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About This Quiz
Get 11 questions right on this Old Testament quiz, and you'll prove that you've been listening to your pastor's sermons all these years. But if you get more than 11 questions right, then maybe you should consider earning your theology degree so that you can preach and teach the Good News of the Old Testament. We can't wait to see how you match up against the Bible-loving competition!
True Bible scholars understand the morals of Old Testament stories as well as the details, which are just as important. What would the book of Numbers be if it weren't for all those details and digits? At the same time, Numbers, a biblical text primarily about the Israelites' journey to the promised land of Canaan, is full of adages — dos and don'ts — that all believers can heed.Â
Old Testament stories, like the tales found in Numbers, are quite complex and highly interpretive, especially in the books by major prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Some theologians insist that not even preacher school can teach how to interpret Old Testament prophecies correctly, that you need to be divinely appointed to do such work. We say there are informative nuggets in the prophecies and in the other stories about the Israelites' plight that all people can appreciate.
Allow our Old Testament quiz to jog your memory of ancient holy facts!
What two rivers of Damascus were better than all the waters of Israel?
Kishon and Zarqa
Khabur and Barada
Abana and Pharpar
Prophet Elisha told Naaman, who was afflicted with leprosy, to seek healing by washing in the Jordan River. Naaman was prideful and rebuked Elisha's suggestion. He considered, instead, Damascus rivers, as recorded in 2 Kings 5:12: "Are not Abana and Pharpar ... better than all the waters of Israel?"
Litani and HaBesor
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On what mountain did God show Moses the promised land?
Zion
Tabor
Hermon
Abarim
God refused to allow Moses to enter the promised land with the children of Israel because he was rebellious. However, Numbers 27:12 maintains that God ordered him to Mount Abarim to see the land.
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Guess the king who burned the prophet Jeremiah's scroll?
Ahab
Solomon
Jehoiakim
Jehoiakim, king of Judah, reacted to Jerimiah's prophetic words against Israel by cutting up the scroll and burning it. Jeremiah 36:23 records how "when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, [Jehoiakim] cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire ... until all the roll was consumed ..."
Josiah
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At what place did the LORD confound the languages of all the earth?
Ebla
Babel
Genesis 11 highlights how Noah's descendants conspired to construct a city and tower that ascended into heaven. God then confounded the people's language "that they may not understand one another's speech." The place was "called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language ..."
Laish
Parthia
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King Og was the ruler of what region?
Bashan
Deuteronomy recounts how God gave Israel victory by destroying Bashan: "... God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan ... and we smote him until none was left remaining." Israel succeeded even though Og's territory had been "fenced with high walls, gates, and bars ..."
Shiloh
Ugarit
Zion
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Do you guess the name of the place where Jacob anointed the pillar of stones?
Chaldea
Edom
Bethel
Jacob had left Beersheba and went toward Haran, where he slept. Genesis 28 asserts that Jacob "called the name of that place Bethel," where he took stone "for his pillows, and set up a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it."
Helam
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Where was Jacob's name changed to Israel?
Jaffa
Lehi
Peniel
Jacob was the third person in the Bible who God renamed. He's known for having wrestled with an angel until the angel blessed him. Genesis 32 records the angel's words: "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel ..." Then, "Jacob called the name of the place Peniel ..."
Moab
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Who was the Shunammite woman chosen to care for King David in his old age?
Martha
Gomer
Abishag
David's body could not retain heat in spite of coverings because he was old. First Kings 1 mentions that Abishag, "a fair damsel ... a Shunammite," was brought to him so that "the king may get heat."
Jael
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Rachel's handmaiden was ________?
Merab
Sheerah
Tirzah
Bilhah
Genesis 29:29 indicates that "Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid." Once Rachel discovered that she was barren, according to Genesis 30, she gave Bilhah to her husband Jacob so that Rachel "may also have children by her."
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Whom did Phinehas kill because their evil influence was seen as the cause of a plague?
Jacob and Timnah
Zimri and Cozbi
Zimri, a Hebrew man, and Cozbi, a Midianite woman and Baal priestess, had engaged in sexual acts at the tabernacle door, as stated in Numbers 25. Phinehas "son of Aaron the priest, hath turned [God's] wrath away from the children of Israel" by slaying the offenders with a javelin.
Peter and Moses
Adam and Eve
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What was the name of Aaron's wife?
Zipporah
Elisheba
Exodus 6:23 references "Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon ..." as Aaron's wife. With her husband, Elisheba gave birth to four sons: Nadab, Eleazar, Ithamar and Abihu.
Rhoda
Michal
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ID the prophetess who prophesied to King Josiah concerning the book of the law?
Huldah
King Josiah sent his high priest, who had brought him the book of the law, to "Huldah the prophetess" to question the words in the book. In 2 Kings 22, Huldah confirms God's words: "I will bring evil upon this place ... even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read ..."
Naomi
Orpah
Junia
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How many years did King Ahaz reign in Judah?
23
1
16
Second Chronicles 28 specifies that "Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem ..." King Ahaz was defiant against God, for he "made also molten images for Baalim," among other offenses "in the sight of the Lord."
15
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King Hoshea's reign in Israel equals ________ years?
2
16
9
Second Kings 17 proves that "Hoshea the son of Elah [ruled] in Samaria over Israel nine years." During Hoshea's reign, Assyrians captured Israel and the king of Assyria besieged the land for three years.
324
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Who were Elkanah's wives?
Lydia and Julia
Mahlah and Keziah
Hannah and Peninnah
In 1 Samuel 1, Elkanah is portrayed as "a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim ..." Hannah bore him no children, but Peninnah had children by him. Elkanah gave Hannah, whom he loved, a "worthy portion; for he loved Hannah," although she was barren.
Hodesh and Euodia
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Determine the Hebrew midwives who refused to kill male Hebrew babies?
Eglah and Chloe
Athaliah and Esther
Shiphrah and Puah
Exodus 1 recounts that "the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah ..." The God-fearing midwives "saved the [Hebrew] men children alive" that the king had decreed be killed.
Iscah and Jerioth
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Do you recall the queen who disobeyed King Ahasuerus's command?
Priscilla
Merab
Joanna
Vashti
As it is written in Esther 1:12, "the king was very wroth, and his anger burned in him" because Vashti had denied him. Ahasuerus the king had sent seven chamberlains to summon Queen Vashti, but she "refused to come at the king's commandment ..."
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Who were the two wives of Lamech?
Puah and Shelomit
Adah and Zillah
Genesis 4 submits that "Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah." Adah bore Lamech two sons, Jubal and Jabal, while Zillah gave her husband a son and a daughter, Tubal-Cain and Naamah, respectively.
Susanna and Zeruiah
Tamar and Ruth
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How many wives and concubines did Rehoboam have?
5 wives, 17 concubines
2 wives, 11 concubines
18 wives, 60 concubines
Second Chronicles 11 mentions that Solomon's son Rehoboam "took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters." Rehoboam adored Maachah, "the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines."
26 wives, 85 concubines
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Which of Saul's sons reigned over Israel after Saul's death?
Ish-bosheth
According to 2 Samuel 2, "Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned for two years." Abner "the son of Ner captain of Saul's host," brought Ish-bosheth "over to Mahanaim; and made him king ... over all Israel."
Festus
Hadad
Bahurim
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What is the name of the city where the Philistines took the ark of God?
Midian
Ashod
The Philistines slaughtered nearly 400 hundred Israelites in battle. The elders of Israel decided to bring the ark of God to the battle location so that Israel might be victorious. But the Philistines "took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod," as told in 1 Samuel 5.
Lehi
Nahor
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Samson slayed ________ men in Ashkelon?
19
13
30
Judges 14 notes that "the Spirit of the Lord" was upon Samson went he traveled to Ashkelon and slaughtered 30 men there. Young men, whom he had invited to a feast, were able to solve his riddle with the help of his wife — which angered the strongman.
5
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How long did Jehoiachin reign in Jerusalem?
3 years
6 years
3 months
Jehoiachin reigned in Jerusalem after the death of his father, Jehoiakim. Second Kings 24:8 asserts that Jehoiachin "was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months."
1 year
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Do you know the one responsible for killing Ahab's family?
Tarsus
Ulam
Jehu
Second Kings 10 explicitly states that "Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining." Before this, Prophet Elisha had declared that Jehu be anointed king over Israel.
Lebbeus
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Against what city did the LORD tell Joshua to stretch out the spear in his hand?
Ai
God's words to Joshua concerning Ai are recorded in Joshua 8:18: "Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand." As soon as Joshua did so, Joshua's army, that'd been lying in wait, arose and took over the city, setting it ablaze.
Nimrud
Phut
Uz
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What was the body of water that the children of Israel crossed over into the promised land?
Kishon
Yarmouk
Jordan
God had tasked Joshua to lead the Israelites to the promised land. Joshua 1 details the leader's words to his officers: "... command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan ..."
Nahal Gerar
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How old was Abram when he set out to go to the promised land?
65
15
75
Genesis 12 offers Abram's age when he set out for Canaan, the promised land: "... and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran." His wife Sarai and his nephew Lot accompanied Abram on the journey "into the land of Canaan ..."
25
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Moses sent spies to spy out the land of Canaan from what wilderness?
Shur
Judea
Beersheba
Paran
God inspired Moses to dispatch spies, saying to Moses in Numbers 13, "Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel." God then specifies that spies should be sent "from the wilderness of Paran ..."
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When Lot and Abram separated, where did Abram dwell?
Tyre
Mamre
Genesis 13 chronicles how Abram and Lot acquired great wealth as they journeyed. So great were their possessions that they could not dwell together. The 18th verse intimates that "Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre ..."
Zephi
Perga
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Name the two Israelite tribes that Rehoboam ruled?
Dan and Manasseh
Judah and Benjamin
Under Rehoboam's rulership, the kingdom of Israel split into two kingdoms. Parts of Benjamin and all of Judah were the only tribes that remained loyal to Rehoboam, son of Solomon. First Kings 12 expounds how Jeroboam ruled the other tribes.
Reuben and Asher
Ephraim and Issachar
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Do you know the number of cities of refuge there were?
17
41
6
Joshua 20 lists the six cities of refuge, which were scattered throughout the land so that nobody was too far from one. The appointed cities were Bezer, Ramoth-Gilead, Golan, Hebron, Shechem and Kedesh.
13
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David hid from King Saul in what Philistine city?
Ziklag
First Samuel 27 indicates that David "dwelt in the country of the Philistines ... a full year and four months." David was tired of fleeing Saul. King Achish gave David the city of Ziklag, where Saul never ventured to pursue David.
Punt
Mysia
Larsa
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Recall the place where David slayed Goliath?
Valley of Jezreel
Valley of Decision
Valley of Elah
The valley of Elah is where Israel "set the battle in array against the Philistines," according to 1 Samuel 17. David addressed Goliath, the Philistine, before destroying him: "Thou comest to me with a sword ... but I come to thee in the name of the Lord ... whom thou hast defied."
Valley of Achor
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Prove that you know what Jeroboam set up for the Israelites to worship under his rule?
Silver coins
Iron candlesticks
Incense
Golden calves
First Kings 12 portrays how Jeroboam "made two calves of gold, and said unto [the people], It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods ..." Jeroboam was insecure about his people remaining loyal to him if they frequented Jerusalem to worship, so he set up his own worship centers.
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Select what the Lord gave Ezekiel to eat that was like honey?
Locusts
Quail
An ax
A scroll
According to Ezekiel 3, God told Prophet Ezekiel to "eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel." The chapter goes on to state that the prophet filled his stomach with the roll that was "as honey for sweetness."
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