Bible Characters Flashcards
Absalom
The third son of David, King of Israel, with his wife Maachah - Described as most handsome man in kingdom - In Book of Samuel, he rebelled against his father and was killed in the Battle of Ephraim Wood
Gideon
Prophet and Judge in Book of Judges - Wins a decisive victory over a Midianite army with a vast numerical disadvantage, leading a troop of 300 men
Samson
Hebrew Judge from Book of Judges with supernatural strength - Kills a lion and slays an army with a jawbone - Weakness to untrustworthy women and powerless without his hair
Deborah (Bible)
Prophet and only female Judge - In Ch. 4 Book of Judges, she led a successful counterattack against the forces of Jabin, king of Canaan, and his military commander Sisera - Ch. 5 details the same, but poetically as The Song of Deborah
Ruth (Bible)
Protagonist of Book of Ruth - Widowed, but stayed by the side of mother-in-law Naomi - Married Boaz by laying at his feet - Great-grandmother of David
Nimrod (Bible)
In Genesis y Chronicles, the son of Cush, grandson of Ham, great-grandson of Noah - Said to be “a mighty warrior on the earth, y a mighty hunter before the Lord” - Extra-biblical sources claim he directed construction of the Tower of Babel - Genesis 10: “The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah and Resen”
Esther (Bible)
Heroine of the Old Testament Book of Esther - A Jewish queen of the Persian king Xerxes I - Thwarts a genocide of all Jews by viceroy Haman (who is hanged on gallows he built), which is celebrated in the festival Purim - Only bible book not to mention God at all
Jonah (Bible)
Old Testament prophet y central character in Book of Jonah - Asked by God to go to city of Nineveh to prophesy against it “for their great wickedness” - Flees instead, y is swallowed by a huge fish for 3 days - Nineveh is saved anyway due to their repentance, which frustrates Jonah deeply
First 10 books of The Old Testament
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- Samuel (1 and 2)
- Kings (1 and 2)
Judas Iscariot
One of the 12 original disciples of Jesus, y son of Simon Iscariot - Known for the kiss y betrayal of Jesus to the Sanhedrin for 30 silver coins - Kiss of Judas took place in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper - Various accounts of his death in the Bible, but the traditional version sees him as having hanged himself following the betrayal
Joesph (Bible)
Important figure in Book of Genesis - Son of Jacob (Israel), who wore a coat of many colors - Sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers - First served as slave to Potiphar, captain of the guard, but seduced by his wife Zuleika y imprisoned - Later proved able to interpret dreams for Pharaoh, y promoted to Vizier - Brought his family to Egypt, where the Israelites lived until the Exodus - Name comes from Hebrew for “increase”
Joseph of Arimathea
The man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion - Mentioned in all four gospels - A wealthy tin merchant who was a secret disciple of Jesus - Medieval legends said he travelled to Britain with the Holy Grail - Venerated as a saint in the Catholic y Orthodox churches
Jacob (Bible)
Patriarch of the Israelites - Changed his name to Israel after wrestling with an angel - Son of Isaac y Rebecca, grandson of Abraham, twin brother of hairy Esau, father of Joseph - His 12 sons became the progenitors of the “Tribes of Israel” - Had dream about Jacob’s Ladder connecting Heaven y Earth
John the Baptist
Aka Prophet Yahya (in the Quran), y John the Forerunner - Jewish itinerant preacher from 1st century CE - Baptized Jesus in River Jordan, y some apostles were previously John’s followers - Called himself the “voice crying in the wilderness” in Gospel of Mark - Beheaded by King Herod at the request of his wife - Revered in many faiths, y considered a precursor of Jesus
Mary Magdalene
A Jewish woman from the town of Magdala who, in the New Testament, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers - Gospels claim Jesus drove 7 demons out of her - Said to have witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, empty tomb, y resurrection - Some non-canonical medieval texts claim she was a repentant prostitute, or Jesus’ wife
