A Quick Look at Brothers in the Bible Quiz

Answer: Jacob

Jacob was the slightly younger twin brother of Esau. Although the boys were twins, Scripture indicates they were vastly different in their appearance and in their likes.

Genesis 25:24-28, in the NKJV, gives this account of the two brothers: "So when her [Rebekah] days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob."

Answer: Perez and Zerah

The correct answer is Perez and Zerah, the sons of Judah and Tamar. This even though Judah was Tamar's father-in-law. According to Genesis 38:6-10, Tamar had been married to Judah's two sons, Er and Onan. However, both sons were struck dead by the LORD because of their wickedness.

Genesis 38:27-30 gives this account of the birth of Tamar's twins: "Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, 'This one came out first.' Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, 'How did you break through? This breach be upon you!' Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.'"

Perez's name appears in the New Testament in the genealogy of Christ. (See Matthew 1:3 and Luke 3:33)

Answer: Benjamin

Benjamin was Joseph's only full brother. According to Scripture, Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin.

Joseph's ten half brother were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram.

He also had a half sister, Dinah.

Answer: Moses and Aaron

According to Scripture, Miriam had two brothers -- Moses and Aaron. The three of them formed a team responsible for leading the Israelites in a mass exodus out of Egypt to the Promised Land.

There is no smoking gun, but many theologians believe it was Miriam who was looking on from a distance when the Pharaoh's daughter found him in a basket on the Nile River, as per Exodus 2:4. Verse 7 tells of the girl asking the Pharaoh's daughter if she wanted her to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. When the Pharaoh's daughter says yes to the request, Scripture tells of Moses being taken back to his mother for nursing.

According to Exodus 7:7, Aaron was three years older than Moses.

Answer: Lahmi

Lahmi, the brother of Goliath, was killed by Elhanan, according to 1 Chronicles 20:5. No details are given about how big Lahmi was, but the verse states the shaft of his spear "was like a weaver's beam".

According to 2 Samuel 21:16-22, in addition to Goliath, there were a total of at at least four other Philistine giants. However, only Lahmi is identified as a brother of Goliath although some believe all four were brothers of Goliath.

Here's how 2 Samuel 21:16-22 reads in the NKJV:

"Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, 'You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.'

"Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

"Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.

"These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants."

Answer: Eliab

David's oldest brother was Eliab. However, it appears Eliab had little appreciation for David. The seventeenth chapter of 1 Samuel contains the account of David battling and defeating Goliath. Verse 28 tells of Eliab burning with anger. Just prior to David's spectacular victory, Eliab, in the NKJV Bible, states: "'Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle'."

According to 1 Chronicles 2:13-15, David's brothers were Eliab, Abinadab, Shimma, Nethaneel, Raddai and Ozem. According to 1 Samuel, David is the youngest of Jesse's eight sons.

Answer: Laban

Rebekah's brother as Laban, as per Genesis 24:29. Rebekah, of course, was married to Isaac and gave birth to the first set of twins in Scripture -- Jacob and Esau.

Jacob would end up marrying Laban's two daughters, Rachel and Leah, as per Genesis 29:15-30.

There's no disputing the fact Laban was shrewd and devious. He got fourteen years of labor out of Jacob, largely by tricking him. Jacob agreed to work for seven years for Laban if he could marry his younger daughter Rachel. However, at the end of seven years, Laban gave Jacob his older daughter Leah in marriage, saying "it is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one." So, Jacob agreed to work an additional seven years for Rachel's hand.

Answer: Philip

According to Matthew 14:3, Herodias had originally been married to Philip, the brother of Herod.

Herodias was successful in getting her daughter to request John the Baptist's head on a platter. When her daughter's request was fulfilled, Herodias had removed a hated adversary from the scene. According to Scripture, Herodias had left her first husband and married his half brother and John denounced the union.

Matthew 14:6-12 reports Herod hosted a lavish birthday party for himself and when Herodias' daughter, who is not named, danced at the reception, Herod was so pleased he told the girl he would give her whatever she asked for. Verse 8, in the NKJV Bible, states: "So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, 'Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter'."

Verse 11 goes on to tell of this macabre scene: "And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother."

Answer: Betshsaida

Peter and Andrew were brothers who came from Bethsaida, a fishing community on the Sea of Galilee, according to John 1:44. The same verse states Philip, another member of the Twelve Disciples, also came from Bethsaida.

According to Mark 8:22-26, it was at Bethsaida where Jesus healed a blind man in two stages. The passage in the NKJV states: "Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, 'I see men like trees, walking.' Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, 'Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.'"

Answer: James and John

James and John are the correct answers. Not much is known about Zebedee as he is mentioned in passing reference. According to Matthew 4:21, he was a fisherman, just like his sons James and John. Theologians believe his wife's name was Salome.

Jesus also called James and John 'Boanerges', which means sons of thunder. Mark 3:16-19, in the NKJV Bible, gives a list of the names of the Twelve Disciples in which James and John are identified as both sons of Zebedee and Boanerges: "Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, 'Sons of Thunder'; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him."

The term Boanerges can be found in only this passage in Mark in the entire Bible, using the KJV, NKJV or the NIV.