For Crying Out Loud: A Quiz About Biblical Tears

Answer: Esther

Esther is the correct answer, as per Esther 8:3. Scripture states Esther "implored" King Ahasuerus with "tears" to prevent Haman from carrying out a diabolical plan to kill all the Jews in the Persian empire. (In the NIV, Ahasuerus is known as Xerxes.)

Scripture goes on to tell of Esther being successful in her effort to save the Jews from mass genocide with Haman being hanged on gallows he had specially built for the execution of Mordecai. Mordecai was Esther's cousin, who played a pivotal role with Esther in stopping Haman from carrying out his scheme.

Answer: Job

Job, a man of tremendous patience, is the correct answer. He is quoted as saying he was scorned by his friends and his eyes poured out tears to God in Job 16:20.

Job, according to Scripture, was a man of immense wealth whose life was turned upside down when a series of calamities struck him. Job 1 reports his seven sons and three daughters were killed, his health deteriorated and his immense wealth evaporated with his wife saying he should curse God and die.

Three friends joined Job -- Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite -- in an attempt to comfort him but they only made matters worse by pointing an accusing finger at him. Later a fourth friend, Elihu, would visit.

Job, however, remained patient though his horrific suffering.

The book of Job has a happy ending with Scripture saying his life was immensely blessed in his later years.

Answer: David

David, the writer of a large number of psalms in the Book of Psalms, is the correct answer. He made the statement he drenched his couch with tears in Psalm 6:6 in the NKJV.

According to notes in the NKJV Study Bible, it is believed David wrote Psalm 6
when he was experiencing what he feared to be a mortal illness.

Answer: Jeremiah

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet, in part because of his writing in Jeremiah, notably Jeremiah 9:1. In the NKJV, he wishes his eyes were a fountain of tears.

The term 'weeping prophet' is very much connected with Jeremiah, In fact, there is even a word -- jeremiad -- that is derived from the prophet's name. According to the website Christian Stack Exchange, jeremiad means causing one to become overcome with tears.

Meanwhile, Wikipedia states Jeremiah earned the title the 'weeping prophet' as a result of the difficulties chronicled in the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations. Jeremiah is traditionally credited with writing the books of Kings as well as Jeremiah and Lamentations.

Answer: Isaiah

The verse is from Isaiah 25:8 and is one of the more popular ones in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament. Isaiah was the son of Amoz, as per Isaiah 1:1, and he prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah (or Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. According to the website Biblical-Baby-Names.com, Isaiah means Jehovah has saved.

Isaiah's prophecies tell of impending judgment on the Israelites followed by better times ahead. Many Christians believe the book of Isaiah contains a number of prophecies pertaining to Jesus Christ, with Chapter 53 being an example.

For the record, Isaiah 25:8 reads this way in its entirety in the NKJV: "He will swallow up death forever, And the LORD God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken."

Answer: Hezekiah

According to Scripture, Hezekiah, king of Israel, had fifteen years added to his life because God saw his tears and heard his prayers. The prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah to get his house in order "for you shall die and not live," as per 2 Kings 20:1.

Hezekiah then poured out his heart to the LORD immediately after Isaiah left and Scripture reports the prophet promptly received a message from the LORD. In His message, the LORD told Isaiah He had saw the tears and heard the prayers of Hezekia and He would heal him.

Scripture goes on to report fifteen more years were added to Hezekiah's life.

Answer: No name is given

No name is given for the woman who is simply identified as a "sinner." Often the term sinner was used in Biblical days to describe women who were prostitutes. However, no details are given in Scripture about the woman's sinning.

The account of the woman washing Jesus' feet with her tears and wiping them with the hair of her head is found in only Luke 7:36-38.

I include the following information to prevent a slew of correction notices being filed. Notes in the NKJV Study Bible stress the incident involving the sinful woman in Luke is different than the one documented in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8. The incident in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8 took place in the house of a leper, a place where Pharisees would not visit. John 12:3 identifies the woman as Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, who anointed Christ's feet with "very costly oil of spikenard." There is no mention of Mary washing Christ's feet with her tears in the accounts in Matthew, Mark and John.

In other words, the account of the woman washing Christ's feet with her tears can be found in only Luke.

Answer: No name is given

No name is given for the father of a child who begged Jesus with tears to help his unbelief.

Mark 9:20-27 in the NKJV tells of the unidentified man bringing his son to Jesus to be healed of severe convulsions. In His conversation with the man, Jesus said all things are possible for those who believe. The man responded, by saying he believed, but begged Jesus to help him with his unbelief.

Scripture goes on to tell of Jesus driving an "unclean spirit" out of the boy and freeing him of his convulsions.

Answer: Paul

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is quoted as saying in Acts 20:19 that he served the Lord with "all humility, with many tears and trials". In the passage, Acts 20:17-20, Paul provides more information about his trials and service for the Lord.

The Book of Acts was written by Luke and is a historical account of the early church.

Answer: Esau

Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the brother of Jacob, is the correct answer. Hebrews 12:16-17 tells of Esau selling his birthright for "one morsel of food" and then being rejected when he wanted to inherit his blessing, even though he made his case "diligently with tears."

According to Genesis 25:29-34, Esau sold his birthright to his brother Issac for a pot of stew.