Short description of some persons from the Old Testament and the Apocryphal books
Of most of these persons an image is available. The description is sometimes adjusted to what
can be seen on these images.
- Aaron
-
Brother of Moses. First High-priest of Israel. All priest descend of him.
- Abel
-
Son of Adam and Eve. Was killed by his brother Cain.
- Abraham
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Left his home on order of God, and is the father of all faithful.
His wife Sarah was infertile so he took Hagar and conceived Ismael.
Later Sara conceived and bore Isaac. Ismael and Hagar were sent away
through the desert which nearly killed them.
God ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Moriah but this was prevented
at the last moment. His servant Eliezer brought Rebecca as a wife
for Isaac from Aram.
- Adam
-
First man. Lived in Paradise until he fell in sin due to his wife Eve,
and was expelled from Paradise. Father of Cain and Abel.
- Ahasuerus
-
King of Persia, married Ester.
- Aser
-
Son of Jacob
- Azor
-
Man from Judah
- Balaam
-
Sorcerer. Could not curse Israel.
- Balac
-
King of Moab. Called Balaam.
- Barak
-
Judge
- Bathsheba
-
See David.
- Belshazzar
-
King of Babel. Saw characters on the wall which were explained by
Daniel. Was killed by the Persians.
- Benjamin
-
Youngest son of Jacob
- Cain
-
Son of Adam and Eve. Killed his brother Abel.
- Cham
-
See Noah. Traditionally the father of the peoples of Africa.
- Daniel
-
Was taken by Nebucadnesar to Babel where he explained his dreams.
See Belshazzar. Was thrown in the lions den because he went on
praying when that was forbidden, but survived.
- David
-
Born as a farmer's son he killed the giant Goliath, and became musician
and general of king Saul. He married his daughter and became a friend of
his son Jonathan but Saul tried to kill him. When Saul and Jonathan were
killed in battle he became king of Israel. He saw Bathsheba taking a bath,
committed adultery with her and when she got pregnant he had her husband
Uriah killed.
- Eliezer
-
Servant of Abraham. Brought Rebecca from Aram as a wife for Isaac.
- Elijah
-
Prophet
- Elisha
-
Prophet
- Esau
-
Son of Isaac and Rebecca. Was deceived by his brother Jacob.
- Esther
-
Became wife of king Ahasverus. When Haman tried to kill the Jews
she saved them.
- Eve
-
First woman, wife of Adam. Was seduced by Satan in the form of a snake.
- Ezekiel
-
Prophet in Babel
- Gad
-
Son of Jacob.
- Gedeon
-
Judge
- Goliath
-
Philistine giant, killed by David.
- Habaccuc
-
Prophet
- Hagar
-
See Abraham
- Haman
-
Viceroy of Ahasverus. Tried to kill all Jews but they were saved by Esther.
- Holofernes
-
Assyrian general. Was killed by Judith when attacking Betuniel.
- Isaac
-
Son of Abraham and Sarah. Had to be sacrificed on Moriah, but this was prevented by an
angel. Married Rebecca his nice, who was brought by Eliezer from Aram.
- Isaiah
-
Prophet
- Ismael
-
Son of Abraham and Hagar. According to the Moslims it was he who had to be
sacrificed on Moriah.
- Issachar
-
Son of Jacob.
- Jacob
-
Son of Isaac and Rebecca. Deceived his father and had to flee to Aram.
In Bethel he got a vision. In Aram he married Leah and Rachel, daughters
of his uncle Laban, after 14 years of work. He got 12 sons and one
daughter. He loved Rachel far more than Leah. See further Joseph.
- Jambres
-
Egyptian sorcerer.
- Jannes
-
Egyptian sorcerer.
- Japheth
-
See Noah. Traditionally the father of Indo-Europeans.
- Jephthae
-
Judge. Sacrificed his daughter.
- Jeremiah
-
Prophet in the last days of the kingdom of Judah.
- Jezebel
-
Queen of Israel. Symbol of Evil.
- Joachim
-
Husband of Susanna.
- Job
-
A man who suffered much to the glory of God.
- Joel
-
Prophet
- Jonah
-
Prophet, was swallowed by a whale.
- Jonathan
-
Son of Saul, loved David his competitor for the throne. Was killed in battle.
- Josaphat
-
King of Judah
- Joseph
-
Son of Jacob and Rachel. His father loved him dearly, but his brothers
were jealous. They sold him as a slave to Egypt, where Potiphar bought
him. The wife of Potiphar fell in love with him, but he refused her, and
was sent to prison. After explaining two dreams in prison he had to
explain a dream to the pharaoh, and became viceroy of Egypt.
When the famine he had predicted came his brothers came to buy food.
After some tests he revealed himself to them and the whole family
of Jacob came to Egypt.
- Joshua
-
Lead the people of Israel into Canaan.
- Juda
-
Fourth son of Jacob.
- Judith
-
Widow. Saved Bethuniel by seducing and killing Holophernes.
- Laban
-
Brother of Rebecca. See Jacob.
- Leah
-
Wife of Jacob and mother of seven children.
- Levi
-
Son of Jacob and Leah.
- Lot
-
Nephew of Abraham. Lived in Sodom until it was destroyed. Was seduced
by his daughters and became father of Ammon and Moab.
- Manasses
-
Son of Joseph.
- Melchisedek
-
King of Jerusalem, blessed Abraham.
- Micha
-
Prophet
- Moses
-
When Israel was in Egypt for many generations the Egyptians suppressed
the Israelites. When Moses was born all just-born boys had to be
drowned. Moses was put in a basket in the Nile, was found by the princess
and brought to the palace. After 40 years he killed an Egyptian and had to
flee to Jethro. He married his daughter and came back to Egypt to liberate
the Israelites. 10 Plagues war necessary. The Israelites fled through
the Red Sea where Pharao and his army were drowned.
On Sinai Israel received the 10 commandments. After 40 years in the
desert Israel approached the Promised Land and Moses died.
- Noah
-
God told him to build the Ark, a big ship, to save his family from
the Flood. After the flood he became drunk, exposed himself and was
mocked by Cham, his second son. Sem and Japhet, his other sons covered
him. Cham and his son Canaan were cursed.
- Osee
-
Prophet. Also called Hosea.
- Rachel
-
Favorite wife of Jacob, mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Died in childbirth.
- Rahab
-
Hoar at Jericho. Saved the lives of the Israelian spies.
- Rebecca
-
Eliezer brought her a wife for Isaac from Aram. Mother of Esau and
Jacob, which she preferred.
- Reuben
-
Steward of Judah.
- Salathiel
-
Steward of Judah.
- Samson
-
Extremely strong Judge of Israel.
- Samuel
-
Last judge of Israel. Annointed Saul and David.
- Sarah
-
Wife of Abraham
- Saul
-
First king of Israel. See David.
- Sem
-
See Noah. Father of Semites.
- Simeon
-
Son of Jacob.
- Solomon
-
Son of David, king of Israel. Famous for his wisdom, building the First
Temple and his many wifes.
- Susanna
-
Wife of Joachim of Babylon. Took a bath, was seen by two elders who wanted to seduce her.
When she refused she was accused of adultery but saved by Daniel.
- Tobias
-
Was guided by the angel Raphael on his journey.
- Uriah
-
See David
- Zabulon
-
Son of Jacob.
- Zachariah
-
Prophet
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