A Quiz Namely About Unnamed Wives in the Bible

Answer: Lot's wife

Lot's wife, of course, was turned into a pillar of salt when she defied divine instructions and looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

One of the best known stories in the Old Testament involves the LORD bringing down brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah because of its wickedness, with Lot and his family fleeing. However, Genesis 19:26 states Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back. Genesis 19:15-17 tells of angels visiting Lot and advising him of the coming destruction and to flee with his wife and two daughters and not to look back.

Genesis 19:17 quotes one of the angels as saying: "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."

Answer: Samson

Manoah and his unnamed wife were the parents of Samson.

Similar to a number of other women in the Old Testament, Manoah's wife was unable to conceive until divine intervention took place.

Samson would become a judge of Israel who was known for his amazing strength. He was betrayed by his Philistine lover Delilah.

Answer: Timnah

Samson was married to an unnamed woman from Timnah, as per Judges 14:1. According to various Websites, Timnah was a Philistine city in Canaan and the woman was almost certainly a Gentile.

Scripture also tells of Samson spending time with a prostitute from Gaza and then falling in love with Delilah. (See Judges 16:1-4.) For the record, most theologians believe Samson was never married to Delilah.

There is no record in Scripture of Samson being the father of children.

Answer: Job's wife

The correct answer is Job's wife. She made the statement in Job 2:9 after a series of calamaties beset her and her husband. According to Scripture, Job was extremely wealthy and he and his unnamed wife were the parents of seven sons and three daughters. However, the lives of Job and his wife were turned upside down when all of their children were killed in a vicious storm and all his wealth was lost. On top of this, Job was beset with severe health issues. (See Job 1)

Through it all, Job didn't point an accusing finger at the LORD. His wife, however, is quoted as stating her husband stricken husband: "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

The book of Job, however, has a happy ending with Scripture telling of the LORD bestowing immense blessings on Job. He became twice as rich and he and his wife were the parents of seven new sons and three daughters.

Answer: Potiphar's wife

Potiphar's wife is the correct answer. She attempted to seduce Joseph and when she was spurned, she accused him of trying to force himself onto her.

Joseph fled after the woman attempted to lure him into bed with her, and he left behind his cloak. Shortly afterward, the woman produced Joseph's clothing to Potiphar, citing it as proof Joseph had attempted to make sport of her. Joseph would end up being tossed in prison as a result.

The story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife is found in the 39th chapter of Genesis.

Potiphar's wife, of course, is not to be confused with Potipherah's wife, one of the incorrect answers given. Potipherah was the priest of On and Joseph ended up marrying his daughter Asenath. (He is known as Potipherah in the KJV, Poti-Pherah in the NKJV and Potiphera in the NIV.)

Answer: Noah's wife

Noah and his unnamed wife were the parents of three boys -- Shem, Ham and Japheth according to Scripture.

Noah's wife would certainly have an interesting story to tell. According to Scripture, Noah, his wife, and their three sons -- Japheth, Ham and Sheth -- and their wives survived a massive flood that engulfed the world by taking shelter in an ark they built. Incidentally, the wives of Japheth, Ham and Sheth are not named.

According to Scripture, a male and female of every type of animal was also on the ark and survived the flood as well.

Answer: Shua

According to Scripture, Judah's unnamed wife was the daughter of Shua, a Canaanite. As stated in the question, Judah and his wife were the parents of three sons. Their names were 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.

Answer: Samuel's wife

No mention is made in Scripture about Samuel's wife. However, it is known Samuel was married because 1 Samuel 8:1-3 states he had two sons -- Joel and Abijah. Apart from the names of his two sons, there are no details about Samuel's family life after he became an adult.

Although Samuel was a man of high standards, such was not the case with his two sons. 1 Samuel 8:1-3, in the NKJV, states: "Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice."

Answer: Jonathan's wife

Jonathan's wife is the correct answer. There is no mention in Scripture about Jonathan's wife, but it is known he was married because he had a son named Mephibosheth, as per 2 Samuel 4:4.

According to Scripture, Mephibosheth was "lame in both feet." David and Mephibosheth's father were the best of friends. This, even though Jonathan's father Saul devoted much of his latter life trying to kill David. 2 Samuel 9:7 states that David restored to Mephibosheth all the land that belonged to his grandfather Saul and he ensured he would "always dine at his table with him."

Answer: Pilate's wife

Pilate's wife was troubled by a dream she had about Jesus and passed the information onto her husband. Matthew 27:19 in the NKJV states: "While he [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, 'Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.'" She made the request just prior to her husband giving into the crowd and ordering the execution of Jesus.

The world would never be the same.