23 Bible Verses about Theocracy

Most Relevant Verses

Exodus 19:5-6

And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites."

Exodus 19:8

and all the people answered together, "All that the Lord has commanded we will do!" So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.

Exodus 24:3

Moses came and told the people all the Lord's words and all the decisions. All the people answered together, "We are willing to do all the words that the Lord has said,"

Deuteronomy 5:27

You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it."

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Today the Lord your God is commanding you to keep these statutes and ordinances, something you must do with all your heart and soul. Today you have declared the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commandments, and ordinances, and obey him. And today the Lord has declared you to be his special people (as he already promised you) so you may keep all his commandments.read more.
Then he will elevate you above all the nations he has made and you will receive praise, fame, and honor. You will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he has said.

Deuteronomy 29:9-15

"Therefore, keep the terms of this covenant and obey them so that you may be successful in everything you do. You are standing today, all of you, before the Lord your God -- the heads of your tribes, your elders, your officials, every Israelite man, your infants, your wives, and the foreigners living in your encampment, those who chop wood and those who carry water -- read more.
so that you may enter by oath into the covenant the Lord your God is making with you today. Today he will affirm that you are his people and that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore by oath to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is not with you alone that I am making this covenant by oath, but with whoever stands with us here today before the Lord our God as well as those not with us here today.

Joshua 24:24-25

The people said to Joshua, "We will worship the Lord our God and obey him." That day Joshua drew up an agreement for the people, and he established rules and regulations for them in Shechem.

Deuteronomy 33:5

The Lord was king over Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together.

Numbers 23:21

He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; his acclamation as king is among them.

Deuteronomy 33:26

There is no one like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the sky to help you, on the clouds in majesty.

Judges 8:23

Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."

Psalm 145:1

A psalm of praise, by David. I will extol you, my God, O king! I will praise your name continually!

Exodus 20:1-17

God spoke all these words: "I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me.read more.
"You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain. "Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. For six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. "Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you. "You shall not murder. "You shall not commit adultery. "You shall not steal. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Deuteronomy 5:6-21

"I am the Lord your God, he who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery. You must not have any other gods besides me. You must not make for yourself an image of anything in heaven above, on earth below, or in the waters beneath.read more.
You must not worship or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me, but I show covenant faithfulness to the thousands who choose me and keep my commandments. You must not make use of the name of the Lord your God for worthless purposes, for the Lord will not exonerate anyone who abuses his name that way. Be careful to observe the Sabbath day just as the Lord your God has commanded you. You are to work and do all your tasks in six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. On that day you must not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male slave, your female slave, your ox, your donkey, any other animal, or the foreigner who lives with you, so that your male and female slaves, like yourself, may have rest. Recall that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there by strength and power. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. Honor your father and your mother just as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that your days may be extended and that it may go well with you in the land that he is about to give you. You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not offer false testimony against another. You must not desire another man's wife, nor should you crave his house, his field, his male and female servants, his ox, his donkey, or anything else he owns."

Exodus 21:1

"These are the decisions that you will set before them:

Deuteronomy 4:1-2

Now, Israel, pay attention to the statutes and ordinances I am about to teach you, so that you might live and go on to enter and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add a thing to what I command you nor subtract from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am delivering to you.

Deuteronomy 17:18-19

When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests. It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out.

Deuteronomy 31:12-13

Gather the people -- men, women, and children, as well as the resident foreigners in your villages -- so they may hear and thus learn about and fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the words of this law. Then their children, who have not known this law, will also hear about and learn to fear the Lord your God for as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."

Joshua 1:7-8

Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do. This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.

1 Samuel 8:7

The Lord said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.

1 Samuel 8:19

But the people refused to heed Samuel's warning. Instead they said, "No! There will be a king over us!

1 Samuel 10:19

But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, "No! Appoint a king over us." Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.'"

1 Samuel 12:12

"When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, 'No! A king will rule over us' -- even though the Lord your God is your king!

From Thematic Bible


Theocracy » Over israel

1 Samuel 8:7

The Lord said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.

Exodus 19:8

and all the people answered together, "All that the Lord has commanded we will do!" So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.

Numbers 9:18

At the commandment of the Lord the Israelites would begin their journey, and at the commandment of the Lord they would make camp; as long as the cloud remained settled over the tabernacle they would camp.

Deuteronomy 29:12

so that you may enter by oath into the covenant the Lord your God is making with you today.

Judges 8:23

Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."

More verses: 1 Samuel 12:12

Theocracy » Established

Exodus 24:7

He took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people, and they said, "We are willing to do and obey all that the Lord has spoken."

Exodus 19:8

and all the people answered together, "All that the Lord has commanded we will do!" So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.

Judges 8:23

Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."

1 Samuel 12:12

"When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, 'No! A king will rule over us' -- even though the Lord your God is your king!

Exodus 24:3

Moses came and told the people all the Lord's words and all the decisions. All the people answered together, "We are willing to do all the words that the Lord has said,"

Theocracy » Rejected by israel

2 Chronicles 13:8

Now you are declaring that you will resist the Lord's rule through the Davidic dynasty. You have a huge army, and bring with you the gold calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

1 Samuel 8:7

The Lord said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.

1 Samuel 10:19

But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, "No! Appoint a king over us." Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.'"

1 Samuel 8:19

But the people refused to heed Samuel's warning. Instead they said, "No! There will be a king over us!

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Exacting tribute

Deuteronomy 16:16

Three times a year all your males must appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Temporary Shelters; and they must not appear before him empty-handed.

Leviticus 27:30

"'Any tithe of the land, from the grain of the land or from the fruit of the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.

Exodus 35:4-29

Moses spoke to the whole community of the Israelites, "This is the word that the Lord has commanded: Take an offering for the Lord. Let everyone who has a willing heart bring an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, fine linen, goat's hair, read more.
ram skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood, olive oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and other gems for mounting on the ephod and the breastpiece. Every skilled person among you is to come and make all that the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent, its covering, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases; the ark, with its poles, the atonement lid, and the special curtain that conceals it; the table with its poles and all its vessels, and the Bread of the Presence; the lampstand for the light and its accessories, its lamps, and oil for the light; and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the hanging for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle; the altar for the burnt offering with its bronze grating that is on it, its poles, and all its utensils; the large basin and its pedestal; the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway to the courtyard; tent pegs for the tabernacle and tent pegs for the courtyard and their ropes; the woven garments for serving in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to minister as priests." So the whole community of the Israelites went out from the presence of Moses. Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. They came, men and women alike, all who had willing hearts. They brought brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments, all kinds of gold jewelry, and everyone came who waved a wave offering of gold to the Lord. Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats' hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather brought them. Everyone making an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. Every woman who was skilled spun with her hands and brought what she had spun, blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, and all the women whose heart stirred them to action and who were skilled spun goats' hair. The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted for the ephod and the breastpiece, and spices and olive oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. The Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, every man and woman whose heart was willing to bring materials for all the work that the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

Deuteronomy 26:1-4

When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you occupy it and live in it, you must take the first of all the ground's produce you harvest from the land the Lord your God is giving you, place it in a basket, and go to the place where he chooses to locate his name. You must go to the priest in office at that time and say to him, "I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord promised to our ancestors to give us." read more.
The priest will then take the basket from you and set it before the altar of the Lord your God.

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Being the supreme judge

Numbers 15:34

They put him in custody, because there was no clear instruction about what should be done to him.

Numbers 9:8-11

So Moses said to them, "Remain here and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you." The Lord spoke to Moses: "Tell the Israelites, 'If any of you or of your posterity become ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, or are on a journey far away, then he may observe the Passover to the Lord. read more.
They may observe it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight; they are to eat it with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs.

Numbers 27:5-11

So Moses brought their case before the Lord. The Lord said to Moses: "The daughters of Zelophehad have a valid claim. You must indeed give them possession of an inheritance among their father's relatives, and you must transfer the inheritance of their father to them. read more.
And you must tell the Israelites, 'If a man dies and has no son, then you must transfer his inheritance to his daughter; and if he has no daughter, then you are to give his inheritance to his brothers; and if he has no brothers, then you are to give his inheritance to his father's brothers; and if his father has no brothers, then you are to give his inheritance to his relative nearest to him from his family, and he will possess it. This will be for the Israelites a legal requirement, as the Lord commanded Moses.'"

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Appointing civil officers

Numbers 27:18

The Lord replied to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is such a spirit, and lay your hand on him;

Numbers 27:20

Then you must delegate some of your authority to him, so that the whole community of the Israelites will be obedient.

Theocracy » Was established on » The right of redemption

Isaiah 43:3

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you.

2 Samuel 7:23

Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation on the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods.

Exodus 6:6-7

Therefore, tell the Israelites, 'I am the Lord. I will bring you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians, I will rescue you from the hard labor they impose, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you to myself for a people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians.

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Exercise of the prerogative of mercy

Deuteronomy 9:18-20

Then I again fell down before the Lord for forty days and nights; I ate and drank nothing because of all the sin you had committed, doing such evil before the Lord as to enrage him. For I was terrified at the Lord's intense anger that threatened to destroy you. But he listened to me this time as well. The Lord was also angry enough at Aaron to kill him, but at that time I prayed for him too.

Numbers 14:20

Then the Lord said, "I have forgiven them as you asked.

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Promulgating laws

Deuteronomy 5:22-23

The Lord said these things to your entire assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the cloud, and the darkness with a loud voice, and that was all he said. Then he inscribed the words on two stone tablets and gave them to me. Then, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness while the mountain was ablaze, all your tribal leaders and elders approached me.

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Proclaiming war

Exodus 17:14-16

The Lord said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua's hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Moses built an altar, and he called it "The Lord is my Banner," for he said, "For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord -- that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

Numbers 31:1-2

The Lord spoke to Moses: "Exact vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites -- after that you will be gathered to your people."

Theocracy » The tabernacle designed as a royal residence for God during

Leviticus 26:11-12

"'I will put my tabernacle in your midst and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you, and I will be your God and you will be my people.

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Appointing ecclesiastical officers

Exodus 28:1

"And you, bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him from among the Israelites, so that they may minister as my priests -- Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

Exodus 40:12-15

"You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. Then you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments and anoint him and sanctify him so that he may minister as my priest. You are to bring his sons and clothe them with tunics read more.
and anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may minister as my priests; their anointing will make them a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations."

Theocracy » Lasted from the deliverance out of egypt until the appointment of kings

1 Samuel 8:7

The Lord said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.

Exodus 19:4-6

You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites."

Theocracy » Was established on » The right of covenant

Deuteronomy 26:17-19

Today you have declared the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commandments, and ordinances, and obey him. And today the Lord has declared you to be his special people (as he already promised you) so you may keep all his commandments. Then he will elevate you above all the nations he has made and you will receive praise, fame, and honor. You will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he has said.

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Directing the movements of the nation

Exodus 40:36-37

But when the cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on all their journeys; but if the cloud was not lifted up, then they would not journey further until the day it was lifted up.

Theocracy » The emblem of the divine presence appeared over the tabernacle during

Numbers 9:15-16

On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle -- the tent of the testimony -- and from evening until morning there was a fiery appearance over the tabernacle. This is the way it used to be continually: The cloud would cover it by day, and there was a fiery appearance by night.

Theocracy » Consisted in his » Distribution of conquered lands

Joshua 13:1-7

When Joshua was very old, the Lord told him, "You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, from the Shihor River east of Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land read more.
to the south; all the Canaanite territory, from Arah in the region of Sidon to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; the territory of Byblos and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you." Now, divide up this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh."

Theocracy » Guilt of israel in rejecting

1 Samuel 2:17

The sin of these young men was very great in the Lord's sight, for they treated the Lord's offering with contempt.

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