Match These Old Testament Characters -- #11 Quiz

Answer: Killed for vineyard

Naboth was the man who was killed simply because of the greed of Ahab and his wife Jezebel. Naboth's story is told in the 21st chapter of 1 Kings.

Scripture states Naboth was a Jezreelite and he owned a vineyard in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. According to Scripture, Ahab coveted the vineyard but Naboth refused to sell it to the king. 1 Kings 21:4 states Ahab became despondent as a result of Naboth's refusal; the king went to bed and "turned away his face, and would eat no food".

Then Jezebel swung into action on behalf of her husband. I Kings 21:9-10 reports about Jezebel ordering letters be sent to elders and nobles in Naboth's city. The letter, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, 'You have blasphemed God and the king.' Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die."

Sure enough, Jezebel would have her way and her husband would assume ownership of the vineyard.

1 Kings 21:2 states Ahab simply wanted Naboth's property to use as a vegetable garden.

Answer: Friend of Job

Bildad was one of three friends who attempted to comfort Job after he was beset by a series of calamities, according to Scripture. Bildad was a Shuhite and he was accompanied by Eliphaz a Temanite and Zophar a Naamathite. A fourth friend, Elihu, appears in the 32nd chapter of Job.

Their conversations with Job comprises a major portion of the book. Although Bildad and his friends wanted to comfort Job in his time of need, it appears they made things worse.

Answer: Posed as prostitute

Tamar's highly unusual story of posing as a prostitute and becoming impregnated by her father-in-law Judah is told in Genesis 38:1-30. According to Scripture, Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah and had been married to Judah's sons Er and Onan.

However, after the two sons died, Judah apparently thought Tamar was a prostitute when he met up with her along the side of a road and as a result of the union, she gave birth to twins Perez and Zerah. (Scripture reports her face was covered during intercourse.) About three months later, when it was reported Tamar was pregnant and proclaimed a prostitute, Judah announced she should be brought out and "burned to death."

However, Judah had to do some serious backpedaling when Tamar was able to prove he was actually the man who had impregnated her. (Genesis 38:18 states Judah had given Tamar his "seal and its cord, and the staff in his hand" as a pledge before he slept with her. When she was about to be put to death, she was able to produce Judah's pledge to her and her life was spared.)

Answer: David's dirty work

When it came to removing Bathsheba's husband Uriah from the scene, David called upon Joab to do his dirty work, according to Scripture. Joab, the commander of David's army, received a letter from David outlining the king's plans for Uriah's death. Ironically, the letter was actually delivered to Joab by Uriah.

2 Samuel 11:14-17, in the NKJV, explains things this way: "In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, 'Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.' So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also."

According to 2 Samuel 2:13, Joab was the son of Zeruiah, David's sister. Later, Joab would end up being killed by Benaiah on the orders of Solomon for his part in attempting to make Adonijah king. (1 Kings 2:26-35)

Answer: First theft of property

According to Scripture, Rachel stole the household gods of her father Laban, as per the 31st chapter of Genesis. Verse 19 tells of Rachel stealing the household gods after her husband Jacob had a quarrel with her father. This is the first account in Scripture involving the theft of property. Previous to this, the only other account of theft in the Bible is Jacob stealing Esau's birthright.

Verses 34-35, in the NIV Bible, tells what happened when Laban went looking for his missing items: "Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel's saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing. Rachel said to her father, 'Don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my period.' So he searched but could not find the household gods."

In the NKJV, Rachel is quoted as saying she cannot stand up "for the manner of women is with me".

Answer: Father of Abijah

Abijah was Samuel's youngest son, with Joel being the oldest. However, the two boys did not live up to the high standards of their father, according to Scripture. 1 Samuel 8:1-3, in the NKJV, states: "Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.

The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice."

Answer: Harsh and evil

Nabal, according to 1 Samuel 25:3 in the NKJV, was "harsh and evil in his doings", the opposite of his wife Abigail who is described as of "good understanding and beautiful appearance." (In the NIV, it states Nabal was "surly and mean in his dealings" while Abigail was an "intelligent and beautiful woman". Verse 25 quotes Abigail as telling David: "For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him!"

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible states Nabal's name literally translates as "fool".

Scripture states that, after Nabal's death, Abigail became David's wife.

Answer: Abraham's nephew

According to Genesis 11:27, Lot was the nephew of Abraham, known as Abram at the time. The verse, in the NKJV, states, "This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot."

After being together for some time, Abraham and Lot decided to split up because they were quarreling. According to Genesis 13:12, Abram lived in Canaan while Lot opted to pitch his tents near Sodom. One of the best known stories in the Old Testament involves the LORD bringing down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah because of its wickedness, with Lot and his family fleeing. However, Genesis 19:26 states Lot's wife (no name is given) was turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back.

Answer: Raised boy from dead

Elisha, according to Scripture, raised a boy from the dead at Shunem. The Website Christiananswers.net reports Shunem "was a little village in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa."

In the NKJV Bible, 2 Kings 4:32-35 tells of the miracle: "When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed. He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes."

Scripture also tells of Elijah raising a young boy from the dead in much the same manner. 1 Kings 17:7-24 tells of Elijah raising a widow's son from the dead at Zarephath in the region of Sidon. Verses 21-24 in the NKJV Bible state: "Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the LORD, 'LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!' The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, 'Look, your son is alive!' Then the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.'"

Answer: First polygamist

Lamech was the first polygamist in the Bible. On top of this, he was the second murderer after Cain.

According to Genesis 4:19, Lamech was married to Adah and Zillah.

Genesis 4:20 states Adah bore Jabal and Jubal. Jabal was "the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock" and Jubal was "the father of all those who play the harp and flute." According to Verse 22, Zillah bore a son and daughter, Tubal-Cain and Mamaah. Scripture states Tubal-Cain was "an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron."