Jezebel
1Kings 16:31, 18:4 - 19, 19:1 - 2, 21:5 - 25, etc.
Jezebel was the wife of evil King Ahab. She is considered one of, if not the greatest, most evil females found in the Old Testament! She encouraged her husband to pursue pagan gods and to lead Israel to do the same. Her evil was so renowned that her name was used in the New Testament as a symbol of someone who leads others into sin (Revelation 2:20). Please see our article on Jezebel for more information.
Joab
1Samuel 26:6, 2Samuel 2:13 - 22, 3:23 - 31, 8:16, 10:7 - 14, etc.
Joab was the son of David's sister and commander of David's army. He had several significant military successes. Joab played a key role in David's plot to have Uriah, Bathsheba's husband, killed in battle to cover up his adultery with her (2Samuel 11). Joab murdered Abner in revenge for the death of his brothers (2Samuel 3). David, because Joab did not support Solomon becoming the next king, commanded his son to kill him (1Kings 2).
Job
Job 1:1 - 42:17, Ezekiel 14:14, 20, James 5:11
It is Job, and not Moses, who wrote the earliest book found in the Bible. He penned his book in the 1660's B.C., more than two hundred years before Moses wrote the Pentateuch.
Job was wealthy and considered righteous when Satan challenged God regarding the sincerity of his obedience (Job 1). The great adversary was allowed to take away Job's possessions and kill his children. After a period of trial and testing (made worse by his "friends"), the Eternal personally confronts Job and causes him to repent. He is considered, by God, to be one of the three most righteous Old Testament people (Ezekiel 14:14, 20).
Joel is one of the Bible's Minor Prophets. Writing from 596 to 586 B.C., his prophecies would parallel what is written in the book of Revelation. Joel discussed God's future judgment and the punishment of mankind.
Jonah
2Kings 14:25, Jonah 1:1 - 17, 2:1, etc.
Jonah, a Minor Prophet who wrote in 798 B.C., was sent to warn Nineveh of their impending judgment for their sins. Although he initially refused to warn the city, God's use of a great fish to confine him in the depths of the sea for three whole days changed his mind! After the fish vomits Jonah onto a beach near Nineveh, he enters the city and does what God wants.
Jonathan
1Samuel 13 - 14, 18 - 20, 23, 31:2, 2Samuel 1, etc.
Jonathan was the son of King Saul who was also a very close personal friend of King David. He died in battle, with his father and some brothers, on Mount Gilboa.
Joseph
Genesis 30:24 - 25, 33:2 - 7, 35:24, 37:2 - 33, etc.
Joseph, whose mother was Rachel, was the eleventh and favorite son of Jacob. He is the person who received the Biblically famous coat of many colors from Jacob (Genesis 37).
After Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers he ended up becoming a prisoner in Egypt. His interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh, revealed to him by God, ultimately leads to him being made overseer of Egypt (Genesis 41). In Egypt he produces two sons named Manasseh and Ephraim. He ultimately saves his entire family by having them move to Egypt to avoid the great famine ravaging the land. See our timeline of Jacob and Joseph for more fascinating info!
Joshua
Exodus 17:9 - 14, 24:13, 32:17, 33:11, Numbers 11:28, etc.
Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. He led and won many battles in order to thrust out many, but not all, of the people who occupied Israel's inheritance. He was instrumental in dividing up Canaan among the tribes of Israel and was Israel's first Judge from 1398 to 1380 B.C.
Josiah
1Kings 13:2, 2Kings 21:24 - 26, 22:1- 3, 23:16 - 34, etc.
Josiah, who reigned for thirty-one years, was one of the best kings of the Kingdom of Judah. He helped restore the true worship of the Lord to Judah. He was fatally wounded in battle by a random arrow.
Judah
Genesis 29:35, 35:23, 37:26, 38:1 - 26, 43:3 - 44, etc.
Judah was Jacob's fourth son by Leah. He interceded to stop his other brothers from killing Joseph (Genesis 37) and instead selling him as a slave. He had incest with his daughter-in-law (Genesis 38). The tribe of Judah took the lead in conquering the Promised Land (Judges 1).
Keturah
Genesis 25:1, 4, 1Chronicles 1:32 - 33
Keturah is reference in the Bible as one of Abraham's concubine. She likely married him after the death of Sarah. Keturah bore Abraham six children whose names were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.
Laban
Genesis 24:29, 50, 25:20, 27:43, 28:2, 5, 29:5 - 29, etc.
Nahor (Abraham's brother) and his family decided to stay in Haran when Abraham left the city for Canaan. One of Nahor's many children was Bethuel (Genesis 22:20 - 22) who would later become the father of Laban (Genesis 24:50, 28:5).
It was Laban's sister Rebekah who would marry Issac and his daughters Rachel and Leah who would marry Jacob. Laban is known for not keeping his promise to Jacob that his daughter Rachel could marry him after only seven years of service (Genesis 29).
Leah
Genesis 29:16 - 32, 30:9 - 20, 31:4 - 33, 33:1 - 7, etc.
Leah was the eldest daughter of Laban. Although Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, Laban deceived him into taking Leah as his first wife (Genesis 29). Leah bore Jacob six boys and a girl whose names were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Isaachar, Zebulun and Dinah.
Levi
Genesis 29:34, 34:25, 30, 35:23, 46:11, 49:5, etc.
Levi was Jacob's third son by Leah. The tribe became dedicated to serving God and his tabernacle during the time of Moses. Although God command they were not to receive an inheritance in the land of Canaan, they did get cities throughout Israel. Their livelihood, because of their service to the Eternal, came through the tithes and offerings made by the other Israelite tribes.
Lot
Genesis 11:27, 31, 12:4 - 5, 13:1 - 14, 14:12 - 16, 19:1 - 36, etc.
Lot's uncle was Abraham. Lot was saved out of Sodom and Gomorrah by two angels before it was destroyed by God. He sadly witnessed his wife turn into a pillar of salt for her disobedience (Genesis 19). Lot's two daughters, after the two sinful cities were destroyed, got him drunk and had sex with him. Their incest produced the founders of the Moabite and Ammonite peoples.
Malachi, the last of the Bible's Minor Prophets, wrote his around 400 B.C. He gave prophecies regarding being prepared for God's Messenger, Jesus Christ. He spoke against divorce, adultery, priestly neglect of duties and robbing the Eternal by not tithing.
Manasseh
Joseph's son: Genesis 41:51, 46:20, 48:1 - 20, 50:23, etc.
King of Judah: 2Kings 20:21, 21:1 - 20, 23;12, 26, 24:3, etc.
Manasseh was the name of one of Joseph's son born in Egypt.
Manasseh is also the name of one of Judah's kings who ruled longer (55 years) than any other monarch of either Israel or Judah. He is consider one of Israel's worst kings as he encouraged the worship of many false gods. He also indulged in witchcraft, worked with evil spirits, and even sacrificed his own son by fire to Moloch (2Kings 21).
Melchizedek (Melchizedec)
Genesis 14:18, Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5:6, 10, 6:20, 7:1 - 21
Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, who name means "king of righteousness" and "king of peace" (Hebrews 7). The Apostle Paul stated that Melchizedek did not have a father or mother, was never born, never died, and is a priest forever. The Bible records that Jesus is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5). Please see our article on Melchizedek for more information.