Category: Biblical People

Short bios of people in the Bible

Biblical People: The Wise Woman from Tekoa

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 20, 2021

Joab seeks an object lesson for King David to encourage him to reconcile with his estranged son, Absalom. Joab sends for a wise woman from Tekoa and coaches her what to say to the king.

The story she skillfully shares with the king—of how one son killed the other and is now on the run—is a ruse. Claiming that her surviving son is being sought for murder, she seeks the king’s protection. Her pretend story parallels David’s real life situation of Absalom killing Amon and then fleeing to another country.

With increasing urgency, three times she asks for David’s support. Three times he promises his protection, each time with increased fervency.

Then, with boldness, she connects her story to King David’s, asking him to follow his own advice and apply it to his estranged son. David suspects Joab’s hand in this and tells Joab to arrange for Absalom’s return.

Playing her part brilliantly, the wise woman from Tekoa sets in motion the homecoming of Absalom. Thanks to her, Joab’s plan works.

With tact and intelligence, we can influence those in leadership. What should we give our voice to?

[Discover more about the wise woman from Tekoa in 2 Samuel 14:1–20.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

Tags Biblical Characters, Wise Woman from Tekoa

Biblical People

Biblical People: Bathsheba

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 20, 2021

Bathsheba, a beautiful woman, is married to Uriah. Despite being a foreigner, Uriah is loyal to the nation of Israel, King David, and God. He is an honorable man, who is off fighting in David’s army.

Back home, David, from his palace rooftop vantage, sees Bathsheba bathing. Both are at fault. David shouldn’t have been looking, and Bathsheba should have been more discrete. David summons her, so he can sleep with her.

If she does so willingly, that makes her an adulteress and David, an adulterer. If she goes because it’s unwise to say “No” to a sovereign king, then David, in effect, rapes her.

Regardless, she becomes pregnant.

To cover up their tryst, David calls Uriah back from the front lines. After two failed attempts to send Uriah home to the arms of his wife, David resorts to plan B. He develops a battle strategy to bring about Uriah’s death.

Uriah unwittingly carries that plan with him when he returns to the front lines. He dies, just as David planned. Bathsheba mourns her husband’s death. Then David marries her.Later, Nathan confronts David for his actions.

Once exposed, David acknowledges his mistakes—adultery and murder—and seeks God. However, their love child becomes sick and dies. Later David and Bathsheba have Solomon. Solomon eventually becomes king, just as David promised Bathsheba. Centuries later, Jesus is born.

He is David and Bathsheba’s direct descendant, through Solomon.

Every pregnancy, whether planned, unplanned, consensual, or forced, carries life and all the potential that life holds.

What can we do to help those with unplanned or unwanted pregnancies?

[Discover more about Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11–12, 1 Kings 1:11–31, Psalm 51, and Matthew 1:6.]

Tags Bathsheba, Biblical Characters

Biblical People

Biblical People: Tamar (2)

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 20, 2021

The story of Tamar is a tragic one. The beautiful daughter of King David catches the eye of her half brother, Amnon, who lusts for her. At the advice of his cousin, Amnon feigns illness and manipulates Tamar into his bedroom, duping David into innocently arranging the whole thing.

Once alone, Amnon grabs and solicits Tamar. Three times she refuses. When her pleading isn’t enough to stop him, she talks about the implications: her disgrace and him appearing as foolish and wicked.

In desperation, she even suggests they ask Dad for permission to marry. But Amnon refuses to listen. Lust drives him. He loses control and rapes her.

After this, his supposed love for her turns to an even more intense hate. When he commands her to leave, Tamar refuses, saying that kicking her out would be an even greater insult. Amnon has her forcibly removed from his presence.

Tamar, a victim of rape, goes to live in desolation with her brother Absalom.

Is there something we can do to help the victims in our world? Caring for even one person will make a difference.

[Discover more about Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:1–22.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Jezebel (1)

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 19, 2021

Ahab, perhaps Israel’s evilest king ever, marries Jezebel, daughter of a foreign ruler. Under her depraved influence, Ahab starts worshiping her gods, instead of the true God. Jezebel hunts down and kills God’s prophets, while she provides sanctuary for hundreds of the prophets of Baal and Asherah.

God’s prophet Elijah has a public smackdown with the prophets of Baal and Asherah that results in him killing them all. In retaliation, Jezebel threatens to likewise kill Elijah. While he’s on the run, Jezebel adds to her crimes by orchestrating an innocent man’s death to seize his vineyard for her husband.

Eventually, Jezebel suffers a gruesome death, just as prophesied.

Though evil people sometimes seem to suffer no consequences for their foul behavior, God’s judgment ultimately prevails.

How do we react when confronted with evil?

[Discover more about Jezebel in 1 Kings 16:31, 1 Kings 18:4–19, 1 Kings 19:1–2, 1 Kings 21:5–24, and 2 Kings 9:7–37.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Biblical Characters, Jezebel

Biblical People

Biblical People: The Medium of Endor

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 19, 2021

The prophet Samuel is dead. God has abandoned King Saul, and he is losing his grip on power. Saul prays, but God is silent. None of the ways Saul has heard from God in the past are working now. In desperation, he seeks a medium.

In his better days as God’s king, Saul expelled all the mediums and spiritualists from the country. Now he wants one. It’s his last option for supernatural guidance. His aids tell him there is a medium in Endor.

In disguise, Saul seeks her out. She is cautious, fearing execution if her skills become known. He persists, promising safety.

She relents. Saul asks her to conjure up the spirit of Samuel. She does, and then realizes who Saul is. She screams at him over his deception, but he urges her to proceed.

For Samuel’s part, he’s not pleased at having his existence in the afterlife disturbed. Samuel confirms it’s too late for Saul. God has left him for good. Furthermore, Samuel says the next day Saul and his sons will die in battle. The nation will be lost.

Saul is distraught, losing what little hope he has left. The medium of Endor urges him to eat, and she prepares a meal for him. Then Saul leaves.

Not all that’s spiritual is good. When our prayers seem to go nowhere, do we keep our focus on God or seek ungodly alternatives?

[Discover more about the medium of Endor in 1 Samuel 28:3–25.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Biblical Characters, Medium of Endor

Biblical People

Biblical People: Abigail (2)

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 19, 2021

Abigail is an intelligent and beautiful woman. In contrast, her husband, Nabal, is surly and mean. His servants call him wicked and say he listens to no one. Abigail confirms his name means fool and that folly follows him. Nabal is also wealthy, with thousands of livestock.

David and his men protect Nabal’s herdsmen and flocks, anticipating he will appreciate their efforts and one day reward them. But Nabal disrespects David’s messengers when they ask for food, sending them back empty-handed. Roiling with anger, David desires vengeance and prepares to kill Nabal and his men.

When wise Abigail hears what happened, she takes immediate action. She prepares great quantities of food to give to David and goes out to meet his advancing army of four hundred. She humbles herself before David, assumes responsibility (while professing her innocence), wins David over, and stops the massacre.

Abigail then affirms her belief that God will give David a lasting dynasty. She asks him to remember her when God gives him success. David accepts her wise words and her provisions. He blesses her.

But Nabal is incensed when he learns what his wife did, has a stroke, and later dies. David receives this news with glee, seeing it as God’s vengeance on his behalf. David sends for Abigail so he can marry her. This may be David fulfilling her request when they first met, or an honorable act to provide for her. However, if their union is for love, Scripture doesn’t mention any affection between the pair. For her part, this is the best way to assure survival.

This takes place while David is on the run, so her new lifestyle is not an easy one. At one point, Abigail is captured, along with the rest of the families of David’s men, but he rescues her. She and David have one son together, named Daniel.

Abigail takes bold action to avoid a massacre. Is there some bold action God wants us to take?

[Discover more about Abigail in 1 Samuel 25, 1 Samuel 27:2–4, 1 Samuel 30:5, and 1 Chronicles 3:1.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Abigail, Biblical Characters

Biblical People

Biblical People: Michal

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 18, 2021

David plays a critical role in the success of King Saul and the nation of Israel. Despite this, Saul’s attitude toward David varies greatly, with Saul often wanting to kill David out of jealousy.

When Saul learns his daughter, Michal, is in love with David, Saul hatches a plan to use her to bring about David’s downfall.

For a dowry, Saul requests proof that David has killed one hundred Philistines. Saul assumes David will die trying. Instead, David succeeds, even presenting evidence he’s killed twice the requested number.

David and Michal marry.

When Michal learns of her father’s plan to kill David, she helps her husband escape and then covers for him. But when her father confronts her duplicity, she lies, claiming David forced her to help.

Some time later, when David is on the run, Saul gives Michal to another man. Eventually, David arranges for Michal’s return, and the pair reunite. But they don’t live happily ever after. The fact that he has other wives may have something to do with it.

After David ascends to power, he brings the ark back, celebrating wildly in praise to God. Michal criticizes his excessive public display of worship and despises him for his actions. Though she once loved him, she no longer does.

We can only guess why. Did his celebratory romp repel her? Perhaps she gave her heart to her second husband, or maybe it was because David married other women.

Regardless, Michal never has any children. Might David have rejected her because of her disapproval of his exuberant dance? Or maybe God punished her for criticizing David’s passionate worship. In any regard, a critical spirit is never attractive.

Do we have a critical spirit? What should we do about it?

[Discover more about Michal in 1 Samuel 14:49, 1 Samuel 18–19, 1 Samuel 25:44, 2 Samuel 3:13–14, 2 Samuel 6:16–23, and 1 Chronicles 15:29.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Biblical Characters, Michal

Biblical People

Biblical People: Merab

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 18, 2021

King Saul has two daughters, Merab and Michal. Merab is the oldest.

Saul offers Merab as a wife for David if he will go to war for Saul, to fight the king’s battles for him. But this is a ruse. Saul expects David to die in the military conflict, saving Saul the trouble of killing David himself.

Saul never suspects David will return victorious, but when he does, the king reneges on his promise and marries off Merab to another man, Adriel.

Saul never intended for David and Merab to wed. The all-powerful king merely uses her to entice David to do something life-threatening. In this we see a father who exploits his daughter as bait to bring about his enemy’s death.

Merab and Adriel have five sons. This is the last we hear about her. The bigger story, however, is not over, for David has eyes for her younger sister, Michal.

Have we ever made a promise we had no intention of keeping?

[Discover more about Merab in 1 Samuel 14:49, 1 Samuel 18:17–21, and 2 Samuel 21:8.]

Tags Biblical Characters, Merab

Biblical People

Biblical People: Peninnah

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 16, 2021

Peninnah is an unfamiliar Bible character. She is a co-wife with Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Their shared husband is Elkanah. In a tale reminiscent of Jacob and his two wives, Rachel and Leah, we have the story of Elkanah and his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.

Just as Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, Elkanah loves Hannah more than Peninnah. Likewise, as Rachel, the favored wife, is childless, so, too, is Hannah.

Another parallel biblical account is of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, where Hagar, the wife with a child, harasses Sarah, the wife without one. So too, Peninnah harasses Hannah.

Despite Peninnah producing children for Elkanah, he loves Hannah more. Peninnah lashes out at her rival in the only way possible, by verbally tormenting her each day. While we can’t condone Peninnah’s actions, we can understand the angst behind them.

When we’re in an unbearable situation, do we try to make the best of it or blame others and harass them?

[Discover more about Peninnah in 1 Samuel 1.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Hannah

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 16, 2021

Hannah, married to Elkanah, longs to have children but is childless. To add to her misery, she’s harassed by everyone around her. Though she’s her husband’s favorite wife, he diminishes her infertility.

He also fails to protect her from the verbal assaults of his other wife, Peninnah, who endlessly torments her.

Then, when Hannah prays earnestly, Eli, the priest, accuses her of being drunk. But she is actually in deep despair. Her life is in constant turmoil.

At her breaking point, Hannah cries out to God in anguish. She begs him to give her a son. She specifically asks for a boy, not just a child. In return, she promises to give him to God for a lifetime of service.

Unlike everyone else, God understands Hannah. He answers her plea, giving her a son just as she requested. She names him Samuel. Hannah responds by singing her praises to God.

She celebrates his power, the elevation of the oppressed, and the judgment of the arrogant. A few lines of her poem may even be digs at Peninnah, her chief tormentor.

After Samuel is weaned, Hannah presents him to Eli for a lifetime of service to God at the temple, just as she promised. Each year when Hannah and her family make their annual pilgrimage to the temple to offer their sacrifices to God, she sees young Samuel and gives him a new robe.

God then blesses Hannah with five more children.

God understands our situation, even when no one else does. Will we trust him to rescue us from our turmoil?

[Discover more about Hannah in 1 Samuel 1–2.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Biblical Characters, Hannah