TEMESHI LAISHIBA

 Alphabetical Exposition of Named Bible Women Abi to Zipporah Many of the personal names people are known by today go back to the early twilight of human history when man learned to distinguish his fellowmen by names, and a large number of our names, especially surnames, are the simple names of Bible characters. Further, the Jews of old attached special significance to their names, most of which had definite meanings, emphasized by the frequent occurrence of the phrase, “He shall be called.” William Camden (1551-1623), the English historian, in  Remains Concerning Britain  wrote— It seemeth to have been the manner, at the giving of names, to wish the children might perform and discharge their names as when Gunthram, King of the French, named Clotharious at the font, he said,  Crescat puer et Lujus sit nominis executor —meaning, “Let the boy grow up and he will fulfill his name.” In early English history Bible names associated with personal traits and also dramatic in...

THE ALPHABETICAL ORDER OF ALL MEN NAMED IN THE BIBLE The Bible revolves around personalities and, as Augustine expressed it, “The sacred record, like a faithful mirror has no flattery in its portrait.” The biographies of men outside the Bible sometimes leave us cold. The characters portrayed seem to be too ideal. Nothing is said about their faults, weaknesses and sins. But as we pursue our journey through the Scriptures, we are greatly encouraged, for here are those of like passions as ourselves. In his arresting chapter on “Composite Portraits,” in  The Joy of Bible Study , Harrington Lees reminds us that ...the lives of men and women who speak to us from the pages of Scripture may be a veritable gold-mine of experience to us if we can remember the fact that they lived similar lives and triumphed—by faith, as the writer to the Hebrews reminds us—or, if they entered not into their land of promise, failed through disobedience or unbelief. All good biography is fruitful, but Scriptur...