Bible Names Made in Heaven Trivia Quiz

Answer: Abram

Abraham was previously known as Abram. Notes in the New King James Version Study Bible state the name change is "significant" as Abram means 'Exalted Father' and Abraham means 'Father of Many'. According to Genesis 17:1, Abraham was nine-nine years old when the LORD appeared before him and announced his new name. Study notes in the NKJV Bible state this was the fourth time the LORD appeared before Abraham.

Answer: Sarai

The correct answer is Sarai. Prior to becoming known as Abraham, her husband was called Abram, according to Scripture. The names Sarah and Abraham were given to the couple by God. In Genesis 17:15-16 God announces Sarai's new name and proclaims she will the mother of nations, and kings of people will come from her.

Answer: Isaiah

Isaiah received instructions from God to call his son Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, as per Isaiah 8:3. At eighteen-letters and three hyphens, it's the longest name in the NKJV Bible. When translated, Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz literally means "Speed the Spoil, Hasten the Booty."

The Web site Christiananswers.net states the highly unusual name was given "to denote the sudden attack on Damascus and Syria by the Assyrian army."

Isaiah 8:4, in the NIV Bible, quotes the LORD as stating to Isaiah, "For before the boy knows how to say 'My father' or 'My mother', the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria".

There is no further mention of Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz in Scripture.

Answer: Hosea

Hosea was told to name his daughter Lo-ruhamah, as per Hosea 1:6 in the NKJV. (In the KJV, the name appears as Loruhamah and as Lo-Ruhamah in the NIV.)

According to Hosea 1:6-7, God told Hosea to name the child Lo-ruhamah because He would no longer have mercy on the house of Israel but would continue to have mercy on the house of Judah.

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Lo-ruhamah means no mercy. Meanwhile, the NIV quotes God as telling Hosea He would no longer have love for Israel, rather than mercy.

Hosea's wife was Gomer, a prostitute, as per Hosea 1:2-3.

Answer: Jedidiah

Jedidiah is the correct answer. 2 Samuel 12:25 states the LORD loved Solomon and after he was born "sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah". For whatever reason, the name never stuck. According to Wikipedia, Jedidiah means beloved of the LORD.

A number of years later, Nathan would be instrumental in making sure Solomon would become king. According to the first chapter of 1 Kings, he joined forces with Bathsheba to torpedo plans for Adonijah to become king and to make certain Solomon would ascend to the throne, replacing David. 1 Kings 1:8, 11 states Nathan was a confidant to both David and Solomon.

The 34th chapter of 1 Kings tells of "Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet" anointing Solomon king over Israel.

On top of all this, 2 Chronicles 9:29 goes on to tell of Nathan recording the various events in Solomon's life. The verse in the NIV states: "As for the other events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?"

Answer: Jeremiah

According to Jeremiah 20:1-7, Jeremiah told Pashur, "the LORD has not called your name Pashhur, but Magor-Missabib." Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Magor-Missabib means 'Fear on Every Side'.

(In the KJV, the name appears as Magor-missabib while the NIV uses the name 'Terror on Every Side'.)

The passage states Pashur ordered Jeremiah be put in stocks because he strongly disliked his prophecies. After being brought out the stocks, Jeremiah proclaimed Pashur's name was to be Magor-Missabib.

Answer: Hosea

Hosea is the correct answer, with Hosea 1:4 stating Hosea received instructions to name his new born son Jezreel. The verse goes on to quote God as saying "Call his name Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel."

Scripture states God was angry with Israel because of its on going wickedness.

Hosea's wife was Gomer, a prostitute, as per Hosea 1:2. Scripture states Hosea was commanded by God to marry a wife of harlotry "for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the LORD".

Answer: The angel Gabriel

The angel Gabriel announced the name for John. Luke 1:11-14 tells of Gabriel appearing before Zacharias and informing him his elderly wife Elizabeth would bear a son "and you shall call his name John".

When Zecharias doubted Gabriel's claims, he was rendered speechless as per Luke 1:20. Luke 1:59 states the infant was circumcised on the eighth day "and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias." However, Zecharias wrote on a tablet that the infant was to be called John and, according to verse 64, "immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke, praising God."

Zecharias is known as Zechariah in the NIV.

Answer: God Saves

Roughly translated, Jesus means 'God Saves' or 'He Who Saves'. The name is a derived from Joshua. Matthew 1:21 tells of an angel appears before Joseph, Mary's soon-to-be husband and informing him of the birth of Jesus. The verse, in the NKJV, states, "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

As the Website Jesus.org points out, Jesus saves people "from the guilt of sin by cleansing them in His own atoning blood."

Answer: Cephas, or Peter

Jesus gave Simon the nickname Cephas which translates as stone or Peter.

John 1:42, in the NIV, states: "And he [Andrew] brought him [Simon]. Jesus looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas' (which, when translated, is Peter)."

For the record, the same verse in the NKJV reads: "And he [Andrew] brought him [Simon] to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, 'You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas' (which is translated, A Stone)."

Peter was also known as Simon Peter. It wasn't unusual for characters in the New Testament to have more than one name. For example, there's Matthew and Levi, Bartholomew and Nathanael, Barnabas and Joses and Paul and Saul.