List of Biblical Figures Identified in Extra-biblical Sources - Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

The main sources for identifying people from the Hebrew Bible are Assyrian and Babylonian inscriptions as well as seals and bullae (seal impressions) from the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. These date from the 9th century through the late 5th century BCE.

Note: fathers of biblical figures who have no important part in the biblical narrative are not listed separately. So while Baruch, son of Neriah is listed here, Neriah, Baruch's father is not.

• Ahab, king of Israel: Mentioned extensively in Kings and Chronicles. Identified in the contemporary Kurkh Monolith inscription of Shalmaneser III which describes the Battle of Qarqar and mentions 2,000 chariots, 10,000 soldiers of Ahab the Israelite defeated by Shalmaneser.
• Ahaz (Jehoahaz), king of Judah: Mentioned extensively in Kings, Chronicles and Isaiah as well as in Hosea 1:1 and Micah 1:1. Identified in the contemporary Summary Inscription of Tiglath-Pileser III which records that he received tribute from Jehoahaz the Judahite, as mentioned in 2 Kings 16:7-8 and 2 Chronicles 28:21. Also identified in a contemporary clay bulla, reading of Ahaz Jotham king of Judah. (A third bulla mentioning Ahaz as the father of Hezekiah is being investigated as a possible forgery.)
• Apries (Hophra), pharaoh of Egypt: Mentioned in Jeremiah 44:30. Identified in numerous contemporary inscriptions including those of the capitals of the columns of his palace. Herodotus speaks of him in Histories II, 161-171.
• Artaxerxes I of Persia is widely identified with Artaxerxes in the book of Nehemiah. He is also found in the writings of contemporary historian Thucydides. Scholars are divided over whether the king in Ezra's time was the same, or Artaxerxes II.
• Ashurbanipal (Asenappar/Sardanapalus), king of Assyria: Mentioned in Ezra 4:10. Identified in numerous contemporary inscriptions, including those that tell of his conquest of Elam and Babylon which accords with Ezra 4:9-10 where people that he exiled from these regions are mentioned. Diodorus Siculus (book II, 21) preserved a fanciful account of him by Ctesias. (See Sardanapalus in.)
• Baruch ben Neriah, a scribe in the time of Jeremiah. Two identical imprints of his seal were discovered in 1975 and 1996. They read 'to Berachyahu son of Neriyahu the scribe'.
• Belshazzar, coregent of Babylon, son of king Nabonidus, see Nabonidus Cylinder.
• Ben-hadad son of Hazael, king of Aram Damascus. He is mentioned in the Zakkur Stele.
• Cyrus II of Persia, appears in many ancient inscriptions, most notably the Cyrus Cylinder.
• Darius I, king of Persia, is mentioned in the books of Haggai, Zechariah and Ezra. He is the author of the famous Behistun Inscription.
• Esarhaddon, son of Sennacherib, was king of Assyria. His name survives in his own writings, as well as in those of his son Ashurbanipal.
• Evil Merodach, king of Babylon son of Nebuchadnezzar II. His name (Akkadian 'Amēl-Marduk') and title were found on a vase from his palace, and on several cuneiform tablets.
• Hazael, king of Aram Damascus. According to the Book of Kings, he was anointed by the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:15). Shalmaneser III of Assyria records that he defeated Hazael in battle and captured many chariots and horses from him. Most scholars think that Hazael was the author of the Tel Dan Stele.
• Hezekiah, king of Judah enacted religious reforms, countering the idol-worshipping of his predecessors (2 Kings 18:1-6). An account is preserved by Sennacherib of how he besieged 'Hezekiah, the Jew', who 'did not submit to my yoke', in his capital city of Jerusalem. A bulla was also found bearing Hezekia's name and title.
• Hoshea, king of Israel, was put into power by Tilgath-Pileser III, king of Assyria, as recorded in his 'Annals', found in Calah.
• Jehoash, king of Israel, is mentioned in records of Adad-nirari III of Assyria as 'Jehoash of Samaria'.
• Jehoiachin, King of Judah, was taken captive to Babylon after Nebuchadrezzar first captured Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:15). Texts from Nebuchadrezzar's Southern Palace record the rations given to "Jehoiachin king of the Judeans" (Ya'ukin sar Yaudaya).
• Jehu, king of Israel; see: Black Obelisk
• Johanan, high priest during the reign of Darius II. His name is found in Nehemiah 12:22,23 and also in a letter from the Elephantine Papyri
• Manasseh, king of Judah, mentioned in the writings of Esarhaddon, who lists him as one of the kings who had brought him gifts and aided his conquest of Egypt.
• Menahem, king of Israel is recorded in the annals of Tiglath-Pileser to have paid tribute to him.
• Mesha, king of Moab, author of the Mesha Stele.
• Merodach-baladan, king of Babylon is found in the Great Inscription of Sargon II in his palace at Khorsabat.
• Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon is mentioned in numerous contemporary sources, including the inscription of the Ishtar Gate, which he built.
• Necho, pharaoh of Egypt, mentioned in the writings of Ashurbanipal
• Omri, king of Israel is mentioned on the Mesha Stele.
• Pekah, became king of Israel after assassinating Pekahiah, his predecessor. (2 Kings 15:25). He is mentioned in the annals of Tiglath-Pileser III.
• Rezin, king of Aram was a tributary of Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria. According to the bible, he was later put to death by Tiglath-Pileser (2 Kings 16:7-9).
• Sanballat, governor of Samaria the leading figure of the opposition which Nehemiah encountered during the rebuilding of the walls around the temple in Jerusalem. Sanballat is mentioned in the Elephantine Papyri.
• Sargon II, king of Assyria besieged and conquered the city of Samaria and took many thousands captive, as recorded in the bible and in an inscription in his royal palace. His name, however does not appear in the biblical account of this siege, but in Isaiah 20:1, in reference to his siege of Ashdod.
• Sennacherib, king of Assyria is the author of a number of inscriptions discovered near Nineveh.
• Shalmaneser V, king of Assyria is mentioned on several royal palace weights found at Nimrud. Another inscription was found that is thought to be his, but the name of the author is only partly preserved.
• Taharqa, pharaoh of Egypt. Several sources mention him and fragments of three statues bearing his name were excavated at Nineveh.
• Tattenai, governor of 'Beyond the River' (Hebrew: עֲבַר-נַהֲרָה, Ezra 5:6) during the reign of Darius I, is known from contemporary Babylonian documents.
• Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria exiled inhabitants of cities he captured in Israel (2 Kings 15:29). Numerous writings are ascribed to him and he is mentioned, among others, in an inscription by Barrakab, king of Sam'al and also in the Assyrian king list.
• Xerxes I (Ahasuerus), king of Persia, is named in the books of Ezra and Esther. Xerxes is known in archaeology through a number of tablets and monuments, notably the 'Gate of All Nations' in Persepolis.