meaning. read more.
The king answered and said, For I know that you surely want to gain time, because you see the thing is gone from me. But if you will not make the dream known to me, there is only one judgment for you. For you have prepared lying and deceiving words to speak before me, until the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can reveal to me its meaning. The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, There is not a man on the earth who can reveal the king's matter, because not any king, lord, nor ruler has asked such a thing from any horoscopist or conjurer or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king asks, and there is no other who can reveal it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. For this cause the king was enraged and angered, and commanded all the wise men of Babylon to be destroyed. And the law went out that the wise men should be killed. And they sought Daniel and his fellows to be killed.

And for the majesty that He gave him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whom he would, and whom he would he kept alive. And whom he would, he set up; and whom he would, he put down.

Go tell Jeroboam, So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I lifted you up from among the people, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. And you have not been as My servant David who kept My commandments, and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes. But you have done evil above all who were before you, for you have gone and made yourself other gods, and molded images, to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back; read more.
therefore, behold, I will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam everyone who urinates against the wall, bound and free in Israel, and will sweep away the rest of the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away the dung, until it is all gone. Those of Jeroboam who die in the city, the dogs shall eat. And those who die in the field, the fowls of the air shall eat. For Jehovah has spoken. And arise, get down to your own house. When your feet enter into the city, the boy shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him. For he only of Jeroboam shall come down to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. And Jehovah shall raise up a king over Israel for Himself, a king who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day. And what? Even now! For Jehovah shall strike Israel as the reed waves in the water, and He shall root up Israel out of this good land which He gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherahs, provoking Jehovah to anger. And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned, and that he made Israel to sin.

And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him at Gibbethon, which was to the Philistines. For Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. And in the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha killed him and reigned in his place. And it happened when he reigned, he struck all the house of Jeroboam. He did not leave Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the saying of Jehovah which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the man of Shiloh, read more.
because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation with which he provoked Jehovah, the God of Israel to anger.

Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, "This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

And the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of His disciples eating loaves with unclean hands, that is with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they immerse their hands with the fist, holding the tradition of the elders.

And Solomon gathered the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, so that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the men of Israel were gathered to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came in, and the priests took up the ark.

And Solomon gathered the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the sons of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the men of Israel gathered themselves to the king in the feast in the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came. And the Levites took up the ark.

When you come to the land which Jehovah your God gives you, and shall possess it and shall live in it and shall say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations around me, you shall surely set a king over you, whom Jehovah your God shall choose. You shall set a king over you from among your brothers. You may not set a stranger over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, so as to multiply horses, because Jehovah has said to you, You shall return no more that way from now on. read more.
Nor shall he multiply wives to himself, so that his heart does not turn away. Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold to himself. And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write a copy of this Law in a book from before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of this Law, and these statutes, to do them, so that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he does not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he may make his days longer in his kingdom, he and his sons, in the midst of Israel.

Give wise and understanding men, and those known to your tribes, and I will appoint them rulers over you. And you answered me and said, The thing which you have spoken is good to do. And I took the chiefs of your tribes, wise and noted men, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

And our elders and all those who live in our country spoke to us saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them. Say to them, We are your servants. And now make a treaty with us.

A poor and a wise child is better than an old and foolish king, who will not be warned any more. For out of prison he comes to reign; although in his kingdom he was born poor.

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child and your leaders eat in the morning.

Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your leaders eat in due time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

And Samuel took a vial of oil and poured on his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because Jehovah has anointed you for a leader over His inheritance?

And Jehovah had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be leader over My people Israel, so that he may save My people out of the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on My people because their cry has come to Me. And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said to him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall reign over My people.

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him who rules among fools.

My son, fear Jehovah and the king; and do not fellowship with those who are given to change; for their trouble shall rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin of them both?

And at the end of these things, the rulers came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands. But they are doing according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

and that who ever would not come within three days, according to the advice of the rulers and the elders, all he owned would be lost, and he himself separated from the congregation of the exiles. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves to Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month. And all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, You have sinned, and have taken strange women to increase the sin of Israel. read more.
And now confess to Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and do His pleasure. And separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange women. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As you have said, so we must do. But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. And the work is not of one or two days. For we who have sinned in this thing are many. And let our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all those who have taken strange women in our cities, come at a set time, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter has turned from us.

And all the elders of Israel gathered themselves and came to Samuel to Ramah. And they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah. read more.
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even until this day, works with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods, so they do also to you. And now listen to their voice. Only, you shall surely protest solemnly to them, and show them the kind of king who shall reign over them. And Samuel told all the Words of Jehovah to the people who asked a king of him.

But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, No, but we will have a king over us. And we shall be, also we, like all the nations, so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah. read more.
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Every man go to his city.

The wicked flee when no man pursues; but the righteous are bold as a lion. Because of the transgression of a land, many are its rulers; but it is prolonged by a man of discernment who knows right.

And Saul heard that David and the men with him had been discovered. And Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand. And all his servants were standing about him.

And Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. And Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have asked of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day? And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who is so faithful among all your servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and who goes at your bidding, and who is honorable in your house? read more.
Have I today begun to ask of God for him? Be it far from me. Do not let the king charge a thing to his servant, nor to all the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, more or less. And the king said, Ahimelech, you shall surely die, you and all your father's house. And the king said to the guard that stood around him, Turn and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah. And the king said to Doeg, You turn and fall on the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned and fell on the priests. And on that day he killed eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and babes, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

And they shall be to you cities for refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer does not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

then the congregation shall judge between the one who kills and the revenger of blood according to these judgments. And the congregation shall deliver the one who kills out of the hand of the revenger of blood. And the congregation shall send him back to the city of his refuge, to which he had fled. And he shall stay in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

A king who truly judges the weak, his throne shall be established forever.

A ruler lacking understanding even adds oppressions; he who hates unjust gain shall prolong his days.

The hand of the hard worker shall bear rule, but the lazy shall be under service.

If a ruler listens to lies, all his servants are wicked.

And the king answered the people roughly, and left the old men's advice which they advised him,

And King Rehoboam talked with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he still lived, and said, How do you advise to return a word to this people? And they spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever. But he left the counsel of the old men which they had advised him, and talked with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

And Saul answered, God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan. And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked out this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! As Jehovah lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, so that he did not die.

And it happened Jehovah stirred up a foe to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the king's seed in Edom.

And God stirred up another foe, to him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.

When the rulers of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house to the house of Jehovah, and sat down in the entrance of the New Gate of Jehovah's house. And the priests and the prophets spoke to the rulers and to all the people, saying, Let a death sentence be for this man, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears. Then Jeremiah spoke to all the rulers and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. read more.
So now make your ways and your doings good, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God. And Jehovah will repent of the evil that He has spoken against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand. Do with me as seems good and right to you. But know for certain that if you put me to death you shall surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its people. For truly Jehovah has sent me to you to speak all these Words in your ears. Then the rulers and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, There is not a sentence of death for this man; for he has spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our God. Then some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, So says Jehovah of Hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house like the high places of a forest. Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah indeed put him to death? Did he not fear Jehovah, and pray to Jehovah, and Jehovah repented of the evil which He had spoken against them? So we are doing great evil against our souls. And there was also a man who prophesied in the name of Jehovah, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the rulers, heard his words, the king tried to put him to death. But when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled and went into Egypt. And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt; Elnathan the son of Achbor, and men with him into Egypt. And they brought Urijah out of Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and threw his dead body into the graves of the common people. But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity.

Honor all. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

And Jehovah was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; and he did not keep that which Jehovah commanded. And Jehovah said to Solomon, Since this is done by you, and since you have not kept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. read more.
But I will not do it in your days, for David your father's sake, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Only, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for David My servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

And Joseph said to Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years. And the seven good ears are seven years. The dream is one. And the seven thin and evil-appearing cows that came up after them are seven years. And the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. read more.
This is the thing which God has spoken to Pharaoh; what God is about to do, He shows to Pharaoh. Behold, there are coming seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine. And all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land. And the plenty shall not be known in the land because of the famine following; for it shall be very grievous. And since the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a man who is discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh act, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. That food shall be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, so that the land does not perish through the famine. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find any man like this, in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all this, no one is as discreet and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall kiss the hand at your word. Only in the throne will I be greater than you. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand. And he dressed him with fine linen robes, and put a gold chain around his neck. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had, and they cried before him, Bow the knee! And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without a word from you, no man shall lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah. And he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, for his wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from before Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven years of plenty, the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and he put food in the cities. He put the food of the field which was around every city; he put it in among it. And Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, very much, until he quit numbering it; for it was without number. And two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bore to him. And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh, saying, For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house. And the name of the second he called Ephraim, saying, For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. And the seven years of plenty that was in the land of Egypt ended. And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said. And the famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth. And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine was severe on the land of Egypt. And all the earth came into Egypt to buy, to Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.

And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a platter and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother.

And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried. And the people wept that night. And all the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole congregation said to them, Oh that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or, Oh that we had died in the wilderness! And why has Jehovah brought us into this land to fall by the sword, so that our wives and our sons should be a prey? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? read more.
And they said to one another, Let us make a leader, and let us return to Egypt. And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those that searched the land, tore their clothes. And they spoke to all the company of the sons of Israel saying, The land which we passed through to search is an exceedingly good land. If Jehovah delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against Jehovah, neither fear the people of the land. For they are bread for us. Their protection has moved from them, and Jehovah is with us. Do not fear them. But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. And the glory of Jehovah appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the sons of Israel.

And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, Please mark and see how this one seeks mischief. For he sent to me for my wives and for my sons, and for my silver and for my gold. And I did not keep them back from him. And all the elders and all the people said to him, Do not listen nor consent!

And in the third year of his reign he sent to his rulers, to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent Levites, Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, Levites. And with them he sent Elishama and Jehoram the priests. And they taught in Judah and had the book of the Law of Jehovah with them, and went around throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God.

Jehovah appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. And Jehovah said to him, I have heard your prayer and your cry which you have made before Me. I have made this house which you have built holy, to put My name there forever. And My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually. And if you will walk before Me as David your father walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you; and if you will keep My statutes and My judgments, read more.
then I will establish the throne of your kingdom on Israel forever, as I promised to David your father, saying, There shall not be cut off to you a man on the throne of Israel. If you shall at all turn from following Me, you or your sons, and will not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the face of the land which I have given them. And this house which I have made holy for My name I will cast out of My sight. And Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people. As to this house which is exalted, everyone who passes by it shall be amazed and shall hiss. And they shall say, Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house? And they shall answer, Because they left Jehovah their God who brought out their fathers from the land of Egypt, and have taken hold on other gods and have worshiped them and served them. On account of this Jehovah has brought on them all this evil.

And Jehovah made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel, and placed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? For the word of all Israel has come to the king, to his house.

And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now this company is licking up all around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian pulled up stakes with the rewards of divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and spoke the words of Balak to him.

And the king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs that he should bring some of the sons of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the rulers; sons in whom was no blemish, but who were handsome and skillful in all wisdom; and who had knowledge and understanding, even those who were able to stand in the king's palace, and to whom they might teach the writing and the language of the Chaldeans. And the king gave them the portion of a day in its day from the king's food, and the wine which he drank, even to rear them three years, so that at their end they might stand before the king. read more.
And among them were four of the sons of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, to whom the ruler of the eunuchs gave names. For he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel laid on his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's food, nor with the wine which he drank. So he asked permission of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. And God had given Daniel kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has chosen your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the boys who are of your kind? Then you would forfeit my head to the king. And Daniel said to Melzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, I beg you, try your servants ten days. And let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be seen before you, and the appearance of the boys who eat of the king's food. And as you see, deal with your servants. So he listened to them in this matter, and tried them for ten days. And at the end of ten days their faces looked fairer and fatter in flesh than all the boys who had eaten the king's food. So Melzar took away their part of the food, and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four boys, God gave them knowledge and skill in all writing and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. And at the end of the days that the king had said he would bring them in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king talked with them. And among them all were found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they stood before the king. And in any matters of wisdom and understanding that the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the horoscopists and conjurers who were in all his kingdom.

He also hoped that silver would be given him by Paul, that he might free him. Therefore he also frequently sent for him and talked with him.

And the saying pleased Absalom very much, and all the elders of Israel.

And our elders and all those who live in our country spoke to us saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them. Say to them, We are your servants. And now make a treaty with us.

I called for my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and my elders expired in the city while they sought food for them to bring back their life.

Behold, the eyes of the Lord Jehovah are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth; except that I will not completely destroy the house of Jacob, says Jehovah.

And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

And I spoke to you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you by myself. Jehovah your God has multiplied you, and, behold, today you are as the stars of heaven for multitude. May Jehovah, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times more than you are, and bless you as He has said to you! read more.
How can I by myself bear your pressure and your burden and your strife? Give wise and understanding men, and those known to your tribes, and I will appoint them rulers over you. And you answered me and said, The thing which you have spoken is good to do. And I took the chiefs of your tribes, wise and noted men, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. And I commanded your judges at that time saying, Hear the causes between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger with him. You shall not respect persons in judgment. You shall hear the small as well as the great. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's. And the cause that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.