TWENTY IMPORTANT OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTERS
ADAM	FIRST MAN. Made from dust on 6th day. Wife, (Eve) made from his rib. Banished from Eden to die for eating forbidden fruit. First son (Cain) killed his brother (Abel) and was exiled.. Third son (Seth) is the father of the people now in the world.	CREATION EDEN A.D.P.
NOAH	BUILT THE ARK. Noah, wife, sons (Shem, Ham, Japheth) and their wives saved from flood. Dove and rainbow sign. Ham's youngest son (Canaan) cursed..	FLOOD P. D. P
ABRAHAM	FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL. He Believed God. Left Ur (near Babylon)to Haran and then to Palestine with Lot (his nephew). Son (Isaac) promised through Sarah. Handmaid (Hagar) has son (Ishmael--father of Arabs). “Sacrifice” of Isaac. Promises of land (Palestine) and a “seed” (Christ).	PATRIARCHS
ISAAC	SON OF PROMISE. Ancestor of Israel. Married Rebecca. Twin sons, Jacob and Esau (Edomites). Dug many wells.	PATRIARCHS
JACOB	TWELVE TRIBES BEGIN. Twin brother, Esau, (later called Edom) sold him his birthright. Jacob and Rebecca deceived Isaac to get Esau's blessing. Fled to Haran. Married Leah and Rachel. Wrestled angel. Name changed to Israel. Twelve sons begin twelve tribes.	PATRIARCHS
JOSEPH	SOLD INTO EGYPT. Son of Jacob and Rachel.. Given coat of many colors. Imprisoned because of Potiphar's wife. Interprets Pharaoh's dreams. Second to Pharaoh over Egypt.	BONDAGE
MOSES	GREAT LAW GIVER. Saved by Pharaoh's daughter. Flees to Midian. Marries. Burning bush. Ten plagues. Exodus from Egypt. Crossed Red Sea.. . Mount Sinai. 40 years in wilderness. Died on Mt. Nebo.	DELIVER WILD. W. .
JOSHUA	CONQUERED THE PROMISED LAND. Faithful spy. Crossed Jordan. Jericho falls. Achan and Ai defeat. Gibeonite deception. Long day. Land divided.	CONQUEST
GIDEON	GREAT GENERAL. Fleece. 300 chosen for. army. Surprise night attack on Midianites.	JUDGES
SAMSON	STRONGEST MAN. Nazarite from childhood. Killed a lion. Told a riddle. Ripped off the city gate. Hair cut by Delilah. Lost his strength. Pulled down the house.	JUDGES
SAMUEL	LAST JUDGE AND FIRST PROPHET. Nazarite from birth. Replaces Eli's sons as high priest. Israel demands a king. Saul anointed king. Saul condemned	JUDGES UNITED K
SAUL	FIRST KING. Corrupted by power.. Made his own sacrifices. Kept Agag and best spoils. Jealous of David.	UNITED K
DAVID	MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART. Killed Goliath. Would not kill Saul. Prepared the temple. Wrote Psalms. Killed Uriah for Bath-sheba. Absalom (his son) revolts.	UNITED. K
SOLOMON	WISEST MAN. 2nd son of Bath-sheba. Built temple. Wrote Prov., Ecc., Song of Sol.. Married idolatrous wives. Ten tribes revolt against son, Rehoboam.	DIVIDED K
ELIJAH	TAKEN TO HEAVEN IN A FIERY CHARIOT. No rain for seven years. Widow's son raised. Contest with Baal on Carmel. Hides from Ahab & Jezebel. Naboth's vinyard. Elisha chosen and receives his mantel.	DIVIDED K
ISAIAH	MESSIANIC PROPHET. Sennacherib's Assyrian army turned back from Jerusalem by angel killing 185,000. About 721 BC	N. EXILE
JEREMIAH	WEEPING PROPHET. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deportations under Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin (Coniah), and Zedekiah. Remnant took him to Egypt. About 606 BC.	S. EXILE (70 yrs.)
DANIEL	THROWN INTO THE LION'S DEN. Carried to Babylon for 70 years. Interpreted dreams and became great. Also became important after Persian conquest. Foretold the four empires. Prayed faithfully three times a day.	S. EXILE (70 yrs.)
EZRA	REBUILDING THE TEMPLE. Led 2nd group returning to Jerusalem. He was a priest. Worked to restore the temple worship. Opposed mixed marriages.	POST EX.
NEHEMIAH	REBUILT WALLS OF JERUSALEM. Cupbearer to King of Persia. Made Governor of Judea. Led third return to Palestine. Hindered by Sanballat, of Samaria.	POST EX