Nine out of Ten: Old Testament Trivia -- #2 Quiz

Answer: Elisha

Scripture is short on details about this miracle. 2 Kings 13:20-21, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet."

No other details are given.

Answer: Laban

Laban is the correct answer. There's no disputing the fact he was shrewd and devious. Laban got fourteen years of labor out of Jacob, largely by tricking him. Jacob agreed to work for seven years for Laban if he could marry his younger daughter Rachel.

However, at the end of seven years, Laban gave Jacob his older daughter Leah in marriage, saying "it is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one." So, Jacob agreed to work an additional seven years for Rachel's hand.

It's a case of what goes around, comes around. After all, Jacob was a master deceiver as he had duped his elderly father Isaac into giving him his blessing over his twin brother Esau, as per Genesis 27: 1-40. After this incident, Jacob ended up fleeing as Esau plotted to kill him.

Answer: Isaac

The story of Abraham preparing to sacrifice Isaac is one of the best known stories in the Old Testament. Scripture reports God commanded Abraham to take his son Isaac to a mountain in the region of Moriah and to sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Just as Abraham was preparing to sacrifice Isaac, Scripture reports an angel of the LORD called out and told him to spare his son because it was evident Abraham feared God.

After the angel called out, Abraham spotted a ram in the thicket and used it as his sacrificial offering.

The story is told in the 22nd chapter of Genesis. Many Christians compare this episode to God's sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus, in the New Testament.

Answer: Mordecai

Mordecai figures prominently in the book of Esther. He teamed with Queen Esther to comprise a dynamic duo that saved the day for the Jewish people. In fact, had it not been for this duo, there's a very real possibility Haman would have had his way and arranged the execution of all the Jews in the region ruled over by the man known in the NKJV Bible as King Ahasuerus and in NIV Bible as King Xerxes.

After Haman was thwarted, he ended up being hanged on the gallows he had rigged for the intended execution of Mordecai.

The story of Esther, Mordecai and Haman is told in the book of Esther.

Answer: Esther

Esther's original name was Hadassah and she was raised by her cousin Mordecai, Esther 2:7, in the NKJV, states: "And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful.

When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter." Esther, of course, would go on to become queen and play a pivotal role in derailing a diabolical scheme by Haman to exterminate the Jewish population in the vast area ruled by the man who is known as King Ahasuerus in the NKJV and King Xerxes in the NIV.

Answer: Lamech

The account of Lamech confessing he murdered a man appears in the fourth chapter of Genesis, the same chapter in which the report about Cain killing Abel appears. In Geneses 4:23, Lamech tells his wives Adah and Zillah he killed a young man for injuring him. The name of the victim is not disclosed and there are no other details. However, he states in the verse "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

Answer: Eli

Eli is the correct answer. His sons Hophni and Phinehas were out of control and simply refused to listen to him. 1 Samuel 2 tells of the sons disobeying sacred protocol when people came to the tabernacle of meeting to offer a sacrifice.

Verse 22 in the same chapter tells of the men having sexual relations with the women "who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting."

The chapter goes on to tell of an unnamed man of God telling Eli his two sons would be killed through divine retribution.

Answer: Cyrus

Cyrus is the correct answer. His name appears a number of times in the Old Testament, but the account of his decision to liberate the Israelites is largely found in the book of Ezra.

According to Scripture, Cyrus decided to grant permission to the Israelites to return to Jerusalem after his heart had been moved by the LORD. Cyrus was the head of the Persian empire and after he defeated the Babylonians, one of his first major decisions was to free the Israelites.

According to Wikipedia, his empire extended from the Mediterranean Sea and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east. At that time, it was the largest empire the world had seen, Wikipedia reports.

Answer: Hannah

Hannah's story is told in the first chapter of 1 Samuel which is devoted to the birth of Samuel. Scripture reports Hannah was married to Elkanah, who had a second wife named Peninnah. While Peninnah was giving birth to children, Hannah was barren, a status that depressed her immensely. Making matters worse, Peninnah would apparently remind Hannah she was unable to conceive, simply to provoke her. In 1 Samuel 1:11in the NKJV she issues a prayer: "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

The chapter concludes by stating in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "because I have asked for him from the LORD."

Answer: Elimelech

Elimelech was the husband of Naomi, the mother-in-law of Ruth. However, not much is known about Elimelech as he is mentioned in passing reference. According to Scripture, he died leaving Naomi a widow while his two sons also died leaving Ruth and Orpah widows. However, Scripture does not give any details about the cause of deaths of Elimelech and his two sons.