Let's Talk About Ax Trivia Quiz

Answer: trees

In Deuteronomy 20:19 (KJV) God commanded the Israelites not to chop down the trees because they were profitable for food.

"When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an ax against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege." (Deuteronomy 20:19, KJV)

Like other nations, they destroyed animals, property, and people in battle. However, they honored their God's command to preserve the trees, which served a purpose in restoring the land after they had conquered it.

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary, Oxford Bibliographies, Cambridge Core)

Answer: a sanctuary city

It was the Mosaic law to put to death anyone who killed another human being. The family of the deceased had a right to avenge the death of their loved one or call for their execution (Exodus 21:23. KJV).

However, in case of an accident, the law provided special protection in six cities of refuge (Exodus 20:12-14; Numbers 35:9-28; Deuteronomy 4:41-43, 19:1-13; Joshua 20; 1 Chronicles 6, KJV)

In Deuteronomy 19:5 (KJV), the law provided that if a man had an ax head break off while he was working, and it killed his partner, he could go into a sanctuary city for protection. The family of the deceased could not kill him or they would be guilty of murder. However, if he left that city's protection before the high priest died, the family of the deceased could kill him to avenge their loved one. (Numbers 35:25-28, KJV)

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

Answer: True

According to 1 Samuel 13:19-22 (KJV) the Philistines prevented the Israelites from having any blacksmiths because they were afraid of the Israelites having swords or spears in battle.

The Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen their farming tools, including axes, coulters, and cattle goads. When the Israelites went to war, their farming tools became their weapons.

King Saul and his son Jonathan were the only soldiers who had a sword and spear during the first two years of his reign. (see 1 Samuel 13:22, KJV)

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

Answer: Ammonites

In 1 Chronicles 19:1-9 (KJV), David heard that the king of Ammon had passed away. As a gesture of kindness, he sent messengers to the new king sending his condolences. The new king was angered and disgraced David's servants by stripping them of their clothes and shaving their beards. David declared war on the Ammonites and their allies.

David's armies defeated the Syrians in 1 Chronicles 19:10-19 (KJV). The Syrians agreed to be David's servants and David showed them mercy.

David spent over a year fighting the Ammonites. He unleashed his full wrath upon them when the city fell.

Many times, God had commanded the Israelites to wipe out the enemies they had conquered. Although it is not mentioned in this instance of scripture, the battle reflects that tradition. David's commanders leveled the city and took the riches within. The king was decrowned in front of David and the inhabitants were executed.

"And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it. And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city. And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon." 1 Chronicles 20:1-3 (KJV)

Some believe that David allowed the Ammonites to do hard labor, but this is not mentioned in scripture. The Ammonites were an Israelite enemy that God condemned in Deuteronomy 23:3-16 (KJV), for their treatment of the Israelites when they were with Moses in the desert. David took the Mosaic prophecies toward Israel's enemies very seriously when he conquered other nations.


(Information from the Pulpit Commentaries, "The Barbarity Of Man To Man" by J.R. Thomson)

Answer: Solomon's temple

1 Kings 6:7 (KJV)
"And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."

The first temple was designed to be a house of peace. The construction of the temple was mostly done in silence as reverence for God and the sacredness of the priest's work. No iron tools were permitted to be used around the construction because the clamor hindered worship and religious exercises.

The stones were cut and prepared outside the city. Workers brought the stones in on rollers and laid them together inside the city. Workers were not permitted to argue or fight, in reverence for God's house.

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary,)

Answer: exert more strength

Ecclesiastes 10:9 (KJV) "If the ax be blunt and one does not whet the edge, then must he put to it more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct him."

This chapter in Ecclesiastes is one of Solomon's guiding chapters on wisdom. He recommends wisdom to help manage affairs and guide people. Wisdom helps preserve one's reputation and help a person maintain a humble spirit. It also helps a person direct their conversation and avoid foolishness.

In verse 9, Solomon cautions his listener. If a person does not receive wisdom, try exerting the message in a different way. Wisdom will direct one's path.

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary,)

Answer: Elisha

The miracles of Elisha drew many young people who wanted to be his servants and disciples. Elish trained many of them in the ways of prophecy. Eventually, Elisha ran out of living quarters for his pupils.

In 2 Kings 6:1 (KJV), Elisha's servants requested to go to the Jordan River and gather wood when their living space became too small. They requested for Elisha to go with them while they worked. While they were gathering wood, one of the servants broke their ax and the head of the ax fell into the water.

The servant cried out to Elisha for help. He told Elisha that the axhead had been borrowed.

"Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float." (2 Kings 6:6 KJV)

Elisha told his servant to reach into the water and pick up the floating ax head. The servant obeyed.

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

Answer: The King of Assyria

According to Isaiah 10, King Sennacherib was used by God to punish Israel for their unfaithfulness. Israel was warned by many prophets that they would be punished by the Assyrians for not turning from their wickedness. (Amos 3:2, Hosea 13:16, Isaiah 8:4-7)

King Sennacherib became boastful and bragged about conquering Samaria with his own hand, instead of acknowledging God.

Isaiah 10:13, records Sennacherib's downfall, "For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man."

God responds in Isaiah 10:15 (KJV):
"Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood."

According to Isaiah, the Assyrian king did not realize that God was using him for a temporary purpose. He conquered Samaria and thought he would conquer Jerusalem with ease. His attempt would come to nothing.

Later Assyria would be conquered by Babylon in 612 B.C. They would face the same captivity and horrors as the Israelites.

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

Answer: the destruction of the temple

In Psalm 74, the writer lamented the destruction of the temple and the destruction of the Israelites.

Psalm 74:9 told how there was no prophet or sign of God's presence. God had stopped speaking to the Israelites because they had refused the prophets for so long.

Psalm 74:8 told how Israel's enemies had agreed to burn the temple and synagogues. They agreed to destroy all the people in the land.

God had prophesied through Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Amos, and many others that He would destroy Judah and Israel for their unfaithfulness. (Amos 3:2)

Nebuchadnezzar, leading the Babylonians, removed all the treasures from the temple in 604 BC. He destroyed Jerusalem and the building in 587 BC.

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

Answer: those that did not bear fruit

Jesus frequently used visual examples in his teachings to instruct his disciples and to debate with religious leaders.

The Pharisees were religious leaders that often questioned his teachings and the teachings of John the Baptist. They placed great emphasis on how things religiously appeared and frequently criticized the outward appearance of Jesus and others. Jesus viewed them as detestable hypocrites because they pretended to be holy but did not follow the principles that the scriptures were designed for.

The Sadducees were another group that also questioned Jesus. They were the opposite of the Pharisees and were very strict in following the law to the exact detail. They did not believe in spirits or life after death. They viewed Jesus as a heretic and a lawbreaker because he healed people on the Sabbath and showed mercy to people outside the Jews.

Jesus used the example of the ax and the trees to warn of judgment that would come to those that did not follow God's commands and produce what God expected.

Matthew 3:10 (KJV)
"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

Jesus expanded on God's expectations in Matthew 5 with the Beatitudes.

He summarized the law in Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV) by saying, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

(Information from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)