Evangelizing the whole world in the Old Testament

The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this:

NOTE: The New Testament calls us Christians to share the message of Jesus Christ with every person on earth. Here are the key Bible verses about this »

Genesis 12:3. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.

Genesis 25:1. Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.

Genesis 41:45. Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah. He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

Exodus 7:5. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring the children of Israel out from among them.”

Exodus 8:10. Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.

Exodus 11:9. The LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh won’t listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 12:44. but every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then shall he eat of it.

Exodus 12:48. When a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, and would like to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it. He shall be as one who is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

Exodus 14:17. Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.

Exodus 14:18. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”

Exodus 18:8. Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

Numbers 9:14. “ ‘If a foreigner lives among you, and desires to keep the Passover to the LORD, then he shall do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner, and for him who is born in the land.’ ”

Numbers 15:14. If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD, as you do, so he shall do.

Deuteronomy 4:6. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who shall hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

Deuteronomy 23:3. An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the LORD’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into the LORD’s assembly forever,

Joshua 4:24. that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’ ”

Joshua 6:25. But Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Joshua 8:35. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them.

Ruth 1:16. Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.

2 Samuel 15:19. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place.

1 Kings 5:7. When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, “Blessed is the LORD today, who has given to David a wise son to rule over this great people.”

1 Kings 8:41-43. Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he comes out of a far country for your name’s sake ⁴² (for they shall hear of your great name, and of your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house; ⁴³ hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.

1 Kings 10:9. [The queen of Sheba] Blessed is the LORD your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

2 Kings 7:9. Then they said to one another, “We aren’t doing right. Today is a day of good news, and we keep silent. If we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let’s go and tell the king’s household.”

2 Kings 19:19. Now therefore, LORD our God, save us, I beg you, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, LORD, are God alone.”

1 Chronicles 16:24. Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples.

2 Chronicles 30:10. So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun, but people ridiculed them and mocked them.

2 Chronicles 6:33. then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.

Ezra 8:22. For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.”

Esther 8:17. In every province, and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen on them.

Psalm 2:8. Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

Psalm 22:27. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.

Psalm 65:2. You who hear prayer, to you all men will come.

Psalm 67:2. That your way may be known on earth, and your salvation among all nations,

Psalm 67:4. Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you will judge the peoples with equity, and govern the nations on earth. Selah.

Psalm 86:9. All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

Psalm 87:4. I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia: “This one was born there.”

Psalm 96:3. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.

Psalm 97:1. The LORD reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad!

Psalm 98:2. The LORD has made known his salvation. He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

Psalm 98:3. He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Psalm 108:3. I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations. I will sing praises to you among the peoples.

Psalm 115:11. You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.

Psalm 117:1. Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!

Psalm 126:2. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”

Isaiah 2:2. It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.

Isaiah 11:9. They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 18:7. In that time, a present will be brought to the LORD of Hosts from a people tall and smooth, even from a people awesome from their beginning onward, a nation that measures out and treads down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of the LORD of Hosts, Mount Zion.

Isaiah 19:18. In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of Hosts. One will be called “The city of destruction.”

Isaiah 19:19. In that day, there will be an altar to the LORD in the middle of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.

Isaiah 19:20. It will be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

Isaiah 19:21. The LORD will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. Yes, they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and will vow a vow to the LORD, and will perform it.

Isaiah 19:22. The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to the LORD, and he will be entreated by them, and will heal them.

Isaiah 19:25. because the LORD of Hosts has blessed them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

Isaiah 24:14. But all who are left shout and sing for joy. Those in the west praise the LORD’s majesty. (NLT translation)

Isaiah 24:15. Therefore glorify the LORD in the east, even the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!

Isaiah 24:16. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, “I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!” The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.

Isaiah 25:3. Therefore a strong people will glorify you. A city of awesome nations will fear you.

Isaiah 25:6. In this mountain, the LORD of Hosts will make all peoples a feast of choice meat, a feast of choice wines, of choice meat full of marrow, of well refined choice wines.

Isaiah 33:13. Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and, you who are near, acknowledge my might.

Isaiah 34:1. Come near, you nations, to hear! Listen, you peoples. Let the earth and all it contains hear, the world, and everything that comes from it.

Isaiah 40:5. The LORD’s glory shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.”

Isaiah 44:5. One will say, ‘I am the LORD’s;’ and another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand ‘to the LORD,’ and honor the name of Israel.”

Isaiah 45:3. I will give you treasures out of the darkness, and riches that have been hidden away, That you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. (NAB translation)

Isaiah 45:6. that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is no one besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no one else.

Isaiah 45:14. The LORD says: “The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you, and they will be yours. They will go after you. They shall come over in chains. They will bow down to you. They will make supplication to you: ‘Surely God is in you; and there is no one else. There is no other god.

Isaiah 45:22. “Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

Isaiah 49:1. Listen, islands, to me. Listen, you peoples, from afar: the LORD has called me from the womb; from the inside of my mother, he has mentioned my name.

Isaiah 49:6. Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:12. Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.”

Isaiah 49:26. I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they will be drunk on their own blood, as with sweet wine. Then all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Isaiah 51:5. My righteousness is near. My salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. The islands will wait for me, and they will trust my arm.

Isaiah 56:3. Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD speak, saying, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people.” Do not let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

Isaiah 56:6. I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant. (NLT translation)

Isaiah 56:7. I will bring these to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

Isaiah 59:19. So they will fear the LORD’s name from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the LORD’s breath drives.

Isaiah 60:6. A multitude of camels will cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Efah. All from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of the LORD.

Isaiah 60:7. All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve you. They will be accepted as offerings on my altar; and I will beautify my glorious house.

Isaiah 61:5. Strangers will stand and feed your flocks. Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.

Isaiah 64:2. As when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil; Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

Isaiah 66:18. I can see what they are doing, and I know what they are thinking. So I will gather all nations and peoples together, and they will see my glory. (NLT translation)

Isaiah 66:19. I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to far-away islands, who have not heard my fame, nor have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.

Isaiah 66:20. They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the LORD’s house.

Isaiah 66:21. Of them I will also select priests and Levites,” says the LORD.

Isaiah 66:23. It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 33:22. As the army of the sky can’t be counted, and the sand of the sea can’t be measured; so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant and the Levites who minister to me.

Jeremiah 50:5. They will inquire concerning Zion with their faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, and join yourselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.’

Ezekiel 35:4. I will lay your cities waste, and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 35:9. I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 35:15. As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, even all of it. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’ ”

Ezekiel 38:23. I will magnify myself and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” ’

Ezekiel 39:6. “I will send a fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the islands. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 39:7. “ ‘ “I will make my holy name known among my people Israel. I won’t allow my holy name to be profaned any more. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

Ezekiel 47:22. You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the aliens who live among you, who will father children among you. Then they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Israel. They shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

Daniel 12:3. Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever.

Song of the Three Holy Children verse 33. And now we can’t open our mouth. Shame and reproach have come on your servants and those who worship you.

Song of the Three Holy Children verse 45. Let them know that you are the Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.

Jonah 1:16. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Jonah 3:5. The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least.

Micah 4:2. Many nations will go and say, “Come! Let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law will go out of Zion, and the LORD’s word from Jerusalem;

Micah 7:12. In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.

Habakkuk 2:14. For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.

Zephaniah 3:9. For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the LORD’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.

Zechariah 8:22. Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the LORD. (NAB translation)

Zechariah 8:23. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men of every nationality, speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. (NAB translation)

Zechariah 9:10. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Zechariah 14:16. It will happen that everyone who is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to keep the feast of booths.

Malachi 1:11. For from the rising of the sun even to its going down, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Tobit 13:11. Many nations will come from afar to the name of the Lord God with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven. Generations of generations will praise you, and sing songs of rejoicing.

Tobit 14:6. And all the nations will turn to fear the Lord God truly, and will bury their idols.

Judith 14:10. But when Achior saw all the things that the God of Israel had done, he believed in God exceedingly, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined to the house of Israel, to this day.

Baruch 2:15. that all the earth may know that you are the Lord our God, because Israel and his posterity is called by your name.

Wisdom 16:7. For he that turned toward it was not saved because of that which was seen, But because of you, the Savior of all.

Sirach 24:33. I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, And leave it to generations of ages.

Sirach 36:3. Lift up your hand against the strange nations; And let them see your mighty power.

Sirach 36:4. As you were sanctified in us before them, So be you magnified in them before us.

2 Maccabees 3:28. and carried him—this man who had just now entered with a great retinue and all his guard into the aforesaid treasury, himself now brought to utter helplessness, manifestly made to recognize the sovereignty of God.

2 Maccabees 7:37. But I, as my brothers, give up both body and soul for the laws of our fathers, calling upon God that he may speedily become gracious to the nation, and that you, amidst trials and plagues, may confess that he alone is God,

2 Maccabees 9:17. Beside all this, he said that he would become a Jew, would visit every inhabited place, proclaiming the power of God.

2 Esdras 1:35. I will give your houses to a people that will come, which not having heard of me yet believe me. Those to whom I have shown no signs will do what I have commanded.

2 Esdras 13:13a. Many people came to him. Some of them were glad. Some were sorry. Some of them were bound, and some others brought some of those as offerings.

Evangelizing the whole world in the Old Testament

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