People & Groups of the Old Testament (Bible): Profiles, Biographies
For many, the Old Testament of the Bible is a historically accurate record and a reliable guide to people, places, and events in the past. For most scholars, the Bible records events from the past but through the filters of religious, political, and social agendas - filters thick enough to make it difficult to disentangle fact from fiction. Many people and groups described in the Old Testament existed, but not always in the way that the Bible suggests.
David: Profile and Biography of David, an Old Testament Figure, King,...
David is revered as the most powerful and important king of Israel during biblical times. There are no records of his life or reign outside the Bible - odd, if he was that important. He is said to have begun his career playing the lute in the court of King Saul, but eventually proved to be very skillful on the battlefield. Saul became jealous of...
Elijah: Profile & Biography of Elijah, an Old Testament Figure, Prophet,...
Elijah was an important Israelite prophet whose name in Hebrew means 'my Lord is Jehovah.' Accounts of Elijah’s life and actions are recorded through 1 and 2 Kings. Aside from coming from the village of Tosabe in Gilead (about which nothing is known), nothing is recorded about his background before he appears suddenly to promote traditional,...
Elisha: Profile & Biography of Elisha, an Old Testament Figure, Prophet,...
Elisha, whose name in Hebrew means 'God is Salvation,' was an Israelite prophet and disciple of Elijah. Accounts of Elisha’s life and activities are found in 1 and 2 Kings, but these biblical texts are the only records we have of such a person.
Major Sources: Bibliography of Sources Used for Profiles of Old Testament Figures
List of major sources used in writing profiles and biographies of important figures in the Old Testament of the Bible
Who Were the Canaanites? Canaanites in the Old Testament & History
The Canaanites are important in the Israelites' conquest of their 'Promised Land,' especially in the Book of Joshua, but who were they exactly?