The form of government among the early Israelites in which God was their supreme ruler, and his laws their laws.
The covenant at Sinai established the theocracy
Exodus 19:5–6 See also Exodus 19:8, Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7–8; Deuteronomy 5:27
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations — for the whole earth is Mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
Moses and Joshua renewed the theocratic covenant
Deuteronomy 26:16–19, Deuteronomy 29:9–15; Joshua 24:24–25
Under the theocracy God was the Israelites' supreme ruler
Deuteronomy 33:5 “Jeshurun” means “the upright one”, i.e., Israel. See also Numbers 23:21; Deuteronomy 33:26; Judges 8:23; Psalm 145:1
So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, when the tribes of Israel came together.
In the theocracy Israel was governed by God's laws
Exodus 20:1–17 parallel Deuteronomy 5:6–21; Exodus 21:1; Deuteronomy 4:1–2, Deuteronomy 4:13–14, Deuteronomy 17:18–19, Deuteronomy 31:12–13; Joshua 1:7–8
Israel rejected the theocracy
1 Samuel 8:7 See also 1 Samuel 8:19, 1 Samuel 10:19, 1 Samuel 12:12
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.