The people God used to carry His story forward, beginning with God Himself
GodIn the BeginningThe Fathers of IsraelOut of EgyptInto the Land and the JudgesProphet and KingsKings and Prophets of the Divided KingdomExile and ReturnThe Writing ProphetsHebrews 11
Eternal, without beginning or end
The one true God, Creator of all things
Before there was a world, God was. He was not made by anyone; everything else was made by Him. The Old Testament opens with Him (“In the beginning, God”) and every page after is His story.
He made Himself known to Moses by His personal name, “I AM WHO I AM.” Many English Bibles, including the ESV, print that name as LORD in small capital letters. He is holy and just, and He is also merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
The Old Testament insists that the LORD is one. It also gives early hints of what the New Testament shows plainly: the Spirit of God hovering over the waters, and God saying, “Let us make man in our image.”
Read it: Genesis 1:1–2 BLB Genesis 1:26–27 BLB Exodus 3:13–15 BLB Exodus 34:6–7 BLB Deuteronomy 6:4–5 BLB Isaiah 40:28–31 BLB
Genesis 1–11
created about 4170 BC · lived 930 years
The first man
God formed Adam from the dust of the ground, breathed life into him, and gave him work in the garden and one command. When Adam ate what God had forbidden, sin and death came into the world through him.
Read it: Genesis 2:7–17 BLB Genesis 3:17–19 BLB Genesis 5:1–5 BLB
created about 4170 BC
The first woman, mother of all living
God made Eve from Adam’s side as a helper fit for him, and Adam named her Eve because she was the mother of all living. Deceived by the serpent, she ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to Adam. To her God gave the first promise of a Rescuer, her offspring.
Read it: Genesis 2:18–25 BLB Genesis 3:1–16 BLB Genesis 3:20 BLB
before about 4040 BC
Adam and Eve’s firstborn son
God warned Cain that sin was crouching at his door, but Cain killed his brother Abel out of anger and jealousy. God sent him away as a wanderer, yet put a mark on him so no one would kill him.
before about 4040 BC
Adam and Eve’s second son, a keeper of sheep
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:4 BLB
Abel brought the firstborn of his flock to the Lord, and God accepted his offering. He was murdered by his brother Cain. Hebrews says that through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
taken about 3190 BC · 365 years on earth
The man who walked with God
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:5 BLB
Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and then he was not, for God took him. He did not see death.
Read it: Genesis 5:21–24 BLB Hebrews 11:5–6 BLB Jude 14–15 BLB
flood about 2520 BC · lived 950 years
Builder of the ark
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:7 BLB
In a world filled with violence, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. He built the ark as God commanded, and God saved him, his family and the animals through the flood. Afterward God made His covenant with Noah and set His bow in the clouds.
Read it: Genesis 6:5–22 BLB Genesis 8:1–22 BLB Genesis 9:8–17 BLB
Genesis 12–50 and Job
born about 2166 BC · lived 175 years
Father of the faithful
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:8–12 BLB
God called Abram out of Ur and Haran and promised him a land, offspring as many as the stars, and blessing for all nations. Abram believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness. God renamed him Abraham, “father of a multitude,” and later tested him on Mount Moriah, where God provided the sacrifice.
Read it: Genesis 12:1–4 BLB Genesis 15:1–6 BLB Genesis 17:1–8 BLB Genesis 22:1–14 BLB
lived 127 years
Abraham’s wife, mother of Isaac
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:11 BLB
Sarah was barren for many years. When God promised her a son in her old age she laughed, but the Lord asked, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” At ninety she gave birth to Isaac, whose name means “he laughs.”
Read it: Genesis 17:15–19 BLB Genesis 18:9–15 BLB Genesis 21:1–7 BLB 1 Peter 3:5–6 BLB
born about 2066 BC · lived 180 years
The son of promise
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:20 BLB
Isaac was the long-awaited son of Abraham and Sarah. As a young man he was laid on the altar on Mount Moriah until God provided a ram in his place. He married Rebekah and became the father of Esau and Jacob.
Read it: Genesis 21:1–7 BLB Genesis 22:1–14 BLB Genesis 24:62–67 BLB
born about 2006 BC · lived 147 years
Father of the twelve tribes
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:21 BLB
Jacob took his brother Esau’s birthright and blessing and fled for his life. God met him at Bethel with a ladder reaching to heaven and renewed the promise to Abraham. Years later he wrestled with God and was given a new name, Israel. His twelve sons became the twelve tribes.
Read it: Genesis 28:10–22 BLB Genesis 32:22–30 BLB Genesis 49:1–28 BLB
about 1915–1805 BC
From the pit to the palace
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:22 BLB
Jacob’s favored son was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused, and imprisoned in Egypt. God gave him the meaning of Pharaoh’s dreams and raised him to rule over Egypt, where he saved many lives in the famine, his own family among them. He forgave his brothers, telling them that God meant it for good.
Read it: Genesis 37:1–36 BLB Genesis 41:37–57 BLB Genesis 45:1–15 BLB Genesis 50:15–21 BLB
probably in the days of the fathers
A blameless man who suffered
Job feared God and turned away from evil. He lost his children, his wealth and his health, and his friends wrongly said he must be suffering for his sins. Job wrestled with God honestly, and in the end God answered him out of the whirlwind and restored him.
Read it: Job 1:1–22 BLB Job 19:25–27 BLB Job 38:1–7 BLB Job 42:1–10 BLB
Exodus to Deuteronomy
about 1526–1406 BC · lived 120 years
Deliverer, lawgiver and prophet
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:23–29 BLB
Hidden in a basket on the Nile, Moses was drawn out of the water and raised in Pharaoh’s house. At the burning bush God sent him to bring Israel out of Egypt. Through him God sent the plagues, parted the Red Sea, and gave the Law at Sinai. The Lord spoke with him face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He saw the Promised Land from Mount Nebo but did not enter it. His name appears hundreds of times in the Bible.
Read it: Exodus 2:1–10 BLB Exodus 3:1–15 BLB Exodus 14:21–31 BLB Exodus 33:11 BLB Deuteronomy 34:1–12 BLB
about 1529–1407 BC
Moses’ brother, the first high priest
Aaron spoke for Moses before Pharaoh and was set apart as Israel’s first high priest. He also failed badly when he made the golden calf. He died on Mount Hor, and his son Eleazar took his place.
Read it: Exodus 4:10–16 BLB Exodus 28:1–3 BLB Exodus 32:1–6 BLB Numbers 20:22–29 BLB
led Israel into the land about 1406 BC
Moses’ successor
Joshua served Moses from his youth. He and Caleb were the two spies who trusted God to give them the land. After Moses died, Joshua led Israel across the Jordan and into Canaan, and at the end of his life he called the people to choose whom they would serve.
Read it: Numbers 14:6–9 BLB Joshua 1:1–9 BLB Joshua 24:14–15 BLB
Joshua, Judges and Ruth
about 1406 BC
A woman of Jericho who believed
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:31 BLB
Rahab hid the two Israelite spies because she had heard what the Lord had done and believed that He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath. When Jericho fell, she and her family were spared. She became the mother of Boaz.
Read it: Joshua 2:1–21 BLB Joshua 6:22–25 BLB James 2:25 BLB
about 1200s BC
Prophetess and judge
Deborah judged Israel under a palm tree in the hill country of Ephraim. She called Barak to lead Israel’s army against the Canaanite commander Sisera and went with him to battle. Her song of victory praises the Lord.
about 1200s BC
Commander of Israel’s army
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:32 BLB
At God’s word through Deborah, Barak led ten thousand men against Sisera’s chariots, and the Lord routed the enemy. He would not go without Deborah, so the honor of the final victory went to a woman, Jael.
Read it: Judges 4:6–16 BLB
about 1100s BC
The least in his family, called a mighty man of valor
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:32 BLB
Gideon was threshing wheat in hiding when the angel of the Lord called him. With only three hundred men, trumpets, jars and torches, God defeated the Midianites so that Israel could not boast in its own strength.
about 1100 BC
An outcast who became a judge
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:32 BLB
Driven out by his brothers, Jephthah was later called back to lead Gilead against the Ammonites, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. His rash vow before the battle brought great sorrow on his only daughter.
about 1075 BC
A Nazirite of great strength
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:32 BLB
Set apart to God from birth, Samson was given great strength to begin to save Israel from the Philistines. He was ruled by his desires and betrayed by Delilah. Blind and in chains, he called on the Lord one last time and brought down the Philistine temple.
Read it: Judges 13:1–5 BLB Judges 16:4–22 BLB Judges 16:28–30 BLB
in the days of the judges
A Moabite woman of loyal love
When her husband died, Ruth would not leave her mother-in-law Naomi: “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Boaz, a kinsman-redeemer, married her, and she became the great-grandmother of King David.
1 Samuel to 1 Kings 11
about 1105–1015 BC
Prophet, priest and last judge
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:32 BLB
Samuel was Hannah’s answer to prayer, given back to the Lord to serve at the tabernacle. As a boy he answered God’s call: “Speak, for your servant hears.” He led Israel faithfully and anointed both Saul and David as king.
Read it: 1 Samuel 1:20–28 BLB 1 Samuel 3:1–21 BLB 1 Samuel 16:1–13 BLB
reigned about 1050–1010 BC
Israel’s first king
Tall and handsome, Saul was chosen when the people asked for a king like the nations. He began humbly but disobeyed the Lord, and Samuel told him that to obey is better than sacrifice. He hunted David for years and died in battle on Mount Gilboa.
Read it: 1 Samuel 9:15–17 BLB 1 Samuel 15:22–23 BLB 1 Samuel 31:1–6 BLB
reigned about 1010–970 BC
The shepherd king, a man after God’s own heart
★ Honored for faith in the “hall of faith” · Hebrews 11:32 BLB
The youngest son of Jesse, David was anointed while still a shepherd boy and defeated Goliath trusting in the name of the Lord. As king he brought the ark to Jerusalem, and God promised that his throne would be established forever. He sinned grievously with Bathsheba, repented, and wrote many of the Psalms.
Read it: 1 Samuel 17:45–47 BLB 2 Samuel 7:12–16 BLB 2 Samuel 12:1–13 BLB Psalm 51:1–12 BLB
about 1000 BC
Mother of King Solomon
Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah, one of David’s mighty men. David took her and had Uriah killed, and the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to confront him. Bathsheba later became the mother of Solomon and helped secure his place on the throne.
Read it: 2 Samuel 11:1–27 BLB 2 Samuel 12:24–25 BLB 1 Kings 1:11–31 BLB
reigned about 970–930 BC
The king who asked for wisdom
When God offered him anything, Solomon asked for an understanding mind to govern God’s people. He built the temple in Jerusalem, and God’s glory filled it. He wrote many proverbs, but in his later years his many wives turned his heart after other gods.
Read it: 1 Kings 3:5–14 BLB 1 Kings 8:10–13 BLB 1 Kings 11:1–13 BLB
1 Kings 12 to 2 Kings 25
about 870–850 BC
The prophet of fire
Elijah stood against King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. On Mount Carmel God answered him with fire from heaven. Later, discouraged and afraid, he heard the Lord in a low whisper. He was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.
Read it: 1 Kings 17:1–16 BLB 1 Kings 18:20–39 BLB 1 Kings 19:9–18 BLB 2 Kings 2:1–12 BLB
about 850–800 BC
Elijah’s successor
Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and received Elijah’s cloak. God worked many miracles through him, among them raising a widow’s son and healing Naaman the Syrian of leprosy.
Read it: 2 Kings 2:9–15 BLB 2 Kings 4:32–37 BLB 2 Kings 5:1–14 BLB
reigned about 715–686 BC
A king of Judah who trusted the Lord
Hezekiah tore down the idols and trusted in the Lord. When the Assyrian army surrounded Jerusalem, he spread the enemy’s letter before the Lord and prayed, and God delivered the city. When he was sick to the point of death, God added fifteen years to his life.
Read it: 2 Kings 18:1–7 BLB 2 Kings 19:14–19 BLB 2 Kings 20:1–6 BLB
reigned about 640–609 BC
The boy king who found the Book of the Law
Josiah became king at eight years old. When the Book of the Law was found in the temple, he tore his clothes, led the people in renewing the covenant, and cleansed the land of idols.
Read it: 2 Kings 22:1–13 BLB 2 Kings 23:1–3 BLB 2 Kings 23:25 BLB
Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther
about 479 BC
The Jewish queen of Persia
Esther, raised by her cousin Mordecai, became queen to King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). When Haman plotted to destroy the Jews, she risked her life to go before the king, saying, “If I perish, I perish.” God is never named in the book, yet His hand is everywhere in it.
Read it: Esther 4:12–17 BLB Esther 7:1–6 BLB Esther 8:15–17 BLB
returned 458 BC
Priest and teacher of the Law
Ezra set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, to do it, and to teach it in Israel. He led a group of exiles back to Jerusalem and read the Law to the people.
about 445–432 BC
Rebuilder of Jerusalem’s walls
Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king of Persia. Grieved over Jerusalem’s broken walls, he prayed, asked the king for leave, and led the people to rebuild the walls in fifty-two days despite fierce opposition.
Read it: Nehemiah 1:1–11 BLB Nehemiah 4:6–14 BLB Nehemiah 6:15–16 BLB
The sixteen prophets whose books close the Old Testament. The first four are called the Major Prophets because their books are longer, and the other twelve the Minor Prophets, because their books are shorter, not less important.
about 740–700 BC
Spoke to: Judah
Saw the Lord high and lifted up and answered, “Here I am! Send me.” His book holds some of the clearest promises of the coming Messiah.
Read it: Isaiah 6:1–8 BLB Isaiah 9:6–7 BLB Isaiah 53:1–12 BLB
about 627–580 BC
Spoke to: Judah
The weeping prophet. He warned Judah for forty years, saw Jerusalem fall, and announced God’s new covenant. Lamentations mourns the city’s fall and is traditionally credited to him.
Read it: Jeremiah 1:4–10 BLB Jeremiah 31:31–34 BLB Lamentations 3:22–24 BLB
about 593–571 BC
Spoke to: The exiles in Babylon
A priest taken to Babylon in 597 BC. He saw visions of God’s glory, the valley of dry bones, and the promise of a new heart and God’s Spirit within His people.
Read it: Ezekiel 1:26–28 BLB Ezekiel 36:25–27 BLB Ezekiel 37:1–14 BLB
taken to Babylon 605 BC
Spoke to: The exiles and the nations
Faithful to God in the courts of Babylon and Persia. God shut the lions’ mouths and gave him visions of the kingdoms of the world and of God’s everlasting kingdom.
Read it: Daniel 1:8–17 BLB Daniel 6:10–23 BLB Daniel 7:13–14 BLB
about 755–715 BC
Spoke to: Israel (north)
Told to marry an unfaithful wife and take her back, a picture of God’s faithful love for unfaithful Israel.
date uncertain
Spoke to: Judah
A locust plague becomes a call to return to the Lord, with the promise that God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh.
about 760 BC
Spoke to: Israel (north)
A shepherd and fig farmer from Judah sent north to call for justice to roll down like waters.
probably after 586 BC
Spoke to: Edom
The shortest book of the Old Testament: judgment on proud Edom for gloating over Jerusalem’s fall.
about 790–760 BC
Spoke to: Nineveh
Ran from God’s call, was swallowed by a great fish, and then preached to Nineveh, which repented. He was angry that God showed mercy.
about 735–700 BC
Spoke to: Judah and Israel
Told what the Lord requires: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. He named Bethlehem as the Ruler’s birthplace.
about 650 BC
Spoke to: Nineveh
About a century after Jonah, he announced Nineveh’s fall. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble.
about 605 BC
Spoke to: Judah
Brought his questions to God and learned that the righteous shall live by his faith. He chose to rejoice in the Lord even if the fig tree did not blossom.
Read it: Habakkuk 1:2–4 BLB Habakkuk 2:4 BLB Habakkuk 3:17–19 BLB
about 630 BC, under Josiah
Spoke to: Judah
Warned of the coming day of the Lord, yet promised that the Lord would rejoice over His people with gladness.
520 BC
Spoke to: The returned exiles
Stirred the people who had come home to stop neglecting God’s house and finish rebuilding the temple.
520 BC and after
Spoke to: The returned exiles
Encouraged the temple builders with visions and promised a King coming humble and mounted on a donkey.
Read it: Zechariah 4:6 BLB Zechariah 9:9 BLB Zechariah 12:10 BLB
about 430 BC
Spoke to: The returned exiles
The last Old Testament prophet. He called the people back from careless worship and promised a messenger to prepare the way of the Lord.
Read it: Malachi 1:6–11 BLB Malachi 3:1 BLB Malachi 4:5–6 BLB
Hebrews 11 looks back over the Old Testament and names the men and women who lived and died trusting God’s promises. Their faith was counted, not their perfection. Read the whole chapter: Hebrews 11:1–40 BLB
Select a name to go to that person:
AbelEnochNoahAbrahamSarahIsaacJacobJosephMosesRahabGideonBarakSamsonJephthahDavidSamuel
The chapter ends by pointing past them all to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1–2 BLB
The Old Testament Timeline →The Story of the Old Testament →