Topic

King

Passages from across the Bible

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From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index.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.

Called KING OF KINGS

Ezra 7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
Ezekiel 26:7 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops.
Daniel 2:37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory.

Divinely authorized

Deuteronomy 17:15 you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
1 Samuel 9:16–17 “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.” When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is t…
1 Samuel 16:12 So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
1 Chronicles 22:10 He is the one who will build a house for My Name. He will be My son, and I will be his Father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
2 Chronicles 2:11–12 Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.” And Hiram added: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son with insight and understanding, who wil…
Proverbs 8:15 By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
Daniel 2:21 He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Daniel 2:37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory.
Daniel 4:17 This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
Daniel 5:20 But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

Show 2 more passages

Hosea 8:4 Hosea 13:11

How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul

1 Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

David and the Davidic dynasty

1 Samuel 16:1–13 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.” “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it an…

Hereditary succession

2 Samuel 7:12–16 And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he wil…
1 Kings 1:28–30 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, I will carry out this very day exactly what I swore to you by the LORD, the God…
2 Chronicles 21:3–4 Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and precious things, as well as the fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened himself by putting to the sword a…
Psalm 89:35–37 Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness — I will not lie to David — his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun, like the moon, established forever, a faithful witness in the sky.” Selah

See ISRAEL, KINGS OF JUDAH

Not hereditary

1 Chronicles 1:43–51 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor. His city was named Dinhabah. When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place. When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. When Hush…

See ISRAEL, KINGS OF ISRAEL, after the revolt

By lot

1 Samuel 10:20–21 Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they looked for him, they could not find him.

Modes of induction into office

By anointing

See Anointing

By proclamation

2 Samuel 15:10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”
1 Kings 1:33–34 “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
2 Kings 9:13 Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”
2 Kings 11:12 Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”

By an oath

2 Kings 11:4 Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king’s son

Ceremonial recognition of

Prostration

1 Samuel 25:41 She arose, bowed facedown, and said, “Here is your servant, ready to serve and to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”
2 Samuel 9:6 And when Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown in reverence. Then David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied.
2 Samuel 9:8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
1 Kings 1:23 So the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went in and bowed facedown before the king.
1 Kings 1:31 Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
1 Kings 1:47 The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than your own name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king has bowed in worship on his bed,

Obeisance

1 Kings 1:16 And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”

Kneeling before

Matthew 27:29 And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Salutation to: "O king, live forever,"

Daniel 2:4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
Daniel 6:6 So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!
Daniel 6:21 Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!

Acts as Judge

2 Samuel 8:15 Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:
2 Samuel 15:2 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,”
1 Kings 10:9 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
2 Kings 8:1–6 Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed that a seven-year famine will come to the land.” So the woman had proceeded to do as the man of God had instructed. And she and h…
Psalm 72:1–4 Of Solomon. Endow the king with Your justice, O God, and the son of the king with Your righteousness. May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice. May the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills bring righteousness. May he vindicate the afflicted among the…
Psalm 122:5 For there the thrones of judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.
Acts 25:11–12 If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you…
Acts 25:20 Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.

Precepts concerning

Deuteronomy 17:14–19 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your br…
Proverbs 31:4–5 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink, lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
Ezekiel 46:16–18 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons as an inheritance, it will belong to his descendants. It will become their property by inheritance. But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of fre…

Obedience to, enjoined

Ecclesiastes 8:2–5 Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God. Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?” Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm…

Rights and duties of

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
Proverbs 25:5–6 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;
Proverbs 25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
Proverbs 29:4 By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.
Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
Proverbs 29:14 A king who judges the poor with fairness— his throne will be established forever.
Jeremiah 21:12 O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.

Exercise executive clemency

1 Samuel 11:13 But Saul ordered, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.”

Constitutional restrictions of

Deuteronomy 17:18–20 When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all th…
1 Samuel 10:24–25 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!” Then Samuel explained to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel…
2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.
2 Kings 11:12 Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”
2 Kings 11:17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
2 Chronicles 23:11 Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”
Jeremiah 34:8–11 After King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim liberty, the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD that each man should free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female, and no one should hold his fellow Jew in bondage. So all the officials and all the people who ente…
Daniel 6:12–15 So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it ca…

Influenced by popular opinion

Saul

1 Samuel 14:45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die — he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

David

2 Chronicles 20:21 Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”

Hezekiah

2 Chronicles 30:2 For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,

Zedekiah

Jeremiah 38:19 But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.”
Jeremiah 38:24–27 Then Zedekiah warned Jeremiah, “Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you will die. If the officials hear that I have spoken with you, and they come and demand of you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what he said to you; do not hide it from us, or we will kill you,’ then tell th…

Herod

Matthew 14:5 Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
Acts 12:2–3 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Pilate

John 19:6–13 As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.” “We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be…

Religious duties of

Ezekiel 45:9–25 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Enough, O princes of Israel! Cease your violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing My people, declares the Lord GOD.’ You must use honest scales, a just ephah, and a just bath. The ephah and the bath shall be the same quantity so…
Ezekiel 46:2 The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico of the gateway and stand by the gatepost, while the priests sacrifice his burnt offerings and peace offerings. He is to bow in worship at the threshold of the gate and then depart, but the gate must not be shut until evening.
Ezekiel 46:4–8 The burnt offering that the prince presents to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be six unblemished male lambs and an unblemished ram. The grain offering with the ram shall be one ephah, and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, along with a hin of oil per ephah. On the…

Deification of

Ezekiel 28:2 “Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.
Ezekiel 28:9 Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who slay you? You will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who wound you.

Loyalty to, enjoined

Proverbs 16:14–15 The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it. When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
Ecclesiastes 10:20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.

Influential queens

Bath-sheba

1 Kings 1:28–34 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, I will carry out this very day exactly what I swore to you by the LORD, the God…

Jezebel

1 Kings 18:4 for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
1 Kings 18:13 Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water.
1 Kings 19:1–3 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!” And E…
1 Kings 21:5–16 Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?” Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my…

Esther

Esther 5:1–8 On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace across from the king’s quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing the entrance. As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight.…

Respect due to

Job 34:18 who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
Isaiah 8:21 They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.
Matthew 22:21 “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Mark 12:17 Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

Profiting from

Confiscations of property

2 Samuel 16:4 So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”
1 Kings 21:1–16 Some time after these events, Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place — or if you prefer…

Plunder

2 Samuel 12:30 Then he took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.
1 Chronicles 26:27 They had dedicated some of the plunder from their battles to the repair of the house of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 24:23 In the spring, the army of Aram went to war against Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people, and they sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.

Tariff on imports, and internal revenue on merchandise

1 Kings 10:15–29 not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold…

Taxes

2 Samuel 20:24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
1 Kings 12:18 Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 17:11 Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.

Poll tax

Matthew 17:24–27 After they had arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Does your Teacher pay the two drachmas?” “Yes,” he answered. When Peter entered the house, Jesus preempted him. “What do you think, Simon?” He asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect cus…

Presents

1 Samuel 10:27 But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.
1 Samuel 16:20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David.
2 Samuel 8:2 David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
1 Kings 10:2 She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan— with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.
1 Kings 10:10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again were spices in such abundance brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
1 Kings 10:25 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
2 Chronicles 9:24 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
Psalm 72:10 May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.

Commissary of

1 Kings 4:7–19 Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel to provide food for the king and his household. Each one would arrange provisions for one month of the year, and these were their names: Ben-hur in the hill country of Ephraim; Ben-deker in Makaz, in Shaalbim, in Beth-shemesh, and in Elon-beth-hanan; Ben…
1 Kings 4:27–28 Each month the governors in turn provided food for King Solomon and all who came to his table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. Each one also brought to the required place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and other horses.
1 Chronicles 27:25–31 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses. Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the fortresses. Ezri son of Chelub was in charge of the workers in the fields who tilled the soil. Shimei the Ramathite was in…
2 Chronicles 26:10 Since he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns. And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hill country and in the fertile fields.
2 Chronicles 32:28–29 He also made storehouses for the harvest of grain and new wine and oil, stalls for all kinds of livestock, and pens for the flocks. He made cities for himself, and he acquired herds of sheep and cattle in abundance, for God gave him very great wealth.

Extensive livestock of

Judges 12:14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.
1 Kings 1:33 “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.
1 Kings 4:26 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses.
1 Kings 10:25 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
2 Chronicles 9:24–25 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
Esther 6:8 have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden— one with a royal crest placed on its head.

Chief officers of

The captain of the army

2 Samuel 8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
1 Kings 4:4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

The recorder

2 Samuel 8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
2 Samuel 20:24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
1 Kings 4:3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

The scribe

2 Samuel 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
2 Samuel 20:25 Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
1 Kings 4:3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

The chief priests

2 Samuel 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
2 Samuel 20:25 Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
1 Kings 4:2 and these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest;

The chief of the bodyguard

2 Samuel 8:18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priestly leaders.
2 Samuel 15:18 and all his servants marched past him — all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.
2 Samuel 20:23 Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
1 Chronicles 11:25 He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.

The collector of taxes

2 Samuel 20:24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

The chief ruler

2 Samuel 20:26 and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
1 Kings 4:5 Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the governors; Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to the king;
Esther 3:1–2 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him. All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai wo…
Esther 8:1–2 That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her. The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordec…
Esther 8:15 Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
Esther 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews and highly favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

The advisor

1 Kings 4:5 Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the governors; Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to the king;

The provincial governors

Daniel 6:1–3 Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss. Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators…

Subordinate officers of

The governor of the household

1 Kings 4:6 Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.
2 Chronicles 28:7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the son of the king, Azrikam the governor of the palace, and Elkanah the second to the king.

The keeper of the wardrobe

2 Kings 22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.
2 Chronicles 34:22 So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

Drunkenness of, forbidden

Proverbs 31:4–5 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink, lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.

Drunken, instances of

Hosea 7:5 The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.