Match These Old Testament Characters -- #4 Quiz

Answer: Nineveh

Jonah is forever linked to Nineveh. According to Scripture, he was swallowed by a huge fish only to be regurgitated onto dry land after surviving three days and three nights in its stomach. After surviving his ordeal in the fish's stomach, Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh, the place the LORD wanted him to go all along. According to the book of Jonah, the LORD told him to go to Nineveh and "preach against it" because of its wickedness. Jonah's story is one of the best known in the Old Testament. Wikipedia states Nineveh "was an ancient city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in ancient Assyria.

Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq."

Answer: Son of Leah

According to Genesis 30:20, Zebulun was the sixth son born to Leah and Jacob. In the 49th chapter of Genesis, Jacob blesses his twelve sons. In Verse 13 in the NKJV, he has this to say: "Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships and his border shall adjoin Sidon." According to notes in the NIV Study Bible, Zebulun probably means honor.

Answer: Son of Rachel

Rachel was the mother of Benjamin and died giving birth to him. She and her sister Leah were both married to Jacob. Their father was Laban. Rachel was unable to bear children for a number of years but God heard her pleas and enabled her to conceive, as per Genesis 30:22. Just before she died, Rachel named the baby Ben-Oni, according to Genesis 35:18. Jacob, however, would change the baby's name to Benjamin.

Answer: Painted face

2 Kings 9:30 tells of Jezebel painting her face just before her violent death.
Scripture states that after she painted her eyes and adorned her head, Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, saw her peering down from a balcony and he commanded her aides to throw her down; it appears they were only too happy to oblige. 2 Kings 9:33, in the NKJV Bible, states: "So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot." Scripture goes on to state her body was devoured by dogs, as prophesied by Elijah, and all that was left was her "skull and the feet and the palms of her hands."

Jezebel is commonly regarded as the most wicked woman in the Bible. According to Scripture, Jezebel was instrumental in the persecution of the prophets of God and encouraged the people to worship false gods. Her husband was Ahab, the king.

Answer: Father of Bathsheba

Bathsheba's father was Eliam, as per 2 Samuel 11:3 in the NKJV and the NIV Bibles, but not much is known about him as he is mentioned in passing reference. (In 1 Chronicles 3:5, the name appears as Ammiel in the NKJV and the NIV.)

Bathsheba was originally married to Uriah. According to Scripture, she became pregnant when she had an adulterous affair with David while her husband was away at war. David orchestrated Uriah's death and took Bathsheba as his wife.

Answer: 90-year-old mother

It might be difficult for some to believe, but according to Genesis 17:17, Sarah became a mother for the first time at age ninety years while her husband Abraham was one hundred. Abraham had great difficulty believing such a thing could happen as well. Genesis 17:17, in the NKJV, states: "Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, 'Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?'"

Genesis 21:2-3 tells of the birth of the elderly couple's child, who was named Isaac.

Answer: Chariot of fire

Elijah's sudden departure is recorded in 2 Kings 2:11-12, while he was walking along with the prophet Elisha. The NKJV Bible records Elijah being taken up to heaven in this way: "Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!' So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces."

Elijah is well known for many things, but perhaps the best known story involving him is his duel with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, as recorded in the 18th chapter of 1 Kings.

Answer: Long hair

According to Scripture, Absalom had beautiful long hair. In fact, he had so much hair the New English Translation Bible says when he cut it once a year, his hair weighed three pounds. However, Absalom's long hair would ultimately lead to his demise.

2 Samuel 18:9-14 states Absalom was riding on a mule when his long hair got caught in a tree branch. The mule kept traveling forward and, when Absalom was left suspended, Joab plunged three javelins into his heart.

In a nutshell, Absalom, at the time, was attempting to overthrow his father David as king when a heated battle erupted between forces loyal to the two men. According to 2 Samuel 18, the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim and 20,000 men were killed. After Absalom was left hanging in mid-air, Joab, one of David's three military commanders, killed him. Even though Absalom was attempting to overthrow David and kill him in the process, Scripture reports that David was deeply shaken by the death.

Answer: Judge of Israel

Ibzan was from Bethlehem and judged Israel for seven years, according to Scripture. He obviously had a large number of wives, as Scripture states he had thirty sons and thirty daughters. On top of this, he was a proponent of what would be seen as mixed marriages in Biblical days. Judges 12:9, in the NKJV, states this about Ibzan: "He had thirty sons. And he gave away thirty daughters in marriage, and brought in thirty daughters from elsewhere for his sons.

He judged Israel seven years."

Answer: Sun and moon stationary

The account of the sun and moon standing still can be found in the 10th chapter of Joshua. While in the middle of an intensive battle with the Amorites, Joshua prayed to God the sun and moon would stay put, Scripture states. Some people believe Joshua asked for the extra daylight so the enemies would not overpower his forces at night. Verses 12 and 13 in the NIV Bible states: "On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!"

It's interesting to note that Snopes.com reports there's a false rumor making the rounds that NASA scientists have discovered a "missing day" which corresponds with the sun standing still in the 10th chapter of Joshua. However, Snopes.com goes on to report there is no way of proving, or disproving, if the sun actually stood still some time ago.