Match These Old Testament Characters -- #18 Quiz

Answer: Deadly hailstorm

According to Scripture, God unleashed large hailstones on the Israelites' enemies who were fleeing Joshua and his army. Scripture states the storm was deadly with more enemy soldiers being killed by hailstones than those by Israelite soldiers.

Joshua 10:7-11, in the NKJV, states: "So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the LORD said to Joshua, 'Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.' Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword."

Answer: Corrupt sons

Unlike Samuel, his two sons Joel and Abijah were corrupt. Scripture states an elderly Samuel appointed his two sons as his replacements as judge, but the move riled the the people. 1 Samuel 8:3 states his two sons participated in dishonest gain, taking bribes, and perverting justice.

Verse 4 goes on to tell of the Israelites demanding the end of being represented by judges and the installation of a monarchy "like all the nations".

Answer: Tent peg through head

Sisera was the captain of an opposing army and after his troops were wiped out in a lop-sided battle with the Israelites, he had no choice but to flee. Scripture states he fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Sisera was vanquished and he quickly accepted Jael's offer of hospitality to take refuge in her tent. However, it would prove to be a deadly mistake.

Judges 4:18-21, tells what happened: "Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, 'Come, my lord, come right in. Don't be afraid.' So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 'I'm thirsty,' he said. 'Please give me some water.' She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up. 'Stand in the doorway of the tent,' he told her. 'If someone comes by and asks you, 'Is anyone in there?' say 'No.' But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died."

Answer: Last king of Judah

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. According to 2 Kings 24:19-20 and Jeremiah 52:2-3, Zedekiah did "evil in the sight of the LORD". He was a son of Josiah, and his mother's name was Hamutal. The 39th chapter of Jeremiah tells of Zedekiah's capture by the Babylonian army.

He certainly didn't receive any preferential treatment. Jeremiah 39:7 tells of Zedekiah's eyes being put out and being bound with bronze shackles and taken to Babylon.

Answer: Predicted drought

In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah, the prophet of God, boldly proclaiming to King Ahab a drought would punish Israel. The verse states: "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word."

According to Scripture, the drought went on for three years. 1 Kings 18:1, in the NKJV, states: "And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, 'Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.'"

The chapter goes on to tell of the drought ending after Elijah's spectacular victory over 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.

Answer: Psalm 23

Psalm 23 is known as 'The Lord is My Shepherd'. It was written by David and it's a favorite with Jews and Christians alike. Shepherding and goat-herding were among the major occupations of Palestine throughout it history, according to notes in the NKJV Study Bible. David himself was a shepherd and it perhaps only stands to reason he would liken the LORD to a shepherd.

Here's how Psalm 23 reads in its entirety:
"The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever."

Answer: Writer of book

Malachi is the writer of the last books known as the Minor Prophets in the Christian Bible. (His work appears in the Twelve Prophets section of the Hebrew Bible.) They are called minor prophets simply because their books are shorter than the other prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.

Their writings, however, are seen as every bit as important as any other prophet in the Old Testament. Incidentally, there is no conclusive proof Malachi was actually the name of the writer of the book. According to notes in the New King James Study Bible, Malachi basically means "My Messenger." Tradition has it, however, Malachi is the name of the man who wrote the book.

Answer: Son of Enoch

According to Scripture, Methuselah was the son of Enoch. Methuselah was the oldest person in the Bible, dying at age 969 years, as per Genesis 5:27. Enoch's claim to fame is that he didn't die. According to Genesis 5:24, he was taken up into heaven.

Answer: Father of Samuel

According to 1 Samuel 1:1 Elkanhah was the son of of Jeroham and lived in Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim. Verse 2 states Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. For the longest time, Hannah was unable to conceive while 1 Samuel 1:4 states Peniniah was the mother of sons and daughters.

Due to divine intervention, Hannah was able to conceive and she and Elkanah became parents of Samuel.

Elkanah was devout as Scripture tells of him going annually to "worship and sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh."

Answer: Life spared

The story of Rahab the prostitute can be found in the second and sixth chapters of Joshua. Because she harbored two spies from the Israelite camp, Rahab and her family were spared when Joshua and his armed men succeeded in making the walls of Jericho fall down, just as the LORD told them in Joshua 6:2-5.

Incidentally, Rahab's name appears in Matthew 1:5 as part of the genealogy of Jesus and she is also saluted in Hebrews 11:31 for her "faith".