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Overview
The 1-Minute Bible Guides offer just that!
This easy-to-read guide covers the 180 most important people of God’s Word, offering
- a representative verse
- a concise description you can read and digest in 60 seconds or less
- and, as a bonus, additional references if you want to dig deeper!
- Aaron, Abel, and Abigail
- Balaam, Barnabas, and Bathsheba
- Caiaphas, Cain, and Cyrus
- Daniel, David, and Dorcas
- and scores of others!
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781643523712 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Barbour Publishing, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 09/01/2019 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 192 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
About the Author
George W. Knight developed Barbour's Layman's Bible Dictionary in 1997, spawning a series that has sold more than one million books. He is a former Bible reference editor with a major Christian publisher.
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Better biblical understanding — in about one minute per entry.
Everyone could use a better grasp of scripture — and the 1-Minute Bible Guide series offers you just that. This easy- to-read book covers the 180 most important people of God's Word, offering a representative verse and a concise description that can be read and digested in 60 seconds or less. And, if you want to dig deeper, most entries include additional references for further study.
Over the course of these entries — read straight through or one per day like a devotional — you'll gain a clearer view of who's who in the Bible, and why they're all important. Get better biblical understanding — in about one minute per entry.
AARON
And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
EXODUS 4:30
* * *
The Lord chose Aaron as spokesman for Moses during the exodus from Egypt. But Aaron did more than just speak for his brother. Through God's power, he also stretched out his staff to bring one of the ten plagues against the land (Exodus 7:9, 19). In the wilderness, Aaron and Hur helped Moses hold up his hands to bring victory over the forces of Amalek (Exodus 17:12).
But Aaron also had his moments of weakness. While Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, Aaron allowed the people to fashion an idol as an object of worship. Only Moses' intercession on his brother's behalf saved him from God's punishment (Exodus 32:3–10; Deuteronomy 9:20).
When the official priesthood was established in the wilderness, Aaron was set apart as the first high priest of Israel (Exodus 28–29). Upon his death, Aaron's son Eleazar succeeded him in this role. But this human priestly system is inferior to the priesthood of Christ. Jesus' intercession on our behalf never ends, and it offers the promise of eternal life to all believers (Hebrews 5:2–5; 7:11–12).
Learn More: Exodus 7:8–20 / Numbers 20:12, 29
ABEL
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering.
GENESIS 4:4
* * *
Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve, a man whose gift of choice animals from his flock was accepted by the Lord (Genesis 4:1–16). He serves as a good example of sacrificial giving.
Abel's brother Cain brought an offering of harvested fruit and grain to the Lord, but God refused to accept it. This made Cain angry and envious, and he murdered Abel in the first recorded instance of violence in the Bible.
This event is mentioned several times in the New Testament. The writer of Hebrews declared that Abel offered a better sacrifice than his brother. This apparently refers to Abel's faith, his superior character as a righteous person, and the correct motives behind his gift (Hebrews 11:4). The apostle John wrote that Cain murdered Abel because Cain's works were evil, in comparison to the righteous acts of his brother (1 John 3:12).
Jesus spoke of "the blood of righteous Abel" (Matthew 23:35). As the first martyr in the Bible, Abel's shed blood symbolizes God's demand for punishment against sin and unrighteousness. But the blood shed under the new covenant — Jesus' atoning death on the cross — "speaketh better things than that of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24) because it is the agent of salvation for hopeless sinners. See also Cain.
Learn More: Genesis 4:1–25
ABIATHAR
And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
1 SAMUEL 22:20
* * *
Abiathar, a priest, was the sole survivor of King Saul's massacre of eighty-five priests in the city of Nob. Saul was enraged because Abiathar's father, the high priest of Nob, came to David's aid while Saul was trying to kill the future king (1 Samuel 22:6–23).
After Abiathar escaped, he lived under David's protection during David's fugitive years. When David became the unchallenged king of Israel, Abiathar emerged as a priest in the royal court (1 Samuel 30:7).
At David's orders Abiathar and another priest named Zadok took care of the ark of the covenant in Jerusalem when David fled the city to escape Absalom's rebellion. These two priests remained in Jerusalem as spies to keep the king informed of Absalom's actions (2 Samuel 15:23–29).
Abiathar had another brush with death after David passed from the scene. The priest threw his support behind the king's son Adonijah as successor to the throne. But another son, Solomon, won the power struggle. This was bad news for any subject who was not totally loyal to the new regime, and Solomon promptly banished Abiathar and his family from Jerusalem. Only his previous loyalty to David saved the priest from execution (1 Kings 2:26–27).
Learn More: 2 Samuel 19:11–15
ABIGAIL
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me.
1 SAMUEL 25:32
* * *
Abigail's quick thinking and sound advice kept David from making a terrible mistake. It all started when David was on the run from Saul in Abigail's territory. He asked her husband, Nabal, to provide food for his hungry men. Nabal refused and insulted David by calling him a no-good leader of a band of outlaws.
When Abigail learned about this, she gathered the provisions David had asked for and set off toward his camp. She met a man boiling with anger — David had his men armed and ready to settle the score with Abigail's husband.
But she urged David not to return one foolish act with another, reminding David that he was destined to become the next king of Israel. Surely he didn't want a thoughtless act of revenge as a blot on his record. David saw the wisdom in Abigail's reasoning and had his men stand down (1 Samuel 25:1–35).
Several days after Abigail returned home, Nabal died following a drunken orgy. When David heard the news, he took Abigail as his wife. She became the mother of one of David's sons (2 Samuel 3:3).
Learn More: 1 Chronicles 3:1–9
ABNER
And David said ... mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
2 SAMUEL 3:31
* * *
Abner was a chief military officer under both King Saul and King David. Abner was on the scene when David the shepherd boy defeated the Philistine giant Goliath. When Saul asked about the boy, Abner looked David up and introduced him to the king. Abner led Saul's army during the years when David hid from Saul in the wilderness.
After Saul was killed in a battle with the Philistines, a power struggle broke out between David's supporters and those who favored Ish-bosheth, one of Saul's sons. Abner threw his support behind Ish-bosheth.
Later, Abner changed his mind, shifted his loyalty to David, and convinced other influential leaders to do the same. But just as things were going David's way, he faced another crisis. Joab, commander of David's army, murdered Abner to avenge Abner's killing of Joab's brother.
David realized this would look like an assassination he had plotted. This could undermine the support of Abner's friends. So the king reprimanded Joab publicly and arranged for Abner to be buried with full honors.
Learn More: 1 Samuel 17:55–58; 26:14–15 / 2 Samuel 3:17–38
ABRAHAM
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.
GENESIS 12:1
* * *
God's determination to build a special people who would be devoted to Him began with Abraham. The Lord called him to leave his native land for a place that would be revealed to him in due time. Abraham obeyed and moved into Canaan, a land that God promised to give to him and his descendants (Genesis 12:1–5).
The problem was that Abraham had no children, and the prospects of having any were bleak because of his advanced age. The Lord solved this dilemma by allowing his wife Sarah to conceive and give birth to Isaac in their old age (Genesis 21:1–8). Abraham had fathered a previous son through Sarah's servant. But God made it clear that His promise to Abraham was to be fulfilled through Isaac (Genesis 17:20–21).
To test Abraham's faith, the Lord directed him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. Then God himself stepped in to save the boy and renewed His promise to bless Abraham because of his great faith (Genesis 22:1–12). Abraham lived to the age of 175 and was buried beside Sarah in a cave he had purchased near the city of Hebron (Genesis 25:7–10).
Learn More: Genesis 20:1–17; 25:1–6 / Psalm 105:6–10 / Romans 4:1–3 / Matthew 1:1–2
ABSALOM
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.
So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
2 SAMUEL 14:24
* * *
When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan predicted that his family would be struck with tragedy because of this sin (2 Samuel 12:9–12). A chain of family difficulties finally reached its climax when David's own son, Absalom, tried to take the kingship by force.
This all began with another tragedy. Absalom ordered the murder of his half brother Amnon for molesting their sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13:22–32). Absalom then fled from Jerusalem. Although David loved Absalom dearly, he refused to communicate with him, even after he returned to the city. This shunning may have been one reason why Absalom tried to take down his father (2 Samuel 14:24–28).
During a battle with David's forces, Absalom's long hair got entangled in the branch of a tree. He was killed by Joab, David's commander (2 Samuel 18:9–14).
When David heard the news, he wept with some of the saddest words in the Bible. "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!" he cried. "If only I had died instead of you — O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18:33 NIV).
Learn More: 2 Samuel 15:1–12
ACHAN
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done.
JOSHUA 7:20
* * *
Before Joshua led an attack on the city of Jericho, God made it clear that no one was to claim the spoils of war for himself. These were to be consecrated to God and placed in "the treasury of the LORD" (Joshua 6:19).
But an Israelite soldier named Achan took several valuable articles from the booty and hid them in his tent. Meanwhile, the Israelites attacked the small town of Ai. Compared to Jericho, Ai should have been an easy target, since it had only a few defenders. But surprisingly, the Israelites suffered a humiliating defeat.
Joshua prayed for an answer to the dilemma, and the Lord revealed that someone had disobeyed His command. A thorough search brought Achan's forbidden cache to light. He had taken a Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold.
Achan and his family were taken to a nearby valley, where they were stoned to death (Joshua 7:1–26). Soon thereafter, the Israelites attacked Ai again and won an easy victory (Joshua 8:21–26).
Learn More: 1 Chronicles 2:7; Achar: KJV / Joshua 22:20
ADAM
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
GENESIS 2:7
* * *
Adam was the crowning achievement of the creation (Genesis 1:26). But he was fashioned from the dust of the ground, symbolizing his humble status as an earthbound being who owed his existence to the Lord.
God placed Adam in the garden of Eden and gave him the task of working the ground (Genesis 2:15). The fruit from all the trees in the garden were his for the taking — with one exception. He was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17).
Eve, Adam's female counterpart, yielded to temptation from Satan and ate the forbidden fruit, then encouraged Adam to do the same. This act of disobedience led God to banish the couple from the garden and to subject them to a life of difficulties (Genesis 3:1–24).
Adam's rebellion against God was the original transgression that infected the entire human race (Romans 3:23). But according to the apostle Paul, God sent another Adam — the Last Adam, Jesus Christ — to solve the problem caused by the original man. Adam's legacy of death has been canceled by the atoning death of Jesus on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:21–22). See also Eve.
Learn More: Luke 3:38
ADONIJAH
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
1 KINGS 1:5
* * *
Adonijah was a son of King David whose ambition got him into trouble. While his father was still alive, he made a bold move to set himself up as David's successor.
When the king was old and in failing health, Adonijah summoned his supporters, including several of David's other sons, to a meeting near Jerusalem. David's son Solomon was not invited (1 Kings 1:18–19), so Adonijah must have known that Solomon was the king's choice as his successor.
But several people, including Solomon's mother, Bathsheba, hurried to the king to tell him what was going on. They convinced David to have Solomon anointed immediately as the new king.
When Adonijah heard the news, he realized his kingly ambitions were over, and even worse, that Solomon could kill him. He fled to the tabernacle and grabbed the horns of the altar, an act that supposedly guaranteed his safety. Solomon released him with a warning not to cause any more trouble (1 Kings 1:50–52).
Later, Adonijah asked Solomon to let him marry Abishag, the young woman who had served as David's nurse in his old age. Solomon apparently interpreted this as evidence that he still had kingly ambitions, so he had Adonijah executed (1 Kings 2:13–25).
Learn More: 1 Chronicles 3:1–2
AGRIPPA
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself.
ACTS 26:1
* * *
Agrippa was a Roman official before whom the apostle Paul appeared while imprisoned at Caesarea. The apostle made a passionate speech in which he recounted the events of his life, particularly his conversion from persecutor to preacher of the Christian faith (Acts 26:1–27).
Paul ended his speech with a direct appeal to Agrippa to believe the prophecies about Jesus, whom God had raised from the dead. "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?" he asked. "I know you do" (verse 27 NIV).
Agrippa responded, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian" (verse 28). Was he on the verge of becoming a believer, or was he being sarcastic? It's impossible to say for sure. One modern translation renders his response like this: "Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?" (NLT).
Either way, Agrippa was impressed with Paul's stirring defense. He declared that the apostle was innocent and could be set free had he not appealed his case to Rome (Acts 26:32).
This Agrippa is often referred to as Agrippa II, to distinguish him from his father, Agrippa I, who persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 12:1–23).
Learn More: Acts 25:13–27
AHAB
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
1 KINGS 16:30
* * *
Ahab had a lot going for him when he took the throne of the northern kingdom of Israel. His father had built a new capital city, and the country was in good shape financially. Ahab built several new cities throughout the nation (1 Kings 22:39) and established peaceful relations with Judah, the sister nation to the south (1 Kings 22:2–4).
Ahab's problems began with his political marriage to Jezebel, daughter of a Phoenician king. She worshipped the pagan god Baal, and she influenced Ahab to allow Baal worship throughout the nation. The king even built a temple to Baal in the capital city (1 Kings 16:32–33).
Ahab's greed also got him into trouble. He wanted a plot of ground near his summer palace. But the landowner, Naboth, refused to sell. With Jezebel's help, the two had Naboth executed on a false charge of blasphemy. Then the king confiscated the property (1 Kings 21:1–16).
The prophet Elijah predicted that God would punish the king severely for this crime (1 Kings 21:19). Several years later Ahab was killed in a battle with the Syrians. When his blood was flushed from his chariot, dogs lapped up the bloody water (1 Kings 22:38).
Learn More: 1 Kings 20:1–21
AHASUERUS
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
ESTHER 2:17
* * *
A king of Persia, Ahasuerus is portrayed throughout the book of Esther as a sensual pleasure-seeker (1:7–8) who was vain (1:4), quick-tempered (1:13–22), and subject to manipulation by others (3:1–15). But he did have the good sense to select the young Jewish woman Esther as his queen.
Ahasuerus deposed his first queen, Vashti, because she refused his command to display her beauty to his drunken guests. Esther eventually succeeded Vashti in the royal court.
(Continues…)
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Table of Contents
Introduction,
Aaron,
Abel,
Abiathar,
Abigail,
Abner,
Abraham,
Absalom,
Achan,
Adam,
Adonijah,
Agrippa,
Ahab,
Ahasuerus,
Amalek,
Amaziah,
Amnon,
Amos,
Ananias,
Andrew,
Anna,
Apollos,
Asa,
Asaph,
Athaliah,
Augustus,
Balaam,
Barabbas,
Barnabas,
Bartimaeus,
Bathsheba,
Belshazzar,
Benjamin,
Bildad,
Boaz,
Caiaphas,
Cain,
Caleb,
Canaan,
Cleopas,
Cornelius,
Cyrus,
Daniel,
David,
Deborah,
Dorcas,
Eli,
Elijah,
Elisabeth,
Elisha,
Elymas,
Enoch,
Esau,
Esther,
Eutychus,
Eve,
Ezekiel,
Ezra,
Gamaliel,
Gehazi,
Gideon,
Goliath,
Hagar,
Ham,
Haman,
Hannah,
Herod,
Hezekiah,
Hosea,
Huldah,
Isaac,
Isaiah,
Ishmael,
Jacob,
Jael,
Jairus,
James, Jesus' brother,
James, John's brother,
Jehoiachin,
Jehoshaphat,
Jehu,
Jephthah,
Jeremiah,
Jeroboam,
Jesse,
Jesus,
Jethro,
Jezebel,
Joab,
Job,
Joel,
John the apostle,
John the Baptist,
Jonah,
Jonathan,
Joseph, Mary's husband,
Joseph, Jacob's son,
Joseph of Arimathea,
Joshua,
Josiah,
Judah,
Judas Iscariot,
Keturah,
Korah,
Laban,
Lazarus,
Leah,
Levi,
Lois,
Lot,
Luke,
Lydia,
Malachi,
Malchus,
Manasseh,
Mark,
Martha,
Mary, Jesus' mother,
Mary, Martha's sister,
Mary Magdalene,
Matthew,
Matthias,
Melchizedek,
Mephibosheth,
Methuselah,
Micah,
Miriam,
Moab,
Mordecai,
Moses,
Naaman,
Naboth,
Nadab,
Nathan,
Nebuchadnezzar,
Nehemiah,
Nicodemus,
Noah,
Onesimus,
Paul,
Peter,
Philip, the disciple,
Philip, the evangelist,
Pilate,
Priscilla,
Rachel,
Rahab,
Rebekah,
Rehoboam,
Reuben,
Rhoda,
Ruth,
Salome,
Samson,
Samuel,
Sapphira,
Sarah,
Saul,
Sennacherib,
Shadrach,
Shem,
Shiphrah,
Silas,
Simeon, Jacob's son,
Simeon, the prophet,
Simon of Cyrene,
Simon the Pharisee,
Solomon,
Stephen,
Theophilus,
Thomas,
Timothy,
Titus,
Uriah,
Uzza,
Uzziah,
Zacchaeus,
Zacharias,
Zechariah,
Zelophehad,
Zerubbabel,