Standard Bearers

If you haven’t already, read How To Navigate The Christian Bible first for a better foundation to this information. This article is designed for those who want to learn more about the authors of the books of The Bible. After reading, you should know the names of the books of the Christian Bible, the dates they were written, and who they were written by. An informational, biographical summary of each author is provided for those who wish to understand the pen behind the paper. 

The Books Of The Bible, Their *Authors, & The *Dates They Were Written

Here we will take a look at the titles of each book in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments, along with the names of their authors, and the year that they were written. BC represents the time period before Jesus Christ’s death. The Past. AD represents the time period after Jesus Christ’s death. The Present.

Old Testament 

Genesis – written by Moses in the 1400s BC; 50 chapters and 1,533 verses.

Exodus – written by Moses in the 1400s BC; 40 chapters and 1,213 verses.

Leviticus – written by Moses in the 1400s BC; 27 chapters and 859 verses.

Numbers – written by Moses in the 1400s BC; 36 chapters and 1,288 verses.

Deuteronomy – believed to be written by Moses and Joshua in 1406 BC; 34 chapters and 959 verses.

Joshua – written by Joshua in 1370s BC; 24 chapters and 658 verses.

Judges – writer unknown, believed to be between 1085 -931 BC; 21 chapter and 618 verses.

Ruth – writer unknown, believed to be between 1085 -931 BC; 4 chapters and 85 verses.

1st & 2nd Samuel – written by Samuel, Nathan, and Gad between 1085-931 BC; 1 Samuel has 31 chapters and 810 verses, while 2 Samuel has 24 chapters and 695 verses.

1st Kings & 2nd Kings – written by Jeremiah and Ezra between 627 – 574 BC; 1 Kings has 22 chapters and 816 verses, while 2 Kings has 25 chapters and 719 verses.

1st Chronicles & 2nd Chronicles – written by Ezra between 450- 400 BC; 1 Chronicles has 29 chapters and 942 verses, while 2 Chronicles has 36 chapters and 822 verses.

Ezra – written by Ezra in 440 BC; 10 chapters and 280 verses.

Nehemiah – written by Nehemiah in 430 BC; 13 chapters and 406 verses.

Esther – writer unknown, between 474 – 450 BC; 10 chapters and 167 verses.

Job – writer unknown, believed to be between 1030 – 931 BC; 42 chapters and 1,070 verses.

Psalms – written by David. Sons of Korah, Asaph, Solomon, Henan the Ezrahite, Ethan the Ezrahite, Moses, and others between 440 -400 BC; 150 verses and 2,461 verses.

Proverbs – written by Solomon, Agur, and Lemuel between 971 – 686 BC; 31 chapters and 915 verses.

Ecclesiastes – written by Solomon around 940 BC; 12 chapters and 222 verses.

Song of Solomon – written by Solomon around 940 BC; 8 chapters and 117 verses. 

Isaiah – written by Isaiah between 739- 686 BC; 66 chapters 1,292 verses.

Jeremiah – written mainly by Jeremiah and Baruch between 605 – 580 BC; 52 chapters and 1,364 verses.

Lamentations – written by Jeremiah in 586 BC; 5 chapters and 154 verses.

Ezekiel – written by Ezekiel between 597 – 573 BC; 48 chapters and 1,273 verses.

Daniel – written by Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar between 550 – 530 BC; 12 chapters and 357 verses.

Hosea – written by Hosea between 782 – 722 BC; 14 chapters and 197 verses.

Joel – written by Joel between 800 – 700 BC; 3 chapters and 73 verses.

Amos – written by Amos between 792 – 752 BC; 9 chapters and 146 verses.

Obadiah – written by Obadiah, believed to be in 586 BC; 1 chapter and 21 verses.

Jonah – written by Jonah between 745 – 630 BC; 4 chapters and 48 verses.

Micah – written by Micah between 733 – 701 BC; 7 chapters and 105 verses.

Nahum – written by Nahum between 663 – 626 BC; 3 chapters and 47 verses.

Habakkuk – written by Habakkuk between 626 – 590 BC; 3 chapters and 56 verses.

Zephaniah – written by Zephaniah between 636 – 627 BC; 3 chapters and 53 verses.  

Haggai – written by Haggai in 520 BC; 2 chapters and 38 verses.

Zechariah – written by Zechariah between 520 – 480 BC; 14 chapters and 211 verses.

Malachi -written by Malachi, believed to be in 515 – 415 BC; 4 chapters and 55 verses. 

New Testament

Matthew – written by Matthew and Levi between 60 – 66 AD; 28 chapters and 1,071 verses.

Mark – written by John Mark and Simon Peter between 64 – 67 AD; 16 chapters and 678 verses.

Luke – written by Luke between 61 – 64 AD; 24 chapters and 1,151 verses.

John – written by John, son of Zebedee between 85 – 90 AD; 21 chapters and 879 verses. 

Acts – written by Luke and/or Paul between 63-64 AD; 28 chapters and 1,007 verses.

Romans – written by Paul in 57 AD; 16 chapters and 433 verses.

1st Corinthians – written by Paul in 55 AD; 16 chapters and 437 verses. 

2nd Corinthians – written by Paul in 56 AD; 13 chapters and 257 verses.

Galatians – written by Paul between 48 – 52 AD; 6 chapters and 149 verses.

Ephesians – written by Paul between 58 – 60 AD; 6 chapters and 155 verses.

Philippians – written by Paul and Timothy in 61 AD; 4 chapters and 104 verses.

Colossians – written by Paul and Timothy between 58 – 60 AD; 4 chapters and 95 verses.

1st Thessalonians & 2nd Thessalonians – written by Paul and Timothy in 50 AD; 1 Thessalonians has 5 chapters and 89 verses, while 2 Thessalonians has 3 chapters and 47 verses.

1st Timothy – written by Paul between 62 – 66 AD; 6 chapters and 113 verses.

2nd Timothy – written by Paul in 67 AD; 4 chapters and 83 verses.

Titus – written by Paul in 63 AD; 3 chapters and 46 verses. 

Philemon – written by Paul and Timothy between 58 – 60 AD; 1 chapter and 25 verses. 

Hebrews – writer unknown, between 66 – 70 AD; 13 chapters and 303 verses.

James – written by James, the son of Joseph or, half-brother of Jesus between 45 – 50 AD; 5 chapters and 108 verses.

1st Peter – written by Simon Peter and Silas between 62 – 64 AD; 5 chapters and 105 verses.

2nd Peter – written by Simon Peter between 64 – 68 AD; 3 chapters and 61 verses. 

1st John – written by John, son of Zebedee between 85 – 90 AD; 5 chapters and 105 verses.

2nd John – written by John, son of Zebedee in 90 AD; 1 chapter and 13 verses.

3rd John – written by John, son of Zebedee in 90 AD; 1 chapter and 14 verses.

Jude – written by Jude, son of Joseph, or half-brother of Jesus between 60 – 65 AD; 1 chapter and 25 verses.

Revelation – written by John, son of Zebedee between 70 – 96 AD; 22 chapters and 404 verses.

*Most books of the Bible have identifiable, creditable authors. Some books do not have clear authors and those are pointed out as being “unknown”. 

*The dates here are mostly close approximations and are identified by the word “believed” and are presented with “-” and two dates at the end of that dash to show that the date falls somewhere between the two dates shown. Some dates are factually known and are presented simply by the specific year. 

The Authors Of The Bible

Who was…

Moses – Moses was a prophet, teacher, leader, and the man God used to free His people and bring to them the Law and the 10 Commandments. The name Moses means “to draw out” (as in to draw out of water) and he wrote the first five books (The Torah in the Jewish faith) of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. He was born in the land of Goshen to a Hebrew father Amram and a Hebrew mother Jochebed and later in life he was known to have a stutter. At the time of his birth, there was a law in Egypt that all male Hebrew babies should be killed. Jochebed hid her son for some months and then sent him into the river in a basket, hoping that he might be saved. Thankfully, the Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby, had pity on him, and decided to keep and raise him as her own. What she did not know upon sending the baby to her maid to nurse and nanny, was that the maid she was sending the child off to was his very own mother, Jochebed. When Moses grew older in Egypt he killed an Egyptian man who was about to kill a Hebrew man. Upon doing this, and knowing that he was seen, he flees and restarts his life elsewhere. After marrying, and many years later when he was walking the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro, Moses is stopped by a burning bush. He investigates it because it burns but does not burn up. As he is investigating this thing, a voice comes from out of the bush, and that voice belongs to the LORD. God instructs Moses to confront Pharaoh and declare to him that he must let God’s people (the Hebrews who are slaves in Egypt) go. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, thereby causing God to judge Egypt with a series of plagues, proving to Pharaoh that he was indeed dealing with the God of Hebrews. Moses is credited for outstretching his staff according to God’s command, causing God to part the Red Sea so that the children of Israel could escape Pharaoh and his pursuing army, and cross to the other side on dry land. Later, he uses this staff at God’s command to strike a rock, from which water flows to quench the thirst of the people. God was constantly providing for the needs of His people while in the desert. But they still complained, went back to serving other gods, and disobeyed God and His servant Moses which he used to bring the 10 Commandments, the Law, and the promise of the land of Israel to the people. Moses died at 120 years old at Mount Nebo in Jordan having never entered the Promised Land. Moses was known for being wise, a great leader, and a faithful servant of God.

Joshua – Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Nun, was born in Egypt before the Exodus and was Moses’ assistant and helper. The name Joshua means “God is deliverance” and he is credited with having written the Book of Joshua. When Moses sent spies to view the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones of the 12 spies who reported back that they could take the land. When Moses died, Joshua was appointed by God to be his successor. He was a warrior who led Israel to victory in many battles. Joshua led Israel to defeat Jericho by following God’s instructions which led to the crumbling of the walls of Jericho. This allowed Joshua and the armies of Israel to take the city. Joshua had many notable victories such as the defeat of Ai and before the defeat of Jericho, God parted the Jordan River for the children of Israel so that they could cross over on dry land, just like in Exodus. The most interesting victory that Joshua headed was when God fought for Israel and defeated the alliance of 5 kings that had come against them. The Bible recounts: “Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.” (Joshua 10 12:14) It’s clear that Joshua had an influence on God because God heard him and did what Joshua asked in a way that He never has before or will again. When the children of Israel did wrong and God judged them, Joshua followed God’s command and corrected them. He was known for being brave, courageous, and valiant. He demonstrated a mastery of the art of war by listening to God’s directives and trusting Him the entire way. Joshua died at the age of 110 and was laid to rest at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim.

Samuel – Samuel a Levite, was a priest, the first prophet, and the last judge of Israel. He was the son of Elkanah from Ephraim and Hannah. The name Samuel means “God has heard” and he is credited with having written the Book of Samuel up until he dies in the 25th chapter, the book is then continued by Nathan and Gad. His story begins when his mother Hannah is crying out to God for a child. She previously couldn’t have kids and was being tormented by her husband’s other wife who could have kids. God answers her prayer and blesses her with a son who she named Samuel. Hannah was faithful to give Samuel back to God by placing him in the care and under the teaching of the priest Eli after spending his early years at home. Samuel was a transitional leader who held every leadership role in Israel: priest, judge, prophet, military leader, and later an anointer of kings. Before Israel was run by a monarchy, it was led by judges, the last of which was Samuel. He then went on to anoint Israel’s first king Saul and later anointed David as the next king to replace Saul. He does this first with Saul when Israel cries out to God for a king and God decides to answer their prayers and give them one. God uses Samuel as the one to identify and name the next king of Israel according to God’s will. Samuel is an example of leadership, faithfulness, and service to God and his nation Israel. Samuel died at around age 90 and was buried in his hometown of Ramah. 

Nathan – Nathan was a prophet and advisor to King David, not to be confused with the youngest son of David also named Nathan. The name Nathan means “Gift of God” and he is responsible for writings in the Books of Chronicles and the Books of Kings. He is also credited with a lost work known as the Book of Nathan The Prophet. In his time working for King David, he announced to David during his reign the covenant that God was making with David, the judgment against David for his transgression with Bath-sheba, and at the end of David’s life and reign, Nathan worked to secure the throne for David’s son. Nathan, son of Attai of the tribe of Judah, is credited for having written the histories of the reigns of David and his son and successor, Solomon. Nathan lived to an old age and was buried in his homeland. 

Gad – Gad the Seer was David’s personal prophet and consultant. The name Gad means “fortunate” and some of his writings are located in the Books of Samuel and 1 Chronicles. He is also credited for writing a lost work called the Book of Gad The Seer. It is unclear where he is from or who his parents are. He appears quite suddenly in the 1 Book of Samuel when he offers David guidance on fleeing Moab. Gad, like prior prophets and “seers”, represented God’s counsel to the King and Gad exemplified a faithful and honest servant in this role to David. He was unafraid to reprimand and correct David when he sinned against God and numbered the troops. God gave David three options of punishment for this sin and Gad was the one who God used to rebuke David and deliver to him the message of God’s judgment. Gad was among those who compiled King David’s chronicles and outlived David allowing him to record his history. Gad worked with David’s other advisors like Nathan to serve as God’s counsel to David throughout his reign and both remained loyal and faithful in their service to King David and God. Gad is believed to be buried with Nathan at a tomb in Halhul in the middle of Hebron.

Jeremiah – Jeremiah, from the village of Anathoth was from the tribe of Benjamin and was the son of Hilkiah a priest. Jeremiah was a prophet used by God to deliver the message of God’s judgment to Israel for their disobedience and unrepentant sin. The name Jeremiah means “God is high” and he is responsible for writing these books in the Bible: Jeremiah, the Books of Kings, and Lamentations. Jeremiah was called by God at age 17 and faced loneliness as no matter how hard he tried to warn the people over his 40 years of preaching, they would not listen. Not only this, but God did not allow Jeremiah to marry or have children as the future of the people was to be unimaginably devastating. Jeremiah, also called Jeremias, is referred to as the “weeping prophet” as he was so deeply affected by the terror to come that he battled depression and the feeling that he was ineffective since no one took heed of his words. See, God told Jeremiah to deliver the message of one of the worst, darkest times in the Jewish faith. This was the event in the year 586 BC when Israel was taken and the people destroyed by a Babylonian king. The Bible describes the event that was to come: “They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and the sword shall consume them, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.” (Jeremiah 16:3-4) Jeremiah is believed to have died around 75 years old and is buried in the cave of Jeremiah in Jerusalem. 

Ezra – Ezra, also known as Esdras per his other writings, was born in Babylon over 100 years after the Jews were placed in Babylonian captivity when their first temple was destroyed in 586 BC during Jeremiah’s time. He was a Jewish scribe and priest who was crucial in restoring Israel to the principles and precepts of the law after the Jews were freed from captivity. It was under King Cyrus that the beginning of the Jewish society was rebuilt as he freed them from the Babylonian captivity allowing those who wished to return to their homeland to freely go and rebuild Solomon’s Temple. King Artaxerxes appointed Ezra over Israel’s ecclesiastical (church-related) and civil affairs as they continued to rebuild, placing him with the duty of teaching all of the law who would listen. It was under King Darius’ sixth year that the temple was finally fully rebuilt. Ezra’s name means “God helps” and he is responsible for writing these books in the Bible: Ezra, the Books of Chronicles, and Malachi. He is also credited for writing two other extracanonical books entitled 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras.

Interestingly, the Bible tells us all of Ezra’s genealogy when introducing him: “Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: This Ezra went up from Babylon;” (Ezra 7:1-6) Ezra was said to be a ready scribe in the law of Moses and he prepared his heart to seek the law, do it, and teach all of Israel of it too. After Ezra led a group of Jews with him to Israel to do the work that the King had entrusted him to do, he later mourned and confessed the sin of Israel men intermarrying with pagan women which was in conflict with the law of God for Israel. He corrected Israel and enforced the law even when he was facing opposition from his own people. After Nehemiah was commissioned by King Artaxerxes to restore the city walls, Nehemiah, the then Governor of Jerusalem, called Ezra to read the Law of Moses before all of the people of Israel. They then made an oath together to keep the law and not intermarry. On his way back to Babylon to speak to King Artaxerxes to discuss the state of the Jews in Israel, Ezra dies at the age of 120 in the town of Zamzumu. His final resting place is the Tomb of Ezra in Al-‘Uzer, Iraq. 

Nehemiah – Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah, along with Zerubbabel, were together Governors of Jerusalem. Zerubbabel was in charge of the rebuilding of the Second Temple and Nehemiah was tasked by King Artaxerxes with rebuilding the city of Jerusalem, its city walls and gates, and dedicating the city to the LORD and the Law of Moses. Once the walls are restored, he calls on Gad (who was also used by the King to oversee the teaching of the Law of Moses to the people) to read the Law to all of the people. At this time, the people make a covenant amongst themselves to keep the Law. Nehemiah was born in Babylon over 100 years after the captivity of the Jews and his name means “God comforts”. He is credited with writing the Book of Nehemiah which recounts his life while rebuilding the city of Jerusalem and bringing the people back under the Law of Moses during the rebuilding of the Second Temple. In his earlier years, he served as cupbearer to the same King who had sent him to restore the walls of Jerusalem. He is considered a “layman” to some because he wasn’t a prophet or priest. However, he was a faithful leader who spearheaded reforms in the city of Jerusalem which led to the restoration of the city walls and the people under the Law of Moses according to God’s will. Nehemiah died at an old age and nothing is currently known of how he died or where he is currently buried.

The Judges – Though the writer of the Book of Judges is not clear, we can still glean something by learning who the “judges” even were which may give some future insight as to who wrote the book whenever we do unlock that revelation. The Book of Judges reveals the Judges’ time-period in the Jewish faith that began with Eli, passed to Samuel, and then on to the 12 described in this book. The 12 Judges from the Book of Judges were named Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson. Before Israel had a monarchy, they had Judges. These Judges were not judges as we think of today like in a court of law. In the Bible they are described as having “judged Israel”. Their purpose was to lead and correct the people. They dealt with sin amongst the people according to God’s will and were responsible for resolving conflicts amidst brethren and keeping Israel in good standing with God.

Ruth – The Book of Ruth is another in which the writer is not clear, but we will take a look at who Ruth was since the book is about her. The name Ruth means “compassionate friend” which very much describes the kind of person she was. Ruth was a Moabite who were descendants of Lot (Abraham’s nephew who notoriously chose to dwell in Sodom). Ruth’s parents and lineage are not mentioned in the Bible. But because we know that she was from Moab, a country that worshiped false gods and didn’t like Israelites, we can still glean something about her origins. The story of Ruth is one of love, both between two women as friends and between a man and a woman as a couple. Ruth shows her character and devotion when she chooses to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi, after her husband dies. She decides to leave her homeland and everything she knew behind to accompany Naomi on Naomi’s return to her homeland, Israel. Ruth had every reason to feel fear or discomfort in Israel because it was a foreign land to her and the people from the two nations were known to not like each other. However, she found favor with God and He led her to a field that belonged to a man who she did not know. The only thing she knew was that his name was Boaz and he was the brother of Naomi’s late husband. He was a wealthy man and a man of honor, but Ruth would not learn this until later. He inquired of Ruth when he noticed her working in his field. He protected her before even knowing her by commanding no man working around her to hurt her. He saw that she was beautiful and he learned that she was not married. Ruth was bold with Boaz and practically tells him to marry her and he does. Ruth goes from being a Moabite widow in a foreign land with no money, no children, and no property to eventually marrying an honorable wealthy man who loves her. Not only this but she eventually goes on to purchase and own the very field that she once worked in when she met Boaz. Because Boaz was from the Tribe of Judah, Ruth went on to mother children that became a part of the lineage of both King David and Christ. It is unclear what age Ruth died at, but she is believed to be buried at the Tomb of Jesse and Ruth in Hebron.

Esther – It is unknown who wrote the Book of Esther which tells us the story of Esther who goes from a parent-less girl to Queen. Esther, who is also called Hadassah (meaning “Myrtle Tree”) means “star”. When Persian King Ahasuerus gets rid of his Queen Vashti because of her disobedience to him, he is advised to search for a new queen to replace the banished one. According to his command, the King’s servants call for every young maiden in the kingdom to report to the King so that he can choose for himself his new Queen. After his eyes befall Esther she receives his favor and he chooses her to replace Vashti. Esther was a beautiful Jewish girl raised by her uncle Mordecai, a Benjamite, who told her to hide the fact that she was Jewish. Though eventually she reveals her true identity to the King for the sake of saving the Jews in the kingdom. Queen Esther risks her life to save her people when a decree goes out that all Jews should be destroyed. The King was misled by Haman who was offended when Mordecai did not bow when he came into the King’s gate, which was the requirement. Esther goes unto the King when she was not called, which was punishable by death. She does this multiple times after fasting and praying concerning the decree that had gone out. But the King holds out the golden scepter and has favor upon Esther, offering her anything she requested up to half of his kingdom. Esther strategizes the way she takes Haman down and sabotages the decree. Her efforts led to the King granting the Jews the right and freedom to defend their lives and ultimately preserve their identity. According to Persian records, Esther was 14 when she became Queen and was born around 492 BC. She mothered one son named Darius who would later become King and aid in the efforts of rebuilding Jerusalem after the destruction of it in 586 BC by the Babylonians. It is not clear what age Esther was when she died but she is buried in the Tomb of Mordecai and Esther in the city of Hamadan, Iran.

Job – Because the writer of the Book of Job is unknown, we’re going to look at the man that the book is about. The name Job means “persecuted” which is far too perfect for this man’s story. Job, the fifth generation from Abraham, was from the land of Uz and was said to be the greatest of the men in the East. His story is one of a righteous, God-fearing man that God called “perfect” who went from having everything to losing everything. These attacks were allowed by God to prove to the Devil that Job would not sin against God no matter what his circumstances looked like. Job was the wealthiest man in the East at his time and he did everything right according to the Bible. But one day when Satan came to meet with God, God brought Satan’s attention to Job, highlighting Job’s perfection and love for God. Satan cannot help but to take the bait and he points out to God that Job is only “perfect” because God has a hedge of protection around him. Therefore God allows the Devil to take everything from Job. He lost all of his children, all of his livestock and wealth generation, he lost his servants, he lost his health, he lost the loyalty of his friends, he lost the support of his wife, and he lost the ability to hear from God in that time. Everything that could’ve hurt him, did. But all through these terrible, traumatic things, Job never sinned against God with his lips or his heart. When the Devil’s games were over, the LORD restored to Job double what he had originally had. How interesting it is that Job’s name means “persecuted”, but for most of his life it seems that he was a wealthy, advantaged man who hadn’t experienced persecution except for this great storm God allowed him to face. It seems that this persecution he faced in this one instance was so great that it bore the weight of naming him. But it wasn’t the persecution that had the power or the final say. It was God and His faith in Job that wears the crown. Job had seven new sons and three new daughters that were said to be the most beautiful women in all the land of Uz. He lived to see four generations of his offspring and lived to 140 years old, having lived a very full life. The Tomb of Job resides on a hilltop overlooking Salalah in Oman. 

David – David was the youngest of Jesse the Bethlehemite’s eight sons. Jesse was the son of Obed who was the son of Ruth and Boaz. The genealogy of David is presented in the Bible: “Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.” (Ruth 4:18-22)  David is in the direct genealogy of Jesus which can be found in Luke chapter 3 which we will discuss more in depth under Jesus’ summary at the bottom of this list. The name David means “beloved” which describes perfectly the way God felt about him. He is responsible for writing most of the Book of Psalms. In his young age, he was a shepherd boy who successfully killed a bear and a lion when both separately attempted to take one of his sheep. He was a harpist, a poet, a singer, a servant, and was described as handsome. Despite all of this, when Samuel was tasked by God with finding a new king to replace Saul, Israel’s first King, after Saul disobeyed God, David was forgotten by his own family. At Samuel’s request, Jesse brought out his seven oldest sons before Samuel not telling him that he had disincluded his youngest. But the oil would not pour out on any of his oldest sons. So, Samuel inquired of Jesse if he had any other sons and Jesse reveals that he did indeed have another. He is quick to point out that he is young and a shepherd boy, almost as if to demean him and explain him away. But when Jesse is brought to Samuel he is alerted by God that this is the one and he anoints David before his brothers and father as the oil does pour over David. 

Soon after, King Saul who was being disturbed by an evil spirit after his disobedience and God’s spirit left him is told by his servant that if someone is to play music skillfully for him that he will be well when he hears it (it is not clear how the servant knew this). He agrees and the servants bring him David who is described to the King as follows: “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.” (1 Samuel 16:18) It is worth noting that the servant calls David a “man of war” here before he had ever tasted battle or defeated Goliath. Not only this but he was not yet a man, but still a boy as noted by his father Jesse. But he was a warrior on the inside and that was clear even to this servant. In Saul’s service as a harpist, the King promotes David to his personal  armourbearer (a person who carries the armor or weapons of another usually important person). Whenever the “evil spirit” came upon the King, David was called to play and the spirit left Saul and he was “refreshed”. During this time, David comes to bring food to his brothers (who were in the armies of men that were too afraid to go against Goliath) at the command of his father. When he sees that no one is willing or able to defeat Goliath he steps up with a sling and a stone (he actually grabbed five stones suggesting that he had ambitions to also kill Goliath’s brothers). David’s victory over Goliath caused the enemy to flee and the men shouted and pursued and spoiled the tents of the enemy. 

David doesn’t get to go home after his victory because Saul decides to keep him at his hand. While David is getting acquainted as a live-in servant to the King he meets Jonathon, King Saul’s son, and they become extremely close friends. Their souls become “knit” together for the love they had for each other (1 Samuel 18:1). They were teenagers and you can imagine the sort of unofficial brothers that they became and surely David probably enjoyed having a “brother” that loved him and didn’t taunt him like his own blood brothers did or forget him like his father did. David is promoted to oversee the men of war and he became highly respected after his victory over Goliath. Some time after the “slaughter” of the Philistines when Saul and the men of war were coming back to Israel, the women came out to sing and dance and they sang “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” (1 Samuel 18:6) For this reason, Saul becomes very angry and his jealousy begins to build toward David. From this day forward, the evil spirit from God stays with Saul and even though David played his harp for Saul, two separate times Saul’s anger overcame him and he attempted to kill David by throwing a javelin at him. God protects David and David is able to flee from Saul’s hand. Saul knew that God was with David and had departed from Saul so he feared David for this reason. He also feared David because David was wise and did everything correctly so he knew that David was favored and blessed and all the people loved and respected him. But King Saul decided to develop a cunning plan to try and keep his enemy close. He attempts to marry his eldest daughter Merab to David. But David, observing the jealousy raging in Saul, did not think it was a good idea. From his perspective he couldn’t see any non suspicious reason for the offer. Most royalty in history only married royalty or they married strategically. Saul’s strategy wasn’t to obtain land, or make a peace treaty, or secure his throne or its legacy like most Kings’ were. David didn’t have a kingdom (yet), he wasn’t a king (yeet), his father wasn’t a king, and David’s family’s household wasn’t royalty. About this time, Merab gets married to someone else and for a time Saul’s plan is thwarted. However, when his younger daughter Michal lets him know that she actually loves David, he excitedly agrees to give her hand to David. Saul’s plan is to use his daughter as a “snare” to David so that he may be overcome by the Philistines and die, for he knows that David has no money to give him for his daughter’s hand, therefore he will request something much greater. Because David did not take the first marriage proposal lightly, Saul sends his servants to whisper sweet words into David’s ear to seduce him into the marriage. But Saul clearly did not mean these flatteries. Again David denies the offer wisely and the servants let Saul know. However, Saul was prepared for David to want to earn the King’s daughter’s hand and he tells the servants to tell David that he doesn’t want a dowry, instead he’ll take a hundred foreskins from the enemy, the Philistines. Despite this hefty price, David was pleased with this as he now felt like he could earn the right to be the son-in-law to the King. David not only fulfills the King’s request, but he doubles it. David comes back with two hundred foreskins from the enemy and Saul gives David his daughter Michal. David continues in this time to act wisely and advance his name with the people who greatly loved and respected him. Saul sees that Michal loves David (and would consequently not plot to harm him) and that God was with David and he continually made David his enemy. Saul continues to try to kill David and when he attempts to recruit his son and David’s best friend to help, Jonathan alerts David, and David flees. David goes to Samuel where he stays for a time. The entire time, Saul has spies watching David that he communicates to. It seems he was very obsessed with David and killing him. The jealousy truly eroded his mind and he became blinded by rage. While in pursuit of David, Saul kills priests who aided David and did not tell Saul where he was. David is on the run from Saul for quite some time and Saul does not let up as he gathers three thousand men to come after David. While in the woods in search of David, David outsmarts Saul and comes from behind him. He cuts off a piece of Saul’s skirt and later shows it to him to prove that he could’ve killed Saul (and finally ended the constant running for his life) but didn’t. At this moment, Saul has no choice but to acknowledge that he has been chasing after David wrongfully and treating him evilly. He then confesses that David is more righteous than him and that he knows someday David will be King and he causes David to swear not to kill off his sons and destroy his legacy to which David agrees. Indeed, David did become King and is known as the greatest King of Israel (until Christ comes). 

Under David’s reign as King, the Philistines were eradicated as a threat to Israel, Judah and Israel came together for a united Israel according to God’s will, and it was under his reign that the Ark of The Covenant was brought back to the city of Jerusalem. David died at the age of 70 being beloved by God but far from perfect. While King he sinned against God and had an affair. He murdered the woman’s husband and as a result the baby conceived in the act was lost. For this, God gave him a choice of three punishments: three years of famine, three months of defeat in battle against enemies, or three days at the hand of “the sword of the LORD” or else known as plague on the land (1 Chronicles 21:11). David died at the age of 70, having been executed for having broken his oath to Saul and killing off the last of his house and legacy. David was king for 40 years and in that time accomplished an insane amount for both Israel and God. His successor was his son Solomon which he conceived with Bathsheba, the woman of his affair, who later became his wife. The Bible states that David was buried in the City of David in Jerusalem with his ancestors, though today we have yet to find him. 

Sons of Korah – The three sons of Korah, the son of Izhar, and descendants of Levi were named Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. Korah was a cousin to Moses and Aaron and worked in the tabernacle. He later became the leader of a rebellion against Moses and his brother Aaron because he was not content with his calling and wanted to be a priest. For his trespasses, God caused the Earth to swallow up all of his belongings along with him and his family. However, these three sons were faithful and did not follow their father and instead chose to stick closely to Moses and his command, therefore they were saved from this death. They were commanded by Moses to leave their father’s tent and they were obedient. The name Korah means “baldness” which refers to the gap he made in Israel for his acts and consequent judgment. The name Assir means “prisoner”. Elkanah means “God has purchased” or “God has created”. Abiasaph means “consuming father” or “gathering”. It is not clear how old each of the sons were when they died or where they are currently buried. 

Asaph – Asaph was a prophet and advisor to King David, known as a seer, as well as a singer. The name Asaph means “gatherer of people” and he was from the tribe of Levi, a descendant of Kohath, and the son of Berachiah. He was the chief Levite tasked with ministering before the Ark of The Covenant and with singing with his brothers to give thanks to the LORD under both King David and his successor and son, King Solomon’s, reigns. He also headed a school where he taught nearly one hundred and fifty students the ministry of music. He was the founder and ancestor of the descendants who later became the temple musicians after Israel returned from Babylonian captivity. This group of musicians that descended from Asaph are known as the “sons of Asaph” and some of the songs they sing from Psalm were written by him. His twelve Psalms are covered in Psalm chapters 50 and 73-83. It is unknown how old he was when he died or where he is currently laid to rest.

Solomon – Solomon, also sometimes referred to as Jedidiah, was known for his wisdom and poetry and was the third king of Israel following his father and second King, David. He was also a prophet and is responsible for some writings in the Book of Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, and an extracanonical text titled The Testament of Solomon. The name Solomon means”peaceful” and “friend of God”. Under David Israel was united and he was the first King to lead the nation as a united one. Solomon was the only other King to oversee a united Israel at the time. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba, who David had an affair with and then had her husband killed. She along with Samuel, King David’s advisor and seer during his reign,worked to secure the throne Solomon nearing the end of King David’s reign. Under Solomon’s reign, the First Temple was built, new cities constructed, existing ones fortified, and it was under him that Israel began trading on the sea. Solomon died at around the age of 59 and was buried in a tomb at Mount Zion in Jerusalem. 

Heman the Ezrahite – Heman, from the Tribe of Judah, was a seer to King David and a songwriter and musician who is responsible for writing Psalm 88. The name Heman means “faithful”, and that he was. He was one of the sons of Korah, or rather a Korathite that came from the family of Korah as his direct father was identified as Zerah the son of Judah and Tamar. Heman was considered very wise but while in service under Solomon it was said that Solomon was much, much wiser than Heman and all the others. Though, Heman was blessed by God for his faithfulness in service to him as God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters all of whom were also musical and used their gifts for God just like their father. It is unknown how old he was when he died or where he was laid to rest.

Ethan the Ezrahite – Ethan, son of Mahol, from the Tribe of Levi, was a musician and poet who was responsible for writing Psalm 89. The name Ethan means “strong”, “solid”, or “permanent”. There are multiple Ethan’s in the Bible but this Ethan was the one who served under King David alongside his colleague Heman. He was known as the second wisest man, but just like with Heman, Solomon was noted as being even wiser than Ethan. It is unclear where he was buried or how old he was when he died, though we can speculate that he outlived Solomon since it appears that he witnessed the division of Israel which took place after King Solomon’s reign and under his successor and son, Rehoboam. 

Agur – Agur was the son of Jakeh and a wise man, but not much more than that is known about him and he may have even been a gentile. What we do know was that he was believed to exist around the time of Solomon and he is responsible for writing Proverbs chapter 30. 

Lemuel – Lemuel in the texts is an unknown King, but many believe him to be King Solomon himself. If that is true, then he is from the Tribe of Judah, in the lineage of Jesus Christ, son of David and Bathsheba. He authored Proverbs 31 which was inspired by a vision told to him by his mother. If he was Solomon then he wrote most of the rest of Proverbs, died at around age 59, and was buried at Mount Zion in Jerusalem having been the wisest man on Earth (apart from Christ of course) with many other accomplishments (see Solomon for more details). The name Lemuel means “devoted to God”. 

Isaiah – Isaiah was a prophet for forty years in Jerusalem and is responsible for writing chapters 1-39 of the Book of Isaiah and for prophesying the emergence of the Messiah. His name means “salvation of the LORD” which is beautiful considering he prophesied Christ’s first coming and Christ is what our salvation hinges on today. Many people in the Jewish faith omit Isaiah chapter 53 because it details who the Messiah will be. As Christians, we know that the Messiah being spoken about in this “forbidden” chapter is Jesus Christ. This of course causes controversy, but we will discuss that topic another time. Because the rest of the book can be split between two other anonymous authors, some refer to this book in parts: First Isaiah (written by Isaiah himself), Second Isaiah, and Third Isaiah. Isaiah lived during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manessah who was King of the Southern Kingdom of Jerusalem as at the time it was a divided nation. Isaiah was the son of Amoz, from the tribe of, and is considered on the major prophets alongside Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Bible is specific about the year Isaiah begins ministering and that is in the year of 740 BCE, the year King Uzziah died. Unlike Jeremiah, God allowed Isaiah to marry and have two sons. Interestingly, Isaiah refers to his wife as a prophetess and it seems they must’ve had a good, collaborative relationship. While prophesying the coming restoration and the coming Messiah, Israel was on a downward slope, but Isaiah did not stray from his mission and he continued to do his work according to God’s will. He accurately warned the people ahead of time of the destruction of Judah (which happened at the hands of the Babylonians) and the arrival of Cyrus who restored Jerusalem and allowed the children of Israel to go back home. Isaiah died between the ages of 65-75 by being executed by being sawn in half at the order of the King Manasseh. He is laid to rest at the Tomb of Isaiah in the village of Silwan, a suburb of Jerusalem.

Baruch – Baruch, the son of Neriah, and grandson of Maaseiah who was the chamberlain and then governor under King Josiah, is believed to be related to Jeremiah through Abraham and Levi. When God tells Jeremiah to write down the things that he tells him, Jeremiah recruits Baruch to be his scribe and disciple. When Jeremiah went into hiding from King Jehoiakim, Baruch obeyed Jeremiah and went to the Temple where the people were gathered and warned the people with the reading of Jeremiah’s prophecies. Baruch proved to be a faithful, trustworthy servant to both Jeremiah and God. Baruch witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians in 586 BCE and remained faithful in his work and obedience to God. Near the end of his life he left alive on his way to Egypt to continue doing work for God but soon after died. He is responsible for physically writing down the words of Jeremiah in the Books of Jeremiah and Lamentations. He also wrote a total of three extracanonical books, one of which is titled The Book of Baruch. The name Baruch means “blessed”. It is not clear how old he was when he died but God did keep his promise and spare his life when the Babylonians descended on Jerusalem. No one knows where his body is laid to rest at and there is the belief that he was “raptured” up or taken up to heaven while still alive in his natural body. There is a Tomb of Baruch dedicated to him near the Tomb of Ezekiel in Mashhad Ali, Iran.

Ezekiel – Ezekiel, son of Buzi who was a priest, from the Tribe of Levi, was born to a priestly family in Jerusalem and is believed to be a descendant of Joshua. His name means “strength of God” and he is responsible for writing the Book of Ezekiel which is a first person narrative that details the visions and revelations that God showed him while he was in Baylonian captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar. In the Bible he is described as a watchman by God for the work he was doing. He delivered God’s word as a captive to the other Jewish exiles around the time that both Daniel and Jeremiah were prophesying God’s word to the people in different locations. Most of his prophecies have much to do with the future judgments and blessings of Israel and the battle that is to come after the second coming of Christ. The dates given in his book tell us that he was 25 when he was taken into captivity, 30 when God called him to prophecy, and 52 when he received his last vision from God. He was around 52 when he died and is buried in Ezekiel’s Tomb in Al Kifl, Iraq.

Daniel – Daniel, also known as Belteshazzar, was born in Jerusalem and is responsible for writing the first person narrative detailing the visions and revelations he received from God in the Book of Daniel. It is not given to us who Daniel’s parents were, but we do know that he was from the Tribe of Judah. The name Daniel means “God is my judge” and this is fitting for the time he lived as Israel was being judged by God. He is considered a major prophet and was faithful to God’s will. It is in his book where we receive the account of the other three eunuch’s with him, Shadrach, Mishach, and Abedngo, being thrown into the lion’s den for refusing the bow down to an image of the King. David was a eunuch responsible under King Nebuchadnezzar along with the other eunuchs recruited from Israel to teach the tongue and wisdom they knew. While serving the King, Daniel made it a point not to consume the meat that King provided, for it was unclean due to the rituals done to it and the way it was prepared. He is described as being only one of three men who delivered their own souls by their righteousness (Ezekiel 14:20). Daniel’s writings go hand in hand with The Book of Revelation as God gives him visions for the future of Israel during the future seven year tribulation. Because Daniel was so devoted to his studies, he knew exactly who Cyrus was when he invaded Persia and soon after became King. In fact, Daniel greeted Cyrus with the words written many years before Cyrus was even born in which called Cyrus by name and predicted exactly what Cyrus would do (Isaiah 44:28). It was under King Cyrus that the Jews were able to freely go back home and begin rebuilding their city. Daniel died around 85 years old and is buried at the Tomb of Daniel in Susa, Iran.

Nebuchadnezzar – Nebuchadnezzar, also known as Nebuchadnezzar the Great, was born in Babylon and was the second (and evil) King of the Neo-Babylon empire after his father Nabopolassar. His name means “Nabu, protect my heir” which is appropriate considering he was the oldest son in his father’s house, although Nabu is a reference to a pagan god. Nebuchadnezzar reigned for forty three years and was the longest reigning King of Babylon. He is credited with having authored Daniel chapter 4 where he appears to be addressing the words to someone as if a letter or speech. During his rule, he oversaw and led the exile and captivity of the children of Israel after the destruction of the First Temple and the city in 586 BCE. Nebuchadnezzar died on October 7th, 562 BCE at the age of 80 in Babylon. He is laid to rest near the Sepulcher of The Kings in Jerusalem.

Hosea – Hosea, son of Beeri, from the Tribe of Issachar, was born in the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 8th century BCE. He was the first of the twelve minor prophets and was used by God to tell the children of Israel to change their ways and repent. His ministry lasted for sixty years. The name Hosea means “salvation” and he is responsible for writing the Book of Hosea. It is not clear how old he was when he died but he is believed to be buried at the Cemetery of Safed located in Safed, Israel.

Joel – Joel was the second of the twelve minor prophets in the Bible and he lived about 400 years before Christ. He was responsible for being God’s spokesman to the children of Israel during the rule of King Joash. Little is known about his early life and background, but we do know that he was born in Judah, his father’s name was Pethuel, and he may have been from the Tribe of Reuben. The name Joel means “Yahweh is God” and he is responsible for writing the Book of Joel which only contains four chapters. It is unknown how old Joel was when he died, but he is believed to be buried at Gush Halav in Galilee. 

Amos – Amos was the third of the minor prophets of the Bible from Tekoa, Judah. His parents and the tribe he belonged to is unknown. The name Amos means “burden” or “bearer” which refers to the weight he carried while delivering the message of God’s judgment to the people. In his early life, he was a shepherd and a farmer. Despite now knowing him as a prophet, he did not consider himself a prophet and makes a clear distinction that he was not from a family of prophets. Though he was not seeking out the office of the prophet, God still called him to this purpose. His ministry begins when God shows him a vision which he records in his book, the Book of Amos. He prophesied during the reign of King Jeroboam of Israel and King Uzziah of Judah and interestingly, though he was from the Southern Kingdom of Israel, God called him to deliver His word to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It is unknown how old he was when he died, but it is known that he was killed and buried in Tekoa, his home. 

Obadiah – Obadiah was the fourth of the twelve minor prophets and his name means “servant of God.” He is responsible for writing the shortest book of the Old Testament, the Book of Obadiah, which consists of only one chapter. His one chapter details the prophecy God gave him concerning His coming judgment on the land of Edom for their celebratory attitudes when Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and the coming restoration of the city of Jerusalem. It is believed that God chose him to speak to these people because he himself was an Edomite. Very little is known about Obadiah’s past and origins, but we do know that he was a prophet who articulated the words of God according to God’s will. It is unknown how old he was when he died, but he is believed to be buried in Sebastia, a palestinian village in Israel.

Jonah – Jonah, also called Jonas, the son of Amittai, from the Tribe of Zebulon, was from Gath-hepher in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He lived in the 8th century BCE and was the fifth of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. His name means “dove” and he is responsible for writing the Book of Jonah, only four chapters, which follows Jonah as he is called by God, run’s from God, repents and subsequently obeys God, and finally fades away into anger with consequence. God tasked him with delivering a message of judgment to the people of Nineveh for their unrepentant sin. Because they were a gentile nation and he was a Jew, Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh and instead decided to flee to Tarshish. While on the run, God causes a storm upon the sea which results in Jonah being thrown overboard once he confesses that he is running from God and that the storm is his fault. Once enveloped by the sea, the waters calm and the storm ceases. But a large fish (probably a whale) swallows Joanh and he is forced to survive and endure for three days in its belly. Jonah cries out in prayer while in the fish and God hears him, causes the fish to vomit, and consequently deliver Jonah onto dry land. Jonah obeys God’s prior instruction and goes to Nineveh to minister to them of God’s coming judgment. His prophesying causes the whole city to fear the LORD and repent. However, when Jonah sees that God accepts their repentance and no longer desires to destroy them with his judgment, Jonah becomes angry. The story ends with God educating Jonah on the issue in his heart: he is more caring over the death of a gourd that sprang up in one day and decayed over night than what would’ve been the death of thousands of now changed souls. Unlike the other prophets previously mentioned, Jonah was not nearly as faithful, wise, or zealous. He immediately flees from God’s command, he doesn’t attempt to argue or debate or make a case or anything. He immediately runs. While on the boat, Jonah isn’t upfront and honest when the men are inquiring about the sudden storm. In fact, despite running from God and a storm thrashing the boat upon the sea, Jonah was actually sleeping. Even after he’s awoken by the shipmaster to join the men in praying, he waits until they cast lots and he is singled out before he relents. He didn’t obey God, nor did he want to. Even when he is delivered from the belly of the fish and eventually makes it to Nineveh, it appears that he was disappointed that the city didn’t get destroyed. It showed that his heart wasn’t in the right place. He should’ve wanted the people to get saved like God did. If God didn’t want the people to be saved he wouldn’t have sent a messenger to tell them to repent. Repenting is often believed to be the act of begging for forgiveness. While it is good to be sorry when repenting, repenting actually means to change one’s mind and to turn from the former ways. Clearly, Jonah’s repentance wasn’t complete and didn’t penetrate his heart. His time in the belly should’ve taught him empathy and the blessing of life. Instead, he hoped God would destroy the city so that he didn’t make the journey in vain or become a liar when his prophecies didn’t come to pass. He was always concerned with himself and not with the work of God or service to God’s people. It is unknown how old he was when he died or exactly where he was buried. But there is a mosque dedicated to him on top of Nabi Yunus in Mosul, Iraq. 

Micah – Micah, also known as Micheas, from Moresheth-Gath, Judah, was born in 737 BCE and was the sixth of the twelve minor prophets. He prophesied the coming destruction of Jerusalem and Samaria, the time of the peace during the millennium, and he was the first to accurately prophesy that the coming Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. His ministry took place during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah in the 8th century BCE. The Bible does not tell us who Micah’s parents were or what tribe he was from, although it is believed that he may have been from the Tribe of Judah and potentially had a farmer’s background. The name Micah means “who is like God?” and he is responsible for writing the Book of Micah where he details the visions and revelations that he receives from God. Micah died at around the age 47 in 690 BCE, and though it is not clear how he died, he is currently buried in Kabul, Israel. 

Nahum – Nahum, an Elkoshite, son of, was from Elkosh in Israel during the 7th century BCE. He was the seventh of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament and he is responsible for writing the Book of Nahum. In this book, he details the prophecies God gave to him concerning the destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, the judgment and destruction of Jerusalem for their iniquity, and the blasphemy of King Sennacherib against God. This message of Nineveh’s destruction was first given to Jonah, but because the people repented God didn’t destroy them at that time. However, the city was destroyed by fire in 625 BCE. The name Nahum is only mentioned in the Bible one time and it means “comforter”. It is unknown the events surrounding his death, but we do know that he was around 45 years old when he died and was laid to rest in his homeland. 

Habakkuk – Habakkuk was the eighth of the twelve minor prophets and his ministry took place in the 7th century BCE. The Bible gives no information regarding his genealogy or origins, but we do know that his name means “embrace” and he is responsible for authoring the Book of Habakkuk which details God’s coming judgment on Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. He was speaking about the coming captivity around the same time or shortly after Jeremiah. Habakkuk complained to God over the injustice he witnessed around him and he wondered why God allowed it. God answered him by telling him that he was going to judge Israel with the Bbaylonians. This shocked Habakkuk because he saw the Babylonians as being even more evil than the people around him in Jerusalem. God replies to him by telling him that Babylonians too will face their judgment. Habakkuk trusted God and was satisfied with his answers, understanding that God was just and his justice perfect. Habakkuk may have been alive to witness the Bbaylonian destruction and the people of Israel taken into captivity. However, no doubt he remained still and unafraid because God had already told him what would happen. He is believed to have died at an old age and is believed to be laid to rest in Upper Galilee in Northern Israel.

Zephaniah – Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, most likely from the Tribe of Judah, was an Israelite prophet from the 7th century BCE. He is the ninth of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament and he is responsible for writing the Book of Zephaniah which details in its three chapters the coming judgment of God. He prophesied the “Day of the LORD” when God will bring judgment upon the Philistines in Gaza and in Moab and Ammon. As well as God’s coming judgment on Ethiopia and Assyria, and the coming danger to Israel and how God will ultimately deliver them. The Bible introduces Zephaniah by giving his genealogy up to his great-great grandfather: “Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.” (Zephaniah 1:1) We can glean from this that if this Hezekiah was that of King Hezekiah from the Tribe of Judah and descendant of King David, then Zephaniah was the descendant of royalty. Hezekiah, one of Israel’s good kings, was the son of King Ahaz and father of his successor, King Manasseh. We also can infer that if Zephaniah prophesied in Jerusalem during King Josiah’s reign that he most likely was born and grew up under the evil King Manasseh’s reign. Nevertheless, Zephaniah was faithful to prophesy according to God’s will. The name Zephaniah means “God has hidden” or “God hides”. Not much is known about how he died or how old he was when he died, but he is believed to be buried in En-Nabi Asfi, Southern Lebanon. 

Haggai – Haggai, who’s genealogy and tribal affiliation are completely unknown, was born in Babylon after the Jewish exile and destruction of the city and Temple in the 6th century BCE. He is the tenth of the twelve minor prophets and he is responsible for writing the Book of Haggai in the Old Testament of the Bible. His name means “festival” which foreshadowed the coming celebrations that the children of Israel would have again once they returned back to Jerusalem. He is referred to in the Bible as “the LORD’s messenger” (Haggai 1:13). He was a prophet to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, who was appointed by King Darius to be leader of the children of Israel following Babylonian captivity. In his book he details the message God had for Zerubbabel and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and most notably he prophesied the command from God for the children of Israel to finish rebuilding their Temple in 520 BCE. Nothing is currently known about his death or how old he was when he died but he is believed to be buried in the Tomb of the Prophets in Jerusalem, Israel. 

Zechariah – Zechariah, also known as Zecharias, was the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo. The name Zechariah means “God remembers” which probably refers to the messages God gave to him concerning the future of Israel. He was living in Jerusalem during its restoration post Babylonian captivity between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE when the word of God came to him. There are multiple Zechariahs in the Bible but this one is a priest, the eleventh of the twelve minor prophets, and he is responsible for authoring the Book of Zechariah. His ministry takes place under King Darius and Zerubbabel who was tasked with leading the rebuilding of the Temple. His book details the spiritual and moral condition of Israel as well as the coming judgment on Israel’s enemies and the future peace and restoration of Israel and Judah. He also is given a prophecy from God about the coming “Day of the LORD” which speaks of the coming tribulation and how God will deal with His enemies and restore Zion in the future. The Bible details his death in the Book of Ezra where we learn that he was murdered in the courtyard of the Temple in which he supported and prophesied the rebuilding of. It is not clear how old he was when he died but he is buried in the Tomb of Zechariah in Jerusalem.

Malachi – Malachi was a prophet and is the final of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. His ministry takes place in the 5th century BCE and he served as God’s messenger to the people at that time when the city was rebuilt and the people brought back. However, despite being restored, they were falling into sin and God utilized Malachi to address this. The name Malachi fittingly means “messenger of God” and he is responsible for writing the Book of Malachi. Interestingly, Malachi exemplifies debate tactics in his book and presumably when speaking and rebuking the priests and those who had fallen into sin. Malachi was used by God to prepare the people for the coming Messiah as his last prophecy has to do with this, he also prophesied John the Baptist. There is very little recorded in the Bible about Malachi’s origins, tribal affiliation, or genealogy, or his death and how old he was when he died. We do know that his book brings a close to the Old Testament in the Christian Bible and he is buried in the Tomb of the Prophets in Jerusalem.

Matthew – Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and devoted followers born in Capernaum, Israel. He is believed to also be referred to as Levi in the New Testament. In his life before Jesus he was a tax collector and politician (the Bible calls him a “publican”). His name means “gift of God” and he authored the first book of the New Testament in the Christian Bible called the Gospel of Matthew. The word “gospel” means “good news”. Matthew’s writings detail the life of Jesus, his crucifixion, his resurrection, and the command from Jesus to go out and preach the gospel. Matthew died as a martyr in Ethiopia in 65 AD and his remains are located in St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Italy. 

John Mark – John Mark was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, mostly referred to as only Mark, he is responsible for authoring the Gospel of Mark between 55-59 AD. This book is a retelling of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection and the events that immediately followed His death. Mark was exposed to Jesus when his mother, a woman named Mary, allowed people to gather in her home to speak and pray with Jesus. After Christ’ ascension, Mark went on to do the work of sharing the gospel with others. Mark was Baranbas’ cousin and he accompanied Paul and his cousin on their travels to preach about who Jesus was and what He had done on the Cross. However, Mark leaves them in the middle of the trip, probably discouraged by the work they were doing. When Paul and Baranabas return and prepare for another trip, Barnabas wants to bring Mark with them again. But Paul and Baranabas disagree and they part ways. Near the end of Paul’s life he tells Timothy in a letter to bring Mark along with him as he was a helper to Paul and his ministry. Even though at the time Paul didn’t trust Mark to stay the course, he appeared to have forgiven him and Mark appeared to have matured enough that he could now be trusted to advise a growing leader. The name Mark means “polite” or “shining”. Mark was martyred in 68 AD by a rope being placed around his neck and his body dragged through the street till he was dead. His remains lie at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy. 

Simon Peter – Simon Peter, also called Simon, Simeon, or Cephas, but mostly called only Peter, was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and he is responsible for writing two letters, or the two books of the Bible titled 1 & 2 Peter. The name Simon means “hearing” or “listening”. The name Peter means “rock” or “stone”. Peter’s brother was Andrew and they were from Bethsaida and both were fishermen before they met Jesus. Peter faithfully followed Jesus and asked many questions. He was called out onto the water by Jesus and he even walked on it before he grew afraid and began to doubt. Peter witnessed Jesus feed the five thousand hungry men and their families. He witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, the arrest of Jesus, and he even attempted to defend Him by slicing the ear off of one of the soldiers who came to detain Jesus. However, he denies Christ just as Christ told him that he would. He later witnesses the beating and death by crucifixion of Christ. He observed the empty tomb, and witnessed Jesus’ ascension to heaven. Peter was there on the day of pentecost and he went on to continue his work preaching about who Jesus was and what he had done for us. Many consider Peter to be the first Pope of the Catholic church. Peter did a lot of good, but it is Paul who delivers the correct message for us today, whereas Peter was operating in a time of transition from works and the law to accepting who Jesus was and what he did. The Bible does not tell us exactly how Peter died or how old he was when he died, but there is a common belief and tradition out there that suggests that he was crucified upside down in 64 AD as he was said to have claimed that he couldn’t die the way Christ died because he had denied Christ. However, this is neither confirmed nor denied by the Bible. His remains lie in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

Luke – Luke was another one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and he authored the Book 0f Luke in the New Testament. The name Luke means “light-giving”. His parents are not mentioned in the Bible but we do know that he was a Greek (gentile) physician from Antioch, modern day Turkey, and he was born between 1 AD and 16 AD. His book is another retelling of Jesus’ birth, life, crucifixion and death, and resurrection and ascension to heaven. He was called the “beloved physician” and he dutifully and faithfully served God and followed Jesus. He was believed to have been around 84 years old when he was hanged to death in Thebes for his faithful preaching between 84 AD and 100 AD. His remains are laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Giustina in Padua, Italy.

John, son of Zebedee – John, also known as John of Patmos, was the youngest of Jesus’ disciples and he is known for sticking closely to Jesus during His ministry and time on Earth. It’s almost as if Jesus treated John like a little brother as he was one of Jesus’ closest confidants and John was often found resting his head on Jesus. John was the son of Zebedee and brother of James. He was born in Bethsaida and came to follow Jesus when he heard John the Baptist say “Behold the Lamb of God” in reference to Jesus. Jesus for some reason (probably because of their known short tempers) gives John and his brother the nickname of “Boanerges” meaning “sons of thunder”. However the name John means “God is gracious” and he is responsible for writing these five books in the Bible: The Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and the last book in the Bible, Revelation. The Gospel of John details another telling of Jesus’ birth, life, crucifixion and death, and resurrection and ascension. Like the other disciples, John witnessed all of Jesus’ major life events and he was a faithful, trustworthy friend and follower of Jesus. 1, 2, and 3 John are letters that John is writing detailing how to live as Christians and remain faithful in our walk with God. Revelation is the last book of the Bible which contains the future prophecy for all of humanity. Revelation covers the end times, the apostasy of the church, the rapture, the tribulation period, the coming Antichrist, the judgment of the Devil and all of God’s enemies, as well as what we have to look forward to when Jesus reigns as King in the Millennium. John was the only disciple to die at an old age as all of the others were martyred sometime after Jesus’ ascension. John was believed to be 90 years old when he died in around 100 AD. His remains are buried at St. John’s Basilica in Ephesus, modern day Turkey.

Paul – Paul, who originally was called Saul before God renamed him, is perhaps the most important figure for us Christian’s today (after Jesus of course) because he is the one in which God gave the gospel of salvation through faith to. Because the Jews refused to accept Christ, God told Paul to go out to the gentiles and preach this gospel to all who will listen. Paul was born in the city of Tarsus between 1 AD and 5 AD as a Roman citizen and was the son of a Jewish Pharisee who was from the Tribe of Benjamin. Before God changed his name from Paul to Saul, he was a persecutor of Christians. He in fact used to take part in murdering Christians under Roman rule. But one day God calls out to him and asks why he keeps persecuting Him. Paul repents and goes from a persecutor of Christians to being severely persecuted himself as a Christian. In fact he was stoned to death at one point, but God said it was not his time and caused him to rise up alive again. The name Saul means “asked for” or “borrowed”, and the name Paul means “small” or “humble”. He is responsible for writing these thirteen books of the Bible (although they are really letters): Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus. It is believed that Paul died by beheading as a martyr for his faith in around 62-63 AD at around 60-65 years old. He is currently buried at St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome.

Timothy – Timothy, sometimes referred to as Timotheus, was the son of a Greek father and Jewish mother named Eunice. His grandmother’s name was Lois, and both his mother and grandmother served as influential pillars in his life due to their teaching him of the scriptures. This early learning is credited to having prepared Timothy’s heart for Christ and salvation through faith. He was born in the city of Lystra under the Roman Empire in 30 AD and studied and followed Paul who called Timothy his “son in faith” many times. Paul even took Timothy with him on one of his mission travels and counseled him on his walk as a young man. He was the subject of Paul’s letters in 1 & 2 Timothy. Timothy was a growing leader in the Christian faith and he is responsible for co-authoring these books of the Bible: 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon. The name Timothy means “God’s honor” or “honoring God”. It is not known how he died, but we do know that he died at around the age 80 in 97 AD. It is believed that he died and was buried in Ephesus, modern day Turkey.

Silas – Silas, also called Silvanus, son of Greek-Jewish parents who converted to Christianity, was born in Lystra under Roman rule in the 1st century AD. He was a prophet and preacher of the gospel and missionary alongside Paul. He was the friend of Paul and is credited with having helped write 1 & 2 Thessalonians. He joined Paul on his second mission after Paul parted with his cousin Barnabas, and while with him, he helped write 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Paul referred to him as his “faithful brother” and he entrusted him to stay with Timothy while Paul went to Athens. Later in life, Silas became Peter’s scribe and he became the first Bishop of Thessalonica. Silas died as a martyr in 65 AD, though it is not currently known where his remains are laid to rest.

James, the son of Zebedee, brother of John – James is one of Jesus’ original twelve disciples and he is the son of Zebedee and brother of John. He was born in Bethsaida in 5 AD and came to follow Jesus when He called to him and his brother while they were inside of a boat with their father, for they were fishermen. Jesus for some reason (probably because of their known short tempers) gives John and his brother the nickname of “Boanerges” meaning “sons of thunder”. The name James means “a man in control of his own actions and will” and he is responsible for writing the Epistle of James where he writes to the twelve tribes of Israel which were scattered about the Earth and encourages them as well as condemns certain sins. Like the other disciples, John witnessed all of Jesus’ major life events (in order to be an apostle one had to physically witness Jesus’ death and resurrection, among other criteria). James died as a martyr at the hands of King Herod at age 48 in 44 AD. He is believed to be buried in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. 

Jude, son of Joseph, half-brother of Jesus – Jude, son of Joseph and Mary, from the Tribe of Judah, and half brother of Jesus was born in Galilee in the 1st century AD and was a farmer. He knew Jesus differently than others as to him Jesus was his sibling and he got to see the sides of him that some others didn’t get to. Perhaps he knew Jesus less for his parables and more for his carpentry. The name Jude means “praised” or
“thanks” and he is responsible for writing the Epistle of Jude (an epistle is a letter) where Jude tells the reader to “contend for the faith”. Jude died as a martyr by an ax in 65 AD. He is laid to rest at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

Jesus – While Jesus was not one of the men to use his hand to physically write the words down that we now read in the Bible, the Bible tells us that Jesus is the Word. The Bible also tells us that the word of God is alive and active. John 1;1 tells us that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Utilize this article (or mini book) as a reference when reading the Bible. It is designed so that you will identify the Book of the Bible you are reading and then beside that you will find the name of the author. Scroll down to find the name of the author and let the learning begin! These summaries are not complete, as they are only to serve as a base layer and foundation so that you can gain greater understanding when reading the Books of the Bible. Do more research and always make sure that anything you research is validated by the Bible. The Bible is the final say always. Please subscribe so that you can be alerted every time I post a new article. You can download the WordPress app and subscribe to me there. This will allow you to receive notifications as well as have a more mobile friendly experience. Thank you! Also, feel free to leave comments with any questions or suggestions as I will gladly answer to the best of my ability.