Leadership lessons from the people of the Bible. Each reflection looks at one person’s choices under pressure, with a profile that sticks to what the text says and an interactive map of where the story happened. Search by name or browse by testament.
Old Testament 70 people
Aaron
While Aaron was growing up in Egypt, the Shang Dynasty was flourishing in China and Stonehenge was already a thousand years old.
Abigail
Abigail lived around 1010 BC in the hill country of southern Israel, near modern-day Hebron in the West Bank.
Abraham
Abraham grew up in Ur, an advanced city in ancient Mesopotamia, near modern-day Nasiriyah in southern Iraq.
Adam
The first man in Genesis, placed in Eden with one command and the choice of whether to trust it (Genesis 2–3).
Asa
Asa ruled as king of Judah from approximately 911 to 870 BC, a remarkable 41-year reign.
Barak
Approximate Era: 1200-1125 BC Barak lived during the Late Bronze Age collapse, a time when empires crumbled and chaos spread across the ancient world.
Bezalel
Lived approximately 1450-1400 BC during the Bronze Age exodus from Egypt.
Daniel
While Daniel was advising Babylonian kings in what is now modern-day Iraq, the Greeks were establishing the first Olympic games and Aesop was writing…
David
Lived approximately 1040-970 BCE While David was ruling Israel from Jerusalem, the Phoenicians were perfecting the alphabet we still use today, and…
Deborah
While Deborah was settling disputes under her palm tree in the hill country of Israel, the Trojan War was raging across the Mediterranean.
Elijah
Elijah walked onto the stage of history during one of Israel's most corrupt eras, around the same time the Greeks were laying groundwork for the…
Elisha
Elisha grew up farming in the Jordan Valley, near what is now the border between Israel and Jordan, about 50 miles northeast of modern-day Tel Aviv.
Esther
While Greek philosophers debated in Athens and Rome was still a small republic fighting neighboring tribes, a Jewish orphan was becoming queen of the…
Ezekiel
Ezekiel lived during the 6th century BC, serving as both priest and prophet among Jewish exiles in Babylon.
Gideon
While Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress in the Jezreel Valley, about 60 miles north of modern-day Jerusalem, Israel, the ancient Egyptians…
Hannah
A childless woman who prayed at Shiloh for a son and dedicated Samuel to the Lord (1 Samuel 1–2).
Hezekiah
Hezekiah ruled the kingdom of Judah from approximately 715-686 BC, governing from Jerusalem in what is now modern-day Israel.
Isaiah
Isaiah lived around 740-680 BCE in Jerusalem, the same era when Rome was just a small settlement of farmers on the Tiber River, and the first Olympic…
Jephthah
A rejected son of Gilead who became Israel's judge, remembered for his victory over Ammon and a tragic vow (Judges 11).
Jeremiah
Jeremiah lived around 650-570 BC, during one of history's most turbulent periods.
Job
Job lived in the land of Uz, likely in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia or southern Jordan, near the ancient trade routes that connected Egypt…
Jonah
Jonah was an Israelite prophet from Gath-hepher, a small village about three miles northeast of modern-day Nazareth in Israel.
Jonathan
Crown Prince of Israel Jonathan lived during a pivotal era in ancient history.
Joseph
While Joseph was rising to power in Egypt, the ancient city of Babylon was emerging as a major force in Mesopotamia.
Josiah
Josiah ruled the kingdom of Judah from approximately 640-609 BC, during a pivotal era in ancient history.
Judah and Tamar
Jacob's son Judah failed his daughter-in-law Tamar, yet their story leads into the family line of David (Genesis 38).
Malachi
Malachi lived around 430 BC in Jerusalem, during the Persian Empire's rule over Judah.
Mordecai
Mordecai was a Jewish exile living in the heart of enemy territory, the Persian capital of Susa, located in modern-day southwestern Iran.
Moses
Moses lived roughly 3,400 years ago, around 1526 to 1406 BC, during an era when builders were completing Stonehenge in England and the Shang Dynasty…
Nehemiah
Nehemiah held one of the most trusted positions in the ancient world, cupbearer to the Persian king.
Noah
Noah lived approximately 2900-1950 BC, during the period scholars call the antediluvian age.
Othniel
While Othniel was judging Israel in the hill country of what is now the West Bank, the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II was building massive temples at…
Rahab
Rahab lived around 1400 BC in Jericho, an ancient walled city located near the Jordan River in what is now the West Bank, about 10 miles north of the…
Ruth
Lived approximately 1100 BCE Ruth came from Moab, a small kingdom in what is now central Jordan, about 50 miles east of Jerusalem.
Samson
Samson lived around 1100–1055 BC, a time when Egypt's pyramids were already ancient ruins tourists marveled at, and the legendary Trojan War had…
Samuel
While Samuel was growing up in the hill country of central Israel, near what is now Nablus in the Palestinian territories, the ancient Egyptians were…
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
Three Jewish teenagers ripped from their homes in Jerusalem and relocated to Babylon, roughly 900 miles east, near modern-day Baghdad, Iraq.
Solomon
Circa 990–931 BCE Solomon was the third king of Israel and son of David and Bathsheba.
New Testament 27 people
Barnabas
First Century AD Born Joseph, he earned a new name from the people who watched him work: Barnabas, meaning "Son of Encouragement." He grew up on…
Jesus
How Jesus entered difficult relationships with grace, from Judas and Peter to Zacchaeus and the woman at the well.
John the Apostle
One of the Twelve, a son of Zebedee and brother of James, traditionally linked with the Gospel of John and Revelation.
John the Baptist
– 29 AD While John was baptizing crowds in the Jordan River near modern-day Israel, Augustus Caesar ruled Rome and construction workers were putting…
Judas
Judas Iscariot lived during the first century AD, a time when the Roman Empire was at its height and Augustus Caesar had recently transformed Rome…
Lazarus
Lazarus lived in Bethany, a small village about two miles east of Jerusalem, roughly where the modern Palestinian town of al-Eizariya sits today on…
Mary
The young woman from Nazareth whose courageous yes to God's call brought Jesus into the world (Luke 1:26–38).
Mary Magdalene
approximately 3 BC – 63 AD Mary came from Magdala, a fishing town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, about 120 miles north of modern-day…
Paul
Lived approximately 5 AD – 64 AD Born in Tarsus, Paul was a Roman citizen by birth and a Jewish scholar by training.
Peter
– 68 AD While Peter was mending fishing nets along the Sea of Galilee, the Roman Empire was building roads that would connect three continents.
Priscilla and Aquila
A tentmaking couple who worked beside Paul and taught the faith from their home (Acts 18; Romans 16:3–5).
Simeon
– 4 BC Simeon was an elderly man living in Jerusalem during one of history's most turbulent periods.
Stephen
– 34 AD While Stephen was serving meals to widows in Jerusalem, the Roman Empire was busy building roads that would eventually connect London to…
The Christmas Story
Matthew and Luke tell the birth of Jesus for two different audiences, and the difference is the point.
Thomas
– 72 AD Thomas grew up in a world where the Roman Empire controlled everything.
Timothy
Timothy grew up in Lystra, a small town in what is now south-central Turkey, about 300 miles southeast of Istanbul.
Zechariah, father of John the Baptist
– 1 AD Zechariah was an elderly Jewish priest living in the hill country of Judea, about 80 miles south of modern-day Jerusalem in Israel.
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All interactive Bible maps
- Babylon and Jerusalem in Ezra’s Story
- Babylon in Manasseh’s Story
- Beersheba and Paran in Hagar’s Story
- Caesarea in Cornelius's Story
- Capernaum in Matthew's Story
- Carmel in Nabal’s Story
- Cyrene and Jerusalem in Simon’s Story
- Damascus and the Jordan in Naaman’s Story
- Egypt and the Wilderness in Miriam’s Story
- Elizabeth and the Hills Near Jerusalem
- Galilee and Jerusalem in James’s Story
- Gibeah and Jerusalem in Michal’s Story
- Harran and Bethlehem in Rachel’s Story
- Hebron and Jerusalem in Absalom’s Story
- Hebron in Caleb’s Story
- Hebron in Sarah’s Story
- Jericho and Ai in Achan’s Story
- Jericho in Zacchaeus’s Story
- Jerusalem and Rabbah in Uriah’s Story
- Jerusalem in Ahithophel’s Story
- Jerusalem in Athaliah’s Story
- Jerusalem in Bathsheba’s Story
- Jerusalem in Joab’s Story
- Jerusalem in Nathan’s Story
- Jerusalem in Nicodemus’s Story
- Jezreel and Samaria in Ahab’s Story
- Kedesh and Mount Tabor in Jael’s Story
- Midian in Zipporah’s Story
- Moab and Bethlehem in Naomi’s Story
- Moab in Balaam’s Story
- Nob in Doeg’s Story
- Rebuilding in Zechariah’s Story
- Shechem in Abimelech’s Story
- Shechem in Dinah’s Story
- Shechem in Rehoboam's Story
- The Hill Country in Micah's Story
- The Land of Uz
- The Nile Delta in Jochebed's Story
- The Sea of Galilee in Andrew’s Story
- The Temple in Anna's Story
- The World of Abel’s Story