← Bible

Bible Characters

The Bible tells its story through people — herdsmen and kings, prophets and fishermen, the faithful and the faithless. This is a who’s-who of some two hundred named figures, in the order their stories unfold, each in a line: who they were and where to find them. Use the search to jump to anyone by name, place or role — type ‘prophet’, ‘king’ or ‘Egypt’ and the list narrows as you go.

Before the nation

Adam — the first man, formed from the dust and placed in Eden. Genesis 1–5
Eve — the first woman, ‘the mother of all living’. Genesis 2–4
Cain — Adam’s firstborn, who murdered his brother Abel. Genesis 4
Abel — the second son, a shepherd, killed by Cain. Genesis 4
Seth — third son of Adam, through whom the godly line continued. Genesis 4–5
Enoch — who ‘walked with God, and was not, for God took him’. Genesis 5
Methuselah — the longest-lived man, 969 years. Genesis 5
Noah — built the ark and came through the flood. Genesis 5–9
Shem, Ham and Japheth — Noah’s sons, ancestors of the nations. Genesis 9–10
Nimrod — ‘a mighty hunter’, founder of Babel and Nineveh. Genesis 10

The patriarchs and matriarchs

Abraham — called from Ur; father of the faithful and of Israel. Genesis 12–25
Sarah — Abraham’s wife, who bore Isaac in old age. Genesis 12–23
Hagar — Sarah’s Egyptian maid, mother of Ishmael. Genesis 16, 21
Ishmael — Abraham’s first son, father of twelve princes. Genesis 16, 21, 25
Lot — Abraham’s nephew, rescued from Sodom. Genesis 13, 19
Melchizedek — priest-king of Salem who blessed Abraham. Genesis 14
Isaac — the promised son, bound on Mount Moriah. Genesis 21–27
Rebekah — Isaac’s wife, mother of Jacob and Esau. Genesis 24–27
Esau — Isaac’s elder son, who sold his birthright; father of Edom. Genesis 25–36
Jacob (Israel) — Isaac’s younger son, father of the twelve tribes. Genesis 25–50
Leah — Jacob’s first wife, mother of six of the tribes. Genesis 29–30
Rachel — Jacob’s beloved wife, mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Genesis 29–35
Dinah — Jacob and Leah’s daughter. Genesis 34
Reuben — Jacob’s firstborn, who lost his birthright. Genesis 35, 49
Judah — Jacob’s son, ancestor of David and the Messiah. Genesis 38, 49
Levi — Jacob’s son, father of the priestly tribe. Genesis 34, 49
Tamar — Judah’s daughter-in-law, in the line of David. Genesis 38
Joseph — sold into Egypt by his brothers, he rose to govern it. Genesis 37–50
Benjamin — Jacob’s youngest son. Genesis 35, 42–45
Manasseh and Ephraim — Joseph’s sons, adopted by Jacob as tribes. Genesis 41, 48
Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar and Zebulun — the remaining sons of Jacob, heads of tribes. Genesis 30, 49
Potiphar — Egyptian officer whose wife falsely accused Joseph. Genesis 39

Exodus and the wilderness

Moses — led Israel out of Egypt and received the Law at Sinai. Exodus–Deuteronomy
Aaron — Moses’ brother and spokesman, Israel’s first high priest. Exodus–Numbers
Miriam — sister of Moses and Aaron, a prophetess. Exodus 15; Numbers 12
Jochebed — mother of Moses, Aaron and Miriam. Exodus 2, 6
Zipporah — Moses’ wife, a daughter of Jethro. Exodus 2, 18
Jethro (Reuel) — priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law. Exodus 3, 18
Pharaoh — the king of Egypt who hardened his heart against Israel. Exodus 5–14
Joshua — Moses’ aide and successor, who led Israel into Canaan. Exodus 17; Joshua
Caleb — faithful spy who urged Israel to take the land. Numbers 13–14; Joshua 14
Bezalel — the craftsman who built the Tabernacle. Exodus 31, 35–38
Korah — led a rebellion and was swallowed by the earth. Numbers 16
Balaam — the pagan seer whose donkey spoke; he blessed Israel. Numbers 22–24
Balak — the king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel. Numbers 22–24
Nadab and Abihu — Aaron’s sons, struck down for unholy fire. Leviticus 10
Eleazar — Aaron’s son and successor as high priest. Numbers 20, 34
Phinehas — Aaron’s grandson, zealous for the Lord. Numbers 25

Conquest and the judges

Rahab — the harlot of Jericho who hid the spies; ancestor of David. Joshua 2, 6
Achan — whose theft brought defeat at Ai. Joshua 7
Othniel — the first of the judges. Judges 3
Ehud — the left-handed judge who killed King Eglon. Judges 3
Deborah — judge and prophetess who led Israel to victory. Judges 4–5
Barak — the general who fought alongside Deborah. Judges 4–5
Jael — who killed the fleeing commander Sisera with a tent peg. Judges 4–5
Sisera — the Canaanite commander defeated by Barak. Judges 4
Gideon — the judge who routed Midian with three hundred men. Judges 6–8
Abimelech — Gideon’s son who made himself king. Judges 9
Jephthah — the judge bound by a rash vow. Judges 11
Samson — the Nazirite strongman betrayed by Delilah. Judges 13–16
Delilah — who coaxed out the secret of Samson’s strength. Judges 16
Eli — high priest and judge at Shiloh. 1 Samuel 1–4
Hannah — Samuel’s mother, who gave him to the Lord. 1 Samuel 1–2
Samuel — last judge and prophet, who anointed Saul and David. 1 Samuel
Naomi — the widow of Bethlehem, Ruth’s mother-in-law. Ruth
Ruth — the loyal Moabite, great-grandmother of David. Ruth
Boaz — the kinsman-redeemer who married Ruth. Ruth 2–4

The united monarchy

Saul — Israel’s first king, tall and tragic. 1 Samuel 9–31
Jonathan — Saul’s son and David’s devoted friend. 1 Samuel 14–20
David — shepherd, poet, and Israel’s greatest king. 1–2 Samuel; Psalms
Goliath — the Philistine giant slain by David. 1 Samuel 17
Michal — Saul’s daughter and David’s first wife. 1 Samuel 18–19; 2 Samuel 6
Abigail — the wise woman who became David’s wife. 1 Samuel 25
Abner — Saul’s army commander. 1–2 Samuel
Joab — David’s ruthless and capable general. 2 Samuel
Nathan — the prophet who confronted David over Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 7, 12
Bathsheba — wife of Uriah, later the mother of Solomon. 2 Samuel 11–12
Uriah — the Hittite, Bathsheba’s husband, sent to his death. 2 Samuel 11
Absalom — David’s handsome son who rebelled against him. 2 Samuel 13–18
Mephibosheth — Jonathan’s lame son, shown kindness by David. 2 Samuel 9
Ahithophel — the counsellor who betrayed David for Absalom. 2 Samuel 15–17
Solomon — David’s son; builder of the Temple, proverbial for wisdom. 1 Kings 1–11
Adonijah — Solomon’s half-brother and rival for the throne. 1 Kings 1–2
Zadok — high priest under David and Solomon. 2 Samuel; 1 Kings 1
Hiram — king of Tyre who supplied timber for the Temple. 1 Kings 5
Queen of Sheba — who came to test Solomon’s wisdom. 1 Kings 10

The divided kingdom: kings

Rehoboam — Solomon’s son, under whom the kingdom split. 1 Kings 12
Jeroboam — the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel. 1 Kings 12–14
Ahab — the wicked king of Israel, husband of Jezebel. 1 Kings 16–22
Jezebel — the Phoenician queen who promoted the worship of Baal. 1 Kings 16–21; 2 Kings 9
Naboth — murdered by Jezebel for his vineyard. 1 Kings 21
Naaman — the Syrian general healed of leprosy by Elisha. 2 Kings 5
Gehazi — Elisha’s servant, struck with leprosy for his greed. 2 Kings 5
Jehu — the king who destroyed Ahab’s house and Baal worship. 2 Kings 9–10
Athaliah — the queen who seized the throne of Judah. 2 Kings 11
Joash — the boy-king of Judah, hidden and then restored. 2 Kings 11–12
Hezekiah — godly king of Judah who trusted God against Assyria. 2 Kings 18–20
Sennacherib — the Assyrian king whose army was struck down. 2 Kings 18–19
Manasseh — Judah’s longest-reigning and most wicked king. 2 Kings 21
Josiah — the reforming king who restored the Law. 2 Kings 22–23

The prophets

Elijah — prophet of fire who confronted Ahab and Baal’s prophets. 1 Kings 17 – 2 Kings 2
Elisha — Elijah’s successor, prophet of many miracles. 2 Kings 2–13
Isaiah — prophet of judgement and of the suffering servant. Isaiah
Jeremiah — the weeping prophet of Judah’s fall. Jeremiah; Lamentations
Baruch — Jeremiah’s faithful scribe. Jeremiah 36, 45
Ezekiel — prophet of strange visions among the exiles. Ezekiel
Hosea — prophet of God’s love for unfaithful Israel. Hosea
Joel — prophet of the day of the Lord and the outpoured Spirit. Joel
Amos — the shepherd-prophet against injustice. Amos
Obadiah — prophet of an oracle against Edom. Obadiah
Jonah — the reluctant prophet sent to Nineveh. Jonah
Micah — prophet who called Israel to do justly and love mercy. Micah
Nahum — prophet of the fall of Nineveh. Nahum
Habakkuk — who questioned God and learned to live by faith. Habakkuk
Zephaniah — prophet of the coming day of the Lord. Zephaniah
Haggai — who urged the returned exiles to rebuild the Temple. Haggai
Zechariah — prophet of visions and of the coming king. Zechariah
Malachi — the last prophet of the Old Testament. Malachi

Exile, return and the wisdom books

Nebuchadnezzar — king of Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem. 2 Kings 24–25; Daniel
Daniel — faithful exile and visionary in the Babylonian court. Daniel
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego — Daniel’s friends saved from the furnace. Daniel 1–3
Belshazzar — Babylon’s last king, who saw the writing on the wall. Daniel 5
Darius the Mede — who cast Daniel into the lions’ den. Daniel 6
Cyrus — the Persian king who freed the exiles to return. 2 Chronicles 36; Ezra 1
Zerubbabel — the governor who rebuilt the Temple. Ezra 3–5; Haggai
Jeshua — the high priest of the return. Ezra 3; Zechariah 3
Ezra — the priest-scribe who restored the Law. Ezra 7–10; Nehemiah 8
Nehemiah — the governor who rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls. Nehemiah
Esther — the Jewish queen of Persia who saved her people. Esther
Mordecai — Esther’s cousin and guardian. Esther
Ahasuerus (Xerxes) — the Persian king, Esther’s husband. Esther
Haman — the villain who plotted the Jews’ destruction. Esther
Vashti — the queen Ahasuerus deposed. Esther 1
Job — the righteous man who suffered and questioned God. Job

The Gospels: Jesus, his family and forerunner

Jesus of Nazareth — the Messiah and Son of God; the centre of the New Testament. the four Gospels
Mary — the mother of Jesus. Matthew 1–2; Luke 1–2
Joseph — the carpenter of Nazareth, Jesus’ earthly father. Matthew 1–2; Luke 2
John the Baptist — the forerunner who baptised Jesus. the Gospels
Zechariah — the priest, father of John the Baptist. Luke 1
Elizabeth — mother of John, kinswoman of Mary. Luke 1
Simeon — who blessed the infant Jesus in the Temple. Luke 2
Anna — the aged prophetess who saw the child Jesus. Luke 2
Herod the Great — the king who sought to kill the infant Jesus. Matthew 2
Herod Antipas — tetrarch who beheaded John and questioned Jesus. Mark 6; Luke 23
Herodias — who schemed the death of John the Baptist. Mark 6
Pontius Pilate — the Roman governor who condemned Jesus. the Gospels
Caiaphas — the high priest who handed Jesus to Pilate. Matthew 26; John 18

The Twelve and close followers

Peter (Simon) — the fisherman, leader of the apostles. the Gospels; Acts
Andrew — Peter’s brother, who first followed Jesus. John 1; Mark 1
James (son of Zebedee) — apostle, the first of the Twelve to be martyred. Mark 1; Acts 12
John — the beloved disciple; evangelist and seer. the Gospels; Revelation
Philip — an apostle from Bethsaida. John 1, 6, 14
Nathanael (Bartholomew) — ‘an Israelite in whom is no guile’. John 1
Thomas — the apostle who doubted until he saw. John 20
Matthew (Levi) — the tax collector turned apostle and evangelist. Matthew 9
James (son of Alphaeus), Simon the Zealot and Thaddaeus — the remaining members of the Twelve. Mark 3
Judas Iscariot — who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. the Gospels
Matthias — chosen to replace Judas among the Twelve. Acts 1
Mary Magdalene — follower and first witness of the resurrection. the Gospels
Martha — the busy sister of Mary and Lazarus at Bethany. Luke 10; John 11
Mary of Bethany — who anointed Jesus’ feet and sat at them. John 11–12
Lazarus — raised by Jesus after four days in the tomb. John 11
Nicodemus — the Pharisee who came to Jesus by night. John 3, 19
Joseph of Arimathea — who buried Jesus in his own tomb. the Gospels
Zacchaeus — the tax collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus. Luke 19

Acts and the early church

Stephen — the first Christian martyr. Acts 6–7
Philip the evangelist — who preached in Samaria and to the Ethiopian. Acts 6, 8
Paul (Saul) — the persecutor turned apostle to the Gentiles. Acts; the epistles
Ananias of Damascus — who restored Paul’s sight. Acts 9
Barnabas — ‘son of encouragement’, Paul’s first companion. Acts 4, 9–15
Cornelius — the Roman centurion, first Gentile convert. Acts 10
James — brother of Jesus, leader of the Jerusalem church. Acts 15; James
Silas — Paul’s companion on his journeys. Acts 15–18
Timothy — Paul’s young protege and co-worker. Acts 16; 1–2 Timothy
Titus — Paul’s co-worker, sent to Crete. 2 Corinthians; Titus
Luke — the physician, author of the Gospel and Acts. Colossians 4; 2 Timothy 4
(John) Mark — companion of Paul and Peter; the evangelist. Acts 12–15
Lydia — the dealer in purple, first convert in Europe. Acts 16
Priscilla and Aquila — the tentmaking couple who taught Apollos. Acts 18
Apollos — the eloquent preacher from Alexandria. Acts 18–19
Gamaliel — the Pharisee teacher who counselled restraint; Paul’s teacher. Acts 5, 22
Ananias and Sapphira — struck dead for their lie to the church. Acts 5
Dorcas (Tabitha) — the disciple raised by Peter. Acts 9
Agabus — the prophet who foretold famine and Paul’s arrest. Acts 11, 21
Felix, Festus and Agrippa — the Roman rulers who heard Paul’s defence. Acts 24–26

The letters and Revelation

Philemon — the slave-owner Paul wrote to on Onesimus’ behalf. Philemon
Onesimus — the runaway slave, now ‘a beloved brother’. Philemon
Phoebe — the deacon who carried Paul’s letter to Rome. Romans 16
Epaphras — who brought the gospel to Colossae. Colossians 1, 4
Demas — the co-worker who deserted Paul. 2 Timothy 4
Diotrephes — who ‘loves to be first’ and rejected John. 3 John
Gaius — the hospitable believer commended by John. 3 John

These are the named figures who carry the story; scripture holds many more, down to the long genealogies. To meet them in their own words, in the original languages beside an English translation, see the Bible — and for where each one stands in the larger story, the Bible timeline.