Ropes and Chains in the Bible Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rahab

Rahab is the correct answer. Joshua 2:5-21 tells of Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, hiding two Israelite spies in her house. When authorities caught wind of the fact that two spies had taken haven in Rahab's house, she told them the two men had departed some time before. However, she had hidden the two spies beneath stocks of flax on the roof of her house.

After the authorities left her house, Rahab enabled the Israelites to escape when she let down a scarlet rope through the window of her house which was on the city wall. Before making their getaway, the spies told Rahab to leave the scarlet cord in the window of her house as a sign for the Israelites when they invaded the city. When the Israelites invaded the city, they made a point of sparing everyone in Rahab's house.

Answer: Tamar

After Tamar gave birth to twin boys, Scripture states a midwife put a scarlet thread on the hand of the first baby who came out. The baby was called Perez and the second one Zerah. According to Scripture, Tamar was impregnated by her father-in-law Judah. For details, see Genesis 38:1-30.

Going by Scripture, Perez and Zerah were the second set of twins born. The first set of twins, was Jacob and Esau, sons of Isaac and Rebekah.

Answer: Belshazzar

Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, put a gold chain around Daniel's neck after a disembodied hand wrote on the wall during a gala banquet and no one could interpret the writing. However, when Daniel was called in he was able to interpret the writing for the king.

The act of appreciation would be one of Belshazzar's last actions as he would die shortly afterwards, just as Daniel had predicted. Scripture states, "that very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain". Darius the Mede then reigned over the kingdom.

For further details, see Daniel 5:1-31.

Answer: Samson

Samson was a judge of Israel known for his super strength and for his love affair with Delilah. Scripture tells of Delilah being bribed by Philistine leaders to find out the secret of Samson's immense strength. Judges 16:6-9 states Samson told Delilah if he was bound "with seven fresh bowstrings, not yet dried" he would become weak "and be like any other man."

However, when she bound him with the seven fresh bowstrings, Samson broke the bowstrings "as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire." Later, Delilah would find out the secret to Samson's brute strength was his long hair and when his locks were cut while he was sleeping, he became weak. With his strength gone, Scripture states Samson was then taken captive by the Philistines.

Answer: The Pharaoh

Genesis 41:42 tells of the Pharaoh putting a gold chain around Joseph's neck after he interpreted two of his dreams. The Pharaoh, however, did much more than put a gold chain around Joseph's neck. Scripture states the Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand and he clothed him in garments of fine linen. He also had Joseph ride in the second chariot he had "and they cried out before him, 'Bow the knee!'" In other words, Joseph was the second most powerful man in Egypt.

On top of all this, Scripture states the Pharaoh gave Joseph a wife. Her name was Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of On.

Answer: Jeremiah

Jeremiah 40:1 tells of Jeremiah, a major prophet of God, being bound in chains
to be taken away captive with others from Judah to Babylon. However, Scripture tells of Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king of Babylon's special guards, having mercy on Jeremiah.

Acknowledging the people of Judah were being taken captive because they turned away from the LORD, Nebuzaradan told Jeremiah he had two choices. He could go to Babylon with the other captives where he would be treated kindly or he could stay in Judah.

Scripture goes on to tell of Jeremiah staying behind, with Nebuzaradan giving him rations and a gift.

For details, see Jeremiah 40:1-15.

Answer: Peter

Peter made a miraculous escape from prison when an angel visited him late at night and the chains suddenly fell off his hands. Scripture goes on to tell of the angel leading Peter out of the prison before suddenly departing into the night. Later that evening, Peter would meet up with a group of Christians at the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. For further details, see Acts 12:6-19.

Answer: Mark

Details about the demon-possessed man who couldn't be contained with shackles and chains are found in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus encountered the demon-possessed man, sometimes incorrectly referred to as Legion, in Gadarenes. Details can be found in Mark 5:1-20.

According to the passage, the man lived among the tombs where people were buried and no one could bind him, "not even with chains." If the man was bound, he would pull apart the chains and the break the shackles in pieces.

Things changed dramatically, however, when the demon-possessed man met Jesus. Scripture states the man was possessed by a Legion of demons and when Jesus commanded them to leave him, they entered into a large herd of nearby pigs. The swine went berserk and jumped over a cliff and drowned in the sea.

Similar accounts can be found in Matthew 8:28-34 and Luke 8:26-39.

Answer: Acts

Acts 27 tells of a ship carrying Paul as well as two hundred and seventy-five other people being tossed to and fro when it was caught up in a violent storm on the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the horrific situation, Paul assured everyone an angel of God had told him everyone would make it safely to land and they should stay put. Acts 27:30 tells of some sailors trying to escape from the situation attempting to lower a skiff, or lifeboat, into the sea.

When Paul told those in charge that, "unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved," they responded by cutting away the ropes of the skiff and letting it fall off.

Answer: Paul

Acts 28:20 tells of Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, being bound in chains while in Rome. In a number of the books Paul is credited with writing in the New Testament, he also make reference to being in chains. Some of the verses are Ephesians 6:20, Philippians 1:7 as well as 13, 14 and 16; Colossians 4:3 and 18; 2 Timothy 1:16 and 2:9 as well as Philemon 1:10 and 13.