Joseph (est.1886-1806 B.C.)

Joseph was born in Syria and had eleven brothers Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali.  Joseph was son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

By 17 he was his father's favourite and they were living in Canaan, he would have many dreams foretelling the future, yet his brother scorned him so they faked his death and sold him to slavery to a caravan coming from Gilead, where he ended up being sold in Egypt

He rose from slave to house assistant but his owner's wife tried to seduce him and then told lies and Joseph ended up in prison, where he interprets dreams for people, two years later he is called to interpret the king of Egypts dream; He say that a seven year famine is on the way, and Joseph is put in charge of all the officials.  His brothers come to buy food, and they do not recognize Joseph as speaks in Egyptian and he tricks them all to come to Egypt so that he can reveal his identity.

Gen44:5 states that he uses a silver cup to "learn about the future"

So his father and brothers and their families come to live in Egypt to avoid death during the famine, stopping at Beersheba to offer sacrifices.  Joseph went on to trade food for all things and by the end of the famine he owned all of the land and animals and most people were his slaves.  He went on to have two sons Ephraim and Manasseh.  Joseph died at the age of 110 and he was embalmed, later his bones were taken by Moses when the exile occurred so that he could be buried in the land of Canaan.

Elijah (est.875-848 B.C.)

Elijah was a prophet from Tishbe in Gilead, he went to Ahab in Samaria and declared a drought in the name of God.  He lived in a creek where birds brough him food, until he was instructed to go to Zarephath.  A widow gave him food but her son died, and Elijah brought him back to life. (similar story to that of Elisha?).

Elijah is sent back to Ahab after three years to say that it will once again rain, but Ahab has been searching for him, many prophets had been chased or killed (this is where Obadiah had saved over a hundred)

Elijah tells Ahab to call all his prophets of Baal to a meeting on Mount Carmel where he challenges them to call their god to light a fire to cook a bull.  They failed and he didn't so they were all killed as false prophets. Then the rain returned.

Ahab's wife sent Elijah a death threat so he fleed to Beersheba in Judah, angels provided him with food and water and he went to Mount Sinai to speak with God.  There God revealed himself with fire wind and earthquakes, and he is instructed to appoint a new King and a new prophet to replace him(Elisha)

Elijah later foretells the death of Ahab.  Elijah and Elisha travel from Gilgal to Bethel, then to Jericho, then to Jordan.  Elisha asks Elijah for "double portion of thy spirit", and is told it will be given if he watches him ascend to heaven.