A Quick Look at Fathers-In-Law in the Bible Quiz

Answer: Jethro

Jethro, also known as Reuel in Exodus 2:18, was the father-in-law of Moses. Exodus 2:21 states Moses married Jethro's daughter Zipporah. Scripture states Zipporah was one of seven daughters of Jethro. Jethro, according to Scripture, was a priest in Midian.

Moses fled to Midian after he murdered an unnamed Egyptian man. According to Wikipedia, Midian is believed to be in northwest Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea.

Answer: Shua

According to Scripture, Shua was Judah's father-in-law. Scripture states Judah took an unnamed daughter of Shua as his wife and they were the parents of three sons -- Er, Onan and Shelah.

Genesis 38:12 tells of the death of Judah's wife, but no further details are given.

Scripture goes on to tell of Judah impregnating his daughter-in-law Tamar, with her bearing twin boys, Perez and Zerah.

Answer: Eliam

Eliam was the father of Bathsheba, David's most famous wife. Although Eliam was the father-in-law of one of the greatest king's in Israel's history, he is mentioned in passing reference in Scripture. 2 Samuel 11:3 simply states he was the father of Bathsheba, the woman David committed adultery with and ended up marrying after he orchestrated the death of her husband Uriah.

Answer: Poti-Phera

Poti-Phera, the priest of On, became Joseph's father-in-law when Joseph married his daughter Asenath. (In the NIV, his name appears as Potiphera and in the KJV as Potipherah.)

Not much is known about Poti-Phera as he is mentioned in passing reference. Howeverr, notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Poti-Phera means 'He Whom Ra (the sun god) Gave'. On was a city in northern Egypt noted for its worship of Ra.

According to Genesis 46:20, Joseph and Asenath were the parents of Manasseh and Ephraim.

Answer: Laban

Laban, the father of Leah and Rachel, is the correct answer. Scripture states Laban's two daughters were married to Jacob.

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: Judah

Tamar was actually impregnated by her father-in-law Judah and bore twin boys, as per Genesis 38:1-30. Scripture states she was married to Judah's sons Er and Onan. However, both men were stuck dead by God because of their wickedness.

After the two sons died, Judah apparently thought Tamar was a prostitute when he met up with her along the side of a road and as a result of the union, she gave birth to twins Perez and Zerah. (Scripture reports her face was covered during intercourse.) About three months later, when it was reported Tamar was pregnant and proclaimed a prostitute, Judah announced she should be brought out and "burned to death."

However, her father-in-law had to do some serious backpedaling when Tamar was able to prove he was actually the man who had impregnated her. (Genesis 38:18 states Judah had given Tamar his "seal and its cord, and the staff in his hand" as a pledge before he slept with her. When she was about to be put to death, she was able to produce Judah's pledge to her and her life was spared.)

According to Wikipedia, Tamar means 'date palm' and is the original form of the names Tamara and Tammy. Two rivers in the world also bear the name Tamar. River Tamar is found in England while the Tamar River is in Tasmania, part of Australia.

Answer: Elimelech

Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, was Ruth's father-in-law, however, not much is known about him as he is mentioned in passing reference.

According to Ruth 1:2, Elimelek and his wife Naomi were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. They were the parents of two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who married Orpah and Ruth, two Moabite women. (In the NIV, Chilion is known as Kilion.) Orpah was married to Chilion and Ruth was the wife of Mahlon.

According to Ruth 1:3-5, Elimelek and his two sons died, leaving Naomi, Orpah and Ruth as widows. No details are given about the causes of the deaths of the three men.

Answer: Solomon

Maacah was a wife of Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon. According to Scripture, Solomon ruled over Israel during a golden time of prosperity and peace with its neighbors.

Similar to most kings in the Old Testament, Rehoboam had a number of wives and concubines. However, it is clear Maacah was his favorite.

2 Chronicles 11:21, in the NKJV, states: "Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters."

Verse 20 states Maacah bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

Rehoboam replaced his father Solomon as king.

Answer: Isaac

Leah and her sister Rachel were both married to Jacob. According to Scripture, Isaac and his wife Rebekah were the parents of the first documented twins -- Esau and Jacob.

Although Jacob was married to both Leah and Rachel, he highly preferred Rachel. In fact Genesis 29:31 states Leah was "unloved".

According to Scripture, Jacob and Leah were the parents of six boys -- Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun -- and one daughter, Dinah.

Answer: Abraham

Abraham was the father-in-law of Rebekah, the wife of Isaac. Abraham was married to Sarah. The couple was originally called Abram and Sarai until God changed their names. (Genesis 17:5-15)

Rebekah, according to Scripture, was from Mesopotamia and the sister of Laban, as per Genesis 24:29. (In the NIV, Mesopotamia is known as Aram Naharaim.)

Isaac and Rebekah were parents of the first documented twins in the Bible, Esau and Jacob. Scripture states Isaac preferred Esau while Rebekah favored Jacob and this would lead to problems in later life.