Craigslist meets Qumran Trivia Quiz

Answer: Eve

Eve is known by two names. "Ishshah" means "woman", but is not so much a given name as it is a descriptive word that implies that she was created to have a unique relationship to Adam. "Eve" means "life" and indicates that it is from Eve that all successive generations emanate. So there you have it in a word or two.

A short nap, a 'ribectomy' and voila! - the delightful lifetime partner who brings forth life. Neat trick.

Answer: Heber

Jael was the wife of Heber the Kenite in the days of Deborah, one of Israel's greatest Judges. After the defeat of the Canaanites by Barak, Sisera, the captain of the Canaanite army, ran and wanted to hide amongst the Kenite tribe. Jael invited him into her tent for a refreshments and nap time.

As Sisera lay sleeping (he'd done plenty of running around and gotten lots of fresh air that morning) Jael drove a tent stake through his temples, pinning his head to the ground. When Barak showed up in pursuit, she brought him into the tent for show and tell.

Answer: Delilah

Delilah was a Philistine woman of the Sorek Valley who was known for her good looks, her charm, and her effectiveness with powerful men. She was engaged by the Philistine leaders to discover the Secret of Samson's strength in the hopes of bringing about his defeat.

After multiple visits, Samson, in a moment of intimate indiscretion told Delilah that the secret to his strength was in his hair. She called her servant in to cut his hair from his head, and Samson was rendered powerless and taken by the Philistines.

Answer: Abraham

As Abraham began to encounter more and more people outlying Egypt near the end of his long journey from Sumeria, he became increasingly concerned that Sarah's beauty and desirability could be the cause of his demise. He was in real danger of being killed for his wife.

His response was clever and telling of his personality. By pretending that Sarah was his sister, rather than his wife, the customs of the day dictated that suitors would lavish him with riches for the right to court her. Eventually, her beauty came under the scrutiny of the Pharaoh, who rewarded Abraham handsomely.

When his deception was discovered, Sarah was returned to him, but he was allowed to keep his parting gifts which consisted of livestock and slaves. Shrewd, no? I think yes!

Answer: Zechariah

Elizabeth was respectable and well-connected, having descended from Levites. Her husband Zechariah was a priest as well. Together, they enjoyed a high social status. Elizabeth became pregnant late in life - at the same time as her much younger cousin Mary - and gave birth to John the Baptist, who wasn't a Baptist at all until well after he was out of diapers.

Her husband Zechariah was struck dumb temporarily, ensuring many quiet nights at home - just the sound of the crackling fire and the clacking of the knitting needles during the last trimester of Elizabeth's pregnancy.

Answer: Boaz

Boaz was a resident of Bethlehem and kinsman of Elimelech, Naomi's husband. He was a man of position and wealth. When the widow Ruth went to glean from his field, Boaz liked what he saw and set her up at his place. While she was supposed to be sleeping with the workers, Boaz woke up one night to find Ruth curled up at his feet.

He said "Stop! You had me at ... " (whatever it is that Ruth might have been saying in her sleep.) Following the arcane rituals of kinship and Mosaic law, Boaz worked it all out and married Ruth. Together, they begat Obed who begat Jesse who begat King David.

Answer: Bathsheba

Bathsheba is most likely not the innocent victim of King David's desire that most assume. She would have been well aware that her choice of bathing time and place was royally exhibitionist. After the arranged death of her husband Uriah, Bathsheba married David and she gave birth to royal heirs.

When David was no longer virile enough to be considered king, Bathsheba acted swiftly through her powerful allies to have favored son Solomon installed as King and herself as Queen Mother - a position she solidified by falsely accusing her step-son Adonijah of treason.

Answer: Nabal

Nabal was a Maon rancher who owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. His greatest possession was his intelligent and beautiful wife Abigail. Despite his wealth, Nabal was surly and evil. When David's men came around looking for protection money, Nabal balked, not trusting that these men were really David's servants.

He foolishly made disparaging remarks about David and his ancestry as he sent them on their way. Abigail, immediately realizing his fatal error, took steps to ingratiate herself to David - eventually to the point of becoming his wife. Nabal died from the shock of realization.

Answer: Jacob

"It's sad to belong to someone else when the right one comes along." Jacob, having cheated his twin brother Esau out of his birthright has, in turn, been tricked by Laban into marrying his older, uglier daughter Leah. Jacob, after working off 14 years of indentured servitude and fathering six children with Leah is hankering to marry Rachel. Jacob's children with Leah were sons Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah

Answer: Ahab

Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab. She was a Phoenician who was dedicated to the worship of Baal, a fertility god. Baal worship contained sexual immorality and infant sacrifice. In fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy, Jezebel was tossed from her window by eunuchs, dashed to pieces in the street. Her remains were trampled by war horses and eaten by dogs.