Category: Biblical People

Short bios of people in the Bible

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Biblical People

Bible People: Dinah

Dinah

Dinah is the only daughter of Jacob and Leah. She is born after Zebulun, son #10, and before Joseph, son #11. Tragically, Shechem, a Hivite prince, rapes her. After his act of lust, he falls in love with her, offering whatever dowry her family asks. He demands his father make this happen.

Jacob fails to respond to his daughter’s rape. We don’t know if he’s afraid or waiting for his sons to help avenge her dishonor. Regardless, Dinah’s brothers are outraged when they hear what happened and immediately come home.

While her father fails to act, two of Dinah’s brothers, Simeon and Levi, do. They retaliate without Jacob’s knowledge. After killing Shechem and all the men of the village, they liberate their sister and leave. Was this revenge, a rescue, or both?

When her other brothers see that everyone in the town is dead, they plunder it. 

Although Jacob criticizes Simeon and Levi for their excessive reaction and the subsequent risk to the entire family—should neighboring towns take revenge—they feel justified in avenging their sister’s rape, despite the risk of retaliation.

After her rescue, we hear nothing more about Dinah. The end to her story is for us to ponder. Though we know what happens to Dinah and what happens because of her, we know nothing about what she says, does, or thinks. Though she’s the center of action in this story, she plays a minor role.

When we encounter injustice, how do we respond? Overreacting may be as bad as not reacting at all. 

[Discover more about Dinah in Genesis 34.]

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.

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Biblical People

Bible People: Tamar (1)

Tamar.

Tamar’s a victim who takes extreme action to vindicate herself. She’s the daughter-in-law of Judah, suffers at his hand, responds with guile, and has twins with him. Talk about a messed-up situation. But she’s also one of four women mentioned in Jesus’s family tree. Here’s her story:

Tamar marries Judah’s oldest son. He’s evil, and God kills him. As is the custom of the day, she’s passed on to his brother, her brother-in-law, so she can have kids through him.

In this way he will produce children in his dead brother’s place and perpetuate his brother’s line as a surrogate husband. But the brother doesn’t cooperate and with selfish intent refuses to impregnate her.

This displeases God, and he kills the second brother too. As customary, Judah promises Tamar his third son when he’s old enough and sends her back to her parents to wait. But Judah has no intention of following through, for he fears this son may die too. 

Once Tamar realizes Judah will not do as he promised, she disguises herself as a prostitute. She waits where she knows Judah will pass. Not realizing who she is, he solicits her, leaving his seal and its cord, along with his staff as his pledge of payment. Tamar gets pregnant. 

When Judah sends a friend to pay the prostitute and reclaim his pledge, the friend can’t find her and no one in the area knows of a prostitute working there. Judah doesn’t pursue the matter further.

Three months later Judah learns his daughter-in-law is expecting a child conceived out of wedlock, from an act of prostitution. With self-righteous indignation, he condemns her to die.

Then she reveals he’s the father and offers proof, by showing his seal, cord, and staff. Judah confesses his role, and he declares Tamar as more righteous than he. 

Tamar has twins: Perez and Zerah. Judah, Tamar, and Perez are all ancestors of Jesus, and Matthew lists her in the genealogy of Jesus, one of only four women so honored.

Judah does Tamar wrong, first for promising his third son to her and not following through, then for using her as a prostitute, and last for condemning her to die.

Yet Tamar also does wrong, posing as a harlot and soliciting her father-in-law to trap him. Nevertheless, Tamar’s drastic steps ensure she has a family to care for her when she gets old. And God ensures she has a legacy.

Do two wrongs make a right? When we are wronged, may we have the wisdom to know the right answer.

[Discover more about Tamar in Genesis 38:6–30, Ruth 4:12, and Matthew 1:3.]

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.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: The Wife of Potiphar

The Wife of Potiphar

Through a series of events outside of his control, Joseph becomes a slave owned by Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, who is captain of the guard.

Joseph proves himself to the captain, who eventually puts his entire estate under his slave’s care. Potiphar’s household prospers because of Joseph’s diligent work.

Joseph’s a good-looking guy, and Potiphar’s wife notices. We don’t know if her husband ignores her, if she’s bored, or if she’s simply promiscuous, but she pursues Joseph. She tries to seduce him.

He resists. He explains why he won’t sleep with her, but she ignores his words, focusing only on her desire for his body.

This goes on day after day. 

Joseph does his best to stay away from her. But one day as he goes about his work, she realizes no one else is around. She becomes aggressive, grabbing him and drawing him toward her.

He pulls away, leaving his jacket in her hands as he flees.

Failing to satisfy her desires, her lust turns to revenge. She calls in her servants, spinning lies about Joseph, of how he went after her, of how she screamed for help, and of how he fled. She holds up his jacket as proof.

When Potiphar gets home, she repeats her lies to him. In a rage, he throws Joseph in prison, where he languishes for years.

Potiphar’s wife is an unfaithful spouse and an immoral woman who makes no effort to control her sexual desires. And when she can’t seduce Joseph or even force him to sleep with her, she uses her position to destroy him.

How far are we willing to go to get what we want, even when it’s wrong? How low will we stoop to hurt those who get in our way? 

[Discover more about Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39:1–20.]

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.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Asenath

Asenath

Pharaoh later gives Joseph a wife. Her name is Asenath, and she is the daughter of the priest Potiphera. This is likely a strategic move, in hopes that Asenath will influence Joseph to accept Egyptian ways and beliefs. In this way, the king uses her as his pawn.

He expects her to influence her husband for her country. She has no say in his plan. 

Though we know Joseph is attractive and powerful, he’s also an outsider, not even allowed to eat at the same table as the Egyptians. Asenath is forced to marry a foreigner.

There is no hint of love or affection between the two. Though this could be a good life for her, it’s surely not the life she wanted.

Asenath and Joseph have two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. The descendants of each boy become tribes of Israel and receive an allotment of territory in the Promised Land.

We know nothing else of the relationship between Asenath and Joseph. We don’t know if he influences her to embrace God or not, but in looking at the life of Joseph, we see no hint that she distracts him from his faith or causes him to embrace her people’s way of life.

When others try to use us, do we become their pawn or make our own path?

[Discover more about Asenath in Genesis 41:45, 50 and Genesis 46:20.]

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.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Shiphrah and Puah

Shiphrah and Puah

Shiphrah and Puah are Hebrew midwives at the time when the Israelites are enslaved in Egypt. Fearing their slaves’ mounting numbers, the king of Egypt tells Shiphrah and Puah to kill all the baby Israelite boys as they are being born.

But they fear God more than Egypt’s pharaoh, so they disregard the king’s order.

God honors them for their integrity and rewards them with their own families. Sometimes doing the right thing means disobeying human authority and manmade laws.

God may honor us as a result, but we could also suffer the consequences for our actions. 

Regardless of the outcome, are we willing to do what is right?

[Discover more about Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus 1:15–21.]

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.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Jochebed

Jochebed

The Egyptians fear the mushrooming population of the enslaved Israelites and command all the Israelite baby boys be thrown into the Nile River. However, one mother sees something special in her baby and hides him for several months.

When she can conceal him no longer, she does indeed put him in the Nile River but not before protecting him in a watertight basket. Then she strategically places the basket where a compassionate person might find him.

The woman’s daughter hides nearby to see what happens to her baby brother.

When the pharaoh’s daughter comes to the river to bathe, she discovers the baby and wants to keep him as her own. The baby’s sister steps out of hiding and offers to find a woman to nurse him. She gets her mother.

Although the boy should die, the pharaoh’s daughter saves him and even pays his biological mother to feed and care for him.

When the baby is weaned, his mother gives him back to the pharaoh’s daughter—who names him Moses.

This mother’s name is Jochebed and she has two other children, Aaron and Miriam.

Jochebed, like many moms, sees promise in her son and takes extraordinary measures to protect him so he can reach his potential.

Who has seen promise in us and made a difference in our lives? Who can we help reach their potential?

[Discover more about Jochebed in Exodus 2:1–10, Exodus 6:20, and Numbers 26:59.]

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.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: The Daughter of Pharaoh (1)

The Daughter of Pharoah

Pharaoh is not a name but a title for the king in Egypt. Therefore, there are many Pharaohs in the Bible and many daughters of Pharaoh. The first daughter of Pharaoh we encounter adopts baby Moses.

She finds him floating in the Nile River. Though she realizes he is a Hebrew baby and should be killed, she doesn’t turn him over. Instead, she keeps him as her own child.

She unwittingly pays his biological mother to nurse him, and when he is weaned she receives him back. She names him Moses, which means that she pulled him from the water.

We don’t know if she is a good mom or not, though when Moses is older, he doesn’t want to be called the son of the pharaoh’s daughter. What we do know about her, however, is she is compassionate.

Her actions save Moses and give the Hebrew people a leader to rescue them.

Do we live lives marked with compassion?

[Discover more about Pharaoh’s daughter in Exodus 2:5–10, Acts 7:21, and Hebrews 11:24.] 

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: Miriam

Miriam

Miriam is the older sister of Moses. She’s also the sister of Aaron. At the time when Moses is born, there’s a decree to kill all baby boys. His mom hides him as long as she can. Then she puts him in a basket and places him in the Nile River. 

Miriam watches at a distance to see what happens. When the pharaoh’s daughter finds him, Miriam pops up and offers to find a woman to nurse him. She picks her mom.

Later, as an adult, Miriam is a prophet and worship leader. She directs the Israelite women in song and dance to celebrate God’s rescue after they cross the sea to escape the pursuing Egyptian army.

Unfortunately, what we know best about Miriam as an adult is when she and Aaron oppose Moses out of jealousy, criticizing his choice for a wife. God’s judgment is quick, instantly afflicting her with leprosy, a contagious skin disease, which is untreatable at the time.

Though Aaron is also at fault, he is not so stricken, suggesting that Miriam led their tiny rebellion. When Aaron sees what happened to his sister, he immediately admits his bad attitude and begs Moses to intervene. Moses does, and God heals her. 

A few years later Miriam dies. There’s no mention of the people mourning her death, a sad end to a once-promising life. Though Miriam starts well as a brave and obedient daughter and later as a prophet and worship leader, she lets jealousy define her later life. God is not pleased.

What can we do to finish strong?

[Discover more about Miriam in Exodus 1–2, Exodus 15:20–21, Numbers 20:1, and Numbers 26:59.]

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.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Kozbi

Kozbi

The nation of Israel has a problem. Many of their men are involved with women from Moab, indulging themselves sexually with these foreigners, something the Law of Moses prohibits.

Then these women entice the men to go to church with them, where they offer sacrifices to Baal and worship him. Instead of God, the Israelites align themselves with Baal. God is not pleased. Moses orders the execution of each man who has strayed.

During all this, another man brings a Midianite woman into camp and into his tent. Her name is Kozbi. We don’t know if he thinks this is okay because she is a Midianite and not a Moabite. Perhaps he wants to make a point or maybe he isn’t thinking at all.

We also don’t know if Kozbi is aware of the situation or not. What we do know is that this man flaunts his sexual relationship with a foreign woman, a liaison God forbids and for which many other men have just died.

Phinehas, the priest, takes judgment into his hands in the form of a spear. He goes into the tent and drives the shaft all the way through the man and into Kozbi. This appeases God’s wrath. 

While Kozbi may have instigated this, it’s more likely she is merely a naïve girl who ends up in the wrong situation. She pays for her ignorance with her life.

Being unaware is no excuse for doing wrong. There will still be consequences for our actions.

How willing are we to do what God says to do?

[Discover more about Kozbi in Numbers 25:1–18.]

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.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: The Daughters of Zelophehad

The Daughters of Zelophehad

Zelophehad has five daughters but no sons. His girls are Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah (2), and Tirzah. Zelophehad dies in the desert before he can receive his allotment of property in the Promised Land. Since he has no sons to receive his inheritance in his stead, the girls will get nothing.

They boldly go before Moses and ask for their father’s share, contrary to convention. God tells Moses to include them in the land assignments, which Joshua later carries out.

With a population of millions, there are surely other daughters in this same predicament. But only these sisters come forward, and only these women receive land.

Are we willing to speak up to receive what is due us? Will we trust God with the outcome? 

[Discover more about Zelophehad’s five daughters in Numbers 26:33, Numbers 27:1–7, Numbers 36:1–11, Joshua 17:3–7, and 1 Chronicle 7:15.]

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.