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I love reading biographies. For some reason, I wanted to create a list of the most complete biographies in the Bible. This list is simply driven from the amount of “life events” revealed in the Scriptures. It is important to note that I have defined a “life event” as a narrative aspect of the character’s story. A “life event” does not include their teachings or laws (for the most part). Finally, this is not a definitive list or the most precise collection of data.

Still, I think this blog post is both interesting and generally, accurate. I hope you enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed compiling it.

#1—Jesus of Nazareth

Life events: 120+

Birth

Father: Joseph

Mother: Mary

Hometown: Nazareth

Childhood

  • Jesus, at the age of 12, asked and answered questions from the greatest rabbis of His day. 
  • He learned His father’s business, carpentry. 

Adult Life

  • Jesus began His earthly ministry at the age of 30. 
  • He was baptized by the legendary John the Baptist.
  • He had countless spiritual battles with Satan and his demons. 
  • He never married. 
  • He did countless miracles. 
  • His popularity was significant during His earthly ministry. 
  • He never owned property. 
  • He had 12 disciples, who followed Him around. 
  • He claimed to be God. 
  • He claimed to be the promised Messiah. 
  • He was sinless. 

Death

Age: 33 (maybe) 

Reason: Crucifixion 

Surprising Facts: 

  • The political leadership tried to find him and kill him as a baby.  
  • He rose from the dead three days later. 
  • He is the only human with a resurrection body at the moment. 

 

#2—Moses 

Life events: 115+

Birth

Father: Amran 

Mother: Jochebed 

Hometown: Egypt (or maybe Goshen) 

Childhood

  • Moses was sent down the Nile river in a basket to avoid imminent death from an Egyptian law. 
  • Pharoah’s daughter found him and raised him. 
  • He enjoyed the benefits of life in Pharaoh’s household. 
  • He spurned his Egyptian family to defend his people, the Hebrews. 
  • He killed an Egyptian soldier and then tried to cover it up. After being found out, he fled to the wilderness. 

Adult Life

  • Moses’ wife’s name was Zipporah. 
  • He had two boys, Gershon and Eliezer. 
  • God called him to rescue His people from being slaves in Egypt. 
  • He led the Israelite people through the Wilderness Years. 
  • He often spoke with God, experiencing a closeness rare to most humans. 
  • Moses was used by God to accomplish many miracles. 
  • He gave the nation of Israel the Law, the Ten Commandments and the Tabernacle. 
  • He disqualified himself from entering the Promised Land. 
  • He mentored Joshua, the son of Nun, to lead Israel into the Promised Land. 

Death

Age: 120

Reason: He was not allowed to go into the Promised Land. 

Surprising Facts: 

  • Amran was both Moses’ father and great uncle. This makes Jochebed his mother and his aunt. 
  • Moses was still in excellent health when he died. In other words, it seems God just ended his life. 
  • Moses’ gravesite is unknown because God buried the body. 
  • Michael the Archangel argued with Satan about the location of Moses’ body. 

 

#3—David 

Life events: 88+

Birth

Father: Jesse

Mother: Unknown. A Jewish legend named her Nitzevet. 

Hometown: Bethlehem

Childhood

  • David was a shepherd. 
  • He was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the future king of Israel. 
  • He fought and defeated Goliath, the giant of Gath, with a slingshot. 
  • He was a gifted musician, often playing for the King. 
  • His best friend was Jonathan. 

Adult Life

  • David’s first wife was Michal, the daughter of King Saul. 
  • His second wife was Abigail. 
  • He fought around 60 or more battles. He never lost. 
  • He brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. 
  • He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed. 
  • He had an elite special team of soldiers called his “Mighty Men”. There were 37 in total. 
  • He had at least eight wives. 
  • He wrote many of the psalms in the Book of Psalms. 
  • He was known as a “man after God’s own heart”.

Death

Age: 70 (maybe)

Reason: Old age

Surprising Facts: 

  • David gave Solomon instructions to kill multiple people who harmed him to secure the throne.
  • He was generally known as a “man of war” or the ”Bloody King”. 
  • He is typically viewed as Israel’s greatest King. 

 

#4—Saul of Tarsus (also known as Paul the Apostle) 

Life events: 85+

Birth

Father: Unknown

Mother: Unknown

Hometown: Jerusalem or Tarsus

Childhood

  • Saul and his family moved to Jerusalem at a fairly young age. 
  • His parents were Jewish, but had Roman citizenship. Therefore, so did Saul. 
  • He grew up in an orthodox Jewish family. 
  • He was trained by Gamaliel the Elder to be a Pharisee. 

Adult Life

  • Saul was on track to being one of the greatest Jewish Rabbis in history. 
  • His zeal for Judaism is legendary. 
  • He oversaw and gave approval to put to death Stephen, the first Christian martyr. 
  • His conversion to Christianity was shocking and met with much skepticism. 
  • He supplemented his income through being a tentmaker by trade. 
  • He used his Greek name “Paul” during his missionary journeys. 
  • He had two primary missionary partners, Barnabas and Silas. 
  • He did many miracles. 
  • He spoke in tongues more than most (if not all Christians) during his lifetime. 
  • He was not married. It is unknown if this was by choice, divorce or death. 
  • He did not have any children. Though he did have two spiritual sons, Timothy and Titus. 
  • He was taken up to Heaven, but never talked about it. 
  • He wrote the majority of the New Testament books. 
  • He had a serious disagreement with the apostle Peter. 

Death

Age: 60-70 (maybe) 

Reason: Unknown. Tradition states he was beheaded in Rome. 

Surprising Facts: 

  • Saul was taken up to Heaven, but never talked about it. 
  • He had a “thorn in the flesh”, but we don’t know exactly what it was. 
  • He is known as the first church planter. 

 

#5—Jacob 

Life events: 51

Birth

Father: Isaac

Mother: Rebekah

Hometown: Beer-lahai-roi.

Childhood

  • Jacob had a twin brother, Esau. 
  • He was a mama's boy and his mother’s favorite.
  • He was a quiet man, staying indoors. 
  • He was shady, manipulated Esau to give up his birthright. 
  • He received a divine dream, stating that the covenant would go through him. 

Adult Life

  • Jacob’s first wife was Leah, but he wanted Rachel, her sister. 
  • He had four wives. 
  • He made Joseph a special coat of many colors. 
  • His father-in-law was difficult and controlling. 
  • For 22 years, he thought one of his sons was dead, but actually he was alive. 
  • He met and was honored by the Pharaoh of Egypt. 

Death

Age: 147

Reason: Old age

Surprising Facts: 

  • Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed. 
  • God changed his name to Israel. 
  • He favored Joseph, not learning from the poor example of his parents. 

 

#6—Simon (also known as Cephas or Peter) 

Life events: 48

Birth

Father: Jonah or John

Mother: Unknown 

Hometown: Bethsaida 

Childhood

There is no information given. 

Adult Life

  • Simon was married, but we do not know her name. 
  • There is no record of children, but tradition states he had a daughter named Petronilla. 
  • He was the third disciple to be called by Jesus. 
  • His occupation was as a fisherman. 
  • He walked on water. 
  • He was one of the “inner three”, who were closest to Jesus.
  • He saw Jesus transfigured on the mountain. 
  • He denied Jesus publicly three times. 
  • He defended Jesus, by drawing his sword, cutting off the ear of Malchus, the High Priest’s ear. 
  • He was one of the pillars of the early church. 

Death

Age: 63 (maybe)

Reason: Unknown, but tradition states he was crucified upside down. 

Surprising Facts: 

  • He lost a footrace to John the apostle. 
  • In Roman Catholic tradition, Simon was the first Pope.  

 

#7—Joseph

Life Events: 38

Birth

Father: Jacob 

Mother: Rachel

Hometown: Egypt (or maybe Goshen) 

Childhood

  • Joseph had dreams from God. 
  • He was Jacob’s favorite son. 
  • He was given a coat of many colors.
  • He was given the birthright over his oldest brother, because his brother slept with his father’s concubine. 
  • He was a shepherd.
  • His brothers wanted to kill him, but they decided to sell him into slavery. 

Adult Life

  • Joseph was bought by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharoah. 
  • He was a good looking, muscular man.
  • Potiphar’s wife wanted to have sex with Joseph. 
  • He refused to have sex with Potiphar’s wife, she lied and Joseph was sent to prison. 
  • He interpreted the dreams of two men, the cupbearer of Pharoah and the baker of Pharoah. 
  • He interpreted Pharoah’s dreams. 
  • Because of his abilities and wisdom (given to him by God), Pharaoh made him a ruler of Egypt. 
  • Only Pharoah had more political power than Joseph. 
  • His wisdom gave Pharaoh and the Egyptians great power and wealth. 
  • He married Asenath, the daughter of the priest of On. 
  • Pharoah changed Joseph’s name to Zaphenath-paneah. 
  • He had two children, two boys, Manasseh and Ephraim. 
  • God used Joseph to save his brothers and his father from starvation. 

Death

Age: 110

Reason: Old age

Surprising Facts: 

  • Joseph was embalmed and put in a coffin in Egypt. 
  • He made the sons of Israel swear to take his bones with them to the Promised Land. 

 

#8—Saul (aka King Saul of Israel)

Life Events: 35

Birth

Father: Kish 

Mother: Unknown

Hometown: Gibeah

Childhood

There is no information given. 

Adult Life

  • Saul was born in a wealthy family. 
  • He was really good looking and a head taller than his countrymen. 
  • He married Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz and fathered at least 7 children. 
  • He had a concubine named Rizpah. 
  • He was prone to jealousy and tried to kill David many times. 
  • He was rejected as Israel’s king because of his disobedience. 
  • He was afflicted by an evil spirit during his life. 
  • He was immature and rash in his decisions. 

Death

Age: 72

Reason: Committed suicide by falling on his own sword.

Surprising Facts: 

  • He visited a spiritual medium, bringing up the spirit of Samuel the prophet.

 

#9—Abraham

Life Events: 28

Birth

Father: Terah

Mother: Unknown. A Jewish legend named her Amathlai

Hometown: Ur

Childhood

There is no information given. 

Adult Life

  • Abraham’s original name was Abram. 
  • He married Sarai, who God later changed her name to Sarah. 
  • He entered into a covenant with God, who promised him a land, a great name, many descendants and that all the families of the earth will be blessed through him. 
  • He had his son Isaac as an old man, when he was 100 years old. 
  • He entertained angels at his house.
  • He was wealthy. 
  • He was the father to Ishmael, who is often known as the spiritual father of Islam. 
  • He was ready to sacrifice Isaac, his own son, because God commanded him to. 
  • He had three wives, Sarah, Hagar and Keturah. 

Death

Age: 175

Reason: Old age

Surprising Facts: 

  • Abraham married Sarah, who was his half-sister. 
  • He may have talked to the pre-incarnated Jesus, which is known as a Christophany. 

 

#10—Samuel

Life Events: 28

Birth

Father: Elkanah

Mother: Hannah

Hometown: Ramathaim-zophim

Childhood

  • Samuel was brought to the house of the Lord to be raised by Eli, the high priest of Israel. 
  • He grew in the presence of the Lord, finding favor with God and men. 
  • He received direct revelation from God, which was rare in the days of Samuel. 
  • He was called by God to be a prophet. 

Adult Life

  • He was technically, both a prophet and a Judge of Israel.
  • He was not a very good father, mirroring the bad example of Eli, the high priest.
  • He was not happy that Israel wants a king, but God told him to lead Israel through the process. 
  • He anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. 

Death

Age: 93 (maybe)

Reason: Old age

Surprising Facts: 

  • Samuel was the only individual to be called up from the dead, through the instrument of a human pagan medium. Though scholars question if it was really Samuel.