NAAMAN ○

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-4

Contracted leprosy; his wife's servant was an Israelite and told him about the prophet Elisha, but Jehoram of Israel rent his clothes; Elisha told the king he could heal him and sent Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times; he was healed (2 Kgs. 5)

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NADAB II ♦

נדב – "Willing"

NAHASH ♦

נחש – "Serpent"

King of Israel

≈ 910 – 909 BC

Israelite: Ephraimite

Family Tree / Son of Jeroboam & Ano (1 Kgs. 15:25)

Wicked king
Killed by Baasha along with all the kindred of Jeroboam (1 Kgs. 15:27–30)

King of Ammon

≈ 1030 – 1000 BC

Ammonite

Father of Hanun

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-2

Attacked Jabesh-Gilead (Gadites and Reubenites) and threatened to gouge all their eyes out; they sought help from Saul who defeated him (1 Sam. 11)
Showed kindness to David (1 Chr. 19:2)

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NAHOR II †

נחור – "Scorched"

NAHUM Ω

נחום – "Consolation"

Patriarch

≈ 1900 BC

Syrian / Born in Ur of Chaldees / Lived in Haran

Family Tree / Son of Terah / Brother of Abraham and Haran / Husband of Milcah & Reumah / Father of Bethuel and eleven others (Gen. 22:20–22) / Ancestor of Jesus

Left Ur of Chaldees with family to move to Haran (Gen. 11:26–29)

≈ 615 BC?

Israelite: Simeonite?: Elkoshite / Possibly from Elkosh Galilee

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-1 / Guide to Scriptures

Prophesied of the destruction of Nineveh and the Assyrians (Nahum)

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+ NAOMI (MARA)

נעמי – "Delight" / מרא (Mara) "Bitterness"

Matriarch

≈ 1140 BC

Israelite: Judahite: Ephrathite / From Bethlehem

Family Tree / Wife of Elimelech (Ruth 1:2) / Mother of Mahlon & Chilion / Mother-in-law of Ruth & Orpah (Ruth 1)

Moved to Moab with husband and sons because of famine in Bethlehem (Ruth 1)
Returned to Bethlehem and encouraged Ruth to pursue Boaz (Ruth 2–4)
Helped raise Obed (Ruth 4:16–17)

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NAPHTALI

נפתלי – "My Wrestlings"

NAPHTALITES (TRIBE OF NAPHTALI)

נפתלי – "My Wrestlings"

Patriarch

≈ 1744 BC

Israelite: Naphtalite / Born in Haran / Lived in Canaan / Died in Egypt

Family Tree / Son of Jacob & Bilhah (Gen. 30:8) / Father of Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, Shillem / Ancestor of Naphtalites

One of the Twelve Tribes

≈ 1600 BC – Present

Israelite: Naphtalite / Territory was located west and north of the Sea of Galilee (see map)

Family Tree / Descendants of Naphtali / Famous people include Barak and Pekah

Blessed by Jacob that he "is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words" (Gen. 49:21) and by Moses that he is "satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south" (Deu. 33:23)
Fought with Deborah II and Barak (Judg. 4)
Helped Gideon defeat the Midianites (Judg. 6:35–8:21)
Joined the Northern Kingdom of Israel
Majority carried away captive by Assyrians in 722 BC; one of the "Lost 10 tribes" (2 Kgs. 17)

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NATHAN Ω

נתן – "Given"

NATHAN II †

נתן – "Given"

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-1

≈ 992 BC

Israelite: Judahite

Family Tree / Father of Azariah X and Zabud

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-2 / Guide to Scriptures

Prophet during David's reign
Instructed David not to build a Temple (2 Sam. 7)
Told David the parable of the rich and poor man after David had Uriah the Hittite killed; prophesied that David's son with Bathsheba would die (2 Sam. 12)
David and Bathsheba seemed to name a son after him
Worked with Bathsheba to have Solomon anointed king instead of Adonijah; anointed Solomon king with Zadok at the Gihon Spring in the City of David (1 Kgs. 1:32–40)

Prince of Israel

≈ 960 BC

Israelite: Judahite / Born in Jerusalem

Family Tree / Son of David & Bathsheba (2 Sam. 5:14) / Ancestor of Jesus (Luke 3:31)

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NATHANAEL Ω

Ναθαναηλ – "God Has Given"

see Bartholomew

NEBUCHADNEZZAR II ♦

נבוכדנצר / 𒀭𒀝𒃻𒁺 সৌমিত্র – "Nabu Protects My Heir"

King of Neo-Babylonian Empire

≈ b. 642 – d. 562 BC (reigned 605 – 562 BC)

Babylonian / From Babylon

Family Tree / Son of Nabopolassar / Husband of Amytis / Father of Amel-Marduk and others

Conquered Jerusalem; carried Jehoiakim captive to Babylon; ransacked the Temple; removed Jeconiah as well and made Zedekiah king
In 587 BC, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon; took Jews captive to Babylon
Daniel interpreted his dreams (Dan. 2, 4)
Threw Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego in fiery furnace for not worshipping his idol (Dan. 3)
Jer. 46:2–12

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NECHO II ♦

נכו / 𓈖𓂓𓅱 – "Reed"

Pharaoh of Egypt

≈ 610 – 595 BC

Egyptian

Family Tree / Son of Psamtik I & Mehtenweskhet / Husband of Khedebneithirbinet / Father of Psamtik II

Killed Josiah of Judah at the Battle of Megiddo (2 Kgs. 23:29); brought Southern Kingdom under Egyptian rule
Removed Jehoahaz III as Judah's king and replaced with Jehoiakim
Defeated by Nebuchadnezzar II in Battle of Carchemish

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NEHEMIAH ○

נחמיה – "The Lord Comforts"

Governor of Judea

≈ 445 – 432 BC

Israelite: Judahite? / From Susa-Shushan / Rebuilt Jerusalem

Family Tree / Son of Hachaliah

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-1 / Guide to Scriptures

Cupbearer for Artaxerxes
Neh. 1:1
Commissioned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem
Book of Nehemiah is a continuation of the book of Ezra

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NEPHI Ω

נפי – "Goodly"

NEPHI II Ω

נפי – "Goodly"

≈ 606 – 545 BC

Israelite: Manassite: Nephite / From Jerusalem

Family Tree / Son of Lehi & Sariah (1 Ne. 1:1) / Husband of unnamed daughter of Ishmael II's / Father of unnamed children / Ancestor of Nephites

Left Jerusalem with family but returned for brass plates and Ishmael II's family
Saw vision of tree of life, Jesus' life and future events (1 Ne. 10–15)
Built ship to travel to the Promised Land (1 Ne. 17–18)
Separated from the Lamanites (2 Ne. 5)

Prophet & Chief Judge

≈ 39 BC

Israelite: Manassite: Nephite

Family Tree / Son of Helaman III (Hel. 3:21) / Descendant of Nephi / Brother of Lehi II / Father of Nephi III & Timothy II

Chief judge (Hel. 3:37)
Converted many Lamanites with brother (Hel. 5)
Imprisoned and encircled with fire (Hel. 5)
Exposed plot to murder chief judge (Hel. 8)

NEPHI III Ω

נפי – "Goodly"

NEPHITES

נפי – "Goodly"

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Apostle

≈ 1 BC

Israelite: Manassite: Nephite

Family Tree / Son of Nephi II (3 Ne. 1:2) / Father of Amos II

Prayed for the signs of Christ's birth so his people would be saved (3 Ne. 1)
Cast out devils; raised brother Timothy II from the dead
Chosen by Jesus to be an apostle

Tribe/group in the Americas

≈ 580 BC

Israelite: Nephite

Family Tree / Descendants of Nephi & others (2 Ne. 5:14 ) / Famous people include Nephi, Benjamin II, Mosiah II, Alma I & II, Helaman II, Mormon II, and Moroni II

Often at war with the Lamanites

NICODEMUS

נקדימון / Νικοδημος – "Victory of the People"

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Pharisee on the Sanhedrin

≈ 30 AD

Visited Jesus at night and learned about being born again (John 3)
Helped with Jesus' burial (John 19:39–40)

NOAH †Ω

נח – "Rest"

NOAH II ♦

נח – "Rest"

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Prophet & Patriarch

≈ 2944 – 1994 BC

Family Tree / Son of Lamech (Gen. 5:28) / Father of Shem, Ham, & Japheth / Ancestor of Jesus (Luke 3:36)

Ordained at ten years old by Methuselah (D&C 107:52)
Preached repentance (Moses 8:20)
Built an ark; saved family and animals from the flood (Gen. 6–9)
Visited Daniel, Mary, Zacharias II, and others as the Angel Gabriel (article)

King of Nephites

≈ 160 – 145 BC

Israelite: Nephite

Family Tree / Son of Zeniff (Mosiah 11:1) / Husband of many / Father of Limhi

Led his people to wickedness and idolatry; had many wives and concubines (Mosiah 11)
Killed Abinadi (Mosiah 17:11–20)
Killed by his own priests (Mosiah 19:20)

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NORTHERN KINGDOM

see Kingdom of Israel

OBADIAH II Ω

עבדיה – "Servant of Jehovah"

≈ 840 or 630 BC

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-2 / Guide to Scriptures

Prophesied of the destruction of Edom and Jesus would stand on Mt. Zion (Obad. 1:21)

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OLIVER COWDERY Ω

"Olive Tree"

One of Three Witnesses & Apostle

= b.1806 – d.1850 AD

American / From Wells, VT

Son of William & Rebecca Cowdery

JS–H
One of Three Witnesses & Apostle from = 1829 – 1838 AD
Ordained to Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist and the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James, and John
Second elder of the Church
Scribe for the Book of Mormon

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OMNI

עמני

OMRI †♦

עמרי – "Bound"

Record Keeper

≈ 323 BC

Israelite: Nephite

Family Tree / Son of Jarom / Father of Amaron & Chemish

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-1

Called himself a wicked man (Omni 1:2)

King of Israel

≈ 885 – 874 BC

Israelite: Ephraimite

Family Tree / Father of Ahab

Captain of the Host; made king by the people (1 Kgs. 16:16)
Built Samaria (1 Kgs. 16:24)

Archeology: The Mesha Stele describes how Mesha of Moab's god Chemosh helped him throw off the yoke of bondage to the Kingdom of Israel and the "House of Omri"; contains one of the earliest extrabiblical references to the Israelite God Jehovah/Yahweh.

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ONIAS III ■

חוניו – "God is Gracious"

High Priest

≈ 185 – 175 BC

Israelite: Levite

Family Tree / Son of Simon II (2 Macc. 3:1) / Brother of Jason & Menelaus

Opposed the Hellenization of Judea
Forced out of position as High Priest for Jason

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OSORKON IV (SO) ♦

סוֹא

Pharaoh

≈ 730 – 716 BC

Egyptian

Family Tree / Son of Shoshenq V? or Pedubast II

Hoshea II of Israel sent messengers to him (2 Kgs. 17:4)

OTHNIEL ○

עתניאל – "God is Force"

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Judge of Israel

≈ 1360 BC

Israelite: Judahite

Family Tree / Son of Kenaz / Husband of Achsah (Judg. 1:13) and son-in-law (and nephew) of Caleb II

Conquered Kiriath-sepher and Chushanrishathaim of Mesopotamia (Judg. 3:10)
Early judge of Israel

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PATRIARCH

אבות – "Fathers"

Father/Ruler of family / Ordained office in priesthood (evangelist)

≈ 4000 BC – Present

Famous people include Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

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PAUL (SAUL II) Ω

Παυλος – "Extraordinary"

Apostle

≈ 34 – 64 AD

Israelite: Benjamite (Philip. 3:5) / Roman Citizen from Tarsus

Family Tree / Brother of unnamed sister / Uncle of unnamed nephew (Acts 23:16)

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary / Guide to Scriptures / Bible Maps

Opposed early Christians; assisted in the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58)
Pharisee taught by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)
Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus; he was converted (Acts 9)
Went on several missionary journeys, spreading the gospel around the Mediterranean Sea
Arrested and testified before Herod Agrippa II (Acts 21–28)
Authored much of the New Testament
Tradition states he was martyred in Rome around 64 AD

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PEKAH ♦

פקח – "Open-eyed"

PEKAHIAH ♦

פקחיה – "Jehovah Opens Eyes"

King of Israel

≈ 740 – 732 BC

Israelite: Naphtalite

Family Tree / Son of Remaliah

Royal officer
Killed Pekahiah of Israel and took the throne (2 Kgs. 15:25–32)
Attacked Ahaz of Judah and besieged Jerusalem with Rezin of Syria (2 Kgs. 15:37; 16:5); killed 120,000 Judahites, and deported another 200,000 to Samaria (1 Chr. 28:6, 8)
Tiglath-Pileser III started assault against Israel during his reign (2 Kgs. 15:29)
Hoshea II, his advisor, assassinated him during battle and Tiglath-Pileser III installed Hoshea as king

Archeology: In the Calah Inscription, Tiglath-Pileser III mentions the death of Pekah

King of Israel

≈ 742 – 740 BC

Israelite: Gadite

Family Tree / Son of Menahem of Israel

Wicked king; worshipped idols
Assassinated by his royal officer Pekah and fifty men from Gilead (2 Kgs. 15:25)

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PELEG (PHALEC) †

פלג – "Division"

Patriarch

≈ 2250 – 2000 BC

Family Tree / Son of Eber (Gen. 10:25) / Brother of Joktan / Ancestor of Jesus (Luke 3:35)

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary / Bible Maps

Earth was divided in his lifetime

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PERSIANS

פרס / 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 – "From the Land of Horses"

Tribe/group from Mesopotamia

≈ 2000 BC – Present

Persian / From Persia

Famous people include Cyrus the Great, Darius, Ahasuerus, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes

Fulfilled God's promise about Israel's return from exile
Conquered by Alexander the Great in 331 BC

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PETER (SIMON) Ω

Πετρος – "Rock"

Chief Apostle

≈ 30 – 64AD

Israelite: Jewish / From Bethsaida (John 1:44) / Lived at Capernaum

Family Tree / Son of Jona (John 1:40) / Brother of Andrew / Husband of unnamed wife

Fisherman; called by Jesus to follow Him ; became one of the first disciples of Jesus
Ordained as one of the original 12 apostles (Mark 3:14–19)
One of the inner three leaders with James and John privileged to be at the Transfiguration, Gethsemane, and other important events (Matt. 17:1–13; Mark 14:33)
Mother-in-law was healed by Jesus (Mark 1:29–31)
Walked on water (Matt. 14:22–36)
Given the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:13–19)
Witnessed the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–9)
Cut off ear of Caiaphas' servant Malchus (John 18:10)
Denied Jesus 3 times before; asked by Jesus to feed His sheep 3 times
Mary Magdalene told him and John of the empty tomb and they ran to see (John 20:2–8)
Chief apostle and leader of the early Church after the Resurrection (Acts 1–5); healed and taught with John, was arrested and miraculously released
Had vision of the gospel to the Gentiles; baptized Cornelius and household (Acts 10–11)
Wrote 2 epistles (1 & 2 Pet.)
Tradition says he was crucified upside down in Rome around 64 AD
Appeared with James and John to confer the Melchizedek Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery

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PHARAOH ♦

פרעה – "Great House"

King of Egypt

≈ 3000 – 30 BC

Egyptian / From Egypt

Family Tree / Original Pharaoh was the son of Egyptus II (Abr. 1:25) / Grandson of Ham and Egyptus I / Later denoted kings of Egypt / Famous people include Apries-Hophra, Shishak-Shoshenq, and Necho II

Pharaohs are mentioned often in the Old Testament, but unfortunately many are unnamed, leaving it up to speculation
A pharaoh treated Abraham and Sarah well; probably gave Sarah Hagar (Gen. 12:15–20)
Joseph interpreted the dream of and later served in the royal court as second in command of a Pharaoh (Gen. 39–50)
Moses was raised in the royal court by the daughter of Pharaoh; Moses later warned a Pharaoh to free the Israelites; Pharaoh only agreed after 10 plagues, including the last one which killed his first-born son; freed the Israelite slaves but soon chased the Israelites; lost his army in the Red Sea (Ex.)
Solomon made an alliance with and married Pharaoh's (Siamun's?) daughter, but Pharaoh Shishak-Shoshenq allied with Jeroboam and sacked Jerusalem (1 Kgs. 3:1; 9:16; 1 Kgs. 11:40)
Necho II conquered and killed Josiah of Judah, bringing the Kingdom of Judah under Egyptian rule until Nebuchadnezzar II (2 Kgs. 23)
Apries-Hophra sent an army to assist Zedekiah against Babylon (Jer. 37)

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PHARISEES

פרושים – "Expounders"

Religious Political Party

≈ 160 – 73 BC

Famous people include Nicodemus, Gamaliel, Paul

Prided themselves on strict observance of the Law of Moses
Matt. 3:7
Sat on the Sanhedrin with the the Sadducees with whom they had much conflict
Often quarreled with Jesus over observances of the law, usually sabbath day observance or His spending time with "sinners"
Jesus condemned their behavior and pride (Matt. 23)
After the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD, their beliefs became the foundation for Rabbinic Judaism

PHILEMON

Φιλημων – "Affectionate"

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Disciple

≈ 62 AD

Colossian / From Colossae

Husband of Apphia?

Tetrarch of Iturea & Trachonitis

Wealthy Christian; converted by Paul
The church in the area met in his home (Philem. 1:2)

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PHILIP ○

פיליפ / Φιλιππος – "Lover of Horses"

≈ b. 26 BC – d. 34 AD (Tetrarch from 4 BC – 33 AD)

Herodian

Family Tree / Son of Herod the Great & Cleopatra of Jerusalem (Luke 3:1) / Husband of Salome III

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-4

Founder of Caesarea Philippi

PHILIP II Ω

פיליפ / Φιλιππος – "Lover of Horses"

PHILIP III

פיליפ / Φιλιππος – "Lover of Horses"

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Apostle

≈ 31 – 54 AD

Israelite: Jewish / From Bethsaida (John 1:44)

Family Tree

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-1 / Guide to Scriptures

Told Nathanael that they had found the Messiah (John 1:45)
Ordained as one of the original 12 apostles (Mark 3:14–19)
Jesus asked him where to buy bread before feeding the 5,000 (John 6:5–7)
Greeks asked him for an audience with Jesus (John 12:20–22)
Asks Jesus to show them the Father (John 14:8–9)
Tradition says he was martyred either in 54 or 80 AD in Asia

One of the seven leaders

≈ 34 AD

Israelite: Jewish / Lived in Caesarea

Father of four unnamed daughters (Acts 21:9)

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-2 / Guide to Scriptures

Chosen to help the apostles with seven others - Evangelist (Acts 6:5)
Preached and baptized in Samaria (Acts 8:5–13)
Taught and baptized a eunuch of Candace of Ethiopia (Acts 8:26–40)
Visited by Paul; four daughters prophesied (Acts 21:8-9)

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PHILISTINES

פלשי – "Griever"

Tribe/group in the Levant

≈ 1200 – 604 BC

Canaanite: Philistine

Family Tree / Descendants of Casluhim (Gen. 10:14) / Famous people include Goliath, Achish, Abimelech, and Delilah

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-1

Lived along the Mediterranean Sea; five main cities were Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron
Judg. 13
Tiglath-Pileser III conquered them in 734 BC
The Greeks later called the land Palestine, although many modern Palestinians are descendants of Abraham and not the Philistines

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PHINEHAS ■

פינחס – "Bronze-colored"

PHINEHAS II

פינחס – "Bronze-colored"

High Priest

≈ 1350 BC

Israelite: Levite: Kohanim

Family Tree / Son of Eleazar and unnamed daughter of Putiel (Ex. 6:25) / Father of Abishua

Stayed the plague on the Israelites with Baal-peor, killing Zimri and Cozbi (Num. 25)
Given a hill in Mt. Ephraim to live (Josh. 24:33)

Priest

≈ 1050 BC

Israelite: Levite / From Shiloh

Family Tree / Son of Eli / Husband of unnamed wife / Father of Ahitub & Ichabod

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary-2

He and brother Hophni were wicked; slept with women by the door to the Tabernacle; a man of God prophesied that they would be killed on the same day (1 Sam. 2); Philistines stole the ark of the covenant and killed the two brothers; when their father Eli heard, he fell and died; Phinehas' wife also died that day giving birth to Ichabod (1 Sam. 4)

PHOENICIANS (SIDONIANS, TYRIANS)

פיניקים / Φοινικη – "Palm Land"

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Tribe/group on the Mediterranean Sea

≈ 2500 – 64BC

Canaanite: Phoenician / From Phoenicia, including Tyre & Sidon

Family Tree / Descendants of Ham and Canaan / Referred to selves as Canaanites / Major sea-faring people, facilitating trade between Egypt and Babylon and to the farthest parts of the Mediterranean Sea / Partially conquered by the Assyrians and later Alexander the Great / Famous people include Hiram, Ithobaal, and Jezebel

Prefect/Governor of Judea

Mentioned in early narratives (Deu. 3:9; Josh. 13:6; Judg. 3:3)
Helped with the supplies for Solomon's Temple (1 Kgs. 5–7)
Jesus healed daughter of Syrophenicia (Mark 7:24–30)

PONTIUS PILATE ○

Ποντιος Πιλατος – "Freedman"

PORCIUS FESTUS ○

see Festus Porcius

.

≈ 26 – 36 AD

Roman

Husband of unnamed wife

Governor of Judea (Luke 3:1)
Oversaw trial and crucifixion of Jesus; washed his hands of guilt (Matt. 27:11–31)
He and Herod Antipas became friends after the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:12)
Wrote a sign for over Jesus' cross which read "Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews" in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin; Chief Priests wanted him to change it but he refused (John 19:19–22)
Leaders asked him for permission to break the legs of those on the cross to kill them before the Sabbath; when they came to Jesus, He was already dead (John 19:31–37)
Joseph of Arimathea asked him for permission to bury Jesus' body; Pharisees asked for the tomb to be sealed and guarded (Matt. 27:57–66)

PROPHET (NABI) Ω

נביא – "Spokesperson"

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God's messenger on earth

≈ 4000 BC – Present

Israelite

Famous people include Noah, Abraham, Jacob/Israel, Joseph, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nephi, John the Baptist, and Joseph Smith / Prophetesses include Miriam, Huldah, Deborah II, and Anna (see BD)

Preacher of righteousness / Seer
Moses wished that all the Lord's people would be prophets (Num. 11:29)
The Lord preached repentance to the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah through His prophets (2 Kgs. 17:13; Luke 1:70)
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7)
Christ's church is built on the foundation of prophets and apostles (Eph. 4:11)
A section of the Old Testament is called "The Prophets" and included the books from Isaiah to Malachi (Matt. 5:17; Matt. 22:40; Acts 13:15)

PUBLICANS

τελώνης – "Public Revenue"

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Tax collectors for Rome

≈ 37 BC – 70 AD

Famous people include Matthew and Zacchaeus

Collected taxes for the Romans; considered traitors and hated by the Jews because they often charged more than required and kept the excess; became wealthy from using intimidation or corruption; many were considered ritually unclean "sinners" from their frequent contact with Gentiles; often excluded from synagogue
Some were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 3:12)
Jesus called Matthew to follow Him; Matthew immediately left his "receipt of custom" and held a feast with other publicans and sinners for Jesus and His disciples; when the Pharisees questioned why Jesus was with sinners, He said that "they that be whole need not a physician" (Matt. 9:9–17)
Jesus taught the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:1–14)
A chief publican, Zacchaeus, sought to see Jesus and climbed a tree; hosted Jesus (Luke 19:1–10)
Jesus told the Chief Priests and Elders that publicans and harlots would go into the kingdom of heaven before them (Matt. 21:23–32)

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QUIRINIUS (CYRENIUS) ○

Κυρηνιος – "Of Cyrene"

Governor of Syria & Judea

≈ 6 BC – 12 AD

Roman / From Lanuvium

Son of Publius Sulpicius Quirinius

Appointed Legate Governor of Syria after the banishment of Herod Archelaus; territory covered Judea
Held a census/taxing ordered by Caesar Augustus that forced Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:2)

RABSHAKEH ○

רבשקה / 𒃲𒁉𒈜𒈨𒌍

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Title for the chief of Assyrian army

≈ 701 BC

Assyrian / From Assyria

Sent by Sennacherib; laid siege to Jerusalem; taunted Hezekiah and the Jews in Hebrew so they could understand; 185,000 of his soldiers were killed in one night after Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed for deliverance (2 Kgs. 18:27–19:35)

+ RACHEL

רחל – "Ewe"

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Matriarch

≈ 1774 – 1733 BC

Israelite / Born in Haran / Lived in Canaan / Died in Bethlehem

Family Tree / Daughter of Laban / Second wife of Jacob / Mother of Joseph & Benjamin

Second daughter of Laban; watched the sheep; Jacob watered the sheep for her; she ran and told her father that Jacob had come
Jacob loved her (Gen. 29:18–20); she was beautiful; he worked 7 years to marry her, but Laban tricked him into marrying Leah first; he worked another 7 years to marry Rachel (Gen. 29:6)
Barren; gave her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob to have children
Finally gave birth to Joseph (Gen. 30:22–24)
Fled from her father with Jacob and family to Canaan; father chased them; she hid the images-idols she took from him
Died giving birth to Benjamin in Bethlehem; after her death, Reuben slept with Bilhah and lost the birthright which passed to her son Joseph (Gen. 35:16–22)

+ RAHAB (RACHAB) †

רחב – "Spacious"

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Harlot of Jericho

≈ 1400 BC

Canaanite / From Jericho

Family Tree / Wife of Salmon? / Ancestor of Jesus? (Matt. 1:5)

Assisted Israelite spies; protected with family when Jericho was conquered; lived with Israelites thereafter (Josh 2, 6)
Various traditions say she either married Joshua or Salmon; "Rachab" is listed as the wife of Salmon in the ancestry of Jesus and is assumed here to be the same person (Matt. 1:5)

+ REBEKAH †

רבקה – "Secured"

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Matriarch

≈ 1800 BC

Syrian / From Haran

Family Tree / Daughter of Bethuel and sister of Laban (Gen. 22:23) / Wife of Isaac; willingly followed Abraham's servant to marry him (Gen. 24) / Ancestor of Jesus (Matt. 1:2)

Abraham sent Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac; at a well, she offered him water and watered his camels; he gave her earrings and bracelets; Bethuel and Laban agreed to send her back but wanted her to stay a few days; when they asked her, she said she would go; Deborah went with her (Gen. 24)
Isaac loved her (Gen. 24:67)
Barren until she became pregnant with twins; felt the children struggle within her and she went to inquire of the Lord; He told her that two nations were in her womb and the elder should serve the younger (Gen. 25:20–23)
Mother of twins Jacob & Esau; she favored Jacob, Isaac favored Esau (Gen. 25:24–28)
Abimelech of Philistine saw Isaac "sporting" with her and knew she was not his sister; Abimelech protected them (Gen. 26:6–11)
Grieved when Esau married Canaanite: Hittite women (Gen. 26:34–35)
Helped Jacob receive birthright blessing from Isaac, "Upon me be thy curse"; Esau hated Jacob for it and wanted to kill him; she told Jacob to flee to Laban in Haran (Gen. 27)
Buried in the Cave of Machpelah with the other patriarchs/matriarchs (Gen. 49:31)

REHOBOAM (ROBOAM) † ♦

רחבעם – "People of Width"

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King of Judah

≈ 931 – 913 BC

Israelite: Judahite / From Jerusalem

Family Tree / Son of Solomon & Naamah the Ammonitess / Husband of 78 wives/concubines / Father of Abijam and others / Ancestor of Jesus (Matt. 1:7)

Reigned at 41yo for 17 years
Overtaxed the Israelites; the northern tribes split off to form the Kingdom of Israel and made Jeroboam their king (1 Kgs. 12)
Reigned in wickedness (1 Kgs. 14)

REUBEN

ראובן – "Behold a Son"

REUBENITES (TRIBE OF REUBEN)

ראובן – "Behold a Son"

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Patriarch

≈ 1748 BC

Israelite: Reubenite / Born in Haran / Lived in Canaan / Died in Egypt

Family Tree / Eldest son of Jacob & Leah / Father of Reubenites

Rachel wanted his mandrakes; gave Leah a night with Jacob in payment in which she conceived Issachar (Gen. 30:14–18)
Slept with Bilhah after Rachel's death which lost him the birthright (Gen. 35:22; 1 Chr. 5:1–2)
Saved Joseph from his brothers killing him (Gen. 37:21–22, 29; 42:22)
Offered his two sons if he and his brothers couldn't return Benjamin from Egypt safely (Gen. 42:37)

One of the Twelve Tribes

≈ 1600 BC – Present

Israelite: Reubenite / Territory was east of the Dead Sea and included Mt. Nebo (see map)

Family Tree / Descendants of Reuben / Famous people include Dathan & Abriam, and Jehu II of Israel and descendants

Last King of Aram-Damascus

Blessed by Jacob: "thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch" (Gen. 49:3–4) and by Moses that "Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few" (Deu. 33:6)
Majority carried away captive by Assyrians in 722 BC; one of the "Lost 10 tribes" (2 Kgs. 17)

REUEL ■

רעואל – "Friend of God"

see Jethro

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REZIN ♦

רצין – "Firm"

≈ 754 – 732 BC

Aramean: Syrian / From Damascus

Aligned with Pekah of Israel against the Ahaz of Judah; besieged Jerusalem (2 Kgs. 15:37; 16:5); killed 120,000 Judahites, and deported another 200,000 to Samaria (1 Chr. 28:6, 8)
Tributary to Assyria; rebelled against Tiglath-Pileser III; in 732 BC Tiglath-Pileser conquered Damascus, carried the people captive to Assyria, and killed Rezin, ending the kingdom of Aram-Damascus

ROMANS

Ῥωμαῖο – "Collective Strength"

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People from the Roman Empire

≈ 753 BC – 1453 AD

Roman / From Rome

Famous people include Augustus, Cornelius, Felix, Festus, Pontius Pilate, and Tiberius

Wikipedia / Bible Dictionary / Guide to Scriptures / Bible Maps

Pompey conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC and Judea became a tributary state
At the time of Jesus, the Roman Empire stretched across Africa, Asia, and Europe
Capital punishment, which the Jews insisted on for Jesus, required the authorization from the Roman Governor; the Jews took Jesus to Pontius Pilate to be crucified (John 18:29–32)
Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome around 45 AD (Acts 18:2)
One of Paul's epistles is written to them (Romans)
Paul had his Roman citizenship and appealed to Caesar during his trial; knew he would witness the gospel to the Romans (Acts 19:21)

+ RUTH †

רות – "Friend"

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Matriarch

≈ 1150 BC

Moabite / From Moab and later Bethlehem

Family Tree / Wife of Mahlon & Boaz (Ruth 4:13) / Daughter-in-law of Naomi / Great-grandmother of David (Ruth 4:22) / Ancestor of Jesus (Matt. 1:5)