A Quick Look at Sisters in the Bible Quiz

Answer: Leah

Leah, according to Scripture, was the older sister of Rachel. Genesis 29:16-17 states: "Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance."

According to Scripture, Jacob agreed to work seven years for Laban to win Rachel's hand. However, at the end of seven years, Laban gave him Leah to be his wife, stating it was the custom for the oldest daughter to be married first. Scripture goes on to state Jacob worked an additional seven years to win the right to marry Rachel.

Although Jacob was married to two sisters, he greatly preferred Rachel over Leah, as per Genesis 29:30. In fact, Verse 31 states, Leah was "unloved".

Answer: Dinah

Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, is the correct answer. After she was defiled, a bloody massacre took place, in which two of Dinah's brothers killed every male in Shechem's hometown, with every woman and child taken captive and every house plundered.

The massacre took place after Dinah's brothers Simeon and Levi convinced the males in Shechem's city they should circumcise themselves. Genesis 34:25, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males."

Answer: Miriam

According to Scripture, Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron. Miriam is listed as a prophetess in Exodus 15:20 and was quite the musician. According to Scripture, after the Egyptian army perished in the Red Sea, Miriam took a tambourine in her hand and started singing, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.

In Numbers 12 she and Aaron opposed Moses, and she was struck with leprosy.

Answer: Naamah

Naamah was the daughter of Lamech and Zillah and the sister of Tubal-Cain. Not much is known about Naamah as she is mention in passing reference in Genesis 4:22. The verse in the NKJV states: "And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah."

Naamah is one of the first females mentioned by name in Scripture. The only ones who come before her are Eve, Adah and her mother Zillah.

Answer: Unnamed daughters of Lot

No names are given for Lot's two daughters who became impregnated by him when they got him drunk. Their offspring are identified, however. The older daughter gave birth to a boy called Moab who became the father of the Moabites while the younger daughter gave birth to a boy called Ben-Ammi, father of the people of Ammon.

According to Scripture, the two daughters felt they had to take such action because there were no other men available to them and they wanted to preserve their father's lineage.

Here's how Genesis 19:30-38 describes the situation in the NKJV:
"Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. Now the firstborn said to the younger, 'Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.' So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

"It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, 'Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.' Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

"Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day."

With passages like this, it's difficult to fathom how some people describe the Bible as "dry and boring".

Answer: Rebekah

Rebekah, according to Scripture, was the sister of Laban. She was married to Isaac and gave birth to the first documented twins in Scripture -- Esau and Jacob.

Laban, of course, was the father of Leah and Rachel who were both married to Jacob.

According to Scripture, Rebekah came from Mesopotamia in the NKJV, or Aram Naharaim in the NIV.

Answer: Tamar

Amnon was so in love in with his half-sister that Scripture says he became ill, as per 2 Samuel 13:2. The chapter also reports on the sordid details of Amnon eventually raping Tamar, and her full brother Absalom ordering his men to kill Amnon some two years later.

According to Scripture, Absalom and Tamar were the son and daughter of David and Maacah (2 Samuel 3:3 and 2 Samuel 13:4) while Amnon was the son of David and Ahinoam (1 Chronicles 3:1).

Answer: 3

The correct answer is three. In addition to having a total of ten children, Scripture states Job owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500 donkeys, and "a large number" of servants, making him "the greatest man among all the people of the East." Scripture also makes it clear his sons loved to entertain. Job 1:4, in the NKJV Bible, states: "And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them."

Answer: Yes

According to Scripture, Jesus had four brothers and an unspecified number of sisters.

Matthew 13:54-56, in the NKJV, quotes the people as saying the following about Jesus: "When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, 'Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?'"

It must be stressed the Roman Catholic church has an entirely different view of things, stating the words 'brothers' and 'sisters' in the passage have been misinterpreted. Catholics point out the words are actually akin to using the words 'association' or 'kin'.

Answer: Mary and Martha

Mary and Martha were sisters of Lazarus and the three lived at Bethany, according to Scripture. They are one of the most famous set of sisters in the Bible, perhaps surpassed by only Leah and Rachel.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, even though he had been dead for four days and the body was emitting an odor, as per John 11.

Martha has a reputation for being industrious and irritable while Mary is known for being insightful. Their reputations come from Luke 10:38-42, verses telling of Jesus being at the house of the two sisters.

Here's how Luke 10:38-42 tells of the incident in the NKJV:
"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.' And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."