An 'Alex Trebek' Old Testament Quiz -- #15

Answer: What is Sarai?

Sarah, the wife of Abraham, was originally known as Sarai. Genesis 17:15-16 tells of God announcing Sarai's new name and proclaiming she will be the mother of nations and kings of people will come from her. At the time, Sarai's husband was known as Abram and God announced he would become known as Abraham.

Answer: Who is Azariah?

Azariah was Abed-Nego's original Hebrew name. (In the NIV, his name appears as Abednego.) Daniel 1:7 states Azariah and three of his Hebrew compatriots were given new names by the chief of the eunuchs of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

Scripture goes on to tell of Azariah and two of his compatriots -- Mishael and Hananiah -- being thrown into a fiery furnace because they refused to bow to an image of Nebuchadnezzar. However, Scripture states the three Hebrew men were miraculously not harmed by the flames of the furnace.

According to Daniel 3:25, when people looked inside the furnace, they were astounded to see Azariah, Mishael and Hananiah walking in the midst of fire and not feeling the impact of the flames. The verse in the NKJV also states the people who looked into the furnace saw a fourth form, described as "like the Son of God."

Answer: Who is Dathan?

Dathan was one of a number of people who staged a rebellion against Moses while the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness on their way to Canaan, known as the Promised Land. Others taking part in the rebellion were Dathan's brother Abirham as well as Korah and On, as per Numbers 16.

The leaders of the rebellion and their supporters paid with their lives for their actions. Scripture tells of the earth miraculously opening up and swallowing the rebels in a case of divine retribution.

Answer: Who is Peninnah?

Elkanah was married to two women, Peninnah and Hannah. While Peninniah was the mother of an unstated number of children, Hannah was barren. Scripture states Hannah was distraught over her inability to conceive and Peninnah took delight in taunting Hannah about the situation. In fact, 1 Samuel 1:6-7 tells of Peninnah continually provoking Hannah simply to irritate her. The taunting appears to have had a major impact on Hannah as Scripture states she wept and lost her appetite for eating.

However, there is a happy ending to the story. 1 Samuel 1 goes on to tell of Hannah fervently praying to God and eventually giving birth to Samuel, a noted judge of Israel.

Answer: What is an oxgoad?

Shamgar used an oxgoad to kill six hundred Philistines, as per Judges 3:31 in various translations of the Bible, including the KJV, NKJV and NIV. According to the Website Gotquestions.org, an oxgoad "is a wooden tool, approximately eight feet long, fitted with an iron spike or point at one end, which was used to spur oxen as they pulled a plow or cart."

However, little is known about Shamgar as he rates only a verse in the entire Bible. Judges 3:31, in the NKJV, simply states, "After him [Ehud] was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel." No further details are given.

Shangar was replaced by Deborah as judge after his death.

Answer: Who is Diblaim?

Diblaim was the mother of Gomer, a harlot who was the wife of Hosea, a prophet of God, as per Hosea 1:2-3. It appears Diblaim was a harlot like her daughter. Hosea 1:2 tells of Hosea receiving divine instructions to marry a prostitute. The verse in the NKJV states, "When the LORD began to speak by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea: 'Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the LORD."

Answer: What is Jerubbaal?

Gideon was given the surname Jerubbaal by his father Joash after the noted judge of Israel destroyed the altar of Baal, as per Judges 6:32 in the NKJV. (In the NIV, Gideon's new name is spelled Jerub-Baal.)

Smith's Bible Dictionary states Jerubbaal means "contender with Baal".

In addition to being a judge of Israel and a ferocious opponent of those who followed Baal, Gideon was a distinguished army commander.

Answer: Who is Miriam?

Numbers 12 in the NKJV tells of Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, being afflicted with leprosy in a case of divine retribution after she complained about Moses' selection of an Ethiopian woman as his wife. (The NIV uses the word 'Cushite, rather than Ethiopian.)

Miriam would be later cured and reinstated into the Israelite camp after Moses poured out his heart to God.

Answer: What is Isaiah?

Using Bible versions such as the KJV, NKJV and the NIV, Isaiah is the only book in the Old and New Testaments that consists of sixty-six chapters. According to Isaiah 1:1, Isaiah was the son of Amoz and he prophesied in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

For the record, Psalms has one hundred and fifty chapters, Amos has nine chapters and Joel has three chapters.

Answer: What is Joshua?

Using Bible versions such as the KJV, NKJV, and the NIV, Joshua immediately follows Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. Joshua took over as leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses and the book that bears his name provides details about the Jews gaining ownership of Canaan, known as the Promised Land. The book consists of twenty-four chapters.