Bible Facts
People of the Bible
Direct biblical statementJohn the Baptist ate locusts and wild honeyJohn the Baptist wore camel's hair clothing and ate locusts and wild honey.Direct biblical statementPeter also walked on waterWhen Jesus walked on the sea, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus before he began to sink.Direct biblical statementLazarus had been dead four daysWhen Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days; Jesus called him out alive.Direct biblical statementNaaman washed seven timesNaaman, an army commander with leprosy, was healed after washing seven times in the Jordan as Elisha told him.Direct biblical statementPeople hoped Peter's shadow would fall on themActs says people brought the sick into the streets so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them.Direct biblical statementTabitha was raised to lifeIn Joppa, Peter prayed and said "Tabitha, get up!" and she opened her eyes.Direct biblical statementA young man fell asleep during a long sermonIn Troas, Eutychus fell asleep while Paul talked until midnight, fell from a third-floor window and was picked up dead; Paul embraced him and he was…Direct biblical statementNot even the smell of fireShadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the furnace with no hair singed and no smell of fire; the king had seen a fourth man walking…Direct biblical statementAn angel led Peter out of prisonWhile Peter slept chained between two soldiers, an angel woke him, his chains fell off, and the iron gate opened by itself.Direct biblical statementZechariah could not speak until John was namedZechariah doubted the angel's message and could not speak until he wrote "His name is John".Direct biblical statementJohn leaped before he was bornWhen Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy.Text-derived calculationMethuselah's 969 yearsGenesis gives Methuselah's age at death as 969 years, the highest age recorded for anyone in the Bible.Direct biblical statementEnoch walked with GodGenesis says Enoch walked with God, "and he was not found, for God took him".Direct biblical statementAbraham was 100 when Isaac was bornAbraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah about ninety.Direct biblical statementMoses' eyes were not dim at 120Moses died at 120 years old; Deuteronomy says his eye was not dim and his strength had not gone.Direct biblical statementMoses was 80 when he spoke to PharaohExodus gives Moses' age as 80 and Aaron's as 83 when they spoke to Pharaoh.Direct biblical statementJoseph: 17 when sold, 30 before PharaohJoseph was seventeen when he was feeding the flock with his brothers, and thirty when he stood before Pharaoh.Translation-dependent observationJoseph's special robeJacob made Joseph "a tunic of many colours" (or a long robe with sleeves), which made his brothers jealous.Direct biblical statementDavid was the youngest sonWhen Samuel came to anoint a king, Jesse's youngest son David was out keeping the sheep.Translation-dependent observationGoliath's heightFirst Samuel gives Goliath's height as "six cubits and a span", roughly three metres by common estimates.Direct biblical statementDavid chose five stones and used oneDavid chose five smooth stones from the brook, and one stone struck Goliath.Direct biblical statementA king at seven years oldJehoash (Joash) became king of Judah when he was seven years old.Direct biblical statementJosiah became king at eightJosiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and later led a great reform after the book of the law was found.Direct biblical statementGod called the boy Samuel four timesGod called Samuel at night; three times he ran to Eli, and the fourth time he answered "Speak, for your servant hears."Direct biblical statementZacchaeus climbed a sycamore treeZacchaeus, a short chief tax collector, climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus.Direct biblical statementNicodemus came at nightNicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler, came to Jesus by night; later he helped bury Jesus.Direct biblical statementThe forbidden fruit is not called an appleGenesis speaks of "fruit" from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; it does not name the kind of fruit.Direct biblical statementSaul was not renamed Paul on the Damascus roadActs keeps calling him Saul for years after his conversion; Acts 13:9 then says "Saul, who is also called Paul".Direct biblical statementDelilah called a man to shave Samson's hairJudges says Delilah called a man to shave off the seven locks of Samson's head while he slept.Direct biblical statementEve is named in Genesis 3The woman is first called "Eve" in Genesis 3:20, after the fall: "because she would be the mother of all the living".Literary or interpretive observationFour of Jesus' brothers are namedMatthew and Mark name James, Joses (Joseph), Simon and Judas as Jesus' brothers, and mention sisters without naming them.Direct biblical statementThe risen Jesus made breakfastAfter the resurrection Jesus cooked fish and bread on a charcoal fire and invited the disciples: "Come and eat breakfast!"Direct biblical statementSimon of Cyrene carried the crossSoldiers made Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, carry Jesus' cross.Direct biblical statementThomas was invited to touch the woundsThomas said he would not believe unless he touched Jesus' wounds; a week later Jesus invited him to, and Thomas said "My Lord and my God!"Direct biblical statementThe name "Christians" began in AntiochActs says the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.Direct biblical statementSolomon asked for wisdom, not richesWhen God told Solomon to ask for anything, he asked for an understanding heart to judge the people; God also gave him riches and honour.Direct biblical statementDavid danced before the arkWhen the ark came to Jerusalem, David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a linen ephod.Direct biblical statementEsther risked her life for her peopleQueen Esther went to the king without being called, risking death, to plead for her people.Direct biblical statementElisha asked for a double portionBefore Elijah was taken up, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit.Direct biblical statementMiriam watched over Moses and later led a songMoses' sister watched over the baby in the reeds; later Miriam the prophetess led the women in a song by the sea.Direct biblical statementRuth was David's great-grandmotherRuth, a Moabite woman, married Boaz; their son Obed was the father of Jesse, the father of David.Direct biblical statementRahab hid the spies under flaxRahab hid Joshua's two spies on her roof under stalks of flax and let them down by a rope through her window.Direct biblical statementHannah's prayer was answeredHannah prayed for a son so earnestly that Eli thought she was drunk; she named her son Samuel.Direct biblical statementLydia sold purple clothLydia, a seller of purple cloth from Thyatira, became the first named believer in Europe in Acts and hosted Paul's team.Direct biblical statementPriscilla and Aquila taught ApollosWhen Apollos preached knowing only John's baptism, Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.Direct biblical statementPaul commended PhoebePaul commended Phoebe, a servant (deacon) of the church at Cenchreae, and asked the Romans to help her.Direct biblical statementWomen supported Jesus' workLuke names women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna, who travelled with Jesus and supported him from their own means.Direct biblical statementDorcas made clothes for widowsWhen Tabitha (Dorcas) died, the widows showed Peter the coats and garments she had made for them.Direct biblical statementAbram set out at seventy-fiveAbram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran as God had told him.Direct biblical statementAn Ethiopian official was reading IsaiahPhilip met an Ethiopian court official in a chariot reading Isaiah aloud, explained it to him, and baptized him.Direct biblical statementPaul escaped in a basketIn Damascus, the disciples let Paul down through an opening in the city wall in a basket.Direct biblical statementIshmael also had twelve sonsLike Jacob, Ishmael had twelve sons, called "twelve princes, according to their nations".Literary or interpretive observationMelchizedek brought bread and wineMelchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, brought bread and wine and blessed Abram; Hebrews reflects on him at length.Direct biblical statementA young girl pointed Naaman to the prophetNaaman's healing began with a young Israelite girl, taken captive, who told her mistress about the prophet in Samaria.