25 Kings and Queens -- 'A' Through to 'Z' Quiz

Answer: Athaliah

The sordid story of Queen Athaliah is found in the 11th chapter of 2 Kings as well as the 22nd and 23rd chapters of 2 Chronicles. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kings 8:18) and she was the original 'queen of mean'. In fact, she makes Leona Helmsley look like a Girl Guide.

When her son Ahaziah died, she was unstoppable in her blood-thirsty mission to have herself instilled as queen. To this end, she killed all Ahaziah's children except Joash, the youngest, as per 2 Kings 11:1-2. (The only reason she didn't kill Joash is the fact he was placed in hiding.) In other words, she killed her own grandchildren to cement her hold on power.

Athaliah reigned for six years and was killed in an insurrection. 2 Kings 11:20 states "all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm" when the news was announced Athaliah had been killed with a sword at the palace.

Incidentally, two different kings were named Ahaziah. The first Ahaziah was the son of Ahab and Jezebel and reigned as king of Israel. The second Ahaziah was the sixth king of Judah. His father was Joram in the NKJV or Jehoram in the NIV.

Answer: Belshazzar

According to the fifth chapter of Daniel, the fingers on 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: Cyrus

Cyrus is the correct answer. His name appears a number of times in the Old Testament, but the account of his decision to liberate the Israelites is largely found in the book of Ezra.

According to Scripture, Cyrus decided to grant permission to the Israelites to return to Jerusalem after his heart had been moved by the LORD. Cyrus was the head of the Persian empire and after he defeated the Babylonians, one of his first major decisions was to free the Israelites.

According to Wikipedia, his empire extended from the Mediterranean Sea and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east. At that time, it was the largest empire the world had seen, Wikipedia reports.

Answer: David

David, who committed adultery with Bathsheba and then orchestrated the murder of her husband Uriah, is the correct answer.

The account of Nathan confronting David is found in the 12th chapter of 2 Samuel. He used a parable to make David aware of the seriousness of his sinning when he committed adultery and murder. Nathan than made the pronouncement that the child who would be born as a result of the adulterous affair would die, and sure enough it came to pass.

Incidentally, it was Nathan who told an elderly and frail David of the plot of Adonijah to become king. The end result is that Solomon became king, as per 1 Kings 1:8-45.

Answer: Eglon

Eglon is the correct answer. According to Judges 3:17, Eglon was "very fat" while the same same passage describes Ehud as a "deliverer" from God. In addition to being left-handed, Ehud was the second judge of Israel.

Scripture goes into some gory details about the king's death. Judges 3:20-22, in the NKJV Bible, states: "So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, 'I have a message from God for you.' So he arose from his seat. Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out."

The chapter goes on to tell of Ehud making his escape and then leading the Israelites to a military victory over the Moabites, killing about 10,000 "stout men of valor." The chapter concludes by stating the Israelites enjoyed eighty years of "rest".

Answer: Hezekiah

Hezekiah is the correct answer. He was the fourteenth king of Israel, according to Wikipedia. The prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah to get his house in order "for you shall die, and not live," as per 2 Kings 20:1.

Hezekiah then poured out his heart to the Lord immediately after Isaiah left and Scripture reports the prophet promptly received a message from the LORD. 2 King 20:4-5, in the NKJV Bible, states in part: "'Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: 'I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.'"

Scripture goes on to report fifteen more years were added to Hezekiah's life.

Answer: Birsha

Yes, I agree this question is a tough one. But yet again, every quiz seems to have at least one question that's extremely difficult to answer.

Little is known about Birsha, king of Gomorrah, as his name is mentioned in only passing reference.

Genesis 14:1-4, in the NKJV, states: "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled."

The chapter goes on to tell of Lot's capture and his rescue by his brother Abram.

Gomorrah, along with Sodom, would be destroyed by the LORD with brimstone and fire, as per Genesis 19:24.

Answer: Herod

Herod is the correct answer. His death is recorded in Acts 12:21-23.

We read in the NKJV Bible: "So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, 'The voice of a god and not of a man!' Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died."

Herod was a ruthless opponent of the early Christian church and his death was seen as divine retribution.

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.

Answer: Jehoshaphat

Jehoshaphat is the correct answer. Scripture states he was the son of King Asa and he became the fourth king of Judah. After reigning for 25 years, Jehoshaphat was succeeded by his son Jehoram.

Jehoshaphat attempted to end idolatry and did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as per 1 Kings 22:43, but Scripture states the people continued to burn incense in the high places. Despite his apparent love for the LORD, Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with King Ahab and his wife Jezebel of the northern kingdom. Ahab and Jezebel were two of the most unpopular people in the Old Testament, largely because of their persecution of the LORD'S prophets and their worship of other gods.

Answer: Kish

Kish was the father of Saul. Scripture states Kish was a Benjamite and he was the son of Abiel, who was the son of Zeror, who was the son of Bechorath (Bekorath in the NIV). Bechorath was the son of Aphiah and the grandson of Benjamin.

1 Samuel 9:2, in the NKJV Bible, states: "And he [Kish] had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people."

Answer: Lemuel

Lemuel is the correct answer. According to Wikipedia, Lemuel is a Hebrew name, meaning "devoted to God". No one knows for certain who Lemuel was, but one school of thought has it that he was actually Solomon, as many of the tidbits of advice would definitely apply to him. (For example, Lemuel's mother warned her son against giving his strength unto women.) If Lemuel was indeed Solomon, then the mother would be Bathsheba. However, no name is given for Lemuel's mother.

Here's how Proverbs 31:1-9, reads in the NKJV:
"The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?
Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy."

Answer: Manasseh

Manasseh became king at the tender age of 12 and, according to Scripture, ruled until he was 67. Scripture states Manasseh was extremely brutal.

2 Kings 21:16, in the NKJV Bible, states Manasseh "shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another." Scripture also reports he worshiped false gods and rebuilt high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed. According to Wikipedia, the name Manasseh means "causing to forget."

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 in the NIV. (The measurements in the NKJV are 60 cubits high and six cubits wide.)

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.

Answer: Omri

Omri was king of Israel, serving for 12 years. Details about his reign are recorded in 1 Kings 16:21-27. He was made king after Israel was embroiled in a civil war with one faction supporting Tibni son of Ginath for king and the other faction supporting Omri.

1 Kings 16:24, in the NKJV Bible, states Omri "bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; then he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, Samaria, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill."

Omri, however, was regarded as an "evil" king in Scripture. 1 Kings 16:25-26 states, "Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all who were before him. For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols."

Answer: Pekah

The correct answer is Pekah who had replaced Pekahiah.

2 Kings 15:27-30, in the NKJV, explains things this way: "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: Queen of Sheba

The visit by the Queen of Sheba is recalled in the 10th chapter of 1 Kings and the 9th chapter of 2 Chronicles. 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: Rehoboam

Rehoboam replaced Solomon as king. Scripture reports he got off to a bad start when he ignored the advice of his father's advisers and followed the advice of young men he had grown up with, as per 1 Kings 12.

And from there things got worse. The ten northern tribes broke away and before long Rehoboam was left ruling over a much smaller domain than his father Solomon and his grandfather David.

According to 1 Kings 14:21, Rehoboam was 41 years old when he became king and he reigned for 17 turbulent years. He was succeeded by his son Abijah.

Answer: Solomon

Jedidiah is the correct answer. 2 Samuel 12:24-25, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD." According to notes in the NKJV Study Bible, Jedidiah means "Beloved of the Lord."

Answer: Tahpenes

The correct answer is Tahpenes. She is mentioned in 1 Kings 11:19-20.

Scripture states the sister of Tahpenes was given in marriage to Hadad, an adversary of King Solomon. According to 1 Kings 11:14-17, Hadad was a descendent of the king of Edom and he had gone to Egypt as a child to escape the Israelites, who had instructions from Joab to kill every male in the area.

1 Kings 11:19-20 in the NKJV states: "And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, that is, the sister of Queen Tahpenes. Then the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh."

This is the only mention of Tahpenes in Scripture.

Answer: Uzziah

Uzziah is the correct answer. Scripture states he became king at the tender age of 16 and started well. However, after Uzziah became powerful, his pride apparently led to his downfall. Similar to other kings, Uzziah was unfaithful to the LORD, Scripture states. He was afflicted with leprosy after he had an altercation with 80 priests of the LORD in the sanctuary of the temple of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 26:19-20, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him."

Answer: Vashti

Vashti is the correct answer. There's no mistaking the fact she was independent minded and believed in taking a stand -- regardless of the consequences. In fact, she could very well have been the world's first women's libber.

Queen Vashti was deposed after she refused to obey a request of King Ahasuerus. In Esther 1:10-11, it states the king asked Queen Vashti to wear her royal crown and come before him to "display her beauty" to the people and the nobles. Esther 1:12, in the NKJV Bible, states: "But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him."

It was the end for her and a new beginning for Esther who would become queen.

Esther, of course, would play a major role in preventing a diabolical plan by Haman to exterminate the Jews from coming to fruition.

Meanwhile, there is no further mention of Vashti in Scripture.

Answer: True

There is no king or queen in the Hebrew Bible or the entire English Bible with a name that starts with the letter 'W'. In fact, there isn't a single person with a name that starts with 'W'. As FunTrivia player Janetgool points out, this only stands to reason as there is no 'W' in the Hebrew alphabet.

Answer: Xerxes

In the NIV Bible, King Ahasuerus is known as Xerxes.

According to Esther 1:1, Ahasuerus/Xerxes ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. The book of Esther begins with the account of the king dumping Queen Vashti during the third year of his reign.

It would put things in motion for Esther to become queen and play a pivotal role in preventing the extermination of Jews in the immense area ruled by Ahasuerus/Xerxes.

Answer: Zedekiah

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. According to 2 Kings 24:19-20 and Jeremiah 52:2-3, Zedekiah did "evil in the sight of the LORD". He was a son of Josiah, and his mother's name was Hamutal.

The 39th chapter of Jeremiah tells of Zedekiah's capture by the Babylonian army. He certainly didn't receive any preferential treatment. Jeremiah 39:7 tells of Zedekiah's eyes being put out and his being bound with bronze shackles and taken to Babylon.