Diplomacy

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

General scriptures concerning

• 1 Corinthians 9:20–23 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Chr…

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Instances of

Of Abimelech

• Genesis 21:22–23 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. Now, therefore, swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or descendants. Show to me and to the country in which you reside the same kindness tha…
• Genesis 26:26–31 Later, Abimelech came to Isaac from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army. “Why have you come to me?” Isaac asked them. “You hated me and sent me away.” “We can plainly see that the LORD has been with you,” they replied. “We recommend that there should now be an oath…

The Gibeonites, in securing a treaty with the Israelites through deception

• Joshua 9:3–16 But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their who…

Of Jephthah, with the king of Moab, unsuccessful

• Judges 11:12–28 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?” The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the w…

Of Abigail

• 1 Samuel 25:23–31 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him. She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant. My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for…

Of Hiram, to secure the good will of David

• 2 Samuel 5:11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.

Of Toi, to promote the friendship of David

• 2 Samuel 8:10 he sent his son Joram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze,

David, in sending Hushai Absalom's court

• 2 Samuel 15:32–37 When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say…
• 2 Samuel 16:15–19 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” “Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?”
• 2 Samuel 17:1–14 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king and bring all the people back to…

The wise woman of Abel

• 2 Samuel 20:16–22 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.” When he had come near to her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. “Listen to the words of your servant,” she said. “I am listening,” he answered. Then the woman said…

Absalom winning the people

• 2 Samuel 15:2–6 He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” Absalom would say, “Loo…

Solomon, in his alliance with Hiram

• 1 Kings 5:1–12 Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David. And Solomon relayed this message to Hiram: “As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he coul…
• 1 Kings 9:10–14 Now at the end of the twenty years during which Solomon built these two houses, the house of the LORD and the royal palace, King Solomon gave twenty towns in the land of Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, who had supplied him with cedar and cypress logs and gold for his every desire. So Hiram went out…
• 1 Kings 9:26–27 King Solomon also assembled a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. And Hiram sent his servants, sailors who knew the sea, to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s servants.
• 1 Kings 10:11 (The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.

By intermarriage with other nations

• 1 Kings 1:1–5 Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.” Then they searched throug…

Ambassadors from Ben-hadad to Ahab

• 1 Kings 20:31–34 Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.” So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes…

Jehoash purchases peace from Hazael

• 2 Kings 12:18 So King Joash of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers— Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah— along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram. S…

Ahaz purchases assistance from the king of Assyria

• 2 Kings 16:7–9 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel, who are rising up against me.” Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king…

Rab-shakeh, in trying to induce Jerusalem to capitulate by bombastic harangue

• 2 Kings 18:17–37 Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced up to Jerusalem and stationed themselves by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. Then they called f…
• 2 Kings 19:1–13 On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD. And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah says: T…
• Isaiah 36:11–22 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.” But the Rabshakeh replied, “Has my master sent me to speak these words only to you and your master, and no…

Sanballat, in prevent the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Nehemiah

• Nehemiah 6 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left— though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the pla… (whole chapter)

The people of Tyre and Sidon, in securing the favor of Herod (Agrippa I)

• Acts 12:20–22 Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food. On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes…

Paul, in arraying the Pharisees and Sadducees against each other at his trial

• Acts 23:6–10 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Ph…

Paul, in circumcising Timothy

• Acts 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Paul, in performing certain temple services to placate Jewish believers

• Acts 21:20–25 When they heard this, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to cir…
• Galatians 6:12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.

Corrupt practices in: The officers of Nebuchadnezzars court to secure the destruction of Daniel

• Daniel 6:4–15 Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we…