Nine out of Ten: Old Testament Trivia -- #4 Quiz

Answer: Joshua

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. Joshua 10:12-14, in the NKJV Bible states: "Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought 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.

Answer: Elisha

The story of the floating axhead appears in 2 Kings 6:1-7. In a nutshell, Elisha and a group of prophets were cutting trees along the Jordan River to build a new place to live when suddenly an axhead fell into the water. The prophet who lost the axhead was apparently filled with distress as it was borrowed.

When Elisha asked the man where the axhead fell, the spot was pointed out to him. 2 Kings, 6-7, in the NKJV Bible, states: "So the man of God said, 'Where did it fall?' And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.

Therefore he said, 'Pick it up for yourself.' So he reached out his hand and took it."

Answer: Rizpah

Rizpah is the correct answer. It's a bit of long story, but after the death of Saul, Israel was engaged in a civil war with one group supporting Ishbosheth as king and the other group supporting David. During the upheaval, Ishbosheth accused Abner of having sexual relations with Rizpah, a concubine of Saul. Abner was incensed by the charge and joined forces with David.

2 Samuel 3:6-11 in the NKJV Bible states: "Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul. And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, 'Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?'

"Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, 'Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the Lord has sworn to him -- to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.' And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state the charge of sleeping with Rizpah was seen as extremely serious because having sex with a concubine of the king was tantamount to claiming the throne.

Answer: Uzzah

Uzzah is the correct answer. The sixth chapter of Samuel tells of David and 30,000 "able young men of Israel" taking the Ark of God from Baalah to Jerusalem. According to the fifth verse, the Israelites were ecstatic with "David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals." Then things took a dramatic turn.

2 Samuel 6:6-7, in the NKJV Bible, states: "And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God."

Answer: Boaz

Boaz is the man who married Ruth. Much of the book of Ruth is about their romance. Their marriage resulted in the birth of Obed (Ruth 4:17) who became the father of Jesse who was the father of David, one of the most famous characters in the Old Testament.

Answer: Bildad

Bildad was one of three friends who attempted to comfort Job. 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 comprise a major portion of the book.

Answer: Adah

With the exception of Eve, Adah is the first female mentioned by name in the Old Testament. Her name appears in Genesis 4:19, just before the name of another woman, Zillah. The two women were both married to Lamech and Adah was the mother of Jabal, described in Scripture as "the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock."

There is another woman in the Bible with the name Adah. According to Scripture, the other Adah was the daughter of Elon and the wife of Esau.

And some more trivia. According to Wikipedia, Adah is also a placename in Pennsylvania. It is an unincorporated community in German Township, Fayette County. "It is known as a patch town as it was created to support a coal mine," Wikipedia reports. "Adah is the home of the Palmer Mine."

Answer: Abigail

Abigail is the correct answer. Her first husband Nabal was "surly and mean" and was struck dead by the LORD, according to the 25th chapter of 1 Samuel. Shortly after Nabal's death, Abigail became David's wife. In 1 Samuel 25:3 in the NKJV, she is described as being of "good understanding and beautiful appearance".

Answer: Lot

Lot is the correct answer. 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 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: Jerubbaal

Jerubbaal as per the NKJV and Jerub-Baal as per the NIV are both correct. According to the Website 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.