Really L-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ng Names in the Bible Quiz

Answer: Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar was burning with uncontrollable rage after he learned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had refused to bow down and worship an image of gold he had made that measured 90 feet high and 9 feet wide, according to the third chapter of Daniel. So he ordered the three Jewish men to be bound and thrown into a fiery furnace. According to Scripture the furnace was so hot the flames killed the soldiers who were attempting to take Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to their doom. However, the trio was not harmed by the immense heat and Nebuchadnezzar, after seeing a fourth men in the furnace who looked like "the Son of God" ordered their release. The story ends with the king singing the praises of "the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!" The three men, according to Scripture, were subsequently promoted by the king.

To save you the agony of counting, Nebuchadnezzar has 14 letters.

Answer: Mephibosheth

Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul and Scripture reports he was "lame in both feet." David and Mephibosheth's father were the best of friends. This, even though Jonathan's father Saul devoted much of his latter life trying to kill David. 2 Samuel 9:7 states that David restored to Mephibosheth all the land that belonged to his grandfather Saul and he ensured he would "always dine at his table with him."

Answer: A son of Haman

Parshandatha was one of ten sons of Haman. The sons and Haman were all executed, as per the ninth chapter of Esther. Haman, of course, had a diabolical scheme to exterminate all the Jews in the vast area ruled by the man known as Xerxes in the NIV Bible. He was thwarted in his plans by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai. According to Esther 9:7-9, the names of Haman's other sons were Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha.

Incidentally, Parshandatha contains twelve letters.

Answer: Solomon

Solomon is generally perceived as the writer of Ecclesiastes. However, some people strongly contest this view. While there is no conclusive proof Solomon wrote the book, the author states he is the son of David, king of Israel, in the first verse of the first chapter. In verse 16, the writer goes on to state he attained more wisdom "than all who were before me in Jerusalem."

Some other books with a lot of letters in their names include Song of Solomon with 13 letters and Lamentations 12. (First and Second Chronicles is not included in the list largely because it does not appear as two different books in the Hebrew Bible. In other words, it is referred to as Chronicles, which contains 10 letters.)

Answer: Belteshazzar

According to Scripture, Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar. Daniel's three friends also got new names. Hananiah was called Shadrach, Mishael was called Meshach and Azariah was called Abednego.

The name Belteshazzar is not to be confused with the ten-letter name Belshazzar. According to the fifth chapter of Daniel, Belshazzar was the king of Babylon who saw the fingers of a man's hand write a message on the wall at a lavish feast he hosted. The chapter concludes with the death of Belshazzar, as predicted by Daniel, or Belteshazzar.

Answer: Chedorlaomer

Chedorlaomer is the name of the king Abram defeated to rescue Lot from captivity. (The spelling of the king's name in the NIV is Kedorlaomer.)

According to Genesis 14:1, Chedorlaomer was the king of Elam. He was allied with Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar and Tidal king of nations. Verse 2 goes on to state the alliance went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela.

Answer: Rock of Escape

The NKJV refers to Selahammahlekoth as the Rock of Escape. (The NIV uses the term Rock of Parting. Meanwhile, quiz player Arpeggionist points out a more appropriate translation should be 'rock of dispute/division'.)

To save you the agony of counting, Selahammahlekoth contains sixteen letters.

1 Samuel 23:26-29, in the NKJV, states: "Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. So David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were encircling David and his men to take them. But a messenger came to Saul, saying, 'Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!' Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; so they called that place the Rock of Escape. Then David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at En Gedi."

Answer: Zaphenath-Paneah

Zaphenath-Paneah is the correct answer. According to notes in the NKJV Study Bible, Zaphenath-Paneah probably means 'The God Speaks and Lives'. Genesis 41:45 also states Asenath, the daughter of Piotiphera, priest of On, became his wife. According to verse 46, Joseph was 30 years old at the time.

Zaphenath-Paneah contains fifteen letters and one hyphen.

Answer: All of these

Epaphroditus is only mentioned in Philippians but there is no doubt he was held in high esteem by Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul describes Epaphroditus as a "brother, co-worker and fellow solider" and goes on to write he "almost died for the work of Christ".

In Philippians 2:25-30, in the NIV Bible, Paul writes: "But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me."

Paul goes on to state in Philippians 4:18-19: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

Incidentally, Epaphroditus has twelve letters.

Answer: True

Yes, it's true. The name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz appears in Isaiah 8:1 and notes in the NKJV Study Bible state the name means "Speed the Spoil, Hasten the Booty."

The Web site Christiananswers.net has this to say about the highly unusual name: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz -- "A name Isaiah was commanded first to write in large characters on a tablet, and afterwards to give as a symbolical name to a son that was to be born to him (Isaiah 8:1, 3), as denoting the sudden attack on Damascus and Syria by the Assyrian army."

Isaiah 8:1-4, in the NIV Bible states: "The LORD said to me, 'Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz'. So I called in Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses for me. Then I made love to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the LORD said to me, 'Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. For before the boy knows how to say 'My father' or 'My mother', the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria."