Bible Groups & peoples

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The books of the Bible and its events, parables, places and concepts · Articles: 66 (2,444 in the whole category)

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AmalekAmalek was an ancient nomadic people whom the Bible presents as descendants of Esau. Because they attacked Israel shortly after the Exodus, the Amale…
AmmonAmmon was a people whom the Bible describes as the descendants of Ben-ammi, the son of Lot. Living east of the Jordan River, the Ammonites were a nei…
AmoritesThe Amorites were a people who lived in the hill country of Canaan and east of the Jordan River before Israel entered the land. In the Bible, the nam…
AmoritesThe Amorites were a people who lived in the hill country of Canaan and east of the Jordan River before Israel entered the land. In the Old Testament,…
AnakimThe Anakim were a people of great stature who lived in the southern hill country, centered on Hebron, before the conquest of Canaan. After the report…
AramIn the Old Testament, Aram is the name of a Semitic people who lived in what is now Syria and northern Mesopotamia, and of the states they establishe…

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Brothers of JesusA collective term for James, Joseph (Joses), Simon, and Judas, who are called the "brothers" of Jesus in the New Testament, together with his unnamed…

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CalebitesThe Calebites were the descendants of Caleb the son of Jephunneh, or the group belonging to his house. The term is used in 1 Samuel 25 to introduce N…
CanaanitesThe Canaanites were the inhabitants of the land of Canaan before Israel entered it. The Bible presents them as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham,…
ChaldeaChaldea is a biblical term for a region in southern Mesopotamia and for the people who lived there. Scripture uses it for Abraham's homeland, "Ur of …
ChaldeansThe Chaldeans were a people who lived in Babylonia in southern Mesopotamia. In the Old Testament, the name frequently designates the Neo-Babylonian E…
CherethitesThe Cherethites were an Old Testament people living near the Philistine coastal region. They are best known as part of King David's bodyguard, "the C…
Cherethites and PelethitesThe Cherethites and Pelethites were the king's personal troops during the reign of King David, commanded by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. They are com…
Circumcision PartyThe circumcision party (literally "those of the circumcision") is a New Testament expression for believers of Jewish origin who had been circumcised.…
Company of ProphetsThe company of prophets was a group of prophets who gathered and prophesied together in the time of Samuel and Saul. They appear in 1 Samuel 10 and 1…

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David's Mighty MenDavid's mighty men were renowned warriors who fought alongside David from the time Saul pursued him through his reign as king. Lists of their names a…

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Epicureans and StoicsThe Epicureans and the Stoics were two Greek philosophical schools whose adherents debated with Paul when he visited Athens, as recorded in Acts 17. …
EssenesThe Essenes were a Jewish sect active around the time of Jesus, known for their communal life and strict purity regulations. They are not named in th…

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GentileIn the Bible, "Gentile" refers to a people or nation other than Israel (the Jews), or to a person belonging to such a people. In the New Testament, t…
God-fearers"God-fearers" is a term for Gentiles in the New Testament era who believed in the God of the Jews and took part in synagogue worship but did not conv…

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HebrewsIn the Old Testament, "Hebrew" is a name for the people of Israel or their ancestors. It was used chiefly when foreigners referred to Israel or when …
Hebrews (Acts 6)The Hebrews are a group mentioned in Acts 6:1: Jewish believers in the early Jerusalem church who were distinguished from the Hellenistic Jews. They …
Hellenistic JewsThe Hellenistic Jews were a group mentioned in the book of Acts: Jews whose primary language was Greek, generally those who had lived outside Palesti…
HerodiansThe Herodians were a group mentioned in the New Testament Gospels and are generally understood to have been supporters of the Herodian dynasty. They …
HittitesThe Hittites were one of the peoples of the land of Canaan mentioned in the Old Testament. Ephron, who sold Abraham the field containing the cave of …
HivitesIn the Old Testament, the Hivites are presented as descendants of Canaan and as one of the so-called "seven nations" that inhabited the land of Canaa…
HoritesThe Horites were a people who lived in the region of Mount Seir before the descendants of Esau arrived. They appear in Genesis and Deuteronomy, which…

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JebusJebus is a name that refers either to the Jebusites, one of the native peoples of Canaan, or to the city they inhabited, Jerusalem before the time of…
JebusitesThe Jebusites were one of the peoples who lived in the land of Canaan before Israel entered it. They held Jerusalem, formerly called Jebus, until Dav…
JewsThe term "Jew" originally referred to a member of the tribe of Judah or of the southern kingdom of Judah. After the Babylonian exile it became a name…

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KedarKedar was the second son of Ishmael, and the name also designates the nomadic tribe of the Arabian desert descended from him. The Old Testament portr…
KenitesThe Kenites were a nomadic people of the Old Testament, and Scripture records that Moses' father-in-law belonged to this people. Because of this conn…
KenizzitesThe Kenizzites were one of the peoples living in the land promised to Abraham and are mentioned in Genesis 15:19. Caleb is called a "Kenezite," that …
KohathitesThe Kohathites were a Levite clan descended from Kohath, the second son of Levi. During the wilderness period they were responsible for carrying the …

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Lawyer (New Testament)In the New Testament, especially the Gospel of Luke, a lawyer was an expert who studied and interpreted the Law of Moses. The best-known example is t…

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MedesThe Medes were an ancient people, and their kingdom, on the plateau of what is today northwestern Iran. The Old Testament prophesies that they would …
Meshech and TubalMeshech and Tubal are two peoples introduced in the Old Testament as descendants of Japheth. In the Book of Ezekiel they appear as northern nations t…
MidianMidian was a people traditionally said to descend from Midian, the son of Abraham and Keturah. In the Bible they appear both as the family of Moses' …
MoneychangersThe moneychangers were people who, in the time of Jesus, exchanged pilgrims' money in the Temple in Jerusalem for the currency required for the Templ…

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NethinimThe Nethinim were a group who assisted the Levites in the temple at Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian exile. They appear chiefly in Ezra…
NicolaitansThe Nicolaitans are a group mentioned in the letters to the churches at Ephesus and Pergamum in Revelation 2. Scripture records only that Christ hate…

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OrphanIn the Bible, an orphan is a child who has lost his or her father and has no one to provide protection. Together with the widow and the stranger, the…

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People of the Land"People of the land" translates the Hebrew phrase *'am ha'aretz*. In the Old Testament, depending on period and context, it refers to the inhabitants…
PhariseesThe Pharisees were a group within Judaism in the New Testament era. They strictly observed the Law of Moses and "the tradition of the elders," and in…
Proselytes to JudaismA proselyte to Judaism was a person born a Gentile who came to believe in the God of Israel and formally entered Judaism. The term appears four times…

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RechabitesThe Rechabites were the descendants of Jehonadab (Jonadab) the son of Rechab. In obedience to their ancestor's command, they drank no wine, built no …
RephaimThe Rephaim were an ancient people of great stature who, according to the Old Testament, lived east of the Jordan and in Canaan before Israel. In the…

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SadduceesThe Sadducees were a Jewish sect of the New Testament era centered on the high-priestly families and the aristocracy of the Jerusalem temple. Because…
SamaritansThe Samaritans were a people who lived in the region of Samaria in central Palestine, regarded Mount Gerizim as their place of worship, and accepted …
ScribeA scribe was originally a professional who wrote documents and kept records. After the Babylonian exile, the term came to refer to experts who copied…
Seven DeaconsThe Seven Deacons were seven men chosen by the early church in Jerusalem to ensure the fair distribution of relief. They included Stephen and Philip,…
Seven Nations of CanaanThe seven nations of Canaan is a collective term for the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, the peoples…
Seventy EldersThe seventy elders were a group of seventy leaders chosen from among the elders of Israel in the time of Moses. They appear in Exodus 24 and Numbers …
Sons of KorahThe sons of Korah were the descendants of Korah, a member of the Kohathite family of the tribe of Levi. Although their ancestor Korah was judged for …
Sons of the ProphetsThe sons of the prophets were groups in the northern kingdom of Israel who gathered around a prophet during the time of Elijah and Elisha. They appea…

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Tax CollectorTax collectors (publicans) appear in the New Testament Gospels as people who collected taxes and tolls under Roman rule. Jewish society regarded them…
The Seventy DisciplesThe Seventy Disciples were a group of disciples whom Jesus Christ appointed in addition to the Twelve and sent ahead of him, two by two, into every c…
Tribe of BenjaminThe tribe of Benjamin was one of the tribes of Israel, made up of the descendants of Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob. Israel's first king, Saul, …
Tribe of DanThe tribe of Dan was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, made up of the descendants of Dan, the son of Jacob. Unable to hold the territory it was fir…
Tribe of EphraimThe tribe of Ephraim was an Israelite tribe made up of the descendants of Ephraim, the second son of Joseph. It settled in the central hill country o…
Tribe of JudahThe tribe of Judah was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, made up of the descendants of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. It was the leading …
Tribe of ManassehThe tribe of Manasseh was an Israelite tribe descended from Manasseh, the firstborn son of Joseph. Because it received land on both the east and west…
Twelve Tribes of IsraelThe Twelve Tribes of Israel are the twelve divisions of the people of Israel descended from the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel). In the Old Testament t…
Twenty-Four EldersThe twenty-four elders are heavenly elders in the Book of Revelation who sit on twenty-four thrones surrounding the throne of God and, together with …

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WidowA woman whose husband has died. The Old Testament law designated widows, along with orphans and sojourners, as people to be protected. In the New Tes…

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ZealotsThe Zealots were Jewish groups in first-century Judea under Roman rule who resisted foreign domination in the name of "zeal" for God and the Law. In …