25 Bible Deaths -- 'A' Through to 'Z' Quiz

Answer: Abraham

Abraham, of course, is the correct answer. Genesis 25:9-11, states Isaac and Ishmael buried their father Abraham "in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite." The field had been bought by Abraham and he was buried with his wife Sarah. According to Scripture, Abraham was 175 years old when he died.

Answer: Belshazzar

According to the fifth chapter of Daniel, the fingers of an disembodied hand started writing a message on the wall after King Belshazzar hosted a lavish banquet in which he, his wives and his concubines drank from goblets taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem. Scripture states the king's gathering drank the wine from the sacred goblets and "praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone."

When the king brought in the prophet Daniel to interpret the writing on the wall, no punches were pulled. Daniel told the king "God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end". The chapter concludes with these two verses from the NKJV Bible: "That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old."

As result, the term 'to see the handwriting on the wall' refers to when one can envision their misfortune or fall.

Answer: Chilion

Naomi was the mother of two boys, Mahlon and Chilion. (In the NIV Bible, Chilion is spelled as Kilion.) However, not much is known about her two sons as they are mentioned in passing reference. Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Mahlon and Chilion mean 'Sickly' and 'Failing'. According to 4:10, Ruth was married to Mahlon.

As a result, it is safe to state Chilion was married to Orpah. The Web site Christiananswers.net states Ruth means friend while Orpah means forelock or fawn.

Answer: Seventy

It might come as a surprise to some, but David was seventy years old when he died. 2 Samuel 5:4-5, in the NKJV, offers this information: "David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah."

Prior to his death, David was frail and in failing health, giving the impression he would've been older than seventy.

For example, the first chapter of 1 Kings, tells of David's servants coming up with a plan to find the top young woman in Israel to sleep with him simply to keep him warm.

1 Kings 1:1-4 tells what happened: "When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. So his attendants said to him, 'Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.' Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her."

Although David was seventy at the time of his death, notes in the NKJV Study Bible state "the long years of warfare had doubtlessly taken their toll."

The notes also have this to say about Abishag being used to keep David warm: "Using a healthy person's body warmth to care for a sick person is a medical procedure noted by the second century Greek physician Galen and the Jewish historian Josephus."

Answer: Elijah

Elijah's sudden departure is recorded in 2 Kings 2:11-12, while he was walking along with the prophet Elisha. The NKJV Bible records Elijah being taken up to heaven in this way: "Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!' So he saw him no more."

Elijah is well known for many things, but perhaps the best known story involving him is his duel with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, as recorded in the 18th chapter of 1 Kings.

Answer: They offered 'profane fire' at the tabernacle of meeting.

According to Scripture, Nadab and Abihu were "devoured" by fire from the LORD for offering "profane fire" in the tabernacle of meeting. (The NIV states the men were killed because they offered "unauthorized fire".)

Leviticus 10:1-3, in the NKJV, explains things this way: "Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. And Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord spoke, saying:
'By those who come near Me
I must be regarded as holy;
And before all the people
I must be glorified.'
So Aaron held his peace."

According to notes in the NIV Study Bible, 'censers' were "ceremonial vessels containing hot coals and used for burning incense."

Answer: Gideon

According to the seventh chapter of Judges, Gideon led the handful of soldiers to victory over a gigantic number of men battling for the Midianites. Judges 7:1-7 tells of Gideon having 32,000 soldiers and the number being reduced to 10,000 when 22,000 of them were excused for being fearful of fighting the Midianites. Then the LORD instructed Gideon to lead 10,000 men to water where they were apparently told to drink.

Then things got downright interesting. The men who drank by lapping the water from their cupped hands like a dog were selected for battle while those who knelt down to drink were rejected. Only 300 men lapped water like a dog, yet those were the ones the LORD told Gideon to take into battle. Sure enough, the chapter ends with an amazing victory by Gideon's 300 men over their opposition.

According to Judges 6:12 in the NIV Bible, Gideon means "Mighty Warrior."

Here's how Joshua 7:1-8, in the NKJV, tells of Gideon's selection of the 300 warriors: "Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. And the LORD said to Gideon, 'The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.' Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.' And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained. But the LORD said to Gideon, 'The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' the same shall not go.' So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, 'Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.' And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. Then the LORD said to Gideon, 'By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.' So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men."

The death of Gideon is reported in Judges 8:32. The passage states: "Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites."

Answer: Haman

It was a classic case of "what goes around, comes around." Haman, of course, had a diabolical plan to have all the Jews exterminated in the vast area ruled by the man who is known as King Ahasuerus in the NKJV Bible and King Xerxes in the NIV Bible.

He was thwarted in his attempt by Queen Esther and according to the seventh chapter of Esther, he ended up being hanged on the very gallows he had erected for the execution of Mordecai, the cousin of the queen.

Answer: Ishbosheth

Ishbosheth is the correct answer. (In the NIV, he is known as Ish-bosheth.)

Before David ascended to the throne, Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was proclaimed as king, reigning for two years. 2 Samuel 2:8-11, in the NKJV, states: "But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months."

Basically a civil war erupted as the tribe of Judah remained loyal to David. The story continues on into the fifth chapter of 2 Samuel with Ishbosheth being killed and David becoming king.

It was a dramatic rise to power for David who was seen simply as a shepherd boy until he slew Goliath. Ironically, Saul spent the latter part of his life attempting to kill David simply out of jealousy. Saul would die by committing suicide on the battlefield.

When David became king, Israel enjoyed the beginning of a golden era that would continue through to the end of the reign of Solomon. The story of Saul and David takes up much of the Books of Samuel, but Ishbosheth did have his moment in the limelight.

2 Samuel 4:5-8 in the NKJV explains Ishbosheth's gruesome death this way: "Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon. And they came there, all the way into the house, as though to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain. And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, 'Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.'"

Scripture goes on to state the assassination angered David and he reacted by ordering the execution of the killers.

The chapter concludes by stating David's "young men" executed the assassins, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. Then they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

Answer: Jesus

The correct answer, of course, is Jesus. The four Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- are devoted to His birth, His teachings, His prophecies and His performing of a long list of miracles. The four Gospels proclaim He is the fulfillment of prophecy in the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament of the English Bible.

Scripture reports He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and then brutally beaten, scourged and crucified only to rise from the dead three days later, as per Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20 and 21. After His resurrection, Scripture tells of Him appearing to a number of people, including 1 Corinthians 15:6 which states "He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once."

The ascension of Jesus into Heaven is recorded in Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:49-53.

Tens of millions firmly believe He is the Son of God and came into the world to to save every human. John 3:16-18, in the NKJV Bible, states: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Even those who don't believe in Him, would admit the shape of history was changed forever by His birth.

Answer: The earth opened up and swallowed them.

According to Scripture, Korah and his associates died after the earth opened up and swallowed them as divine retribution for their stubborn refusal to follow Moses' leadership.

Numbers 16:31-34, in the NIV Bible, tells what happened: "...the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, 'The earth is going to swallow us too'!"

Verse 35 goes on to state that 250 men who were offering incense were consumed when fire came out from the LORD. By the time you read down to verse 49, no less than 14,700 people had died from a plague "because of Korah".

Answer: Lazarus

The story of Lazarus being raised from the dead is found in John 11:1-45. It's one of the most popular stories in the New Testament and is often referred to at Christian funerals. Lazarus lived in Bethany, a village that was just outside Jerusalem during the time of Christ. Lazarus had two sisters -- Mary and Martha.

The sisters are the best-known sister act in the New Testament. However, there is no mention of Lazarus' parents or other family members.

Answer: Methuselah

Methuselah was the oldest person in the Bible, living for 969 years, according to Genesis 5:27. Holding down second spot for the oldest living person in the Bible is Jared, who lived for 962 years as per Genesis 5:20. Adam, who lived for 930 years, was the third oldest person in the Bible, as per Genesis 5:5. Methuselah's longevity has given birth to today's comical expression that someone or something is "as old as Methuselah".

Answer: Nabal

According to Scripture Abigail was beautiful and intelligent and she apparently had little respect for her husband. And with good reason. Nabal is described as harsh and evil in the NKJV and surly and mean in the NIV. He might have been rich and powerful, but he certainly had his comeuppance.

After being rude and obnoxious with David's men, Nabal was struck dead by the LORD, as per 1 Samuel 25:38. Shortly after Nabal's death, Abigail became David's wife. The same chapter states David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel.

Answer: Onan

It's a bit of a long story, but the 38th chapter of Genesis states Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. However, Er "was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death". To this end, Judah instructed Onan to "go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother."

However, Onan failed to follow instructions and it cost him his life. Genesis 38:9-10, in the NKJV Bible, states: "But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also."

The NIV renders this translation: "But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death also."

Answer: Hoshea

Hoshea was the man who killed Pekah and became the last king of the northern ten tribes of Israel. 2 Kings 15:27-30, in the NKJV, tells of the reign of Pekah and his death: "In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.

Then Hoshea the son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck and killed him; so he reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah."

Answer: False

There is no account in the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament of the English Bible, regarding the death of the Queen of Sheba. She is mentioned in two accounts, the tenth chapter of 1 Kings and the ninth chapter of 2 Chronicles. Both accounts tell of her visit to Jerusalem to pay tribute to King Solomon. Scripture reports she arrived in Jerusalem with "a very great caravan" carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones. Scripture also reports she was "overwhelmed" with Solomon's wisdom and his immense wealth.

According to notes in the NKJV Study Bible, Sheba was located in southwestern Arabia, present-day Yemen.

Answer: Rachel

Rachel is the correct answer. She and her sister Leah were both married to Jacob. Their father was Laban. Rachel was unable to bear children for a number of years but God heard her pleas and enabled her to conceive, as per Genesis 30:22. Sometime later, she gave birth to Benjamin but died during childbirth, according to Genesis 35:17-18. According to verse 19, Rachel was buried on the way to Bethlehem.

Answer: Saul

Saul was the first king of Israel and although his reign started smoothly, it ended in chaos with much time devoted to trying to kill David. This, even though David basically wanted to live in peace with Saul!

According to the 31st chapter of 1 Samuel, Saul was critically injured in battle with the Philistines and pleaded with his armor bearer to kill him with a sword. 1 Samuel 31:4-6, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Then Saul said to his armorbearer, 'Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.' But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day."

Just prior to this incident, Saul's three sons -- Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua -- were killed in battle, as per 1 Samuel 31:2.

Answer: Tabitha

Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, is the correct answer. Scripture simply says she died. There is no mention of her ailment, apart from a statement in Acts 9:37 that she became sick. And there is no mention of how long she was sick before she died. It also states the body of Dorcas was washed and placed in an upstairs room. In other words, the body was prepared for burial. It's interesting to note Peter sent all the people out of the room before he prayed, and according to Scripture, he simply said only two words: "Tabitha, arise." And that's exactly what she did.

Acts 9:40-42, in the NKJV, states: "And she [Tabitha] opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord."

Answer: Uriah

Yes, Uriah was the first husband of Bathsheba, David's most famous wife. After David learned Bathsheba was pregnant through an adulterous affair he had with her, he ended up conspiring to have Uriah murdered. The adultery took place while Uriah, a soldier, was in battle.

After plotting and scheming, David eventually ordered Uriah to be placed in the front line where the fighting was fiercest and then had all the men withdraw, as per 2 Samuel 11:15. True to plan, Uriah was killed.

Answer: The son of Haman

Vaizatha 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 ruled by the man known as Ahasuerus in the NKJV and 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 Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai and Aridai.

Answer: Nain

Nain is the correct answer. Incidentally, this is the only place in the entire Bible where Nain is mentioned.

Luke 7:11-15, in the NKJV Bible, reports: "Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother."

According to the Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible, Nain is about ten miles south of Nazareth.

Answer: Young

The correct answer is 'young'. According to Mark 5:42, she was twelve years old when she died, only to be raised from the dead by Jesus.

There are two accounts in the Gospels of Jairus' daughter being brought back to life by Jesus. The accounts appear in Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56.

Scripture states Jairus was a synagogue ruler. In the two accounts, it tells of people weeping for the dead girl outside her home. When Jesus appeared and stated the girl was not dead but was simply sleeping, the 'mourners' laughed at him. A few moments later, however, their laughter turned to total amazement when Christ raised the girl from the dead.

Answer: Zimri

Zimri is the correct answer. According to 1 Kings 16:15, Zimri reigned for seven turbulent days. In his quest for power, he killed Elah, the reigning king, as well as his entire family and his friends. (1 Kings 16:10-11)

1 Kings 16:16-18 in the NKJV Bible has this to say about his downfall and his eventual suicide: "Now the people who were encamped heard it said, 'Zimri has conspired and also has killed the king.' So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon, and they besieged Tirzah. And it happened, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house down upon himself with fire, and died..."