Characters of the Old Testament

Character
Description

Joshua
One of the 12 spies sent by Moses to reconnoiter the land of Canaan. Had confidence God would give Israel the land. God allowed him to enter promise land with Caleb. Led Israelites into the Promise land.

Achan
An Israelite of the tribe of Judah. Secreted a portion of the spoil in his tent when Jericho was going into destruction. For his sin he was stoned to death with his whole family.

Barak
Commander of the army of Deborah. Defeated the Canaanite armies led by Sisera.

Jael (Woman)
The wife of Heber the Kenite. Kills Sisera the Canaanite general of King Jabin by taking a tent peg and driving it through his forehead into the ground.

Sisera
Commander of the Canaanite army of King Jabin. Oppressed Israelites for 20 years. Killed by Jael with a tent peg.

Delilah (Woman)
The woman who Sampson loved and was his downfall. She betrayed him to the Philistines by cutting his hair where she knew that is where all his strength lie.

Hannah (Woman)
Married to Elkanah along with Peninnah. She is barren and becomes jealous of Peninnah. Devotes her life to God and then God gives her Samuel. Gave Samuel to Eli the priest for God to have.

Elkanah

Father of Samuel. Had 2 wives: Hannah (Childless) and Peninnah.

Samuel
Samuel was the son of Elkanah and Hannah who had long been barren. Hannah dedicated him to the Lord as a child and brought him to Eli the priest. When Samuel was a child, he heard the voice of the Lord speak to him at the shrine in Shiloh. As an adult, Samuel played an important part in uniting the tribes against the growing threat of the Philistines. Samuel anointed Saul as king of Israel, and later went to Bethlehem anoint David as Saul's successor.

Eli
Was the Priest at Shiloh in the period of the judges. Had 2 sons Hophni and Phinehas. Hannah brought Samuel to him for service and training in the sanctuary. God promised judgment on his family.

Saul
1st King of Israel, attractive and tall, peoples choice not God’s. Has a son named Jonathan. Seeks success rather than God. Sacrifices offerings before Samuel comes. Tries to kill David.

Jonathan
The son of Saul and best friend of David. Eats honey against the covenant and should be killed for it but was not.

Ishbaal/Ishbosheth
One of the 4 sons of King Saul. 2nd king of Israel for 2 years. Assassinated by 2 of his own army captains who David put to death because of that action.

David
Son of Jesse. Anointed by Samuel to be successor to Saul. Entered Saul’s service as a musician. Defeated Goliath. Saul became jealous of him and sought after his death. Made Jerusalem the capital. Adultery with Bathsheba. Promise that one of his sons would always be on the throne forever.

Bathsheba (Woman)

Married to a soldier. While husband is at battle she has an affair with David and becomes pregnant. First child dies. Mother of Solomon.

Joab
Nephew of David and commander of his army. Dedication did not extend to Solomon because he favored David’s son Adonijah. Lost high position in Kingdom and his life.

Nathan
A court prophet to David. Went to David about his adultery with Bathsheba. Told David of the plot of Adonijah to become king, resulting in Solomon being proclaimed king instead.

Adonijah
Proclaimed himself to be king over Solomon but instead Solomon was made king so he fled and took refuge at the altar. Solomon said he would not kill him as long as he was a “good man”. Made a 2nd attempt to gain the throne by asking to marry David’s last woman and was denied by Solomon and put to death.

Abiathar
High Priest. Only son of Ahimelech who escaped the slaughter inflicted upon his fathers house by Saul. Sided with Adonijah and then was sent to exile by Solomon.

Zadok
Instrumental in bringing Solomon to throne. After building the 1st temple in Jerusalem he was the 1st high priest to serve there.

Reheboam
Reigned after Solomon. Initially king of the United Monarchy of Israel but after the ten northern tribes of Israel rebelled to form the Independent Kingdom of Israel he was king of the Kingdom of Judah. Did not spare the people from Solomon’s harsh treatments. Son of Solomon and grandson of David.

Athaliah (Woman)
Wife of Jehoram. Became Queen after death of husband and ruled over Judah for 6 years. Had a son named Ahaziah. Brought worship of Baal.
Joash
The only baby that survives in David’s line. Raised by a priest in secret and becomes king at age 7.

Manasseh
The worst king. Of Judah. Son of Hezekiah. Allows alter of Baal in the temple.

Josiah
8 years old when he became King. Considered to be a good king. Priest made decisions until he was old enough. Huge religion reforms. Josiah Killed in 609 B.E.C. in battle against the Egyptians.

Jehoiakim
Son of Josiah and King of Judah. Not as faithful as Josiah. 596 B.C.E. was the 1st exile of the upper class priest.

Jereboam
The 1st king of the northern Israelite Kingdom of Israel after the revolt of the ten northern Israelite tribes against Rehoboam that put an end to the United Monarchy. Reigned for 22 years. Before king Solomon made him chief superintendent of the bands of forced laborers.

Omri
6th king of Israel who reigned for 12 years. Built a palace on some land and called in Samaria which became the capital. Arranged the marriage of his son Ahab to Jezebel the daughter of King of Sidon.

Ahab
Son of Omri and husband of Jezebel. Became King of Judah after Omri died. Had encounters with the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Drought – drought ends when people express faith. (Burnt Offerings)

Jezebel (Woman)
Wife of Ahab. Worshiped Baal. Dominated and led her husband to do much evil. Encouraged Ahab to worship idols while she personally made sure all the prophets of God were killed. Took care of the prophets of Baal giving them direct access to the throne.

Jehu
(Bloody Jehu)
10th king of Israel and son of Jeoshaphat. Started off as a soldier in Ahab’s army. God commanded Elijah to anoint him king over Israel, which was later done through Elisha. His rise to power was one of the bloodiest in Israel’s history, although in obedience to God’s command to destroy the corrupt and wicked from the land.

Elijah
Lived in northern kingdom of Israel. Opposed the worship of Baal. During a contest with the prophets of Baal he called down fire from heaven to show God’s power. After slaying the priests of Baal he fled to Mount Sinai where God commanded him to foment a revolt in Israel. After he chose Elisha to be his successor, a fiery chariot appeared and he was taken to heaven by a whirlwind.

Solomon

Son of David and Bathsheba. Came to the throne aided by his mother, Nathan the prophet, and Zadok the priest. Prayed for wisdom and became famous for his wise sayings. Built the 1st temple in Jerusalem using forced labor and materials obtained from Hiram of Tyre. Solidified his power by marriage alliances with other kingdoms. These marriages eventually led to the establishment of pagan shrines in Jerusalem.

Benaiah
One of David’s bodyguards and a loyal supporter of both David and Solomon. Executed Adonijah by Solomon’s request and was made commander of his army. Killed a lion, warriors from Moab, and a giant of a man from Egypt.

Adam
First man on Earth. From his body Eve was made. Deceived by the serpent and ate from the tree of knowledge.

Eve
First woman on Earth, first wife, and first mother. Known as the mother of all living thing. Deceived by the serpent and ate from the tree of knowledge.

Abraham
A man who lived in Ur. God called him to go to the land where he would make of him a great nation. Promise and faith, binding of Isaac, exemplar of faith.

Sarah
Wife of Abraham. Was barren so she gave her servant Hagar to Abraham so he could have a son. (Ishmael). Later God promised her a son who she named Isaac.

Isaac
Son of Abraham and Sarah. God told Abraham to sacrifice him, but at the last moment told him to offer a ram instead. Father of Esau and Jacob. Blessed Jacob.

Ishmael
Son of Abraham and Hagar. Abraham sent him and Hagar away into the desert because Sarah did not want Ishmael to inherit anything. God preserved and blessed him.

Hagar
Sarah’s servant. Had a child with Abraham named Ishmael. Was sent away with her son into the desert. God preserved her and Ishmael.

Rebekah
Wife of Isaac. Mother of Jacob and Esau. Favored Jacob and helped him to deceive his father in order to obtain a blessing.

Jacob
Son of Isaac and Rebekah, brother of Esau. Tricks Isaac into blessing him. Married Rachel and Leah. Had 12 sons, which became the 12 tribes of Israel. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and became the father of the nation.
Leah
Wife of Jacob and sister of Rachel.

Rachel
Wife of Jacob and sister of Leah. She was the wife Jacob “loved.” Mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Died giving birth to Benjamin.

Joseph
Son of Rachel. Had a dream that his family members would bow down before him one day. Brothers became jealous and sold him into slavery in Egypt. Interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. Became the second highest power in Egypt and brothers came to him during a famine when then he revealed himself to them.

Moses
Preserved as a child in the reeds by the Nile River. Brought up in Pharaoh’s court in Egypt. Killed and Egyptian and fled. God called him to lead his people out of Egypt. Received the law. Did not enter into the promise land.
Aaron
Brother of Moses. Spokes man for Moses. First high priest
Miriam
Big sister of Moses and watches after him while floating in the Nile.

Isaiah
Prophet of the Southern Kingdom. Promised a child would be born who would be called “Immanuel” Told people not to fight because God would protect them. Hezekiah who was king later In Isaiah’s life heeded advice.

Amos
Prophet in the Northern Kingdom. Condemned Israel’s oppression of the poor

Jeremiah
Prophetic career spent in Jerusalem. Prophesy in the time of King Josiah. Prophet of the Southern Kingdom.
Ezekiel
Prophet of the Southern Kingdom in Babylon.
Haggai
Rebuilding of Temple
Zechariah
Rebuilding of Temple

Ezra
Ezra's program required that Jewish men divorce Gentile wives to help maintain Israel's distinctive identity. He provided for the public reading of the Torah, public confession of sin, and renewed commitment to God.

Nehemiah
He organized the Jews, rebuilt the city walls, and reinstated religious observances of the Jewish law

1. The theme of used in the books of Joshua, cycle of Judges, Saul’s life, David’s life, the divided monarchies…..

2. The 6 major judges and their enemies are: Samson/Philistines, Othniel/King Cushan, Ehud/Moabites, Deborah/Sysera, Gideon/Midianites, and Jephthah/Ammonites.

3. The book of Judges follows the cycle of they sin, then oppressed, they cry out for a judge, God delivers, peace, and then they sin again.

4. The 2 questions the books of 1 & 2 Samuel answers how did Israel get to be a monarchy and why. Also, how the monarchy become the Davidic dynasty and why.

5. Saul was a very tall and handsome man. Very shy and timid when it came to being king. Jealous of David. Insecure.

6. God promises David that he will have a son on the throne forever. David is disobedient when he commits adultery with Bathsheba.

7. He made Jerusalem the capital of Israel…

8. The Adonijah stuff where he thinks he’s king and Nathan tells Bathsheba to go to David and tell him about it and so David anointed Solomon. Promised not to kill Adonijah as long as he’s good and the he asks Bathsheba for one of David’s wives so he gets killed. That’s what happened between the transition of David and Solomon.

9. Built the first temple, palaces, and military cities by making high taxes and giving away land. The people are also unhappy because of the harsh treatment towards them with forced labors for 1 out of every 3 months and must provide food for 1 out of every 12 months.

10. Strengths of North: Better land, better economy, more people, and trade routes.
Weaknesses of North: Target because of trade routes, unstable monarchy, religious unfaithfulness.

11. Strengths of South: Not as big of a target, stable monarchy, temple
Weaknesses of South: Land not good, economy not strong, not many trade routes.

12. 721 B.C.E. Was the fall of the North (Israel) 586 B.C.E. Was the fall of the South (Judah)

13. Elijah proposes the contest to the people of Israel that they would stack wood for Baal and Yahweh with offerings on them and see which God lights the wood on fire from the heavens. To make it even more interesting Elijah soaks the wood in water and then they both ask their God to light it with fire and Yahweh lights the stack of soaked wood and offering with fire.

14. Jehu becomes king when God commands Elijah to anoint him as king

15. The assessment of the kings of the North given by 1 & 2 Kings is bad.

16. The assessment of the kings of the South given by 1 & 2 Kings is good.

17. Assyria, Babylonia, and Egypt play a role during the time of the divided monarchy by being a constant threat.

18. The reason given for the fall of the North is…. And the reason given for the fall of the South is…

19. The role of a Prophet is one who is called to proclaim God’s message to the people

20. 8th Century: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah
7th-6th Century: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah
6th-5th Century: Haggai, Zechariah

21. The 6 major themes of the prophets are: Worship God only, No idols, Social justice, Pending doom but you can repent, Hope, Ideal future

22. Three types of Wisdom:

a. Practical wisdom: Proverbs, Everyday life, black/white, generalizations, Obedience = Blessing, Disobedience = Punishment
b. Philosophical Wisdom: Job, “Why do things happen to good people?”, Challenges practical wisdom, Not black/white, God is Just, Everyone will die and go to Sheol, God must show justice in this life.
c. Skeptical Wisdom: Ecclesiastes, “why does it matter?”, Circular understanding of history, Moderation 23. Three basic assumptions made during Job’s time are:

24. The 5 types of Psalms are: Hymns of Praise, Thanksgiving, Lament, Royal, Enthronement.

25. Parallelism: A literary device commonly used in Hebrew Poetry, both in the prophetic books and in poetic books like Psalms and Proverbs. It consists of pairs of lines that are closely associated with one another. The relationship between the paired lines may vary from repetition of the same idea to posing of contrasting ideas.