Category: Biblical People

Short bios of people in the Bible

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Rahab

Rahab

Rahab is a prostitute two spies stay with when they scope out Jericho. We don’t know if they seek her for her services or merely for a place to hide from public view. 

Hearing of their presence, the king of Jericho commands Rahab to turn over the two men. Instead, in an act of treason, she hides them and lies to the king, saying they already left, but she doesn’t know where they went.

Rahab knows God favors Israel and will give the city to them. In exchange for protecting the spies, she asks for her family’s safety. As she lists who’s included, she mentions parents and siblings, but no husband or children. 

Joshua confirms that Rahab and her family will be spared when the city is conquered. After the people of Jericho are all killed, Rahab lives with the Israelites.

In the New Testament, Matthew reveals that Rahab is one of Jesus’s direct ancestors and the great-great-grandmother of King David. She’s honored as only one of four women mentioned in Jesus’s family tree.

Further, she’s affirmed as a person of faith, one of only two women included in the Hebrews 11 “hall of fame.” Finally, James confirms Rahab is righteous because of her courageous actions in protecting the two spies.

While our reaction may be to judge Rahab for her profession, God sees her differently, as a righteous woman of faith, and he rewards her accordingly.

How can we avoid judging others and instead see people as God sees them?

[Discover more about Rahab in Joshua 2, Joshua 6, Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31, and James 2:25.]

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: Aksah

aksah

Caleb is one of the twelve spies sent to scope out the land the nation of Israel plans to conquer, but he is only one of two men who bring back a positive report.

For his ability to look beyond the strength of the peoples they need to overcome and for his confidence in God’s ability to provide, he is assured a reward when the people take the land.

When they arrive, Caleb pledges to give his daughter Aksah in marriage to whoever captures the city of Kiriath Sepher. Othniel, who is also Caleb’s nephew, is up to the challenge, and he succeeds.

As promised, Caleb awards Aksah to Othniel, and the pair marry. Aksah and Othniel are first cousins.

Although we may be dismayed that Caleb offers his daughter as a prize, we can also see Aksah as a cherished woman, both by her father and the man who strives to win her. Sometimes things are a matter of perspective. 

What we might see as bad can also be good. Do we see things in a positive light or a negative one?

[Discover more about Aksah in Joshua 15:16–17, Judges 1:12–13, and 1 Chronicles 2:49.]

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: Deborah (2)

deborah 2

Though called a judge, Deborah is primarily a prophetess, a person who hears from God and proclaims his words to others. She is the only female judge in the Bible.

Deborah receives a prophetic message for Barak. 

Through her, God commands him to raise an army and attack their enemy. God even promises that Barak will prevail, but he balks. He won’t do it unless Deborah goes with him. She consents.

However, she prophesies that because of his reluctance, the honor of killing the enemy’s leader, Sisera, will go to a woman. While we may assume this woman is Deborah, it’s another woman, Jael. Even so, Deborah receives more credit than Barak for the victory. 

Deborah lives in a male-dominated society. Yet, when a man doesn’t do what he is supposed to, she steps forward and acts. We commend her for her faith and her bravery.

Are we willing to step in when others are afraid to?

[Discover more about Judge Deborah in Judges 4–5.]

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: Jael

Jael

When Barak and the Israelite army rout Sisera’s army, Sisera escapes and takes refuge with Jael because her family has a connection with his country. Pretending to protect him, Jael takes him in and cares for him.

Once he falls asleep, she impales him with a tent peg through his temple. Though gruesome, it’s likely the only means she has to kill him. She is brave enough to act and strong enough to pierce his skull.

This fulfills the prophecy of Judge Deborah who, after Barak’s reluctance to obey God, foretells that credit for Sisera’s death will go to a woman instead of Barak. As a tribute to her valor, Deborah immortalizes Jael’s actions in song.

Will the things we do be worth singing about and told to future generations?

[Discover more about Jael in Judges 4:15–22 and Judges 5:24–27.]

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-In-Law of Noah

The Daughters-In-Law of Noah (1)

Like Noah’s wife, we know little of the three daughters-in-law of Noah of Noah and can only speculate from their story in the Bible. Like their mother-in-law, Noah’s wife, we can reasonably assume they each stand by their men, supporting them in their questionable ark-constructing business and helping them to build the gigantic boat.

They, too, endure hardship, ridicule, and isolation as the people around mock and shun them.

When the flood comes, they get on the boat and live. Everyone else dies. All that’s left in the world are eight people, only four couples. Just like Eve and her husband, God tells these three women and their husbands to be fruitful and multiply. It’s a do-over for humanity, Creation 2.0.

From these three women come all future generations. The human race is saved. Nations form.

Though nameless, these three women give birth to the future of civilization. We are here today because of them.

Even if we remain nameless, what are we giving birth to? What are we making today for the generations of tomorrow? 

[Discover more about the daughters-in-law of Noah in Genesis 5–9, specifically Genesis 9:1, 7, 19, along with Genesis 1:22, 28.]

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 Noah

The Wife of Noah

What would you do if your best friend or your spouse came to you and said, “God spoke to me. He told me to do something that doesn’t make sense and will take a long time”? Would you stand by that person? Would you support him or her?

This is the position Noah’s wife finds herself in. God tells Noah to build a huge boat, big enough for animals to live on, along with enough food to sustain them. He says there will be a flood, and everyone and everything not on the boat will die. 

However, there’s no water nearby. Everyone laughs. They mock Noah for being foolish. Surely, he’s crazy. From everyone’s perspective, she’s married to a madman, one who claims to hear from God and persists in doing something audacious.

This goes on for years, one hundred years. Surely friends and neighbors ostracize them. Not only must they work hard to build their boat, but I’m sure they do so in isolation.

The Bible doesn’t tell us if Noah’s wife supports him or not, but since she’s allowed to go on the boat and be saved from drowning, it’s likely she stood by her man despite what others thought, said, or did. That’s loyalty. That’s commitment. 

She’s an example for us all to follow.

How loyal are we to our spouse, family, and friends? Do we need to make any changes?

[Discover more about Noah’s wife in Genesis 5–9, specifically Genesis 5:32, Genesis 6:10, 18, Genesis 7:7, 13, and Genesis 8:16.]

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: Adah (1) and Zillah

Adah and Zillah.

Lemech is the first polygamist in the Bible. His two wives are Adah and Zillah. Adah has two sons: Jabal and Jubal. Zillah also has a son, Tubal-Cain, as well as a daughter, Naamah (1). 

Though Adah and Zillah must share their husband’s affections, there’s no mention of strife between them. This is not the case for most of the other polygamist marriages that follow it in Scripture. Having multiple wives is certainly different than God’s idea of two people joining to become one. 

From what we know, however, Adah and Zillah get along. This is a tribute to them and their character. They must make an intentional effort to live together in harmony. For them, having the same husband is the highest level of sharing.

It’s not fair that they need to divvy up the attention of one man, and doing so is not God’s intent. However, they do what they need to do to make their situation work and avoid contention. 

When we find ourselves in an unfair circumstance outside of our control, do we work to make the best of it or show our displeasure by causing problems for everyone around us?

[Discover more about Adah and Zillah in Genesis 4:19–23, along with Genesis 2:24.]

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: Eve

eve.

Eve is a well-known biblical figure. Surprisingly, she’s only mentioned by name four times in the Bible, twice in Genesis and twice in the New Testament.

Sometimes called the mother of humanity, she is best known for picking the fruit God specifically prohibited—and giving some to her husband.

Eve often receives the heaviest criticism for disobeying God. Adam, however, is likewise culpable. He could have—and should have—put a stop to eating the forbidden fruit. More contemptible is the serpent, who lies to seduce her into disobeying God.

Because of their actions, all three—Adam, Eve, and the serpent—suffer consequences, which they pass on to future generations, including ours.

Looking specifically at Eve, she receives three punishments for her disobedience: pain in childbirth, a desire to control her husband, and him ruling over her.

So before Adam and Eve messed up, we can assume things must have been the opposite for women: childbirth would have been easy, women did not seek to control their husbands, and men did not rule over their wives.

The judgment Eve receives transfers forward to future generations, with women trying to control men and men wanting to rule women. However, in the beginning, there is neither controlling nor ruling. There is equality, with God intending men and women to live as equals.

Do we try to control those around us? Do we let others rule over us? How might God want us to change?

[Discover more about Eve in Genesis 2–4, 2 Corinthians 11:3, and 1 Timothy 2:13.]

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.