Who are some of the famous biblical Jews and what did they do?

Answer 1

All of the dates and information provided below are based on the Jewish Torah, Talmud and oral tradition. Note that many hundreds of names and dates have been omitted for the purpose of brevity, and descriptions have been kept to a minimum.

• Era of the Patriarchs:

Avraham, founder of Jewish belief, born 1812 BCE (= "Before the Common Era"). Abraham founded the tradition of monotheism, which is the belief in One God.

Yitzchak (Isaac), second of the Avot (Patriarchs), born 1712 BCE.

Yaakov (Jacob), third of the three Patriarchs, born 1652 BCE.

• Era of the sojourn in Egypt:

Yosef (Joseph), born 1563 BCE, became Viceroy of Egypt.

The sojourn in Egypt was 1522-1312 BCE. The enslavement in Egypt began in 1428 BCE.

• Era in the Wilderness:

Moshe (Moses) was born in 1392 BCE. He played a key role in the Exodus, and brought down the Two Stone Tablets from God.

The forty years in the Wilderness were 1312-1272 BCE.

• Era of Joshua:

The Israelites crossed the Jordan into Canaan, 1272 BCE.

Yehoshua (Joshua, died 1244 BCE), leader after Moses, led the conquest of Canaan. His period of leadership was 1272-1244 BCE.

• Era of the Judges. See the attached Related Link for the full list. The era of the Judges was 1244-879 BCE. Here are some of the prominent Judges:

Devorah became leader in 1107 BCE. She was a female Torah-sage and Judge who led a miraculous victory over a Canaanite king (Judges ch.4-5).

Gideon became leader in 1067 BCE. He led a miraculous victory over the Midianites (Judges ch.6-8).

Yiphtach (Jephthah) became leader in 982 BCE. He led a miraculous victory over the Ammonites (Judges ch.11).

Shimshon (Samson) became leader in 951 BCE. This Judge had unequalled strength and subdued the Philistines for many years (Judges ch.13-15).

Shmuel (Samuel) became leader in 890 BCE. He marked the transition from the era of Judges to the time of the kings.

• Era of the Kings. The era of the Kings lasted until the destruction of the First Temple in 422 BCE.

Shaul (Saul), died 877 BCE, was first of the Kings. 1 Samuel ch.8-31.

King David reigned 40 years, from 877 BCE.

The building of the First Temple commenced in 832 BCE, by King Solomon, who reigned 40 years. See 1 Kings ch.6-8. The First Temple stood for 410 years.

Yerav'am ben Nevat (Jeroboam) took power in 796 BCE. He split the Ten Tribes (the Northern Kingdom of Israel) away from the southern Tribes (the Southern Kingdom) of Judah and Benjamin. 1 Kings ch.12.

Eliyahu (Elijah), 8th century BCE, famous prophet. See 1 Kings ch.17 until 2 Kings ch.2.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah), best-known of the Prophets, began his prophecies in 619 BCE.

Exile of the Ten Tribes by the Assyrians to points unknown, in 555 BCE.

Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) began his prophecies in 463 BCE. Warned about the impending Destruction.

Yechezkel (Ezekiel) prophesied, 429 BCE.

Destruction of the First Temple, in 422 BCE.

• Era of the Babylonian Exile (422-352 BCE):

Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream in 421 BCE.

Zerubavel led the Jewish return to Israel (Judea) in 371 BCE, after King Cyrus of Persia permitted it. 18 years later, another wave of Jews returned with Ezra.

The events of Purim (Scroll of Esther) were in 355 BCE.

• Second Temple Era (422 BCE-68 CE):

Building of the Second Temple, 352 BCE. The Second Temple stood for 420 years. Soon after its construction, prophecy ceased.

Anshei Knesset HaGedolah - The Men of the Great Assembly. This Sanhedrin (high court of sages) sealed the canon of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible).