The Reading Warehouse

What made Abraham, a peaceful man, become a warrior? Who were the women in King David's life? When was the last king of Judah led off into captivity? Was Mary Magdalene a sinner or a woman possessed? The pages of the Bible are filled with stories of fascinating men and women: saints and sinners, the faithful and the foolish, lovers and liars, giants and generals, priests and prophets, the brave and the cowardly, heathens and healers, the pious and the pitiful.

Originally published in 1994, Who's Who in the Bible offers in-depth portraits of more than 500 biblical characters, both well-known and more obscure, including:

• Jacob, scheming to win his brother's birthright and his father's blessing
• David, whose adultery led to murder
• Saul, persecutor of Christians transformed into the tireless missionary Paul
• Gehazi, struck with leprosy for his greed
• Lydia, Paul's first convert in Europe

In addition, this beautifully illustrated, clearly written, easy-to-use reference features:

• Nearly 400 color illustrations, including 50 specially commissioned paintings, put faces behind the names
• Maps pinpoint 10 turning points of biblical history
• Genealogies help make sense of the people in the Bible, from the generations of Adam to the family of Herod the Great
• Boxes about such diverse topics as Israel's hostile neighbors, surrogate motherhood, Jewish festivals, sources for the four Gospels, the fate of the 12 apostles, and more
• Origins and meanings of names clarify and give new insight into stories
• Pronunciation guides make reading the Bible simpler
• Biblical citations speed you to chapter and verse
• Cross references and a full Index lead you quickly to where you want to go
• "Everyone in the Bible," a comprehensive 24-page list of nearly 4,000 names, identifies each person and gives the first biblical citation for each