Word Association -- Old Testament Characters #2 Quiz

Answer: Jael

Jael is the correct answer. She's the one who killed Sisera by driving a tent peg through his head while he slept in his tent. With Sisera's troops being wiped out in a lop-sided battle with the Israelites, he had no choice but to run -- and run fast. Scripture states he fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Sisera's acceptance of Jael's offer of hospitality would prove to be a deadly mistake.

Judges 4:18-21 tells what happened: "Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, 'Come, my lord, come right in. Don't be afraid.' So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 'I'm thirsty,' he said. 'Please give me some water.' She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up. 'Stand in the doorway of the tent,' he told her. 'If someone comes by and asks you, 'Is anyone in there?' say 'No.' But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died."

Answer: Naomi

At one time in her life, Naomi was bitter. According to the first chapter of Ruth, Naomi told her friends to call her Mara which literally translates as bitter. She made the request after the deaths of her husband and her two sons. Incidentally, notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Naomi translates as pleasant.

Ruth 1:20-21 tells of Naomi's bitterness: "But she said to them, 'Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?'"

Answer: Nabal

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible states Nabal's name literally translates as "fool".

Nabal, according to 1 Samuel 25:3, was "harsh and evil in his doings", the opposite of his wife Abigail who is described as of "good understanding and beautiful appearance." Verse 25 quotes Abigail as telling David: "For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him!"

After Nabal was struck dead by the LORD, Abigail ended up becoming the wife of David, according to 1 Samuel 25:38-42.

Answer: Keturah

Keturah is the correct answer. According to Genesis 25:2, Keturah became Abraham's wife (presumably after the death of Sarah) and she was the mother of six sons. Their names were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. According to verses 5 and 6, Abraham "left all he had" to Isaac, but while he was still living he gave gifts to the sons of Keturah and other concubines.

Then he "sent the sons eastward, away from Isaac his son," Scripture states.

Answer: Kish

Kish was the father of Saul. Scripture states Kish was a Benjamite and he was the son of Abiel, who was the son of Zeror, who was the son of Bekorath. Bekorath was the son of Aphiah and the grandson of Benjamin. 1 Samuel 9:2, in the NIV Bible, states: "Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else."

Answer: Simeon

Simeon, a founder of the 12 tribes of Israel, is the correct answer. Simeon is perhaps best known for going on a killing spree with his brother Levi after their sister Dinah was defiled by Shechem, as per the 34th chapter of Genesis. The 49th chapter of Genesis tells of Jacob blessing his 12 sons.

In Genesis 49:5-7 in the NIV Bible, Jacob has some unkind things to say about Simeon and Levi: "Simeon and Levi are brothers -- their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel."

Answer: Xerxes

In the NIV Bible, King Ahasuerus is known as Xerxes. In the KJV and the NKJV, as well as some other versions, he's known as Ahasuerus. According to Esther 1:1, Ahasuerus/Xerxes ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. The book of Esther begins with the account of the king dumping Queen Vashti during the third year of his reign.

It would put things in motion for Esther to become queen and play a pivotal role in preventing the extermination of Jews in the immense area ruled by Ahasuerus/Xerxes. Of course, when the king appointed Esther queen, he did not know she was a Jew.

Answer: Zedekiah

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. According to 2 Kings 24:19-20 and Jeremiah 52:2-3, Zedekiah did "evil in the sight of the LORD". He was a son of Josiah, and his mother's name was Hamutal. The 39th chapter of Jeremiah tells of Zedekiah's capture by the Babylonian army. He certainly didn't receive any preferential treatment. Jeremiah 39:7 tells of Zedekiah's eyes being put out and of his being bound with bronze shackles and taken to Babylon.

Incidentally, the three incorrect answers -- Asa, Jehoahaz and Jehoshphat -- were kings of Judah as well and served before Zedekiah.

Answer: Ahaziah

Ahab and Ahaziah were father and son who served as kings of Israel and are described in Scripture as doing evil in the eyes of the LORD. Ahab reigned for 22 years and was replaced by Ahaziah, who reigned two years. Ahab's wife was Jezebel, known as the most evil woman in the Bible. Ahaziah's wife is not named in Scripture. However, according to 2 Kings 1:17, he died without a son and was succeeded by Joram.

Incidentally, the three incorrect answers -- David, Hoshea and Omri -- were kings of Israel as well.

Answer: Ibzan

Ibzan, a judge of Israel for seven years, is the correct answer. He obviously had a large number of wives as Scripture states he had 30 sons and 30 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 NIV Bible, states this about Ibzan: "He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years."

There's no doubt Solomon and David had a large number of children, but Ibzan is the only man in Scripture identified as being the father of 30 sons and 30 daughters.

Incidentally, Jair, a judge of Israel, also had 30 sons, but no details are given about the number of daughters. According to the 10th chapter of Judges, Jair replaced Tola and led Israel for 22 years. The fourth verse states he had 30 sons who rode 30 donkeys and they controlled 30 towns in Gilead.