Old Testament Stories Quiz

1. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. How much silver did they receive for him?

1. 10 pieces of silver
2. 20 pieces of silver
3. 30 pieces of silver
4. 50 pieces of silver

2. David killed Goliath with a sling and a stone. How tall was Goliath according to 1 Samuel 17?

1. Four cubits — approximately 6 feet
2. Over seven feet tall
3. Six cubits and a span — approximately 9 feet 9 inches
4. Six feet tall

3. Noah sent out two birds from the ark to check if the floodwaters had receded. What were they?

1. A crow and a pigeon
2. A dove and a sparrow
3. A raven and a dove
4. An eagle and a dove

4. What did God change Abram's name to, and what does the new name mean?

1. Abraham — father of many nations
2. Isaac — he laughs
3. Ishmael — God hears
4. Israel — one who wrestles with God

5. Jacob wrestled with a mysterious figure all night and received a blessing and a new name. What was his new name?

1. Abraham
2. Israel
3. Joseph
4. Judah

6. In the story of Jonah, why was Jonah angry when God spared the city of Nineveh after it repented?

1. He did not believe their repentance was genuine
2. He feared the Assyrians would use their reprieve to attack Israel
3. He had publicly prophesied destruction and was embarrassed it did not happen
4. He knew God was compassionate and had not wanted to preach to Nineveh for exactly that reason — he wanted Nineveh destroyed

7. Queen Esther risked her life to save the Jewish people. Who was the villain who plotted to destroy all Jews in the Persian Empire?

1. Haman
2. Nebuchadnezzar
3. Sanballat
4. Tobiah

8. Daniel's three friends were thrown into a fiery furnace. The king who ordered this was astonished when he looked into the furnace. Why?

1. He saw four men walking around unbound and unharmed — the fourth looked like a son of the gods
2. The fire had been extinguished miraculously
3. The ropes binding the men had burned but the men themselves were perfectly unharmed
4. The three men were dancing and singing

9. Solomon is famous for his wisdom. What famous judgment did he make involving two women and a baby?

1. He consulted the priests who examined each woman under oath before the ark of the covenant
2. He determined the true mother was the one who had prayed for the child during pregnancy
3. He identified the true mother by comparing their physical resemblance to the child
4. He ordered the baby cut in two — knowing the true mother would give up her claim rather than let her baby die

10. What was the first plague God sent on Egypt?

1. Darkness covering Egypt for three days
2. Frogs covering the land
3. Locusts destroying all crops
4. Water turned into blood

11. Ruth said a famous declaration of loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi. What did she say?

1. I will follow you to the ends of the earth and serve you all my days
2. I will never leave you or forsake you, for you have shown me nothing but kindness
3. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God
4. You are more precious to me than a mother, and your God shall be my God forever

12. Elijah fled into the wilderness and sat under a broom tree wanting to die. How did God care for him?

1. An angel touched him twice and provided food and water for the long journey ahead
2. He appeared in a vision and showed Elijah his plan to restore Israel
3. He sent prophets to encourage him with words from the LORD
4. He sent rain to end the drought and restore Elijah's hope

13. How many years did Joseph spend in prison in Egypt before being released?

1. 10 years
2. 3 years
3. 7 years
4. At least 2 years — the text says two full years after the cupbearer forgot him

14. When Moses struck the rock for water in the wilderness, what had God originally told him to do instead?

1. Anoint the rock with oil and stand before it in prayer
2. Build an altar beside the rock and offer a sacrifice
3. Pray over the rock and pour a jar of water on it
4. Speak to the rock

15. King Saul was the first king of Israel. Why did God reject him as king?

1. He committed adultery and arranged the death of an innocent man
2. He refused to go to war against Israel's enemies when commanded by God
3. He sacrificed a burnt offering himself before battle instead of waiting for Samuel, and later failed to completely destroy the Amalekites as commanded
4. He taxed the people heavily and built temples to foreign gods

16. The Tower of Babel was built by the people of the earth. What was their stated goal?

1. To build a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, to make a name for themselves and not be scattered
2. To build a place of worship that could be seen from all the earth
3. To create a lasting monument to their skill and ingenuity
4. To store food and resources for future generations who might face hardship

17. Moses's mother hid him for three months after he was born. Why?

1. Egyptian law required all foreign male children to be registered and enslaved at birth
2. Moses was born with a physical deformity that would have caused him to be rejected
3. Pharaoh had ordered all male Hebrew babies to be thrown into the Nile
4. There was a famine and she could not feed another child

18. Jacob worked for Laban to marry Rachel. How many total years did he work?

1. 14 years
2. 20 years
3. 21 years
4. 7 years

19. After Abraham passed the test of being willing to sacrifice Isaac, God provided a sacrifice at the last moment. What was it?

1. A pair of doves sent by God from heaven
2. A ram caught by its horns in a thicket
3. A white lamb caught in the grass below the altar
4. An unblemished bull that appeared on the path up the mountain

20. The walls of Jericho fell as the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land. How did they fall?

1. God sent an earthquake that destroyed the walls
2. Israelite soldiers used battering rams against the gates
3. Rahab opened the gates from inside after the city fell into a deep sleep
4. The Israelites marched around the city for seven days, and on the seventh day marched seven times and blew their trumpets — and the walls collapsed