To list all the fathers in the Bible would make this post eternal.
There are many fathers in the Bible but we don’t know much about their lives as fathers.
So, here I have listed fathers about whom there is enough details in Scripture to do a meaningful study.
Scroll to the end for a handy printable with Scripture references for each father.
These references are limited just to give you a good starting point for your study.
Also, this list has been categorized but these characters could easily fit into multiple categories.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the lessons from each of their lives.
Famous fathers of the Bible
The great fathers in Scripture are often called the patriarchs.
Though far from perfect, the story of these men form the foundation of our faith. They introduce us to God, the Father of all fathers, and His perfect love for us.
Here goes the list:-
God – father to Adam, the Israelites, Jesus and all humans ( Exodus 4:22-23, Luke 3:38, John 3:16, Matthew 23:9, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 1 John 3:1-2, James 1:17, Ephesians 3:14-15)
Adam – father to Cain, Abel, Seth, unnamed sons and daughters, and all people (Genesis 2:21-22, Genesis 3:20, 5:4)
Noah – father to Shem, Ham, Japheth (Genesis 5:32, 9:18)
Abraham – father to Ishmael, Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah (Genesis 16:1-4, 15-16; 21:1-7; Genesis 25:1, 6)
Isaac – father to Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:21-28)
Jacob – father to 12 sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Dan, Naphtali, Joseph and Benjamin and one daughter, Dinah (Genesis 35:23-26, 30:1)
Good (but imperfect) fathers of the Bible
Only God is the perfect father. Bible characters give us a glimpse of our heavenly father.
In their imperfection we learn the do’s and don’ts of fatherhood.
Of course, the human father’s in the previous list fit easily into this category too.
As you study the fatherhood of these men, take the good and ask God to help you minimize the bad.
Here’s the list to begin:-
Job – father to 10 children. Three daughters named Jemimah, Keziah and Keren-happuch and 7 unnamed sons (Job 1:4-7, 13-22, 19:17, 31:10, 42:13-17).
Lot – father to two unnamed daughters and two sons, Moab and Ben-ammi (Genesis 19:30, Genesis 19:36-38, 2 Peter 2:7-8)
Aaron – father to Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Numbers 3:2–3)
Amram – father to Aaron, Moses, and Miriam (Exodus 6:23, Exodus 15:20)
Moses – father to Gershom and Eliezer (Exodus 2:22, 18:2-4)
Joseph – father to Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 48:1)
Elkanah – father to Samuel, 5 sons and 2 daughters by Hannah and children of Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:2; 2:21-22)
Elimelech – father to Mahlon and Chilion (Ruth 1:2)
Manoah – father of Sampson (Judges 13:5, 14:1-4)
Boaz – father of Obed (Ruth 4:21, 1 Chronicles 2:12)
Hosea – father to Jezreel (son), Lo-Ruhamah (daughter), and Lo-Ammi (son) (Hosea 1:2-11)
Bad fathers in the Old Testament
This list highlights fathers who, for the most part, made choices that were not good.
Of course, we don’t have all the details but we have enough to learn what not to do.
Here’s the list:-
The Devil – father to those who believe his lies and practice sin (John 8:44, 1 John 3:8)
Judah – father to sons Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (1 Chronicles 2:3-4)
Eli – father to Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 4:4, 12:2)
Joash – father to Gideon and other unnamed sons (Judges 6:11, 8:19)
Gideon – father to 70 sons including Jotham and Abimelech (Judges 8:30-31, 9:4-5)
Jesse – father to seven sons Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah, Nethanel, Raddai, Ozem, and David and two daughters Zeruiah and Abigail. (1 Chronicles 2:13-16)
Mesha (Moabite king) – father to unnamed sons (2 Kings 3:26 – 27)
Fathers who allowed children to be involved in idol worship (Jeremiah 7:18)
Israelite king fathers in the Old Testament
The Old Testament has plenty of stories about Kings.
As Israel shifted to king rulership, many different men rose to sit on the throne. Over 40 of them during the history of Israel.
Many of them were fathers whose sons became heirs to the throne. Make their stories a point of study to see the practice and legacies of these fathers of royalty.
Here’s a list to start with:-
Saul – father to Sons: Jonathan, Ishvi, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, Eshbaal, Armoni and Mephibosheth and daughters: Merab and Michal (1 Chronicles 9:39; 1 Samuel 14:49, 2 Samuel 21:8)
David – father to Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream, Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, Eliphelet, Jerimoth, unnamed son who died, other unnamed sons by concubines, and Tamar (daughter) (2 Chronicles 11:18, 2 Samuel 12:16–23, 1 Chronicles 3:1–9)
Solomon – father to son Rehoboam (1 Kings 11:43), two daughters Taphath and Basemath (1 Kings 4:11,14).
*Only 3 of Solomon’s children are named. But with 700 wives and 300 concubines it is almost certain he had more.
Rehoboam – father to twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. The named sons include: Jeush, Shemariah, Zaham, Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith (2 Chronicles 11:18-23)
Jeroboam – father to son Abijah (1 Kings 14:1)
Uzziah – father to Jotham (2 Chronicles 26:23)
Jotham – father to King Ahaz (2 Kings 15:38, 2 Chronicles 27:9)
Abijah – father to King Asa (2 Chronicles 14:1-3, 1 Kings 15:11)
Asa – father to Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:41)
Ahaz – father to Hezekiah, Maaseiah and other unnamed sons that he sacrificed to idols in fire (2 Chronicles 28:7, 2 Kings 16:3)
Ahab – father to 70 sons including Ahaziah and Jehoram, daughter Athaliah (1 Kings 22:53, 2 Kings 10:1)
Manasseh – father to Amon (2 Kings 21:19-22, 2 Chronicles 33:9)
Amon – father to Josiah (2 Chronicles 33:22–23, 2 Kings 21:22, Jeremiah 25:3)
Josiah – father to Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Shallum. (1 Chronicles 3:15)
Amaziah – father of Azariah (2 Kings 15:1, 3)
You can find a comprehensive list here
Unknown and Little-known fathers in the Old Testament
Then there are men who we give little attention to in their role as fathers.
You may know them as leaders, priests, or sons of a patriarch but not as fathers.
Explore this list and see which ones you know and the ones you don’t.
Make it a point of study to look into the fatherhood of these men.
Here’s a list to start with:
Lamech – father to Noah and other unnamed sons and daughters (Genesis 5:28-29)
Joseph – father to Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 41:50-52)
Korah – father to Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph (Exodus 6:24, Numbers 26:9–11, 1 Chronicles 9:19–21)
Caleb – father to a daughter named Achsah (Joshua 15:17)
Rechab – father to Jonadab and all the tribe of the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35:1-14)
Isaiah – father to Shear-jashub and Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 7:3; 8:3)
Obed – father to Jesse (Ruth 4:22, 1 Chronicles 2:12)
Samuel – father to Joel and Abijah (1 Samuel 8:1-2)
Jonathan – father to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:6)
Gilead – father to Jephthah and other unnamed sons (Judges 11:1-2)
Jephtah – father to unnamed daughter (Judges 11:34)
Ishmael – father to Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah (Genesis 25:13-15)
Esau – father to Eliphaz, Reuel, Esau, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah (Genesis 36:4, 5, 14)
Salmon – father to Boaz (Matthew 1:5)
Mesha (King of Moab) – father to unnamed son (2 Kings 3:4, 26-27)
The wise father in Proverbs – Proverbs 4 – 6
New Testament fathers
Because the New Testament is shorter, not as many fathers are listed in the New Testament.
Nevertheless there are enough of them to give us a good picture of God’s love and to guide us on what fatherhood should look like.
Here’s a list to kick off your study:-
God – father to all believers (John 3:16, 10:38, 6:44, Matthew 7:11, John 3:1)
Joseph – father to Jesus (stepson), James, Joses, Judas, and Simon (Matthew 13:55-56)
Zechariah – father to John the Baptist (Luke 1:57-60)
Zebedee – father to James and John (Mark 1:19-20)
Timaeus – father to Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46)
Jairus – father to unnamed daughter
(Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:41-56)
Father of the demon-possessed boy – (Mark 9:14-29)
Official – father to an unnamed son who was ill (John 4:46 – 54)
Simon from Cyrene – father to Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21)
Fathers in the local churches in Ephesus – (Ephesians 6:4, 1 Timothy 3:4,12)
Spiritual fathers and father figures
Finally, men who acted as surrogate fathers for young people and certain groups.
These men were God’s representatives, doing the work of leading and nurturing them to love and serve God.
Here’s the list:-
Eli – father figure and spiritual mentor to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1 – 18)
Jehoiada – father figure to Joash after the murder of his father by his grandmother (2 Kings 11:1-6, 12:2; 2 Chronicles 24:3)
Paul – father figure to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:1-2, Philippians 2:22), Titus (Titus 1:4), Onesimus (Philemon 10) and the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 4:14)
Paul, Silas, and Timothy – father figure to the Thessalonian church (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
Peter – father figure to John Mark (1 Peter 5:13)
Christian men in local congregations – mature men in the faith were father to the youth and less mature believers (1 John 2:13-14)
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