But in the seventh year Jehoiada the priest sent for the officers in charge of the royal bodyguard and of the palace guards, and told them to come to the Temple, where he made them agree under oath to what he planned to do. He showed them King Ahaziah's son Joash

At Mount Sinai the LORD our God made a covenant,

not only with our fathers, but with all of us who are living today.

These are the terms of the covenant that the LORD commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab; all this was in addition to the covenant which the LORD had made with them at Mount Sinai.

You saw the terrible plagues, the miracles, and the great wonders that the LORD performed.

For forty years the LORD led you through the desert, and your clothes and sandals never wore out.

And when we came to this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan came out to fight against us. But we defeated them,

Obey faithfully all the terms of this covenant, so that you will be successful in everything you do.

women, and children, and the foreigners who live among you and cut wood and carry water for you.

so that the LORD may now confirm you as his people and be your God, as he promised you and your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

He is making it with all of us who stand here in his presence today and also with our descendants who are not yet born.

So Joshua made a covenant for the people that day, and there at Shechem he gave them laws and rules to follow.

They made a covenant in which they agreed to worship the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.

In a loud voice they took an oath in the LORD's name that they would keep the covenant, and then they shouted and blew trumpets.

"I have now decided to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that he will no longer be angry with us.

He stood by the royal column and made a covenant with the LORD to obey him, to keep his laws and commands with all his heart and soul, and to put into practice the demands attached to the covenant, as written in the book.

Now we must make a solemn promise to our God that we will send these women and their children away. We will do what you and the others who honor God's commands advise us to do. We will do what God's Law demands.

The leaders replied, "We'll do as you say. We'll give the property back and not try to collect the debts." I called in the priests and made the leaders swear in front of them to keep the promise they had just made.

Then I took off the sash I was wearing around my waist and shook it out. "This is how God will shake any of you who don't keep your promise," I said. "God will take away your houses and everything you own, and will leave you with nothing." Everyone who was present said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the leaders kept their promise.

Because of all that has happened, we, the people of Israel, hereby make a solemn written agreement, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests put their seals to it.

We, the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Temple guards, the Temple musicians, the Temple workers, and all others who in obedience to God's Law have separated themselves from the foreigners living in our land, we, together with our wives and all our children old enough to understand,

do hereby join with our leaders in an oath, under penalty of a curse if we break it, that we will live according to God's Law, which God gave through his servant Moses; that we will obey all that the LORD, our Lord, commands us; and that we will keep all his laws and requirements.

It was more than we could have hoped for! First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God's will they gave themselves to us as well.

Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of a king, and then wrote them in a book, which he deposited in a holy place. Then he sent everyone home.

So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel.

So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel, just as the LORD had promised through Samuel.

The priest Jehoiada had King Joash and the people join him in making a covenant that they would be the LORD's people.

Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God.

For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you,

For this reason you must obey the authorities---not just because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.