Old Testament Fathers Trivia Quiz

Answer: Abraham

Hagar's story appears in Genesis, where she is described as a handmaiden (or slave) to Sarai, later Sarah, Abraham's wife. As Sarah was unable to conceive, she allowed Abraham to use Hagar as his concubine, with Ishmael being the result. Sarah resented Hagar for being able to give birth when she herself couldn't and when she eventually had her own son, Isaac, Hagar and Ishmael were thrown out.

Both Ishmael and Isaac are important religious figures. Ishmael is a prophet in Islam and Isaac is the father of Esau and Jacob, making him the grandfather of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Answer: Abraham

In Genesis, Keturah is described as Abraham's wife while in the First Book of Chronicles, she is described as a concubine. Abraham's relationship with her began after the death of Sarah, and he fathered six named sons with her.

Some sources believe Keturah to be descended from Noah, via Japheth, and her sons with Abraham were given lands by their father in the region of the Red Sea.

Answer: David

Bathsheba's story appears in the Second Book of Samuel. King David spies on her while she is bathing and, smitten by her beauty, makes her pregnant. As she is married to Uriah, David tries his utmost to get Uriah to sleep with her so that he will believe the child is his own. When this plan fails, David arranges for Uriah to be killed in battle.

The son born from the illicit affair dies - a punishment for David's sin. Bathsheba, now David's wife, later gives birth to Solomon and manages to make him David's successor above Solomon's older brothers.

Solomon himself is described in the Bible as having 700 wives and 300 concubines, but they couldn't be included in this quiz as only one of them is named.

Answer: David

Abigail is named in the First Book of Samuel as David's second, or third, wife, one of eight women named in the Bible as being married to David. Abigail was originally the wife of Nabal and is described as intelligent, wealthy and beautiful in the Bible. She averts disaster when Nabal refuses to provide food for David and his army, by doing so herself and Nabal is struck down for his failings, freeing her to marry the future king.

Abigail is mentioned as the mother of one son with David, who is named Daniel in some sources and Chileab in others.

Answer: Elkanah

Appearing in the First Book of Samuel, Peninnah is one of the two wives of Elkanah, who is married to both at the same time. Peninnah is the fertile wife, who had borne children although the number and names are unknown.

Despite this, she is not Elkanah's favourite wife and, maybe because of his treatment, taunts his other wife for her failure to produce children. The number of children she bears is not mentioned, nor are any of them named and she herself disappears from the story once Elkanah's first wife conceives.

Answer: Elkanah

Hannah is the wife who Elkanah loves but she has remained barren throughout their marriage. His second wife does provide him with children, but is unloved.

Eventually, Hannah prays vehemently to God, so much so that the high priest, Eli, is convinced she is drunk. Following this incident, Hannah does become pregnant, and gives birth to Samuel, the child she has promised to God. Samuel himself has a role to play in the Biblical story, as the prophet who anoints Saul as the first king of Israel. When Saul fails, Samuel then anoints David. Hannah gives birth to two or three more sons and two daughters after Samuel.

Answer: Lamech

There are two men named Lamech in the Bible, one of them being the father of Noah and descended from Seth, but the Lamech in this quiz is the one descended from Cain.

His first wife is named Adah, and she and her sons are mentioned in Genesis, chapter four. The sons are Jabal, described as the 'father of tent-dwellers and those who raise livestock', and Jubal. The description of Jubal varies according to the translation you read, but they all involve music in some way - lyre, harp and stringed instruments are mentioned, along with pipes and the organ.

Answer: Lamech

The second wife of Lamech's to be mentioned in Genesis, in the same chapter as Adah, Zillah is the mother of Tubal-Cain and Naamah. The name of the Bible's first murderer, Cain, is revived in his descendant's name.

Tubal-Cain is recorded as being a 'forger of metal' and is regarded as the first blacksmith. Naamah is his full sister, with scholars being unable to establish why her name is recorded in a male dominated society.

Answer: Jacob

Genesis describes how Jacob has to work for seven years for Laban, father of Leah and Rachel, to gain Laban's permission to marry Rachel. Laban then tricks Jacob into marrying Leah instead. Although Jacob loves Rachel more, he still fathers six sons and a daughter with Leah.

He does eventually marry Rachel, fathering two further sons, making a total of twelve from four different women. The sons are the founders of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Answer: Jacob

Appearing in Genesis, Bilhah is the handmaiden of Rachel, who was married to Jacob. In something of a common theme of the Old Testament, Rachel was unable to conceive and gave Bilhah to Jacob as a concubine. Bilhah gave birth to two of Jacob's sons, Dan and Naphtali, who Rachel took and raised as her own.

Rachel herself later gave birth to Joseph, who became Jacob's favourite son, and Benjamin, the youngest of the twelve sons. Giving birth to him cost Rachel her life.