He Said, She Said - in Genesis Quiz

Answer: Sarah, to the Lord and to Abraham

Sarah, out of fear, denies laughing at the idea that she will have a child in her old age. The angel of the Lord, recorded here as speaking as the Lord, knows better, and says so. Both Abraham and the angel of the Lord are present.

Answer: God, to Noah, after the Flood

God is speaking to Noah after the flood; this is the first time that fear of humans by animals is mentioned in the Bible.

Answer: The angel of the Lord, to Hagar, referring to Ishmael

While the incorrect answers are plausible, the quotation is unique and therefore only one answer is correct. Some translations say, "He shall be a wild donkey", or "like a wild ass". While his fate is not a particularly joyful one, nevertheless God does not utterly reject Ishmael, since he too is a son of Abraham: in Genesis 21:17b-18 the angel of the Lord says to Hagar in the desert, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation."

Answer: Isaac, to Abraham

Isaac asks this of Abraham, on their way to where Abraham intends to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham responds, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering."

Answer: Adam, speaking of Eve

There are similar quotations, but in Genesis 2 it can only be Adam, speaking of Eve.

Answer: Joseph, to his brothers, referring to Jacob

This is a quotation which shows that, in spite of years of separation, Joseph has not forgotten his father Jacob, and still cares about him. None of the relationships in the incorrect answers expressed this degree of love and concern, as recorded in the Bible. Terah, you may remember, had died in Haran, long before Abram or Lot came to the Promised Land.

Answer: God, to Abram

It was only to Abram that God spoke in this way, sending him to a new land -- to Canaan.

Answer: Esau, to Jacob

This is the famous "mess of pottage" for which Esau then traded his birthright. Oddly, the Bible does not appear to judge Jacob for scheming against his elder brother, to whom he should have been subject.

Answer: Potiphar's wife, to the servants, accusing Joseph

There are a number of illicit sexual encounters in Genesis, but you can pick this one out if you know the book well:
Tamar contrived her own encounter with Judah, her father-in-law, and would not have cried for help.
Dinah was raped, where this quotation indicates that the would-be rapist fled.
In Sarah's case, nothing actually happened between her and Abimelech (to whom Abraham had passed her off as his sister).
In the actual case, Potiphar's wife uses Joseph's garment (which she had snatched from him) as the false evidence with which to accuse him.

Answer: Abram, to Lot

You may recall that after arriving in Canaan, the herdsmen and shepherds of Abram and Lot were fighting one another over grazing rights: this was Abram's response to Lot, and he went on to let Lot have first pick of the land in spite of the fact that, as Lot's uncle, he was the senior of the two.

Answer: Jacob to Reuben, referring to Benjamin

This is during the famine in Canaan, when they need more food. Reuben has just told Jacob that Pharaoh's Chancellor (Joseph) demanded that they bring young Benjamin on their return. "He is left alone" refers to the fact that only Joseph and Benjamin were the children of Rachel, Jacob's favourite wife, and that Jacob at this time still believes Joseph to be dead.

Answer: Pharaoh, to Joseph

Many people have dreams throughout Genesis; only one person complains that there was no one to interpret his dream. Thanks to the butler's testimony, Joseph has been pulled out of prison to serve as Pharaoh's dream interpreter.

Answer: Jacob, to God

This is where Jacob wrestles with God as he camps by the Jabbok, and it is in consequence of this that God names him 'Israel', meaning 'he who has contended with God' (and, by implication, contended successfully).

Answer: Abraham, to the sons of Heth, with reference to Sarah

Abraham's purchase of the cave of Machpelah is well-known. The site of the cave is traditionally believed to be at Hebron; there seems little reason to question tradition in this case. The passage is also interesting for its illustration of the typically near-Eastern pattern of negotiation, where trade is presented as an exchange of gifts, with imply obligations, rather than as a simple purchase and sale. I particularly enjoy Zohar's response (loosely paraphrased): "Oh, that land's worth a LOT. Like at least a hundred thousand. Never mind; go ahead and have it." What he actually means is, "This is the price at which I would like to open negotiations."

Answer: Jacob to Joseph

The enduring bond between Jacob the father and Joseph his son is both moving and memorable. In spite of the fact that Jacob has believed Joseph dead for decades, he has never forgotten the son for whom he had made that "coat of many colours".

Answer: Rebekah, to Abraham's steward

I never realised what a generous offer this was until I found out how much camels can drink! Abraham's steward, on a mission to find Isaac a wife, must have been very, very impressed with Rebekah! Jacob moved the well-stone to water Rachel's sheep rather than she drawing water for him, and I trust you noticed that neither Ruth nor Zipporah appear in Genesis.

Answer: Joseph to Jacob, speaking of Joseph's son Manasseh (and Ephraim)

This is Joseph, speaking to Jacob. We know from earlier in the quiz what happened between Esau and Jacob, and how Jacob stole Esau's blessing with Rebekah's guidance, so this was not Leah; we know that Ishmael (and his mother Hagar) were turned out into the desert, so it was not Hagar. When Jacob blessed his own sons, it is not recorded that he laid his hands on them.

Answer: Judah to his brothers, speaking of Joseph

C'mon, famous story this! Only one person in the Bible was ever sold off to Ishmaelites. Nobody sold Jacob, or Lot, or even Benjamin.

Answer: Joseph to his brothers, after Jacob's death

This can only be Joseph speaking to his brothers.
Abraham never imputed evil to Lot; Joseph's only recorded conversation with Pharaoh after the famine was to get permission to bury his father Jacob in Canaan, and Hagar never returned to have any conversation with Sarah after being cast out.

Answer: Jacob, to his sons, on his deathbed

Jacob's deathbed speech includes this verse, regarded by many Christians as prophetic and referring to the Messiah, whom Christians identify as Jesus Christ. This passage was directed to Judah, while all of Jacob's sons were gathered around their dying father.