'Follow' in the Bible

One of Joab’s young men had stood over Amasa saying, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!”

After this, you are to follow him back here, and he is to come and sit on my throne and take my place as king, because I've appointed him to be Commander-in-Chief over Israel and Judah."

If you follow my instructions by obeying my rules and regulations, just as your father David did, then I will grant you long life."

"As for this temple you are building, if you follow my rules, observe my regulations, and obey all my commandments, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.

May he make us submissive, so we can follow all his instructions and obey the commandments, rules, and regulations he commanded our ancestors.

all of them from nations that the LORD had ordered the Israelis, "You are not to associate with them and they are not to associate with you, because they will most certainly turn your affections away to follow their gods." Solomon became deeply attached to them by falling in love.

When Solomon was old, his wives seduced him to follow other gods. He was not completely devoted to Yahweh his God, as his father David had been.

Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, and unlike his father David, he did not completely follow Yahweh.

He had commanded him about this, so that he would not follow other gods, but Solomon did not do what the Lord had commanded.

You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions, do what I approve, and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; I will give you Israel.

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.

And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

So the horseman went to meet him and said, "This is what the king says, 'Is everything all right?'" Jehu replied, "None of your business! Follow me." The watchman reported, "The messenger reached them, but hasn't started back."

So he sent a second horseman out to them and he said, "This is what the king says, 'Is everything all right?'" Jehu replied, "None of your business! Follow me."

Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

To this very day, they still follow the former customs: they don't fear the LORD and they don't live in accordance with the statutes, ordinances, laws, or commandments that the LORD had given to the descendants of Jacob whom he renamed Israel

For he clung to the Lord; he did not turn away from [faithfully] following Him, but he kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

He abandoned the Lord God of his ancestors and did not follow the Lord's instructions.

Next, the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant in the presence of the Lord to follow the Lord and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes with all his mind and with all his heart, and to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book; all the people agreed to the covenant.

Then you will succeed if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.

Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites who will perform all the service of God's temple. All the willing and skilled men are ready to assist you in all the work and perform their service. The officials and all the people are ready to follow your instructions."

He did evil because he was not determined to follow the Lord.

Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord."

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow the Lord God of their ancestors.

But let no one come into the house of Yahweh, except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come in, for they are holy, but all the people shall follow Yahweh's instructions.

everyone who has determined to follow God, the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple."

He wholeheartedly and successfully reinstituted service in God's temple and obedience to the law, in order to follow his God.

Then the king stood at his post and made a covenant in the Lord’s presence to follow the Lord and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul in order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book.

Josiah also removed all the detestable things from the territories that belonged to the people of Israel, and made everyone who lived in Israel to serve the LORD their God. For the rest of his life, they didn't abandon their quest to follow the LORD God of their ancestors.

join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the law of God given through God’s servant Moses and to carefully obey all the commands, ordinances, and statutes of Yahweh our Lord.

The runoff from the streams will seem sweet to him; everyone will follow after him; countless crows march ahead of him.

BOOK I(Psalms 1–41)How happy is the manwho does not follow the advice of the wickedor take the path of sinnersor join a group of mockers!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The Lord always proves faithful and reliable to those who follow the demands of his covenant.

He devises iniquity on his bed and is determined to follow a path that is not good. He does not resist evil.

They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.

She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;his wealth will not follow him down.

I follow close to You;Your right hand holds on to me.

The singers are in front, the musicians follow, strumming their stringed instruments among the maidens who are playing their tambourines.

So I gave them over to their stubborn heartsto follow their own plans.

If only My people would listen to Meand Israel would follow My ways,

"But if his sons abandon my laws and do not follow my ordinances,

But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;all who follow His instructions have good insight.His praise endures forever.

They do nothing wrong;they follow His ways.

Help me understand Your instruction,and I will obey itand follow it with all my heart.

(Khet) The Lord is my source of security. I have determined to follow your instructions.

I consider my actions and follow your rules.

I have kept my feet from every evil pathto follow Your word.

I carefully follow all Your preceptsand hate every false way.

My eyes pour out streams of tearsbecause people do not follow Your instruction.

They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.

How blessed are all who fear the LORD as they follow in his ways.

“Do not let a slanderer be established in the earth;Let evil quickly hunt the violent man [to overthrow him and stop his evil acts].”

So follow the way of good people,and keep to the paths of the righteous.

The righteous person lives a life of integrity; happy are his children who follow him!

There is no remembrance of those who came before;and of those who will come afterthere will also be no remembranceby those who follow them.

I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow a second youth who succeeds him.

it's better that you don't promise than that you do promise and not follow through.

It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings.

Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions.

M If you do not know,most beautiful of women,follow the tracks of the flock,and pasture your young goatsnear the shepherds’ tents.

(The Bridegroom)“I command that you take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,By the gazelles or by the does of the field [which run free],That you do not rouse nor awaken my loveUntil she pleases.”

many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the Lord's mountain, to the temple of the God of Jacob, so he can teach us his requirements, and we can follow his standards." For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem.

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

Who handed Jacob over to the robber? Who handed Israel over to the looters? Was it not the Lord, against whom we sinned? They refused to follow his commands; they disobeyed his law.

This is what the Lord says:The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cushand the Sabeans, men of stature,will come over to youand will be yours;they will follow you,they will come over in chainsand bow down to you.They will confess to you:God is indeed with you, and there is no other;there is no other God.

I declare from the beginning things to follow, and from ancient times things that have not yet been done; saying, "My purpose will stand, and he will accomplish everything that I please.'

Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.

"As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice -- they will all be destroyed together," says the Lord.

Keep your feet from going bareand your throat from thirst.But you say, “It’s hopeless;I love strangers,and I will continue to follow them.”

At that time Jerusalem will be called, Yahweh’s Throne, and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the name of Yahweh in Jerusalem. They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.

The Lord said to his people: "You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls." But they said, "We will not follow it!"

if you no longer oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow and no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods, bringing harm on yourselves,

“Do you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known?

Everyone is stupid and senseless. They follow worthless instruction from a piece of wood!

But they must make sure you learn to follow the religious practices of my people. Once they taught my people to swear their oaths using the name of the god Baal. But then, they must swear oaths using my name, saying, "As surely as the Lord lives, I swear." If they do these things, then they will be included among the people I call my own.

These wicked people refuse to obey what I have said. They follow the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts and pay allegiance to other gods by worshiping and serving them. So they will become just like these linen shorts which are good for nothing.

As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.

If you do this, then the kings and princes who follow in David's succession and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to enter through these gates, as well as their officials and the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem. This city will always be filled with people.

But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless. We will continue to follow our plans, and each of us will continue to act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

If you are careful to obey these commands, then the kings who follow in David's succession and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to come through the gates of this palace, as will their officials and their subjects.

So the paths they follow will be dark and slippery. They will stumble and fall headlong. For I will bring disaster on them. A day of reckoning is coming for them." The Lord affirms it!

They keep on saying to those who despise me, "The LORD has said, "You will have peace."' To all who stubbornly follow their own desires they say, "Disaster won't come upon you.'

Do not follow other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.

Say to them, "This is what the LORD says: "If you don't listen to me to follow my Law which I've set before you,

Judah and all its towns will live together in the land, along with farmers and those who follow the flock.

And they entered and took possession of it, but they did not listen to your voice, and they did not follow your law. They did nothing of all that you commanded to them to do, and you caused to happen [to] them all this disaster.

I will make the children who follow one another in the line of my servant David very numerous. I will also make the Levites who minister before me very numerous. I will make them all as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sands which are on the seashore.'"

I've sent you all my servants, the prophets, sending them again and again. I've said, "Each of you turn from his evil behavior and make your deeds right. Don't follow other gods to serve them. Then you will remain in the land that I gave to you and to your ancestors.' But you haven't paid attention and you haven't obeyed me.

Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.

“There is praise for Moab no longer;In Heshbon they have devised calamity against her:‘Come and let us cut her off from being a nation!’You too, Madmen, will be silenced;The sword will follow after you.

Do not lose your courage or become afraid because of the reports that are heard in the land. For a report will come in one year. Another report will follow it in the next. There will be violence in the land with ruler fighting against ruler."

Uncleanness has soiled her skirts, and she gave no thought to what would follow. She fell in such a startling way, with no one to comfort her. Look, LORD, upon my affliction, because my enemy is boasting.

Then she defied my regulations and my statutes, becoming more wicked than the nations and the countries around her. Indeed, they have rejected my regulations, and they do not follow my statutes.