What Does the Bible Say About Kings?

“And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:”

“And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:”

“That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.”

“Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. hearken: or, obey howbeit: or, notwithstanding when thou hast solemnly protested against them then thou shalt”

“And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.”

“And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.”

“And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.”

“And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.”

“And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.”

“And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. officers: Heb. eunuchs”

“And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.”

“He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.”

“And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.”

“And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.”

“And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.”

“And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. with: Heb. as one man”

“Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.”

“So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.”

“And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.”

“And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;”

“And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.”

“Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.”

“And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?”

“And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,”

“When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings: thinking: Heb. he was in his own eyes as a bringer, etc who: or, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings”

“How much more, 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?”

“And David commanded his young men, and they slew 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 sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.”

“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.”

“He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”

“I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:”

“But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.”

“And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

“And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.”

“And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?”

“Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.”

“Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.”

“Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.”

“And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.”

“So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.”

“And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;”

“And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.”

“Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.”

“Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.”

“Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.”

“For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”

“Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. be king: Heb. reign”

“And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. at any: Heb. from his days”

“And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. he: Heb. his words were with following: Heb. helped after Adonijah”

“And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.”

“And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: The son: or, Benhur”

“The son of Dekar , in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan: The son: or, Ben Dekar”

“The son of Hesed , in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: The son: or, Ben Heseb”

“The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: The son: or, Bena Binadab”

“Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:”

“The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead ; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars: The son: or, Ben Geber”

“Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim: Mahanaim: or, to Mahanaim”

“Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:”

“Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:”

“Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:”

“Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:”

“Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.”

“And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.”

“And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)”

“That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,”

“Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.”

“And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.”

“And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?”

“And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.”

“But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:”

“And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?”

“And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.”

“And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”

“So Jeroboam and all the people came 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 forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him; roughly: Heb. hardly”

“And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”

“Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”

“So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.”

“But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.”

“Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. made: Heb. strengthened himself”

“So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. rebelled: or, fell away”

“And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.”

“And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were 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 unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,”

“Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,”

“Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.”

“And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.”

“And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.”

“For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. images: or, standing images, or, statues”

“And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.”

“And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:”

“And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.”

“And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king's house. guard: Heb. runners”

“And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.”

“Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?”

“And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.”

“And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.”

“Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.”

“Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.”

“And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.”

“Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: lamp: or, candle”