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18 illustrations — In-depth profiles of biblical characters and figures
Noah Noah was the son of Lamech, a descendant of Seth (Gen 5:3-29). Lamech might have hoped that Noah (whose name means “rest” or “relief”) would ease the curse of hardship in working the ground. Instead, God used Noah to...
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Lot Lot was Abraham’s nephew and the ancestor of the Moabites and Ammonites. Like Abraham, Lot was born in Ur and accompanied Terah to Haran (Gen 11:27-32). After Terah’s death, he joined Abraham in journeying to Canaan and Egypt.
Sarah Sarah was Abraham’s wife and half sister (Gen 11:29; 20:12). She accompanied Abraham from Ur to Haran to Canaan (11:31; 12:5).
Joseph Joseph is known for his dreams and for the beautiful coat his father, Jacob, gave him. He is an example of faith, prudence, and administrative ability. Despite overwhelming difficulties, Joseph saved Canaan, Egypt, and his own family from starvation during seven years of drought.
Melchizedek Melchizedek is a mysterious biblical personality whose name means “king of righteousness.” He was a Canaanite priest and king; there is no record of his family or of the beginning or end of his life. Abraham met Melchizedek after defeating four Mesopotamian kings.
Hittites The Hittites were once unknown to secular history and thought to be a mythical people by some critics of biblical history.
Ishmael Ishmael was Abraham’s first son, born of Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian servant. The boy was born near Hebron when Abraham was eighty-six years old (Gen 13:18; 16:16).
Abraham “By faith . Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land. He went without knowing where he was going. Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him” (Heb 11:8, 17).
Esau Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, was Jacob’s older twin brother (Gen 25:24-26), so named because his body was hairy at birth.
Hagar Hagar was the Egyptian servant of Sarai, Abram’s wife. When God commanded Abram to leave Mesopotamia, he promised him a multitude of descendants who would be given a new land (Gen 12:2, 7).
Leah Leah was Laban’s first daughter, Jacob’s unloved first wife, and Rachel’s older sister. After Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for Esau (Gen 27:1-40), Jacob went to his uncle Laban in Mesopotamia to escape...
Isaac The name Isaac means “he laughs,” reflecting the circumstances of his birth. When God promised that Isaac would be born, both Abraham and Sarah first laughed in disbelief (Gen 17:15-19; 18:9-15).
Adam and Eve Adam was the first man, the father of the human race. God created the first couple in his image to populate the earth and rule the created order (Gen 1:26-31).
Judah Judah is remembered most often as the ancestor of King David and of Jesus Christ.
Egypt Egypt was already a great and ancient civilization when Joseph rose to power (Gen 39–41) and Jacob’s family traveled there for food (chs 42–46; cp.
Jacob Jacob, the younger twin son of Isaac and Rebekah, struggled with his twin brother Esau in the womb and was born grasping Esau’s heel (Gen 25:21-26). God told Rebekah that the boys represented two nations and that the older...
Rebekah Genesis 24 describes the mission of Abraham’s servant to find a wife for Isaac. At Abraham’s command, he went to Haran in Aram-naharaim (northwest Mesopotamia), to Abraham’s relatives, because Abraham did not want Isaac to marry a local Canaanite.
Rachel Rachel, Laban’s beautiful younger daughter, was Jacob’s favorite wife. He first met her as he arrived at Paddan-aram in Haran, when he helped her remove the stone from a well and watered her father’s sheep (Gen 29:10).