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Bible Characters at ONTU.org. The Bible is not completely written in chronological order of events. The timeline skips around. This article shall outline events as they happen in the Bible, rather than chronological order. This way you can compare this list to your Bible, the events happen in the same order.

See: http://ontu.org/w/doku.php?id=bible:bible_characters_alternative
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This page is the complete listing from the original site christcenteredmall.com with some simplification added. Preserved here to ensure it's never deleted.
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* This backup content is from the amazing website: christcenteredmall.com/profiles/alphabetized-list.htm
* The only changes I've made are minimal grammar and punctuation.
* This article lists all the characters of the Bible.
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Abishai
* Name Means: “Father of a gift” or “source of wealth.”
* Family: Was the oldest son of David's sister Zeruiah; brother of Joab and Asahel (I Chronicles 2:16).
* Occupation: Military officer under David; numbered among David's “mighty men” as an important warrior (I Chronicles 11:20-21).
* Best Known As: The impetuous warrior whom David had to restrain from killing sleeping Saul (I Samuel 26:6-9) and spiteful Shimei (II Samuel 16:9-11). The account of Abishai is entirely one of warfare; he assisted Joab in killing Abner (II Samuel 2:18, 24, 3:30); prevailed over the Ammonites and Edomites (II Samuel 10:9-14, I Chronicles 18:12-13); helped defeat the rebellious Absalom (II Samuel 18:5-8); and killed a giant who thought to extinguish David (II Samuel 21:15-17).
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Abraham
* Also Known As: Abram (“exalted father”).
* Name Means: “Father of many” or “father of multitudes.”
* Homes: Ur of the Chaldeans; Haran; the land of Canaan; Egypt; Beersheba in the land of the Philistines.
* Family: Had a wife named Sarah and a son named Isaac. He also had a son named Ishmael born through Sarai's maid Hagar.
* Occupation: Shepherd & Herdsman.
* Best Known As: The patriarch of ancient Israel and the one to whom and through whom God promised blessing to all nations.
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Ahaziah
* Name Means: “The Lord has grasped.”
* Don't Confuse: With a king of Judah named Ahaziah who ruled for one year (841 B.C.).
* Home: Samaria.
* Family: Was the son of Ahab; brother of Jehoram, who succeeded him to the throne after he died without leaving an heir.
* Occupation: King of Israel (853-852 B.C.).
* Best Known As: The king who died as a result of a fall through his upper room lattice. He continued his father Ahab's wicked ways, even to the point of consulting a Philistine idol after his injuries. For this he was condemned by the prophet Elijah. He attempted to nullify this word by taking Elijah captive, but the prophesy was validated when Elijah called down fire from heaven to consume tow military units sent to arrest him.
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Ahithophel
* Name Means: “Brother of foolishness.”
* Home: Giloh, near Hebron, in the hill country of Judah (II Samuel 15:12).
* Family: Was the father of Eliam, one of David's “mighty men” and numbered among the “thirty” (II Samuel 23:34); possibly the grandfather of Bathsheba (II Samuel 11:3); which might help explain his defection to Absalom.
* Occupation: Advisor to King David and later to his son Absalom (II Samuel 16:23).
* Best Known As: David's counselor who sided with Absalom in his ill-fated rebellion, then committed suicide when it became apparent that Absalom had decided to follow another man's bad advice (II Samuel 15:12, 17:23). One piece of Ahithophel's advice that Absalom did take was to lie with David's concubines (II Samuel 16:21), an act which fulfilled Nathan's prophecy (II Samuel 12:11-12) and in effect meant that Absalom was assuming the throne (II Samuel 3:7).
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Amos
* Name Means: “Burden bearer.”
* Home: Tekoa, a town about 10 miles south of Jerusalem.
* Occupation: Sheepbreeder, sycamore cultivator, and prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II.
* Best Known As: The prophet who denounced the northern kingdom of Israel for its idolatry, injustice, corruption, and oppression of the poor. Amos' nine warnings of the Lord's judgment came to pass when Assyria overran Israel a generation later.
* Warnings: Amos issued nine warnings:
Flee from cruelty.
Don't forsake God's laws.
Don't worship wealth.
Heed God's chastisements.
Flee false religious practices.
Beware of false security.
Don't disdain God's spokesmen.
Don't revile God's holy days.
Don't flee from God.
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Ananias and Sapphira
* Names Mean: “God is gracious” (Ananias) and “beautiful” (Sapphira).
* Don't Confuse: With Ananias, the disciple in Damascus, who was the first believer to visit Saul after his dramatic conversion (Acts 9:10)or with Ananias the high priest (Acts 23:2).
* Best Known: For lying to Peter about donating money to the church and being struck dead by the Holy Spirit for their deception.

Asahel
* Name Means: “God acted” or “God made.”
* Family Youngest son of Zeruiah; brother of Joab and Abishai.
* Occupation: Commander in David's army.
* Best Known As: Being a fleet-footed individual who pursued Abner as he fled following his defeat in Gibeon. Unable to dissuade Asahel from pursuing him, Abner slew him; an act which led to the murder of Abner by Asahel's brother Joab.
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Balaam
* Name Means: “The clan brings forth.”
* Home: Pethor, several miles of Carchemish on the Euphrates River.
* Family: Was the son of Beor.
* Occupation: A soothsayer who used magical arts in attempts to discover information about the future.
* Of Special Interest: When Balaam received cattle and sheep from Balak, king of Moab, the intention may have been to use their livers in the occult practice of divining the future. This art, which is one of its several varieties involved studying the color and configuration of animal livers, was commonly practiced by Babylonian sorcerers. However, Balaam abandoned the ritual when he realized that God was determined to bless Israel.
* Best Known For: The incident with his donkey which was enabled by God to speak, leading to Balaam's submission to communicating only the Lord's message to Balak.
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Belshazzar
* Name Means: “Bel, protect the king!”
* Also Known As: Baltasar.
* Home: Babylon.
* Family: Was the son of Nabonidus; possibly a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, though the terms “father” and “son” may indicate royal succession.
* Occupation: Ruled Babylon under Nabonidus, who left his son in control while he campaigned for ten years in Arabia.
* Best Known As: The king who hosted a banquet during which a hand appeared and wrote his doom on the wall.
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Cornelius
* Home: Stationed in Caesarea, Rome's administrative center in Palestine.
* Occupation: Centurion. A Roman officer was designated a centurion if he oversaw at least 100 soldiers. As head of the Italian Regiment, he probably had about 600 men under his command.
* Known to Be: God-fearing, prayerful, and generous. He was drawn to Jewish monotheism as opposed to the pagan idolatry and immorality common among Romans of the day.
* Best Known As: The second recorded Gentile convert to Christianity (an Ethiopian treasurer was first). He sent men to fetch Simon Peter, 36 miles away, in response to a vision from God.
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Daniel
* Name Means: “God is my judge.”
* Also Known As: “Belteshazzar.”
* Home: Probably Jerusalem, until he was deported to Babylon in 605 B.C.
* Occupation: Prophet and advisor to Babylonian and Median rulers.
* Best Known As: The Source of one of the four major (larger) prophetic books in the Old Testament (the other three being Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel).
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David
Name Means “Beloved, friend.”
Home Bethlehem during his youth; probably Gibeah while he served Saul; Ziklag during much of the time while Saul pursued him; Hebron during the first seven years of his reign; Jerusalem during the rest of his reign.
Family Was a son of Jesse, a descendant of Judah; had seven brothers and two sisters; married to numerous wives and concubines, including Saul's daughter Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba; father of numerous sons and daughters, including Absalom and David's successor, Solomon; ancestor of Jesus.
Occupation Shepherd, court musician, military commander under King Saul, and king of Israel.
Best Known As The king under whom the Israelite monarchy was firmly established; most significant ancestor was Jesus Christ. Also known for killing Goliath, the Philistine giant of Gath, with a stone from his slingshot.
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Deborah
Name Means “Bee.”
Home Between Bethel and Ramah, in the hill country of Ephraim.
Family Was the wife of Lapidoth.
Occupation Prophetess and judge.
Best Known For Leading the people of Israel to victory over the armies of the Canaanite general Sisera, after which she and her general, Barak, sang a victory song, and the nation experienced 40 years of peace.
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Elisha
* Name Means “God is salvation.”
* Don't Confuse With Elijah, his predecessor (I Kings 17:1).
* Home Abel Meholah (I Kings 19:16), a city in the Jordan River valley, halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea.
* Family Was the son of Shaphat.
* Occupation Prophet in Israel between about 850 and 800 B.C.
* Best Known As The successor to Elijah the prophet and the benefactor of a “double portion” of Elijah's spirit (II Kings 2:9).
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Enoch
* Name Means “Dedicated.”
* Family Was the son of Jared, a descendant of Seth; father of Methuselah.
* Of special note After the Babylonian exile, legends began to circulate claiming that Enoch was the father of writing, and that he had received divine revelations.
* Best Known For Walking with God until “God took him,” meaning that he was translated into God's presence without dying, as was the prophet Elijah. The New Testament honors Enoch as an example of outstanding faith.
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Esther
* Name Means “Star.”
* Home The palace at Shushan (capital of Persia).
* Family Was the orphan daughter of Abihail and an unnamed mother; adopted by her cousin Mordecai of the tribe of Benjamin; became part of a royal harem and eventually married Ahasuerus, the king of Persia.
* Occupation Queen of Persia.
* Best Known For Saving her people the Jews from genocide by boldly speaking up before King Ahasuerus and exploiting Haman's plot to destroy them.
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Eve the First Woman
* Name Means “Life-giving.”
* Also Known As Woman (Genesis 2:23).
* Home Originally the Garden of Eden, from which she and Adam were expelled after they disobeyed God's command.
* Family Was the wife of Adam; mother of three known sons: Cain, Abel, and Seth, as well as many unnamed sons and daughters.
* Occupation Originally tended the Garden of Eden with Adam.
* Best Known As The first woman, and the person who first tasted of the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-6).
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Ezekiel
* Name Means “God strengthens.”
* Also Called “Son of man,” a term used 93 times in the Book of Ezekiel.
* Home Tel Abib, near the Chebar River in Babylon.
* Family Was the son of Buzi, probably a priest in the line of Zadok; married to an unnamed woman whose death coincided with the beginning of the final siege of Jerusalem around 588 B.C.
* Occupation Priest and prophet.
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Gad
* Name Means “Good fortune.”
* Occupation Prophet of Israel.
* Best Known As The prophet who advised David as he fled from Saul (I Samuel 22:5) and brought God's options for punishment after David took a census of Israel (II Samuel 22:11-14).
* Gad also brought David God's orders to build an altar, apparently on the site of the future Temple (II Samuel 24:18-19); and he assisted in showing David God's plan for Temple worship (II Chronicles 29:25).
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Gideon
* Name Means “Hewer” or “smiter.”
* Also Known As Jerubbaal (“Baal fighter” or “let Baal contend”) and Jerubbesheth (“let shame contend”).
* Home Ophrah, probably in the Valley of Jezreel.
* Family Was the son of Joash; was the father of seventy sons by several wives and of Abimelech by his Canaanite concubine.
* Occupation Judge & Wheat farmer.
* Best Known As The military leader of a small force of 300 Israelites whom God used to rout the Midianites.
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Goliath the Giant
* Family Perhaps descended from the Anakim, warriors of Palestine known for their extraordinary height; possibly the father of four sons.
* Home Gath, a Philistine city.
* Occupation Warrior, described as a “champion.”
* Best Known As The Philistine giant felled by a stone thrown from David's slingshot.
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Gomer
* Name Means “Complete, enough, or burning coal.”
* Also Known As Woman (Genesis 2:23).
* Family Daughter of Diblaim and wife of Hosea the prophet (Hosea 1:3).
* Occupation Harlot.
* Best Known As “A wife of whoredoms” (Hosea 1:2). Various explanations have been offered for that designation. Some have maintained that she was a common prostitute. Others have maintained that she was a cultic prostitute in the service of Baal. Some have suggested she symbolized Israel's worship of many gods.
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Habakkuk
* Name Means “Embraced by God.”
* Occupation Prophet of the Lord and possibly a temple musician or singer as well.
* Best Known As The prophet whose “burden” is given in the Book of Habakkuk. He decided to trust God, no matter how desperate things appeared; even when Judah was about to fall to the idolatrous Babylonians.
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Haman
* Home Shushan (Susa), a royal city of the Persians.
* Family Was the son of Hammedatha, called “the Agagite,” probably descended from Agag, king of Amalek.
* Occupation Second-in-command to King Ahasuerus until replaced by Mordecai, his enemy.
* Best Known For< Plotting the destruction of Mordecai and the Jews, only to have his evil intentions exposed by Esther, after which he was executed on the very gallows intended for Mordecai.
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Hannah
* Name Means “Grace.”
* Home Ramathaim Zophim (Ramah), said to be in the mountains of Ephraim.
* Family Was one of two wives of Elkanah of the tribe of Ephraim; mother of Samuel, three other sons, and two daughters.
* Occupation Homemaker.
* Best Known As The mother of Samuel, who was conceived after Hannah earnestly prayed for a son, vowing to dedicate him as a Nazirite to the Lord.
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Hosea
* Name Means “Deliverance.”
* Home Probably Israel, perhaps Samaria.
* Family Was the son of Beeri; husband of Gomer, a prostitute; father of two sons, Jezreel and Lo-Ammi, and a daughter, Lo-Ruhamah.
* Occupation Prophet (c. 755-710 B.C.)
* Best Known As The principle prophet to Israel in the years just prior to its fall to Assyria (c. 722 B.C.)
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Huldah
* Name Means “Weasel.”
* Home Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter (possibly meaning the western portion of the city).
* Family Was the wife of Shallum, and official of either the royal court or the temple.
* Occupation Prophetess.
* Best Known For Being sought out by messengers from King Josiah who reported on the rediscovered Book of the Law and prophesying that judgment would come on Judah and Jerusalem following Josiah's death.
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Hushai
* Name Means “Quick.”
* Occupation Advisor (Secretary of State).
* Best Known As A friend of King David who was sent by David to deceive Absalom. His counsel to Absalom bought time for David to establish new headquarters and gather forces for new strategy.
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Isaiah
* Name Means “The Lord has saved.”
* Home Believed to be Jerusalem.
* Family May have been related to the royal house of Judah; married to a woman he called the “prophetess”; father of two sons, Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.
* Occupation Official of King Uzziah of Judah; later called by God to be a prophet.
* Best Known As An Old Testament prophet who vividly predicted the coming of the Messiah.
* Special Interest May have been executed by the wicked King Manasseh by being placed in a log that was then sawed in two.
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Jael
Name Means “Mountain goat.”
Family Was the wife of Heber the Kenite (Judges 4:17).
Best Known For receiving the Canaanite leader Sisera as he fled following his defeat by the Israelites under Deborah and Barak. Jael assassinated Sisera. Her action is celebrated in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:24-27).
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James
Don't Confuse With James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus, two of the 12 disciples; James the Less, the son of Mary and brother of Joses; James the father of Judas.
Home Probably Nazareth.
Family His father was probably Joseph; his mother was Mary; his older brother was Jesus; younger brothers were Joses, Judas, and Simon; he had sisters whom Scripture does not name.
Occupation Unknown, but since his father and Jesus were carpenters, he may have been a carpenter also.
Best Known For Leading the church at Jerusalem and writing the book of James.
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Jeremiah
Name Means “The Lord exalts.”
Home Anathoth, a Levitical city a few miles northeast of Jerusalem.
Family Was the son of Hilkiah the priest.
Occupation Prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah in the late 7th and 6th centuries B.C.
Best Known As The “weeping prophet” whose tearful confessions and anguish of soul sometimes called for redress against personal enemies, giving rise to the term 'jeremiad.' Jeremiah's message of Jerusalem's impending fall made many enemies and few friends. He was often imprisoned. Some traditions hold that he died in Egypt, where he was taken against his protests by the survivors of the siege of Jerusalem. Others suggest that he was removed from Egypt to Babylon after the Babylonian invasion in 583 B.C.
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Jezebel
Don't Confuse With a prophetess of Thyatira who enticed Christians in that church to commit sexual sins and idolatry (Revelation 2:20).
Home Originally from Tyre and Sidon; lived in Samaria (I Kings 16:24) after marrying Ahab.
Family Was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians and priest of Melqart, the local name for Baal; married Ahab of Israel (I Kings 16:31) in what was probably a political marriage by Ahah's father Omri.
Occupation Queen of Israel.
Notorious for Her devotion to Baal (or Melqart), as evidenced by the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah that she employed (I Kings 18:19); and for her influence over Ahab, as evidenced by the idols which she influenced him to set up (I Kings 16:32-33) and the murder of Naboth that she persuaded him to commit (I Kings 21:1-29).
Best Known For Her determination to kill the prophet Elijah, which caused him to flee for his life to Mount Horeb (I Kings 19:1-8).
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Joab
Name Means “Yahweh is Father.”
Home Egypt.
Family Was the eldest son of Zeruiah, David's sister or half sister, making him David's nephew; brother of Abishai and Asahel.
Occupation Commander of David's army, a position he held for many years.
Best Known As David's cunning military strategist and ruthless field marshal.
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Jochebed
Name Means “The Lord is our glory.”
Home Egypt.
Family Was from the tribe of Levi; wife of her nephew Amram; mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
Occupation Homemaker; later a servant to Pharoah's daughter.
Best Known For Finding a way to save her son from Pharoah's command to kill all Hebrew newborn boys, and then becoming his nanny under Pharoah's daughter.
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John the Baptist
Name Means “Yahweh has been gracious.”
Often Confused With the Old Testament prophet Elijah.
Home Born and raised in a town of Judah, but lived most of his adult life in the Judean wilderness, near the Jordan River.
Family Was the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth.
Occupation Preacher and prophet.
Best Known For Preparing the way for Jesus the Messiah.
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John Mark
Often Confused With John, one of the Twelve and a close friend of Jesus.
Family Was the son of Mary, who owned a house in Jerusalem where the church often prayed; cousin to Barnabas. Peter referred to Mark as his “son.”
Background His family was wealthy enough to own a large home with at least one servant. They frequently hosted gatherings of believers.
Best Known For Leaving Paul and Barnabas on their first gospel tour after visiting Cyprus; later writing the Gospel that bears his name, Mark.
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Jonah
Name Means “Dove.”
Home Gath Hepher, a city about 15 miles west of the Sea of Galilee, in the territory of Zebulun.
Family Was the son of Amittai.
Occupation Prophet in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II.
Best Known As The prophet who survived being swallowed by a fish before preaching repentance to Nineveh.
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Jonathan
Name Means “The Lord has given.”
Home Gibeah, in the territory of Benjamin.
Family Was the son of King Saul and presumably of his wife, Ahinoam; had two brothers named Jishui and Malchishua, and two sisters named Merab and Michal; father of Mephibosheth.
Occupation As Saul's heir, a commander in the military.
Best Known For His devoted friendship with and loyalty to David.
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Joshua
Name Means “The Lord is salvation.”
Home Timnath Serah located in the mountains of Ephraim.
Family Was the son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim.
Occupation Military commander.
Best Known As The successor to Moses.
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Joshua the Priest
Name Means “The Lord is salvation.”
Occupation High priest of Israel during the return from the Babylonian captivity.
Best Known As The high priest who stood before the Lord and was given a clean turban and garments to replace his filthy clothes thus symbolizing the removal of iniquity from his life (Zechariah 3:1-5).
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Luke
Name Means “The Beloved Physician.”
Home Possibly Antioch of Syria; later Philippi and other cities where Christian communities were started.
Background Born into a cultured, educated Gentile family.
Occupation Primarily a physician, though he became a historian and author, and even did some evangelism.
Best Known For Writing about ¼ of the New Testament (Luke and Acts). His works emphasize the impact of the gospel on people considered to be 'second class' in Jewish culture at the time – Gentiles, women, the poor – as well as the topics of prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit.
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Mary
Also Known As: Miryam (of Nazareth); the Virgin.
Don't Confuse With: Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus; Mary, the mother of James and Joses; and Mary, the mother of John Mark.
Home: Nazareth.
Family: Married to Joseph; their family included four other sons - James, Joses, Judas, and Simon - as well as daughters; she was a relative of Elizabeth (John the Baptist's mother).
Occupation: Homemaker.
Best Known As: The mother of Jesus.
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Mary Magdalene
Also Known As: Mary of Magdala.
Name Means: “Rebellious, bitter.”
Home: Magdala, an important agricultural, fishing, and trade center of ancient Galilee.
Occupation: Loyal supporter of Jesus.
Best Known For: Being freed from seven demons by Jesus and becoming one of His most devoted followers. She was witness to Jesus' crucifixion, burial, the empty tomb, and resurrection.
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Michal
Name Means: “Who is like God?”
Home: Probably grew up in Gibeah.
Family: Was the daughter of King Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin; younger sister of Merab; wife of David, who won her hand in marriage by single-handedly killing 100 Philistines; during David's exile, was given in marriage to Palti, the son of Laish, but was later restored to David; childless to the day of her death, although she is said in some manuscripts to have brought up five sons.
Occupation: Homemaker.
Best Known As: The wife of David who saved her husband from being murdered by assassins sent by her father Saul, but who later despised her husband for “uncovering himself” as he leaped and danced with joy while bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.
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Miriam
Name Means: “Beloved” (in Egyptian).
Home: Was born in Egypt, where she lived for more than 80 years before leaving in the Exodus; shed died at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.
Family: Was the daughter of Amram and Jochebed; older sister of Aaron and Moses; one later tradition holds that she was married to Caleb (see Joshua 14:6), while Josephus considered her the wife of Hur, a leader appointed by Moses (Exodus 17:10).
Of Special Interest: The name Miriam (or Mary) became popular among the Jews, perhaps in honor of Miriam's role in the Exodus.
Achievements: Led the women of Israel in worship through song and dance after God brought them through the Red Sea, rescuing them from the Egyptians.
Best Known As: Moses' sister, probably the one who stood watch when his mother placed him in a small reed boat, and the one who told Pharaoh's daughter that she knew a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby; also known for being struck with leprosy after siding with her brother Aaron in challenging Moses' marriage, and probably his leadership as well.
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Moses
Name Means “To draw forth.”
Home Egypt for 40 years; Midian (near the eastern Sinai Peninsula) for 40 years; the Widerness of Sinai for 40 years.
Family His father was Amram and his mother was Jochebed. Had an older sister named Miriam and a younger brother named Aaron. He was raised by an Egyptian princess, the daughter of Pharaoh.
Occupation Probably a royal ruler in Egypt; in Midian, a shepherd; later the leader of God's people and a prophet who received and delivered the Law to Israel.
Of Special Interest Received his calling when encountering God in a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire.
Best Known As The man who delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt and gave the nation God's Law.
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Nathan
Name Means “Gift.”
Don't Confuse With six other figures in the Bible named Nathan, including a son of David by Bathsheba who is listed by Luke as an ancestor of Christ.
Home Jerusalem.
Occupation Prophet during the reign of King David.
Best Known For Confronting David with a parable that exposed the king's sings of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah.
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Nebuchadnezzar II
Name Means “O (god) Nabu, protect my son!”
Also Known As Nebuchadrezzar.
Home Babylon.
Family Was the eldest son of Nabopolassar; married to Nitocris and Amytis; father of at least three sons, including Evil-Merodach (Amel-Marduk), his successor.
Occupation King of Babylon (605-562 B.C.).
Achievements Extensive rebuilding of Babylon, including the Ishtar Gate, a ziggurat, canals, the “hanging gardens,” and other architectural achievements that were among the wonders of the ancient world; the new Babylon was vast for its day being about 200 square miles.
Best Known For Capturing Jerusalem (c. 587 B.C).
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Nehemiah
* Name Means “The Lord comforts.”
* Home Known to live at one or two palaces in Shushan; later Jerusalem.
* Noted For Deep piety and prayer; leadership and organizational ability; compassion for his people; impeccable integrity.
* Occupation Cupbearer to the Persian king Antaxerxes I; oversaw the rebuilding of the wall at Jerusalem; twice served as governor of Jerusalem.
* Best Known For Returning from Persia to Jerusalem to lead an effort to rebuild the city wall, a project which he completed in 52 days despite heavy opposition; also instituted social and political reforms, including the repopulation of Jerusalem, a ban on marriage to pagans, and the elimination of charging interest on loans.
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Othniel
* Family: Was the son of Kenaz; nephew as well as son-in-law of Caleb; husband of Achsah.
* Occupation: “Judge” or deliverer of Israel.
* Best Known For: Being the first of Israel's judges. He served for 40 years after overthrowing the oppressive Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia.
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Paul
* Also Known As: Saul, his Jewish name, perhaps given in memory of Israel's first king, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, to which Paul's family belonged; but following his conversion he was known as Paul.
* Home: Born at Tarsus; brought up in Jerusalem. Later settled in Antioch of Syria, but traveled throughout the Roman Empire, with extended stays in Corinth and Ephesus.
* Family: Saul was a Jew but was born a Roman citizen, which means his father, who was a Pharisee must have been a Roman citizen before him. Luke mentions that Paul had a sister and a nephew in Acts 23:16.
* Occupation: Tentmaker by trade; trained as a Pharisee under Rabbi Gamaliel, he became the Jewish council's chief agent of anti-Christian activity before his conversion on the road to Damascus.
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* Paul became a leader in the church, its most well-known and widely traveled spokesperson, and a major New Testament writer.
* Life-Changing Experience: A vision of Christ on the Damascus road, which led to his conversion and call as an apostle.
* Best Known As: The apostle to the Gentiles.
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Peter
* Also Known As Simon (his given name); renamed Cephas (Aramaic), or Peter (Greek), or “The Rock” or “Rocky” (English) by Jesus.
* Home Bethsaida and Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.
* Family Was the son of Jonah; his younger brother was Andrew; he was married, and his wife traveled with him as he spread the message about Jesus.
* Occupation Commerical fisherman; later one of Jesus' first representatives.
* Best Known For His declaration that Jesus was the Christ, and his denial of Christ.
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Pharaoh
* Name Means “Great house.”
* Home Egypt.
* Occupation Ruler.
* Best Known As The hardened-hearted pharaoh under whose reign occured two major events: 7 catastrophic plagues and the exodus across the Red Sea by the Israelites.
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Philip's Daughters
* Number: Philip had 4 daughters.
* Home: Caeserea.
* Best Known For: Breaking the cultural norm of being wives and mothers, perhaps choosing to remain single in order to carry out their prophetic work.

Rebekah
* Name Means: “To tie fast.”
* Home: Originally Haran (“the city of Nahor”); then Beer Lahai Roi (“the well of the Living One”), Gerar, and other locations in Canaan after marrying Isaac.
* Family: Was the daughter of Bethuel, Abraham's nephew; wife of Isaac; mother of Esau and Jacob.
* Occupation: Homemaker.
* Best Known For: Masterminding the deception by which Jacob obtained Isaac's blessing.
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Ruth
* Name Means “Friendship” or “Refreshment.”
* Home Born in Moab, but relocated with her mother-in-law Naomi to Bethlehem in Judah after the death of her husband.
* Family Was the wife and widow of Mahlon; remarried Boaz by an extension of levirate marriage; gave birth to a son, Obed, who figuratively was called the son of Naomi; was an ancestor of David and Jesus Christ.
* Occupation Originally a homemaker, later a maidservant of Boaz; and finally a homemaker again.
* Best Known For Insisting that her mother-in-law Naomi allow her to come to Bethlehem, in order that Naomi's people, the Israelites, could become Ruth's people, and Naomi's God could become Ruth's God.
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Samson the Strong
* Name Means: “Distinguished.”
* Home: Born at Zorah in the region of Dan, on the border between Israel and the territory of the Philistines.
* Family: Was the son of Manoah and an unnamed, previously childless woman; married to a Philistine woman from Timnah, but deserted her after one week; consorted with but probably did not marry a woman named Delilah.
* Occupation: A “judge” or deliverer of Israel.
* Best Known For: His miraculous strength, by which he harassed the Philistines, and his long hair was the secret of his strength.
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Samuel
* Name Means “Name of God.”
* Home Ramah in the mountains of Ephraim north of Jerusalem.
* Family Was the oldest son of Elkanah and Hannah; had three brothers and two sisters, plus half brothers and half sisters; raised by Eli the priest of Shiloh.
* Occupation Judge and prophet in Israel.
* Point of Interest Dedicated to the Lord according to a Nazirite vow by his mother even before he was born.
* Best Known As The last of the judges and the first of the prophets (not including Moses) who anointed King Saul and King David.
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Sarah
* Name Means Traditionally, “my princess” (Sarai), until the Lord changed her name to Sarah meaning “princess.”
* Home Originally Ur in Mesopotamia; later Haran, and eventually Canaan.
* Family Was half sister to her husband, Abraham; they had the same father but different mothers; mother of Isaac.
* Best Known As Bearing a promised son, Isaac, after she was pat the childbearing years.
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Simeon
* Name Means “God hears.”
* Home Jerusalem.
* Best Known As A just and devout man of old age who had a close walk with the Holy Spirit. As promised by God, Simeon (before seeing death) took up the Christ child in his arms and blessed Him in the temple.
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Saul
* Name Means “Asked (of God).”
* Don't Confuse With another man in the Old Testament named Saul (Genesis 36:37, I Chronicles 1:48-49) or the New Testament figure Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul (Acts 13:2-3).
* Home Gibeah, three miles north of Jerusalem in the territory of Benjamin.
* Family Was the son of Kish, a prominent Benjamite (I Samuel 9:1); father of several sons presumably by his wife Ahinoam, including his heir Jonathan (I Samuel 14:49-51, I Chronicles 8:33), of two sons by his concubine Rizpah (II Samuel 21:8), and of two daughters, Merab and Michal (I Samuel 14:49).
* Occupation King of Israel.
* Best Known As The first king of Israel, whose disobedience resulted in the Lord's appointment of David to the throne (I Samuel 16:12-13).
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Zephaniah
* Name Means “The Lord has hidden,” perhaps reflecting the likelihood that Zephaniah was born during the evil days of King Manasseh.
* Home Probably Jerusalem.
* Family Was a descendent of Hezekiah, probably the king of Judah; was the son of Cushi; probably a cousin and contemporary of King Josiah.
* Occupation Prophet in Judah during the early reign of King Josiah, probably before the spiritual reforms of 621 B.C.
* Best Known As A prophet from the royal family in Judah who warned that the nation's immorality and idolatry made judgment inevitable. However, he also predicted that a penitent remnant would survive the coming judgment and enjoy blessings.
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* This content is here to ensure it never gets deleted. Backed up on Oct 2012. This backup content is mainly from the amazing website: christcenteredmall.com/profiles/alphabetized-list.htm

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Bible Characters who we know the profession and if they are good people.
* Abishai. Military Officer. A Good Person.
* Abraham. Shepherd. A Good Person.
* Ahaziah. King. An Evil Person.
* Ahithophel. Unknown. A Good Person.
* Amos. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Asahel. Military Commander. A Good Person.
* Balaam. Soothsayer. An Evil Person.
* Belshazzar. King. An Evil Person.
* Cornelius. Centurion. A Good Person.
* Daniel. Prophet/Advisor. A Good Person.
* David. Shepherd/King. A Good Person.
* Deborah. Prophetess/Judge. A Good Person.
* Elisha. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Enoch. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Esther. Queen. A Good Person.
* Eve. Helpmate. A Good Person.
* Ezekiel. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Gad. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Gideon. Farmer/Judge. A Good Person.
* Goliath. Warrior. An Evil Person.
* Gomer. Harlot. An Evil Person.
* Habakkuk. Musician/Prophet. A Good Person.
* Haman. Prince. An Evil Person.
* Hannah. Homemaker. A Good Person.
* Hosea. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Huldah. Prophetess. A Good Person.
* Hushai. Advisor. A Good Person.
* Isaiah. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Jael. Unknown. A Good Person.
* James. Unknown. A Good Person.
* Jeremiah. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Jezebel. Queen. An Evil Person.
* Joab. Military Commander. A Good Person.
* Jochebed. Homemaker. A Good Person.
* John Mark. Evangelist/Writer. A Good Person.
* John the Baptist. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Jonah. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Jonathan. Military Commander. A Good Person.
* Joshua. Military Commander. A Good Person.
* Joshua. High Priest. A Good Person.
* Luke. Apostle. A Good Person.
* Malachi New Profile. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Mary. Homemaker. A Good Person.
* Mary Magdalene. Follower. A Good Person.
* Michal. Homemaker. A Good Person.
* Miriam. Dancer. A Good Person.
* Moses. Shepherd/Prophet. A Good Person.
* Nathan. Prophet. A Good Person.
* Nebuchadnezzar. King. An Evil Person.
* Nehemiah. Cupbearer/Governor. A Good Person.
* Othniel. Judge. A Good Person.
* Paul. Apostle/Tentmaker. A Good Person.
* Peter. Apostle/Prophet. A Good Person.
* Pharaoh. King. An Evil Person.
* Phil's Daughters. Prophetesses. A Good Person.
* Rebekah. Homemaker. A Good Person.
* Ruth. Maidservant. A Good Person.
* Samson. Judge. A Good Person.
* Samuel. Judge/Prophet. A Good Person.
* Sapphira. Land Owner. An Evil Person.
* Sarah. Unknown. A Good Person.
* Saul. King. An Evil Person.
* Simeon. Unknown. A Good Person.
* Zephaniah. Prophet.
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bible/bible_characters.txt · Last modified: 2019/02/09 00:18 by reb