Judges Trivia Quiz

Answer: The dangers of moral relativism

The book details the horrors that can occur when people create their own laws, rather than living by a pre-set moral standard. "In those days," says the Book of Judges twice, "there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25).

Answer: Saviors

The judges were, at a minimum, people who delivered (or saved) Israel from its oppressors. Many of them also served as rulers of the people.

Answer: 12

They were Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tolah, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson. Some might consider Abimelech to be a 13th judge, but he is not traditionally included in the list of judges and is regarded as a usurper.

Answer: Samuel

The prophet Samuel traditionally receives this credit, though liberal scholars argue that the book first appeared as a poem, and was later combined with prose accounts in the 8th century B.C.

Answer: Othniel

Caleb was Othniel's uncle. Upon her marriage, Achsah asks, and receives, of her father a field and springs.

Answer: No

God had commanded the utter destruction of the Caananites, but the Jews instead chose to make them tributaries and to live among them. God's reaction to this disobedience was: "Ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you" (Judges 2:2-3).

Answer: Not long after the death of Joshua

"And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel" (Judges 2:7). However, after the death of Joshua, and after his generation passes away, a new generation that did not see the wonders of the Exodus arises, and the people begin to serve other gods. God leaves them to their own devices and own self-inflicted sufferings, intermittently showing his mercy by raising up judges to deliver them from their oppressors.

Answer: Moab

We are told that King Eglon was exceedingly fat, so that the folds of his fat covered the blade of Ehud's knife. We also learn that Ehud was left-handed.

Answer: Shamgar

All we know of Shamgar is that he killed six hundred Philistines with an ox goad.

Answer: Sisera

Barak was Deborah's captain, and Jael was the woman who killed Sisera by driving a tentpeg through his head. Barak refused to battle against Jabin's forces unless Deborah accompanied him. She did, but told him the honor of Sisera's defeat would be delivered into the hands of a woman - Jael.

Answer: Gideon

Before Gideon would deliver Israel, however, he demanded a sign from the Lord: "Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said" (Judges 6:37). That was not enough, however; he then reversed the sign and asked God to do it again.

Answer: Abimelech

Abimelech, who slew seventy of his brethren to secure his kingship, reigned for three years. It is Saul, however, who is generally remembered as the first king of Israel. Tola became judge after Abimelech's death.

Answer: Jair

See Judges 10:3-5. Abdon did not have 30 colts, but he had 70 donkeys and 40 sons.

Answer: Jephthah

Jephthah is best known for making a rash vow to the Lord, and consequently having to sacrifice his own daughter. Scholars still debate whether he sacrificed her by killing her, or by dedicating her to perpetual virginity and the service of the Lord.

Answer: Samson

John Milton, author of "Paradise Lost," also wrote "Samson Agonistes," which contains conversations between Samson, his father, and Delilah, as he is encouraged to despair of God. He repents taking his vow so lightly, and pulls the columns down upon himself.

Answer: Deborah

The author does, however, mention Barak, Deborah's right hand man. (Hebrews 11:32)

Answer: Micah

Before the Levite, Micah had made his own son a priest. This seems to indicate that the Israelites were haphazardly practicing their religion, without following the laws of Moses.

Answer: Dan

They persuaded Micha's Levite priest to come along with them, leaving Micah quite disheartened.

Answer: Cuts her body up into pieces

He sends the dismembered pieces of her body to the various tribes of Israel, to rally them to war against the Benjamites for what they have done to his concubine.

Answer: Honey

Samson, who found a beehive in the carcass of a lion and took the honey, poses this riddle at his wedding feast. His thirty companions get the answer right, having learned it from his wife. Consequently, he must pay them with clothing, which he obtains by striking down and robbing thirty men of Ashkelon.