Bible Verses About Kings

It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write himself a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.

It shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them;

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

Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them.”

Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who asked of him a king.

He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;

and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants.

He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants.

You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, “What ails the people that they weep?” They told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever doesn’t come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for a king.”

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

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

Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty.

Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day: for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.”

On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why doesn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, neither yesterday, nor today?”

David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

when someone told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.