Significant People of the Bible (by Books – OT)

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OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books)

1. Genesis

  • Adam – First human; his fall shapes all humanity.
  • Eve – First woman; part of the Fall and promise of redemption.
  • Cain – First murderer, symbol of sin’s growth.
  • Abel – First righteous martyr.
  • Seth – Line of godly descendants leading to Noah.
  • Noah – Righteous man who survived the Flood.
  • Abraham – Father of faith and covenant nation.
  • Sarah – Mother of Isaac; part of covenant promise.
  • Hagar – Mother of Ishmael; represents God’s care beyond Israel.
  • Lot – Abraham’s nephew; rescue from Sodom shows God’s mercy.
  • Isaac – Child of promise; covenant continued.
  • Rebekah – Key role in Jacob’s blessing.
  • Esau – Lost blessing; ancestor of Edom.
  • Jacob – Renamed Israel; father of the 12 tribes.
  • Rachel/Leah – Mothers of Israel’s tribes.
  • Joseph – Elevated to Egypt; saves Israel from famine.

2. Exodus

  • Moses – Leader of Israel’s deliverance; lawgiver.
  • Aaron – First high priest.
  • Miriam – Prophetess; helped lead the exodus.
  • Pharaoh – Opposed God; displays divine power.
  • Jethro – Gave Moses leadership wisdom.
  • Joshua – Moses’ successor.
  • Bezalel – Chief designer of the tabernacle.

3. Leviticus

  • Moses – Receives and delivers God’s law.
  • Aaron – Central priestly figure.
  • Nadab & Abihu – Judged for offering strange fire.

4. Numbers

  • Moses – Leader in the wilderness.
  • Aaron – Priestly mediator.
  • Miriam – Judged for speaking against Moses.
  • Joshua & Caleb – Faithful spies who believed God’s promise.
  • Korah – Rebelled against God’s appointed leaders.
  • Balaam – Prophet who tried to curse Israel.
  • Balak – Moabite king who hired Balaam.

5. Deuteronomy

  • Moses – Gives final covenant speeches.
  • Joshua – Chosen successor.

6. Joshua

  • Joshua – Leads conquest of Canaan.
  • Rahab – Saved spies; ancestor of Christ.
  • Achan – His sin brought judgment on Israel.
  • Caleb – Faithful warrior who received Hebron.

7. Judges

  • Deborah – Female judge who led Israel.
  • Gideon – Delivered Israel with few soldiers.
  • Jephthah – Judge known for rash vow.
  • Samson – Judge with supernatural strength.
  • Delilah – Betrayed Samson.

8. Ruth

  • Ruth – Loyal Moabite who became ancestor of David.
  • Naomi – Guided Ruth; shows God’s provision.
  • Boaz – Kinsman-redeemer; foreshadow of Christ.

9. 1 Samuel

  • Samuel – Last judge; anointed kings.
  • Saul – First king; rejected for disobedience.
  • Jonathan – Model of friendship and loyalty.
  • David – Chosen king; defeated Goliath.
  • Hannah – Faithful mother of Samuel.

10. 2 Samuel

  • David – Central king; covenant given to him.
  • Bathsheba – Her story shows sin and grace.
  • Absalom – Rebelled against David.
  • Nathan – Prophet who confronted David.

11. 1 Kings

  • Solomon – Wise king; built the Temple.
  • Rehoboam – Caused kingdom division.
  • Jeroboam – Led northern Israel into idolatry.
  • Elijah – Confronted Baal worship.
  • Ahab & Jezebel – Promoted idolatry.

12. 2 Kings

  • Elisha – Performed miracles; successor to Elijah.
  • Hezekiah – Faithful king who trusted God.
  • Manasseh – Wicked king; led Judah astray.
  • Josiah – Reformer who rediscovered the Law.
  • Nebuchadnezzar – Destroyed Jerusalem.

13. 1 Chronicles

  • David – Focus on his reign and preparations for the Temple.

14. 2 Chronicles

  • Solomon – Wisdom and temple building.
  • Various kings – Hezekiah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Josiah.
  • Cyrus – Allowed Jews to return.

15. Ezra

  • Ezra – Priest who led religious reforms.
  • Zerubbabel – Led first return and temple rebuilding.
  • Jeshua the priest – Assisted rebuilding.

16. Nehemiah

  • Nehemiah – Rebuilt Jerusalem’s wall.
  • Sanballat, Tobiah – Opposed reconstruction.

17. Esther

  • Esther – Saved Jews from genocide.
  • Mordecai – Encouraged and guided her.
  • Haman – Planned extermination of Jews.

18. Job

  • Job – Model of faith under suffering.
  • Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar – Incorrect counsellors.
  • Elihu – More accurate insight.
  • Satan – Tested Job’s faith.

19. Psalms

  • David – Main author; expresses worship and lament.
  • Asaph – Worship leader and psalmist.
  • Sons of Korah – Wrote psalms; redeemed lineage.

20. Proverbs

  • Solomon – Main author; wisdom teachings.
  • Agur – Contributed wisdom.
  • King Lemuel – His mother taught him noble principles.

21. Ecclesiastes

  • Solomon – Philosophical reflections on life.

22. Song of Solomon

  • Solomon – Lover/king.
  • Shulammite woman – Bride; symbol of love and devotion.

23. Isaiah

  • Isaiah – Major prophet of salvation and Messiah.
  • Hezekiah – Significantly supported prophecy.

24. Jeremiah

  • Jeremiah – Prophet of warning and hope.
  • Zedekiah – Last king of Judah.
  • Baruch – Jeremiah’s scribe.

25. Lamentations

  • Jeremiah – Mourning destruction of Jerusalem.

26. Ezekiel

  • Ezekiel – Prophet of visions, judgment, restoration.

27. Daniel

  • Daniel – Faithful in exile; interpreter of dreams.
  • Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego – Models of faith.
  • Nebuchadnezzar, Darius – Kings impacted by God’s power.

28–39. Minor Prophets

(Each prophet is central to their book)

  • Hosea – Marriage symbolises God’s love.
  • Joel – Warns of Day of the Lord.
  • Amos – Calls for justice.
  • Obadiah – Condemns Edom.
  • Jonah – Reluctant prophet to Nineveh.
  • Micah – Foretold Messiah’s birthplace.
  • Nahum – Pronounced Nineveh’s fall.
  • Habakkuk – Dialogue with God about evil.
  • Zephaniah – Warns of judgment.
  • Haggai – Encouraged temple rebuilding.
  • Zechariah – Messianic visions.
  • Malachi – Last prophet before Christ; calls for repentance.

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