Old Testament History and Figures - Week 3

Abigail

The wife of Nabal who provides food to David when her husband refuses; she subsequently becomes the wife of David.

Abishag

A young virgin hired to keep David warm in his old age; Adonijah is later killed by Solomon for asking to marry her.

Abner

The commander of Saul’s army who anoints Ishbosheth after Saul’s death but later defects to David; he is killed by Joab.

Absalom

The son of David who kills his half-brother Amnon for raping Tamar; he leads a rebellion against David and is killed by Joab.

Adonijah

The son of David who attempts to succeed him but is thwarted by Nathan and Bathsheba; he is later killed by Solomon for requesting to marry Abishag.

Ahab

The king of the northern kingdom of Israel who worships Baal and is married to Jezebel; Elijah predicts the fall of his kingdom.

Amnon

The son of David who rapes his half-sister Tamar and is subsequently killed by Absalom.

Bathsheba

The wife of Uriah the Hittite who becomes pregnant by David; she later becomes the mother of Solomon and ensures his succession to the throne.

Boaz

A wealthy landowner of Bethlehem who marries Ruth and becomes an ancestor of King David.

David

The successor to Saul as king of united Israel who established Jerusalem as the capital and received the Davidic Covenant.

Eli

The ineffectual priest who mentored Samuel; he and his sons die when the Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant.

Elijah

A prophet from the northern kingdom who warned Ahab, performed miracles, had a theophany on Mt. Horeb, and was carried to heaven on a fiery chariot.

Goliath

The Philistine giant killed by David with a slingshot in one-on-one combat.

Hannah

A barren woman who prays for a son and promises to consecrate him to God; her son, Samuel, becomes a Nazirite.

Jeroboam

The king of the northern kingdom of Israel (ten tribes) who established rival shrines to compete with the Temple at Jerusalem following a rebellion.

Jesse

The father of King David.

Jezebel

The foreign wife of Ahab and worshipper of Baal; she is responsible for Naboth's death and is predicted by Elijah to be devoured by dogs.

Joab

The commander of David’s army responsible for the deaths of Abner, Uriah the Hittite, and Absalom; he is eventually killed by Solomon.

Jonathan

The son of Saul and devoted friend of David who was killed in battle by the Philistines.

Josiah

The king of Judah who held a covenant renewal ceremony after the Book of the Law (Torah) was discovered in the Temple.

Mephibosheth

lame son of Jonathan/grandson of Saul who is cared for by David; may or may not have planned to replace David during rebellion of Absalom

Michal

daughter of Saul who is married to David (with bride-price of 200 Philistine foreskins); helps David escape wrath of Saul but later is rejected by him after she criticizes his inappropriate dancing

Nabal

wealthy shepherd and husband of Abigail who refuses food to David and his men when they are on the run from Saul; killed by God

Naboth

owner of vineyard which Ahab and Jezebel wants; she has him illegally executed

Naomi

woman of Bethlehem who moves to Moab during famine; when her husband and sons die she returns to Bethlehem with daughter-in-law Ruth (a Moabite), whose marriage she arranges to her Jewish kinsman Boaz; Ruth and Boaz becomes ancestors of King David

Nathan

prophet during reign of David; enunciates David Covenant; denounces adultery with Bathsheba; helps to get Solomon anointed as David’s successoR

Nebuchadnezzar

king of Babylonian Empire who takes over Assyrian Empire; attacks Judah, deports upper classes to Babylon and makes Judah a vassal state; subsequently besieges and destroys Jerusalem and Temple in 587 BCE, removing most of remaining population

Philistines

Aegean people who settle along Mediterranean coast and become Israelites’ chief rivals during period of judges and early monarchy; capture the Ark of the Covenant in battle (prior to monarchy); had use of iron

Queen of Sheba

woman who visits Solomon and admires his wealth and wisdom; she tests his wisdom by asking him questions

Rehoboam

Son and successor of Solomon; ten northern tribes rebel against him when he refuses to lighten the peoples’ burden; he then becomes king of Judah in the south

Ruth

Moabite woman who won’t leave mother-in-law Naomi, marries guardian-redeemer Boaz and becomes mother of Obed, grandfather of David; represents God’s selfless love

Samuel

son of Hannah, consecrated a Nazirite; priest and prophet during reign of Saul; anoints Saul, and later David, king after warning against monarchy (seen as rejection of God/theocracy); tells Saul that God has rejected him – see Extra Material

Saul

from tribe of Benjamin; anointed by Samuel as first king of Israel; has various victories but loses support of God – see Extra Material; is eventually upstaged by David of whom he becomes extremely jealous and tries to kill repeatedly; killed in battle with Philistines along with son Jonathan; daughter Michal married to David

Solomon

son of David and Bathsheba and third king of united Israel; famous for his wisdom and wealth; builds first Temple in Jerusalem but displeases God because of intermarriage with foreign women and worship of their gods

Tamar

daughter of David and half-sister of Amnon who rapes her; he is subsequently killed by her brother Absalom

Uriah the Hittite

soldier in David’s army and husband of Bathsheba; David has him killed after she becomes pregnant to hide their sin

Assyria

large empire encompassing much of Fertile Crescent; dominates Near East from about 1100 to 600 BCE; conquered northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE and resettles Israelites throughout the empire (leading to so-called Ten Lost Tribes); makes southern kingdom of Judah a vassal; viewed by Israelite prophets as God’s instrument of punishment for disobedience;

Babylonia

empire which replaces Assyria and conquers kingdom of Judah; captures and destroys Jerusalem (and Temple) in 587 BCE; deports much of population to city of Babylon, allowing Jews to maintain their identity

Jerusalem

ancient city captured by David who then makes it the capital of united Israel (later becomes capital of kingdom of Judah) and site of Temple

Samaria

city built by King Omri who makes it the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel; included temple and altar to Baal; destroyed during Assyrian Conquest

Babylonian Captivity/Exile

the period between 587 and 538 BCE during which the upper classes of Judah were held captive in Babylon; after Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon in 539, the Jews who wished to do so were allowed to return to their homeland

Book of the Covenant/law

collection of laws first introduced during time of Moses; later rediscovered during restoration of Temple by King Josiah and leads to religious reforms

Davidic Covenant

covenant established between God and house of David

Proverbs

book of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament traditionally ascribed to Solomon; contains practical advice drawn from various sources, including Egypt and Mesopotamia; includes reflections on the value of wisdom as well as practical advice

Psalms

collection of sacred songs or poems in praise of God; traditionally ascribed to David; musical accompaniment

Song of Songs

book of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, often attributed to Solomon, which contains a cycle of erotic poems praising sensual love