29 Bible Verses about Named Gentile Rulers

Now [after] some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. And while they were staying there many days, Festus laid out the [case] against Paul to the king, saying, "There is a certain man left behind by Felix [as] a prisoner, concerning whom [when] I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented evidence, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.read more.
To {them} I replied that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the one who had been accused met [his] accusers face to [face] and received an opportunity for a defense concerning the accusation. Therefore, [when] they had assembled here, made no delay; on the next [day] I sat down on the judgment seat [and] gave orders [for] the man to be brought. [When they] stood up, [his] accusers began bringing no charge concerning {him} of the evil deeds that I was suspecting, but they had some issues with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive. And [because] I was at a loss with regard to the investigation concerning these [things], I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and to be judged there concerning these [things]. But [when] Paul appealed [that] he be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I gave orders [for] him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar." So Agrippa [said] to Festus, "I want to hear the man myself also." "Tomorrow," he said, "you will hear him." So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry and entered into the audience hall, along with military tribunes and the most prominent men of the city. And [when] Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in. And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole population of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting [that] he must not live any longer. But I understood [that] he had done nothing deserving death himself, and [when] this man appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send [him]. I do not have anything definite to write to [my] lord about {him}. Therefore I have brought him before you [all]--and especially before you, King Agrippa--so that [after] this preliminary hearing has taken place, I may have something to write.

So Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul extended [his] hand [and] began to defend himself:

For the king knows about these [things], to whom also I am speaking freely, for I am not convinced [that] these [things] in any way have escaped his notice, because this {was} not {done} in a corner. Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe." But Agrippa [said] to Paul, "In a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?"read more.
And Paul [replied], "I pray to God, whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all those who are listening to me today may become such [people] as I also am, except for these bonds!" Both the king and the governor got up, and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. And [as they] were going out, they were talking to one another, saying, "This man is not doing anything deserving death or imprisonment." And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar."

But [when he] heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream, he took refuge in the regions of Galilee.

Now [after] Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star at its rising and have come to worship him." And [when] King Herod heard [it], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him,read more.
and [after] calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired from them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for from you will go out a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men [and] determined precisely from them the time [when] the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem [and] said, "Go, inquire carefully concerning the child, and when you have found [him], report to me so that I also may come [and] worship him."

Then Herod, [when he] saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, became very angry, and he sent [soldiers] [and] executed all the children in Bethlehem and in all the region [around] it from [the age of] two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined precisely from the wise men.

It happened that in the days of Herod, king of Judea, [there was] a certain priest, Zechariah by name, of the division of Abijah. And {he had a wife} from the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elizabeth.

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and for this [reason] miraculous powers are at work in him." For Herod, [after] arresting John, bound him and put [him] in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,read more.
because John had been saying to him, "It is not permitted for you to have her." And [although he] wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they looked upon him as a prophet. But [when] Herod's birthday celebration took place, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst [of them] and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. And coached by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter!" And [although] the king was distressed, because of his oaths and his {dinner guests} he commanded [the request] to be granted. And he sent [orders] [and] had John beheaded in the prison,

And King Herod heard [it], because his name had become known. And they were saying, "John, the one who baptizes, has been raised from the dead, and because of this these miraculous powers are at work in him." But others were saying, "He is Elijah," and others were saying, "[He is] a prophet like one of the prophets." But [when] Herod heard [it], he said, "John whom I beheaded--this one has been raised!"read more.
For Herod himself had sent [and] arrested John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not permitted for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias held a grudge against him and was wanting to kill him, and was not able [to do so]. For Herod was afraid of John, [because he] knew him [to be] a righteous and holy man and protected him. And [when he] listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and [yet] he listened to him gladly. And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent [men] of Galilee. And [when] the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced and pleased Herod and {his dinner guests}, the king said to the girl, "Ask me [for] whatever you want, and I will give [it] to you." And he swore to her, "Anything whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom!" And she went out [and] said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer." And she came in immediately with haste to the king [and] asked, saying, "I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately." And [although he] was deeply grieved, the king, because of his oaths and {dinner guests}, did not want to refuse her. And immediately the king sent an executioner [and] ordered [him] to bring his head. And he went [and] beheaded him in the prison. And he brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, [when] Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,

But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and concerning all the evil deeds that Herod had done,

Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John has been raised from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and others that some prophet of ancient times had risen. And Herod said, "John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?" And he was wanting to see him.

And [when he] found out that he was from the jurisdiction of Herod, he sent him over to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days. And [when] Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by him. So he questioned him {at considerable length}, but he answered nothing to him.read more.
And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers also treated him with contempt, and [after] mocking [him] [and] dressing [him] [in] glistening clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And both Herod and Pilate became friends with one another on [that] same day, {for they had previously been enemies of one another}.

For in truth both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,

But neither [did] Herod, because he sent him back to us. And behold, nothing deserving death {has been done} by him.

Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to harm [them]. So he executed James the brother of John with a sword. And [when he] saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. ({Now this was during the feast} of Unleavened Bread.)

And [when] Herod had searched for him and did not find [him], he questioned the guards [and] ordered [that they] be led away to execution. And he came down from Judea to Caesarea [and] stayed [there]. Now he was very angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians. So they came to him with one purpose, and [after] persuading Blastus, {the king's chamberlain}, they asked for peace, because their country was supported with food from the king's country. So on an appointed day Herod, [after] putting on royal clothing and sitting down on the judgment seat, began to deliver a public address to them.read more.
But the people began to call out loudly, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down {because} he did not give the glory to God. And he was eaten by worms [and] died.

Make their leaders like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their chiefs like Zebah and Zalmunna,

(This first registration took place [when] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

They killed the kings of Midian in addition to the ones they had slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam son of Beor by the sword.

all of the cities of the plateau, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and whom Moses defeated with the leaders of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon who dwelled in the land.

And they captured the two commanders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they chased Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from beyond the Jordan.

God has given into your hand the commanders of Midian, Oreb, and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?" And their {anger} against him subsided when {he said that}.

Rehum the royal officer and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows

The king sent a reply: "To Rehum the royal officer, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and the rest [of the province] Beyond the River, greetings. And now

At the same time Tattenai, governor of [the province] Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: "Who issued you all a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?"

The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of [the province] Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his associates the envoys who were in [the province] Beyond the River sent to Darius the king.

"Now then, Tattenai governor of [the province] Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates, the envoys who are in [the province] Beyond the River--keep far away from there.

Then Tattenai the governor of the [province] Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates consequently did with diligence what Darius the king ordered.