Bible Characters and Their Adversaries Quiz

Answer: Jacob

Esau's slightly younger twin brother Jacob was his adversary. In fact, Esau was so furious with Jacob he was plotting to kill him. Esau's furor erupted after Jacob tricked their father Isaac into blessing him over Esau, as per Chapter 27 of Genesis. The chapter concludes with Rebekah learning of Esau's plans and advising him to flee to her brother Laban in Haran, a city in Padan Aram, also known as Mesopotamia. A number of years later, Esau and Jacob would meet up again and the two would put their hostilities aside.

Answer: Hagar

Going by Scripture, Sarah and Hagar seldom got along and were bitter adversaries.

Their dislike for each other ultimately resulted in Abraham making a decision to abandon Sarah's handmaiden Hagar and her son Ishmael. The problems apparently started shortly after Sarah gave permission to her husband Abraham to sleep with Hagar to produce a child. Sarah was barren at the time.

According to Scripture, Hagar started to despise Sarah for whatever reason. I suppose she felt superior because she could produce a child for Abraham while Sarah was unable. So she made a point of constantly trying to make Sarah feel small and insignificant.

It seems things snowballed with Sarah attempting to get even by being unduly harsh on Hagar. In fact, she was so harsh that Hagar, even before Ishmael was born, fled from Abraham and Sarah. However, an angel of the LORD requested she go back to Abraham and Sarah and produce a child.

But things wouldn't work out. A number of years later, Abraham opted to abandon Hagar and Ishmael, sending them off with some food and water into the desert. (It appears the breaking point was Ishmael's 'scoffing', as per Genesis 21:9.) With the two women separated, the turmoil between them would finally come to an end.

Answer: Goliath

Goliath, of course, was David's adversary. According to Scripture, a sling shot was used by David, a shepherd boy, to kill the Philistine giant.

Goliath might have been a behemoth, but he was no match for David's proficiency with the slingshot. Scripture indicates the Philistine giant was slayed with David firing only one stone. The story about David and Goliath is found in 1 Samuel 17. It's one of the best known stories in the Bible.

Answer: David

Saul, it seems, totally despised David. This even though David had no hard feelings to Saul.

Saul might have been a mighty king, but he definitely had a number of personal issues. His reign started relatively smoothly, but in later years it seemed Saul was preoccupied with a burning desire to kill David simply because he was deeply jealous of the young shepherd boy who kept making a name for himself.

Even though Saul wanted him dead, David did everything possible to avoid any confrontation with the king. In fact, even when David had an opportunity to kill Saul, he refused to do so. (1 Samuel 24 and 26)

It's difficult to comprehend, but according to Scripture, Saul was filled with total resentment of David when the women of Israel sang praises for the former shepherd boy, proclaiming his victories much more impressive than anything Saul had ever done.

Here's how 1 Samuel 18:6-9 explains the sordid situation: "Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. So the women sang as they danced, and said:
'Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.'
Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, 'They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?' So Saul eyed David from that day forward."

From this point on, David was a marked man.

Answer: Jezebel

Elijah had a number of adversaries, but none, it seemed, was more vehemently opposed to him than Jezebel, wife of King Ahab. Jezebel is generally regarded as the most wicked woman in the Bible and she totally despised Elijah. According to Scripture, Ahab and Jezebel worshipped false gods and Elijah strongly condemned the couple. Spurred on by his wife, Ahab executed a number of prophets of God and attempted to kill Elijah as well.

Jezebel's life ended when she was thrown out of a window by her aides and she was trampled by horses, as per 2 Kings 9:30-37.

Answer: Potiphar's wife

In addition to having his brothers as adversaries, Joseph had Potiphar's wife making life miserable for him. She falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape and had him tossed into prison.

Joseph, however, would eventually prevail when he successfully interpreted the dreams of two fellow inmates and then was called upon to interpret dreams of the Pharaoh. According to Scripture, the Pharaoh was so pleased with Joseph's interpretation he made him the second most powerful man in Egypt.

Answer: Shechem

Shechem, who defiled Dinah, was Levi's adversary. According to Scripture, Dinah's two brothers, Levi and Simeon, went on a ruthless rampage killing a large number of men to avenge her defilement.

Genesis 34:25-29, 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. And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses."

After the horrific events of Genesis 34, Dinah is mentioned only once more time in Scripture. In Genesis 46:15, her name appears in a genealogy account, but there is no mention of her having a husband or children.

Answer: Korah

Moses had a number of adversaries, including the Pharaoh of Egypt. However, Korah led an open rebellion against Moses when he was leading the Israelites in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land from Egypt.

As a result, Korah suffered an unusual death, along with his associates for their stubborn refusal to follow Moses' leadership. Numbers 16:31-34, in the NIV Bible, tells what happened: "...the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, 'The earth is going to swallow us too'!"

Answer: Herodias

Herodias was John the Baptist's adversary. Anyway you look at it, Herodias was downright despicable.

She 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."

It boggles the mind a mother would make such a request of her daughter. At the same time, it's hard to believe Herodias' daughter would fulfill her diabolical wishes.

Answer: The Pharisees

Jesus had a number of adversaries, but the Pharisees had to be at the top of the list. (This even though a couple Pharisees like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were apparently followers of Him.)

The Pharisees were infuriated with Jesus claiming to be the Son God as well His healing of a number of people on the Sabbath. But most importantly, the Pharisees were strongly opposed to Jesus because He denounced their legalism. To paraphrase His statements, Jesus told the Pharisees following man-made rules was of no value. The only thing that truly counts was to love God "with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself", Jesus is quoted as stating in Luke 10:27.