What the Bible Says About the Chief: Understanding Leadership in Scripture

Scripture

¹ Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt.
² And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
³ And he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.
⁴ And the captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them.
⁵ And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation.
⁶ When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled.
⁷ So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”
⁸ They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
⁹ So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me,
¹⁰ and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.
¹¹ Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
¹² Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.
¹³ In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer.
¹⁴ Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.
¹⁵ For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head,
¹⁷ In the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.”
¹⁸ And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.
¹⁹ Yet within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
²⁰ On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
²¹ He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.
²² But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
²³ Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Genesis 40:1-23

Exodus 6:14-27: ¹⁴ These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben.
¹⁵ The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the clans of Simeon.
¹⁶ These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the years of the life of Levi being 137 years.
¹⁷ The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans.
¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were 133 years.
¹⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations.
²⁰ Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father’s sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years.
²¹ The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.
²² The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
²³ Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
²⁴ The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph.
²⁵ Eleazar, Aaron’s son, took as his wife one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites by their clans.
²⁶ These are the Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said: “Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt by their hosts.”
²⁷ They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron.

Numbers 1:5-16: ⁵ These are the names of the men who shall assist you: from Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
⁶ from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;
⁷ from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
⁸ from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
⁹ from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;
¹⁰ from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;
¹¹ those listed of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.
¹² from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;
¹³ Of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran.
¹⁴ those listed of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.
¹⁵ from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.”
¹⁶ These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.

Numbers 3:32-38: ³² and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and have oversight of those who keep guard of the sanctuary.
³³ from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
³⁴ So Moses and Aaron and the chiefs of the congregation listed the sons of the Kohathites, by their clans and their fathers’ houses,
³⁵ and the chief of the fathers’ houses of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
³⁶ The appointed duty of the people of Merari as regards the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, and its bases,
³⁷ And the pillars of the court all around and their bases and pegs and cords.
³⁸ Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death.

Numbers 7:10-88: ¹⁰ And the chiefs offered offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the chiefs offered their offering before the altar.
¹¹ And the Lord said to Moses, “Let them bring their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”
¹² And the one who offered his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah.
¹³ and his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
¹⁴ one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
¹⁵ one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
¹⁶ one male goat for a sin offering;
¹⁷ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, the chief of Issachar, presented an offering.
¹⁹ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
²⁰ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
²¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
²² One bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering
²³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
²⁴ On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, the chief of the people of Zebulun:
²⁵ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
²⁶ one silver plate weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
²⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
²⁸ and one male goat for a sin offering;
²⁹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
³⁰ one male goat for a sin offering;
³¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
³² one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
³³ and one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering
³⁴ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a peace offering, were brought by Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
³⁵ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
³⁶ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
³⁷ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
³⁸ and one bull from the herd, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering.
³⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁴⁰ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁴¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
⁴² The golden pans full of incense, weighed 10 shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the pans being 240 shekels.
⁴³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
⁴⁴ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁴⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
⁴⁶ and one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁴⁷ …one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering,
⁴⁸ On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, the chief of the people of Ephraim:
⁴⁹ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁵⁰ the one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
⁵¹ one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁵² one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, filled with incense;
⁵³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
⁵⁴ This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes,
⁵⁵ and for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
⁵⁶ one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
⁵⁷ one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
⁵⁸ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁵⁹ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁶⁰ On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, the chief of the people of Benjamin:
⁶¹ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁶² one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁶³ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁶⁴ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁶⁵ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;
⁶⁶ On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, the chief of the people of Dan, offered sacrifice.
⁶⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁶⁸ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁶⁹ one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, filled with incense;
⁷⁰ one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁷¹ one male goat for a sin offering,
⁷² On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, the chief of the people of Asher:
⁷³ and for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
⁷⁴ one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁷⁵ one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
⁷⁶ one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
⁷⁷ the one male goat for a sin offering,
⁷⁸ On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, the chief of the people of Naphtali, offered.
⁷⁹ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁸⁰ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁸¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁸² one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
⁸³ and the dedication for the altar was twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, and twelve golden dishes.
⁸⁴ This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes,
⁸⁵ Each silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and each basin seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary,
⁸⁶ The golden dishes weighed 130 shekels, and the silver dishes 70, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁸⁷ All the livestock for the burnt offering were twelve bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old twelve, with their grain offering.
⁸⁸ all the bulls of the sacrifice of peace offerings were twelve rams, the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old twelve, with their grain offering.

Numbers 25:14-18: ¹⁴ The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father’s house belonging to the Simeonites.
¹⁵ The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a Midianite family.
¹⁶ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
¹⁷ “Harass the Midianites and strike them down,
¹⁸ for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor.”

Numbers 31:13-54: ¹³ Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp.
¹⁴ And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.
¹⁵ Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live?
¹⁶ Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.
¹⁷ Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.
¹⁸ But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.
¹⁹ Encamp outside the camp seven days. Whoever of you has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.
²⁰ And purify all your garments, all that is made of skin, all that is made of goats’ hair, and all that is made of wood.”
²¹ Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to battle: “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded Moses:
²² Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
²³ everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. But it shall also be purified with the water of purification. And whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water.
²⁴ And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.
²⁵ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
²⁶ Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ houses in the congregation,
²⁷ and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.
²⁸ levy a tax for the Lord from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the people and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks.
²⁹ take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a contribution to the Lord.
³⁰ And from the people of Israel’s half you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the people, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites who keep guard over the tabernacle of the Lord.”
³¹ And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
³² Now the plunder remaining of the spoil that the army took was 675,000 sheep,
³³ half, the portion of those who had gone out in the army, numbered 337,500 sheep;
³⁴ and 16,000 persons,
³⁵ and 32,000 persons in all, women who had not known man by lying with him.
³⁶ The half, the portion of those who had gone out in the army, numbered 337,500 sheep,
³⁷ and the Lord’s tribute of sheep was 675.
³⁸ The oxen were 36,000, of which the tribute for the Lord was 72.
³⁹ the donkeys were 30,500, of which the Lord’s tribute was 61
⁴⁰ The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons.
⁴¹ and the human beings were sixteen thousand, of whom the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons.
⁴² And of the people of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from that of the men who had served in the army—
⁴³ (The congregation’s half was 337,500 sheep,
⁴⁴ and 36,000 cattle, 45 and the half, the portion of those who had gone out in the army, numbered 337,500 sheep, 46 and the Lord’s tribute of sheep was 675.
⁴⁵ and 32,000 persons in all, women who had not known man by lying with him.
⁴⁶ and sixteen thousand persons,
⁴⁷ even the men of war who went out to battle, all the congregation,
⁴⁸ Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, came near to Moses,
⁴⁹ and they said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us.
⁵⁰ And we have brought the Lord’s offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”
⁵¹ And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, all crafted articles.
⁵² And all the gold of the contribution that they presented to the Lord, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels.
⁵³ (the men of war had taken spoil), every man for himself.
⁵⁴ So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, as a memorial for the people of Israel before the Lord.

Deuteronomy 1:15-18: ¹⁵ So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes.
¹⁶ And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.
¹⁷ You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.
¹⁸ And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.

Joshua 22:21-34: ²¹ Then the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel,
²² “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the Lord, do not spare us today”
²³ that we have built this altar to turn away from following the Lord. Or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, may the Lord himself take vengeance.
²⁴ No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?
²⁵ For the Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the Lord.” So your children might make our children cease to worship the Lord.
²⁶ “Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
²⁷ but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, “You have no portion in the Lord.”
²⁸ “Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
²⁹ “Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord and turn away this day from following the Lord by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the Lord our God that stands before his tabernacle!”
³⁰ When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their eyes.
³¹ And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the people of Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the Lord. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the Lord.”
³² And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs, returned from the people of Reuben and the people of Gad in the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them.
³³ And the report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel.
³⁴ The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the Lord is God.”

1 Samuel 9:1-2: ¹ There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth.
² He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

1 Samuel 14:50-52: ⁵⁰ And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.
⁵¹ Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
⁵² There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to his service.

2 Samuel 8:15-18: ¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.
¹⁶ Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.
¹⁷ and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary;
¹⁸ and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.

1 Kings 4:1-6: ¹ Kings 4:1
“King Solomon was king over all Israel,”
² Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal,
³ Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
⁴ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
⁵ Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and king’s friend;
⁶ Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram the son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

1 Chronicles 5:24-26: ²⁴ These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.
²⁵ But they broke faith with the God of their fathers, and whored after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.
²⁶ So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and he took them into exile, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day.

1 Chronicles 11:10-47: ¹⁰ Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.
¹¹ This is an account of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time.
¹² And next to him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.
¹³ He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines.
¹⁴ And they took their stand in the midst of that plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord saved them by a great victory.
¹⁵ Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
¹⁶ And David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem.
¹⁷ And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”
¹⁸ Then the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord
¹⁹ And he said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
²⁰ And Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty, and he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three.
²¹ Of the three, he was more renowned than the two, and became their commander. But he did not attain to the three.
²² Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many deeds; he struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.
²³ And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
²⁴ These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men.
²⁵ Behold, he was honored above the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.
²⁶ The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
²⁷ Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
²⁸ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
²⁹ Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite
³⁰ Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah,
³¹ Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon,
³² Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
³³ Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
³⁴ After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.
³⁵ Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
³⁶ Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
³⁷ Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
³⁸ Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,
³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
⁴⁰ And Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai
⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai
⁴² Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
⁴³ Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
⁴⁵ Jahleel the son of Zebadiah of Gederah.
⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
⁴⁷ Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,

1 Chronicles 12:1-22: ¹²:1 Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war.
² They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen.
³ The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth;
⁴ and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over them, offered his help to David.
⁵ From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains.
⁶ Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites,
⁷ Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,
⁸ From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains.
⁹ Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third,
¹⁰ they were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen.
¹¹ They were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen, and their chief was Ahiezer the son of Shemaah, of Gibeah.
¹² Of the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains.
¹³ Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.
¹⁴ These Gadites were officers of the army; the least was a match for a hundred men and the greatest for a thousand.
¹⁵ These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
¹⁶ Some Benjaminites and Judahites came to the stronghold to David.
¹⁷ David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.”
¹⁸ Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them officers of his troops.
¹⁹ Some of the men of Manasseh deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, “At peril to our heads he will desert to his master Saul.”)
²⁰ As he went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh deserted to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of the thousands in Manasseh.
²¹ They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and were commanders in the army.
²² For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God.

1 Chronicles 15:11-24: ¹¹ Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,
¹² and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.
¹³ Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.
¹⁴ So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.
¹⁵ And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.
¹⁶ David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.
¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
¹⁸ and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.
¹⁹ The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound bronze cymbals;
²⁰ Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth;
²¹ but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith.
²² Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it.
²³ Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.
²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. And Obed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

1 Chronicles 23:1-32: ²³ When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
² David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites.
³ The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was 38,000 men.
⁴ “Of these, 24,000 were to have charge of the work in the house of the Lord, 6,000 were officers and judges,
⁵ and 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise.”
⁶ And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
⁷ The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.
⁸ The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
⁹ The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Ladan.
¹⁰ And the sons of Shimei were Jahath, Zina, and Jeush and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
¹¹ Thus they were divided by lot, one as well as another, for there were sacred officers and officers of God among both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.
¹² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
¹³ The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to dedicate the most holy things, that he and his sons forever should make offerings before the Lord and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever.
¹⁴ But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
¹⁵ The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
¹⁶ The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.
¹⁷ The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
¹⁸ But the sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to dedicate the most holy things, that he and his sons forever should make offerings before the Lord and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever.
¹⁹ The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
²⁰ The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.
²¹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
²² Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters; their kinsmen, the sons of Kish, married them.
²³ The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
²⁴ These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses, the heads of fathers’ houses as they were listed according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upward who were to do the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
²⁵ For David said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.
²⁶ So the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service.”
²⁷ For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward.
²⁸ For their duty was to assist the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God.
²⁹ For both the sons of Aaron, the priests, and the Levites shall have a portion before the Lord in all the towns, the pasturelands of the cities.
³⁰ And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and likewise at evening,
³¹ and whenever burnt offerings were offered to the Lord on Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, according to the number required of them, regularly before the Lord.
³² Thus they were to keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and to attend the sons of Aaron, their brothers, for the service of the house of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 24:1-19: ¹ The divisions of the sons of Aaron were these. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
² But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests.
³ With the help of Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, David organized them according to the appointed duties in their service.
⁴ Since more chief men were found among the sons of Eleazar than among the sons of Ithamar, they organized them under sixteen heads of fathers’ houses of the sons of Eleazar, and eight of the sons of Ithamar.
⁵ Thus they were divided by lot, one as well as the other, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among the sons of Eleazar and among the sons of Ithamar.
⁶ And the scribe Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king and the princes and Zadok the priest and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and of the Levites, one father’s house being chosen for Eleazar and one chosen for Ithamar.
⁷ The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
⁸ the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
⁹ the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
¹⁰ the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
¹¹ the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
¹² the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
¹³ the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
¹⁴ The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
¹⁵ The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez
¹⁶ The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
¹⁷ the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
¹⁸ the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
¹⁹ These had as their appointed duty in their service to come into the house of the Lord according to the procedure established for them by Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

1 Chronicles 26:1-32: ¹ As for the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
² And Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
³ Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
⁴ And Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,
⁵ Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth, for God blessed him.
⁶ Also to his son Shemaiah were sons born who were rulers in their fathers’ houses, for they were men of great ability.
⁷ The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his brothers, Elihu and Semachiah, were able men.
⁸ All these were the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and brothers, able men qualified for the service, sixty-two of Obed-edom.
⁹ And Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
¹⁰ Also Hosah, of the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him chief),
¹¹ They also cast lots, just as their brothers the sons of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of fathers’ houses of the priests and of the Levites. The fathers’ houses of the chief as well as those of his younger brother.
¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their chief men, had duties, just as their brothers did, ministering in the house of the Lord.
¹³ And they cast lots by fathers’ houses, small and great alike, for their gates.
¹⁴ And the lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, and his lot came out for the north.
¹⁵ The lot for the south fell to Obed-edom, and to his sons and for the storehouses.
¹⁶ And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
¹⁷ On the east there were six each day, on the north four each day, on the south four each day, as well as two and two at the gatehouse.
¹⁸ for Parbar westward, four at the road and two at Parbar.
¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the Korahites and the sons of Merari.
²⁰ And of the Levites, Ahijah had charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts.
²¹ The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers’ houses belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.
²² The sons of Jehieli, Zetham, and Joel his brother, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the Lord.
²³ As for the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites,
²⁴ and Shebuel the son of Gershom, son of Moses, was chief officer in charge of the treasuries.
²⁵ his brothers, Eliezer for his son Rehabiah, and Jeshaiah for his son Joram, and Jachin for Shimei,
²⁶ This Shelomoth and his brothers were in charge of all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts that David the king and the heads of the fathers’ houses and the officers of the thousands and the hundreds and the commanders of the army had dedicated.
²⁷ They dedicated part of the spoil won in battles to repair the house of the Lord.
²⁸ Also all that Samuel the seer and Saul the son of Kish and Abner the son of Ner and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated—all dedicated things were in the care of Shelomoth and his brothers.
²⁹ For the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to external duties for Israel, as officers and judges.
³⁰ And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, 1,700 men of ability, had the oversight of Israel westward of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and for the service of the king.
³¹ Among the Hebronites Hashabiah and his brothers, 1,700 men of ability, had the oversight of Israel westward of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and for the service of the king.
³² And his brothers, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers’ houses. And King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites for every matter pertaining to God and affairs of the king.

1 Chronicles 27:1-34: ¹ This is the number of the people of Israel, the heads of fathers’ houses, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all matters concerning the divisions that came and went, month after month throughout the year, each division numbering 24,000.
² Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel. And in his division were twenty-four thousand.
³ He was from the sons of Perez, and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month.
⁴ Dodai the Ahohite was in charge of the division of the second month; in his division were 24,000.
⁵ The third commander, for the third month, was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the chief priest; and in his division were 24,000.
⁶ This is the Benaiah who was a mighty man of the thirty and in command of the thirty; Ammizabad his son was in charge of his division.
⁷ The fourth for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
⁸ The fifth commander, for the fifth month, was Shamhuth the Izrahite.
⁹ The sixth for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite.
¹⁰ The seventh for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the sons of Ephraim.
¹¹ The eighth for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites.
¹² The ninth for the ninth month was Abiezer of Anathoth, a Benjaminite; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
¹³ The tenth for the tenth month was Maharai of Netophah, of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000.
¹⁴ The eleventh commander, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah of Pirathon, an Ephraimite.
¹⁵ The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel; and in his division were 24,000.
¹⁶ Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was chief officer; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;
¹⁷ Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was chief officer; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;
¹⁸ for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri the son of Michael;
¹⁹ Over Ephraim was Hoshea the son of Azaziah.
²⁰ Over the tribes of Israel: the chief of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri. Of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah.
²¹ the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah;
²² Adah’s son was Shamhuth. Shimei’s son was Jahath.
²³ David did not count those below twenty years of age, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as many as the stars of heaven.
²⁴ Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but did not finish. Yet wrath came upon Israel for this, and the number was not entered in the chronicles of King David.
²⁵ And over the king’s treasuries was Azmaveth the son of Adiel. Then Jonathan the son of Uzziah was over the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers.
²⁶ Ezri the son of Chelub, the ruler of the Reubenites, also as commander in the army.
²⁷ And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite; and over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite.
²⁸ Baal-hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah; and Joash was in charge of the stores of oil.
²⁹ Shitrai the Sharonite was over the herds that pastured in Sharon, and Shaphat the son of Adlai was over the herds in the valleys.
³⁰ Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite; and over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite.
³¹ Over the herds that pastured in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite; over the herds in the valleys, Shaphat the son of Adlai.
³² Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, being a man of understanding and a scribe. He and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni attended the king’s sons.
³³ And Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend.
³⁴ And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar. And the commander of the king’s army was Joab.

2 Chronicles 17:7-19: ⁷ Also in the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
⁸ With them were the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
⁹ And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
¹⁰ And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
¹¹ And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.
¹² And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities.
¹³ He had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.
¹⁴ This was their muster according to their fathers’ houses: Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 mighty men of valor,
¹⁵ And next to him Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;
¹⁶ and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the Lord, with 200,000 mighty men of valor.
¹⁷ And of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield;
¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180000 mighty men of valor.
¹⁹ These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

2 Chronicles 19:4-11: ⁴ Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers.
⁵ And he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,
⁶ and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment.
⁷ Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.
⁸ Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem.
⁹ And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart:
¹⁰ Whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt.
¹¹ Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright!

2 Chronicles 26:11-15: ¹¹ Moreover, Uzziah had an army of soldiers, fit for war, in divisions according to the numbers in the muster made by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders.
¹² And the whole number of the chiefs of the fathers’ houses of mighty men of valor was 2,600.
¹³ And Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.
¹⁴ And Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.
¹⁵ In Jerusalem he made machines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

Ezra 8:1-20: ¹ These are the heads of their fathers’ houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylonia, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:
² of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom.
³ of the sons of Shecaniah, who was of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah with his kinsmen, 150;
⁴ Iddo, the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh.
⁵ of the sons of Zattu, Shecaniah the son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men of the sons of Adin;
⁶ Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty men.
⁷ And there were twelve of the priests’ sons who were the sons of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai.
⁸ And of the sons of Shecaniah, who was of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah, with whom were registered 150 men.
⁹ And there were registered 24,000 of the priests, the heads of fathers’ houses, in the days of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and 9,734 of their kinsmen.
¹⁰ Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah, and 150 men with them.
¹¹ The whole was 5,000 talents of silver, silver vessels weighing 200 talents, and 100 talents of gold,
¹² and with them the second group of a hundred and twenty-two who had come after them.
¹³ And of the sons of Adonikam, those who came later, their names were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty men.
¹⁴ Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur, and with him 70 males.
¹⁵ I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi.
¹⁶ Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight,
¹⁷ And I sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers and the temple servants at the place Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God.
¹⁸ According to the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18;
¹⁹ and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20,
²⁰ And of the sons of Immer, Hanani and Zebadiah.

Nehemiah 7:5-73: ⁵ Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:
⁶ These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town.
⁷ who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
⁸ the sons of Parosh, 2,172.
⁹ The sons of Shecaniah: the sons of Parosh, 372.
¹⁰ The sons of Hassenaah, 3,420.
¹¹ the sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818
¹² The sons of Elam, 1,254.
¹³ the sons of Adonikam, 666.
¹⁴ The sons of Zaccai, 760.
¹⁵ the sons of Bani, 646
¹⁶ the descendants of Solomon’s servants:
¹⁷ the sons of Azgad, 2,322.
¹⁸ the sons of Adonikam, 666.
¹⁹ the sons of Hashum, 372
²⁰ The sons of Adin, 655.
²¹ the sons of Rehum, 621.
²² the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 125
²³ the sons of Bezai, 323.
²⁴ The men of Ramah and Geba, 621.
²⁵ The sons of Gibeon, 95.
²⁶ the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 125
²⁷ who were the sons of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five.
²⁸ The men of Bethel and Ai, 223.
²⁹ the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743
³⁰ The men of Ramah and Geba, 621.
³¹ the men of the other Nebo, fifty-two.
³² the men of Bethel and Ai, 123
³³ the men of the other Nebo, 52
³⁴ The sons of Jericho, 345
³⁵ the sons of Senaah, 3,630.
³⁶ The sons of Jericho, 345
³⁷ the sons of Immer, 1,052
³⁸ the sons of Senaah, 3,630.
³⁹ The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, 973.
⁴⁰ The sons of Immer, 1,052.
⁴¹ The sons of the Levites who went up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Zerubbabel and Jeshua had appointed, were 74.
⁴² The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, in all 139.
⁴³ The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
⁴⁴ The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148.
⁴⁵ The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.
⁴⁶ the temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
⁴⁷ the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah,
⁴⁸ The sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai,
⁴⁹ the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar,
⁵⁰ the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephisim,
⁵¹ the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,
⁵² the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
⁵³ the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,
⁵⁴ The sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
⁵⁵ The sons of servants of Solomon: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda,
⁵⁶ the sons of Jediael, the sons of Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah.
⁵⁷ the sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,
⁵⁸ the sons of Senaah, 3,630.
⁵⁹ The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel:
⁶⁰ All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.
⁶¹ These were the people of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel:
⁶² the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred forty-two.
⁶³ The priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).
⁶⁴ These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.
⁶⁵ The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.
⁶⁶ The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty,
⁶⁷ besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female.
⁶⁸ Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six, their mules two hundred forty-five,
⁶⁹ their camels 675, their donkeys 6,720.
⁷⁰ Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver.
⁷¹ Some of the heads of families gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver.
⁷² The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, 973
⁷³ So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns. And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

Nehemiah 11:1-24: ¹ Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns.
² And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.
³ Now these are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants.
⁴ And at Jerusalem lived certain of the sons of Judah and of the sons of Benjamin.
⁵ and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite.
⁶ The sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 valiant men.
⁷ And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah.
⁸ And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty-eight.
⁹ And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.
¹⁰ Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin,
¹¹ Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, ruler of the house of God,
¹² And their brothers who did the work of the house were 822; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah,
¹³ and his brothers, heads of fathers’ houses, 242; and Amashsai, the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer,
¹⁴ and their brothers, mighty men of valor, 128;
¹⁵ Now from the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni;
¹⁶ and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, were over the outside work of the house of God;
¹⁷ and Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers, and Abda the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.
¹⁸ All the Levites in the holy city were 284.
¹⁹ Also the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were 172.
²⁰ The rest of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
²¹ But the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.
²² The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the work of the house of God.
²³ For there was a command from the king concerning them, and a fixed provision for the singers, as every day required.
²⁴ Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s side in all matters concerning the people.

Nehemiah 12:1-26: ¹ These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
² Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
³ and Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God.
⁴ Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
⁵ and of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).
⁶ These were the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
⁷ Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.
⁸ And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.
⁹ and Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the service.
¹⁰ And Jeshua fathered Joiakim, Joiakim fathered Eliashib, Eliashib fathered Joiada,
¹¹ and Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.
¹² And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
¹³ and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph,
¹⁴ Of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
¹⁵ And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni;
¹⁶ and of Iddo, Zechariah of Ginnethon.
¹⁷ And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel.
¹⁸ And the Levites in the days of Joiakim, Jeshua, and Johanan, and Jaddua were recorded heads of fathers’ houses; also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.
¹⁹ And of Joiakim, the chiefs of the priests: Meraiah, of Jeremiah, Hananiah, of Ezra
²⁰ And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding,
²¹ And of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
²² As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, they were recorded heads of fathers’ houses; also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.
²³ And the sons of Levi, the heads of fathers’ houses, were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
²⁴ And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch.
²⁵ Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates.
²⁶ These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.

Nehemiah 12:44-47: ⁴⁴ On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.
⁴⁵ And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon.
⁴⁶ For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
⁴⁷ And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

Job 29:7-25: ⁷ When I went out to the gate of the city,
when I prepared my seat in the square,
⁸ the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the aged rose and stood;
⁹ The princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth.
¹⁰ The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
¹¹ When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved,
¹² because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
¹³ The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
¹⁴ I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
¹⁵ I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
¹⁶ I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
¹⁷ I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
¹⁸ Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand,
¹⁹ my roots spread out to the waters,
with the dew all night on my branches,
²⁰ my glory fresh with me,
and my bow ever new in my hand.’
²¹ “Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.”
²² After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them.
²³ They waited for me as for the rain,
and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
²⁴ “I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and the light of my face they did not cast down.
²⁵ I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.

Psalm 2:1-12: ¹ Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
³ “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
⁴ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
⁵ Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
⁶ As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.
⁷ I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 18:43-50: ⁴³ You made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.
⁴⁴ As soon as they hear of me they obey me; foreigners cringe before me.
⁴⁵ Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses.
⁴⁶ The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation.
⁴⁷ The God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me.
⁴⁸ who rescued me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from the man of violence.
⁴⁹ For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name.
⁵⁰ Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.

Psalm 47:1-9: ¹ Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
² For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.
³ He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
⁴ He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
⁵ God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!
⁸ God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
⁹ The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!

Psalm 68:1-35: ¹ God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him!
² As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God.
³ But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!
⁴ Sing to God; sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!
⁵ Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
⁶ God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
⁷ O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah.
⁸ The earth quaked; the heavens poured down rain before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
⁹ You gave abundant rain, O God; you restored your inheritance as it languished.
¹⁰ Your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
¹¹ The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host.
¹² “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee! The women at home divide the spoil.”
¹³ Though you have lien among the sheepfolds, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
¹⁴ When the Almighty scattered kings there, let it snow on Zalmon.
¹⁵ O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, O mountains of many peaks, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
¹⁷ The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
¹⁸ You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.
¹⁹ Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah
²⁰ Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
²¹ But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
²² The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea.”
²³ That you may strike your enemies down, and the wicked may be no more.
²⁴ Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
²⁵ The singers in front, the musicians last, between them the virgins playing tambourines.
²⁶ “Bless the Lord, O you who are His servants, you who stand by night in the house of the Lord!”
²⁷ There was little Benjamin, their leader, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
²⁸ Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
²⁹ Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bear gifts to you.
³⁰ Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.
³¹ Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
³² O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah.
³³ to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
³⁴ Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.
³⁵ O God, you are awesome from your sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

Psalm 110:1-7: ¹ The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
² The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
³ Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.
⁴ The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
⁵ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
⁶ He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.
⁷ He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Proverbs 8:1-36: ¹ Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?
² On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;
³ Beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
⁴ “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.”
⁵ O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
⁶ Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right.
⁷ for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
⁸ All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
⁹ They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
¹⁰ Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
¹¹ for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
¹² “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.”
¹³ The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
¹⁴ I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.
¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
¹⁶ By me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
¹⁸ Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
²¹ granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
²² “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.”
²³ Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,
²⁶ before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
²⁷ When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
³⁰ then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,
³¹ rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
³² “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.”
³³ Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
³⁴ Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord,
³⁶ but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Isaiah 9:6-7: ⁶ For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 55:3-5: ³ Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
⁴ Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵ Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

Jeremiah 30:21-22: ²¹ Their prince shall be one of themselves;
their ruler shall come out from their midst;
I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
for who would dare of himself to approach me?
declares the Lord.
²² And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Ezekiel 38:1-23: ¹ The word of the Lord came to me:
² “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,”
³ and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
⁴ And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords.
⁵ Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
⁶ Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.
⁷ “Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.
⁸ After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. But its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them.
⁹ You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.
¹⁰ “Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme.
¹¹ and say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates,’
¹² to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and the people who were gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell at the center of the earth.
¹³ Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its leaders will say to you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hosts to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to seize great spoil?’
¹⁴ “Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord God: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it?”
¹⁵ You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army.
¹⁶ You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land.
¹⁷ “Thus says the Lord God: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them?
¹⁸ But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord God, my wrath will be roused.
¹⁹ For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.
²⁰ The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence.
²¹ I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Lord God. Every man’s sword will be against his brother.
²² With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur.
²³ So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

Daniel 2:47-49: ⁴⁷ The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
⁴⁸ Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
⁴⁹ At Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Daniel 5:29-31: ²⁹ Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
³⁰ That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.
³¹ And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daniel 6:1-3: ¹ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;
² and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.
³ Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Micah 5:2-5: ² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.
⁴ And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
⁵ And he shall be their peace.

Matthew 2:1-12: 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,
² saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
⁶ “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
⁷ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.
⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”
⁹ After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
¹¹ And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
¹² And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Matthew 20:20-28: ²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.
²¹ And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”
²² Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”
²³ He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
²⁴ And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.
²⁵ But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,
²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave—
²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:35-45: ³⁵ And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
³⁶ And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
³⁷ And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
³⁹ And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,
⁴⁰ but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
⁴¹ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
⁴² And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,
⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.
⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Luke 22:24-30: ²⁴ A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.
²⁵ And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.
²⁶ But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
²⁷ For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
²⁸ You are those who have stayed with me in my trials,
²⁹ and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom,
³⁰ that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

John 12:42-43: ⁴² Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;
⁴³ for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

Acts 3:15-26: ¹⁵ and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
¹⁶ And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
¹⁷ “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.”
¹⁸ But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
¹⁹ Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
²⁰ that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,
²¹ whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
²² Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.
²³ And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’
²⁴ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.
²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’
²⁶ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Acts 4:8-12: ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,
⁹ if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.
¹¹ This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Acts 5:29-32: ²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
³⁰ The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
³¹ God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
³² And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 7:35-38: ³⁵ “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
³⁶ This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
³⁷ This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’
³⁸ This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.

Acts 13:32-39: ³² And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,
³³ this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’
³⁴ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’
³⁵ Therefore he says also in another psalm, “You will not let your Holy One see corruption.”
³⁶ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,
³⁷ but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.
³⁸ Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
³⁹ and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Romans 15:12-13: ¹² And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”
¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31: ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Ephesians 1:20-23: ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
²² And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 4:11-16: ¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.
¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Colossians 1:15-20: ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
¹⁶ For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
¹⁷ And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Colossians 2:8-10: ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
⁹ For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
¹⁰ and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

1 Peter 5:1-4: ⁵ So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:
² shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
³ not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
⁴ And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Revelation 1:4-8: ⁴ John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
⁵ and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.
⁶ and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
⁷ Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 5:1-14: ¹ Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,
⁴ And I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
⁹ And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
¹² saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 19:11-16: ¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
¹² His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
¹³ He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
¹⁴ And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
¹⁵ From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.