Explore the list of heroes of faith in the Bible. These heroic figures are listed in Hebrews 11, which is often called the “Hall of Faith” in the Old Testament.
In this chapter, the author of the Book of Hebrews introduces a list of biblical heroes who demonstrated remarkable faith by trusting God and acting on His promises, even when they faced difficulties and dangers.
Heroes of Faith In the Bible
The heroes of faith in the Bible are Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joesph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel.
Abel
Abel is the first hero listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11.
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.
Hebrews 11:4
Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve and the first martyr in the Bible. He was a righteous person who offered a more acceptable sacrifice to God than his brother Cain and was killed by him out of jealousy.
Enoch
Enoch is the next person mentioned in the Hall of Faith.
By faith Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:5-6
Enoch was a hero who had more than just strong faith in God; he walked with God and pleased Him so much that he did not die, but was taken up to heaven. Enoch’s life is a living testimony of pleasing the Lord in all ways through fellowship and obedience. He is only one of the two people in the Bible who never experienced death.
Noah
Noah is the third hero named in the Hall of Faith.
By faith Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Hebrews 11:7
Noah was a righteous man in a wicked generation. He obeyed God and built an ark to save his family and the animals from the great flood that the Lord had sent to cleanse the earth.
Abraham
Abraham is one of the most famous biblical figures among the heroes of faith in the Bible because he demonstrated great acts of steadfast faith and unquestioning obedience to God. He was the first of the Hebrew patriarchs.
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11:8-10
Abraham left his homeland of Ur in Mesopotamia and followed God’s call to a land of promise. He became the “father of many nations” as the head of the covenant line of the House of Israel. He was even willing to sacrifice his own son, Isaac, as a test of faith in God. Abram was his given name, which God changed to Abraham after establishing His covenant promise with him (Genesis 17:1-5). Several times in Scripture Abraham is called God’s friend: James 2:23, 2 Chronicles 20:7, and Isaiah 41:8.
Sarah
Sarah is the only one of two women named in the Hall of Faith.
By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.
Hebrews 11:11
She was Abraham’s wife and the mother of Isaac. She is known as the mother of the chosen people of Israel. Sarai was her earlier name, and she was renamed Sarah at the annunciation of the birth of Isaac (Genesis 17:15).
Isaac
Isaac is also a hero listed in the Hall of Faith.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
Hebrews 11:20
Issac was the son of Abraham and Sarah and the father of Jacob and Esau, making him another one of the Hebrew patriarchs. By faith, Isaac accepted God’s sovereign will for his sons. God reaffirmed to Isaac the covenant He promised to his father Abraham (Genesis 26:4) and he had a similar encounter with God as his father had (Genesis 26:24-25).
Jacob
Jacob is a biblical hero of faith who had a pivotal role in the Old Testament.
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Hebrews 11:21
Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the third patriarch of the Hebrew nation. He became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob was his given name, which God changed to Israel after wrestling with Him, which means “he who struggles or strives with God”.
Joesph
Joseph is the next person named in the Hall of Faith.
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
Hebrews 11:22
Joesph was the son of Jacob and Rachel, and the favorite of his father. He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers but rose to become the second-in-command in Egypt. He stayed faithful and obedient to the commandments of God even in a strange land. He also forgave his brothers and saved his family from famine by faith.
Moses
Moses is another one of the most famous heroes distinguished in the Hall of Faith.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
Hebrews 11:23-30
Moses received the law from God on Mount Sinai and mediated between God and the people of Israel. He was a great leader at the time of the Exodus, leading the Israelites towards the freedom of the Promised Land and teaching them to live in obedience and trust in God. Moses is also the author of the first five books of the Old Testament, commonly referred to as the Torah (in Hebrew) or Pentateuch (in Greek).
Rahab
Rahab is the second woman named as a hero of faith in the Bible.
By faith Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.
Hebrews 11: 31
Rahab was a prostitute who lived in Jericho, a city doomed for destruction. Although that does not sound like someone who should be named as a biblical heroine in the Old Testament, Rahab demonstrated a great act of faith in God. She hid the Israelite spies sent by Joshua to scout the city before their attack and helped them escape. She believed in the God of Israel and asked for mercy for her family (Joshua 2). She ultimately became an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).
Gideon
Gideon receives a brief mention as a member of the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 along with the rest of the men on this list.
What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.
Hebrews 11:32
Gideon was a judge who delivered Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. He doubted his calling at first but obeyed God’s commands by faith. He defeated a vast army with only 300 men armed with trumpets, jars, and torches (Judges 7).
Barak
Barak was initially a reluctant hero of faith but became a significant part of Israel’s history during the period of the Judges. He was a military leader who fought against the Canaanites under the direction of Deborah, a prophetess and judge. At first, he refused to lead the army unless Deborah accompanied him into battle, to which she agreed. In turn, Deborah prophesied that the honor of victory would not go to Barak, but rather to a woman (Judges 4:9).
Samson
Samson was listed as a notable hero because he never lost faith despite his failures. He was a judge who had extraordinary strength from God. He was also dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth, but he often disobeyed God’s laws and suffered greatly for it.
Jephthah
Jephthah is another distinguished hero in the Hall of Faith. He was the judge in the Old Testament who presided over the Israelites for six years and made an irrevocable vow to the Lord:
“If you will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be, that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31).
Jephthah won the battle by faith, but he had to fulfill his vow when his only daughter came out to meet him. She said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because the LORD has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the children of Ammon” (Judges 11:36). It then became a custom in Israel that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.
David
David is another biblical hero of faith who played a major role in the Bible. He was a shepherd boy who became the king of Israel. He defeated Goliath, the giant Philistine champion, with a sling and a stone by faith. He was also a man after God’s own heart, but he committed adultery and murder. He repented of his sins and received God’s forgiveness. David wrote 73 of the 150 Psalms in the Bible that express his love, faith, and dependence on the Lord.
Samuel
Samuel is the last named hero in the Hall of Faith. He was a prophet who heard God’s voice as a boy while serving in the Tabernacle under Eli, the priest (1 Samuel 3). He became Israel’s last judge and anointed Saul and David as kings by faith (1 Samuel 10:1, 16:13). Samuel always spoke the truth and turned to God for guidance and direction in all things.
Anonymous Heroes of Faith
The remaining heroes of faith are listed anonymously in Hebrews 11:32-38; however, based on the descriptions of these men and women, biblical scholars have identified some of them with a good degree of accuracy:
- Daniel: “who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions” (Daniel 6:22-23).
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: “quenched the power of fire” (Daniel 3:13-30).
- Elijah: “escaped the edge of the sword” (1 Kings 19:1-3).
- Elisha: “from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee” (2 Kings 6:31–7:20).
- Unnamed Widows: “Women received their dead by resurrection” (1 Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:32-37).
- Jeremiah and Ezekiel: “Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment” (Jeremiah 20:2 Ezekiel 22:5).
- Zechariah: “They were stoned” (2 Chronicles 24:21).
More Heroes In the Bible
The Book of Hebrews is not the only source of heroic figures in the Bible. Throughout the entire Old and New Testaments, you can find heroes of faith for God and Jesus. See the guides below to learn more about these amazing people in the Scriptures.
Summary for the Heroes of Faith In the Bible
We hope you enjoyed this list of heroes of faith in the Bible.
As you discovered, some of these heroes of the Bible are well-known figures, while others remain anonymous. Hopefully, these heroic men and women of faith inspire you to follow their footsteps by remaining faithful to God under all circumstances.
Biblevise is an online ministry that’s focused on getting people excited about reading the Bible and connecting the Scriptures to their daily lives.
