Nine-Letter Names in the Bible Quiz

Answer: Bathsheba

Bathsheba, of course, is the correct answer. She had an adulterous affair with King David while she was married to Uriah, a soldier. After Bathsheba became pregnant, David devised a scheme in which Uriah was killed in battle. Following her husband's death, Bathsheba married David, becoming the king's most famous wife. Their story is largely told in the 11th and 12th chapters of 2 Samuel.

Answer: Elimelech

Elimelech is the correct answer but little is known about him as he is mentioned in passing reference. In Ruth 1:1-2, it states Elimelech and Naomi were from Bethlehem and they moved to Moab because of a famine in the land. Elimelech and Naomi were the parents of two boys -- Mahlon and Chilion. Elimelech and his two sons died, but no causes of death is given. Elimelech was a relative of Boaz, who was wealthy, according to Ruth 2:1. Boaz would end up marrying Ruth.

In the NIV, Elimelech is called Elimelek and Chilion is called Kilion.

Answer: Jerubbaal

According to the Web site Christiananswers.net, Jerubbaal means "contender with Baal or, let Baal plead." The name Jerubbaal appears a number of different times in the Old Testament, notably in Judges 6:32, 7:1 and 8:29. According to Judges 6:30-32, Gideon was given the name Jerubbaal by his father Joash after he had destroyed the altar of Baal.

In the NIV, Jerubbaal is spelled Jerub-Baal.

Answer: Yes

Yes, Zephaniah comes first. The Minor Prophets, or the Twelve Prophets, appear in the following order: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

Answer: Demetrius

Demetrius lived in Ephesus and according to Acts 19:23-41 he made things interesting when he caused a "great disturbance." Gaius and Aristarchus, two of Paul's traveling companions, were ushered into a theater and so great was the anger of the assembled people that they shouted "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for about two hours, Scripture states. According to verse 35, the city clerk eventually quieted down the crowd and the riot came to an end.

Answer: Priscilla

Make no mistake about it, Priscilla was a dynamic woman in the early church. In fact, her name often appears in Scripture before the name of the her husband, Aquila. And this at a time when women were not included in the census of the day.

In Romans 16:4, Paul states Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for him and "all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful for them." However, no details are given as to what exactly Priscilla and Aquila did to risk their lives for Paul.

Answer: A worker in the early church

Sosthenes was a worker in the early church. Although he is only one of three people to rank in the salutations of Paul's books, little is known about him. Sosthenes' name appears at the beginning of 1 Corinthians. There is a Sosthenes mentioned in Acts 18:17, a Synagogue ruler who was beaten by an unruly mob, but there is no conclusive proof he is the same person referred to by Paul in his salutations in 1 Corinthians. If it is the same person, he obviously had become a Christian after being a ruler of the synagogue.

Answer: Nathanael

Most theologians believe Nathanael and Bartholomew are one and the same. The disciple is referred to as Bartholomew in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke as well as in the book of Acts, which was also written by Luke. Although Nathanael (Bartholomew) was one of the quiet disciples, he is known for being the first disciple to make the declaration that Jesus was the Son of God.

He made the declaration in John 1:49, months, possibly years before Peter.

Answer: Alexander

Alexander was a metalworker but not much else is known about him. In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul simply writes Alexander the metalworker had done "a great deal of harm" to him, and no further details are given. There is some speculation it could be the same Alexander that is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20.

In that verse, Paul tells of Hymenaeus and Alexander being "handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme."

Answer: Nicodemus

There is considerable conjecture as to why Nicodemus visited Jesus at night. One school of thought has it that Nicodemus didn't want it to be known that, as a teacher of the law, he had any interest in Jesus' teachings, as Christ was often surrounded by tax collectors and the dregs of society.

Another school of thought has it Nicodemus had no choice but to visit Jesus at night if he wanted a one-on-one meeting because Christ was always surrounded by large crowds in the daytime. In John 3:3, Jesus tells Nicodemus no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.

Then in verse 16, Jesus makes the famous declaration: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." It's that statement which has become a pillar of the evangelical Christian movement.