The Old Testament is full of people — kings and shepherds, prophets and farmers, faithful heroes and flawed failures. Getting to know the main characters makes the whole story easier to follow. Here are twenty of the most important, in roughly the order they appear.
The beginnings
1. Adam and Eve (Genesis 1–5) — The first man and woman, created in God's image. Their disobedience brought sin into the world. Lesson: our relationship with God is the foundation of life, and sin breaks it.
2. Noah (Genesis 6–9) — A righteous man who built the ark and was saved with his family from the flood. God made a covenant with him, sealed by the rainbow. Lesson: faithful obedience, even when others mock.
The patriarchs
3. Abraham (Genesis 12–25) — Called by God to leave his homeland, he received the promise that all nations would be blessed through his family. He is called the father of faith because he "believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6, KJV).
4. Sarah (Genesis 12–23) — Abraham's wife, who gave birth to Isaac in her old age, showing that nothing is too hard for the Lord (Genesis 18:14).
5. Isaac (Genesis 21–35) — The son of promise, through whom God's covenant continued.
6. Jacob (Israel) (Genesis 25–50) — A schemer whom God transformed. After wrestling with God he was renamed Israel; his twelve sons became the twelve tribes.
7. Joseph (Genesis 37–50) — Sold into slavery by his brothers, he rose to rule in Egypt and saved his family from famine. Lesson: "ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good" (Genesis 50:20, KJV).
Rescue and law
8. Moses (Exodus – Deuteronomy) — Born in Egypt, raised in Pharaoh's palace, and called by God at the burning bush to lead Israel out of slavery. He received the law at Mount Sinai and led the people through the wilderness.
9. Aaron — Moses' brother and Israel's first high priest.
10. Joshua (Joshua) — Moses' successor, who led Israel into the promised land. Lesson: courage that comes from trusting God's promise (Joshua 1:9).
Judges and the early kingdom
11. Deborah (Judges 4–5) — A prophet and judge who led Israel to victory.
12. Gideon (Judges 6–8) — A fearful man whom God used to defeat a vast army with just three hundred men.
13. Ruth (Ruth) — A Moabite widow whose loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi led her into God's family; she became the great-grandmother of King David.
14. Samuel (1 Samuel) — The last judge and a great prophet, who anointed Israel's first two kings.
15. David (1 Samuel 16 – 1 Kings 2) — Shepherd, musician, warrior and king, described as "a man after his own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). He wrote many psalms. He also sinned grievously with Bathsheba, yet repented (Psalm 51). God promised him an everlasting kingdom.
16. Solomon (1 Kings 1–11) — David's son, famous for his wisdom and for building the temple, but led astray in later life.
Prophets and exiles
17. Elijah (1 Kings 17 – 2 Kings 2) — A bold prophet who challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.
18. Isaiah (Isaiah) — A prophet in Jerusalem who saw a vision of God's holiness and spoke many promises about the coming Messiah.
19. Jeremiah (Jeremiah) — The "weeping prophet", who faithfully warned Judah before the fall of Jerusalem and announced a new covenant.
20. Daniel (Daniel) — Taken to Babylon as a young man, he stayed faithful to God, was protected in the lions' den and received visions of God's kingdom.
Others worth knowing
Esther, the queen who saved her people; Nehemiah, who rebuilt Jerusalem's walls; Elisha, Elijah's successor; Jonah, the reluctant prophet; Job, who held on to God in suffering; Hannah, who prayed for a son and gave Samuel to God.
What we learn from them
Most of these people were not perfect. Abraham lied, Moses lost his temper, David committed adultery and murder. The Old Testament tells the truth about them. The real hero of every story is God, who keeps his promises and works through ordinary, imperfect people.
Continue with key people of the New Testament, or browse our children's Bibles for these stories retold for young readers.