¹⁷ Jehoiada then made a covenant^(A) between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.^(B)

³ When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant^(A) with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed^(B) David king over Israel.

¹² They entered into a covenant^(A) to seek the Lord,^(B) the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. ¹³ All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death,^(C) whether small or great, man or woman. ¹⁴ They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns.

³¹ The king stood by his pillar^(A) and renewed the covenant^(B) in the presence of the Lord—to follow^(C) the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant^(A) for the people, and there at Shechem^(B) he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.^(C)

³ Now let us make a covenant^(A) before our God to send away^(B) all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.

¹⁰ Now I intend to make a covenant^(A) with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger^(B) will turn away from us.

²⁵ Samuel explained^(A) to the people the rights and duties^(B) of kingship.^(C) He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.

⁵ And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.

Submission to Governing Authorities