Wisdom Literature Quiz

1. The book of Proverbs begins by stating the beginning of wisdom is what?

1. Listening to your parents
2. Seeking knowledge and understanding
3. The fear of the LORD
4. The study of God's law

2. The book of Job begins with a conversation between God and whom about Job's righteousness?

1. An angel
2. Eliphaz
3. Job's wife
4. Satan

3. Ecclesiastes uses a repeated phrase to describe the emptiness of worldly pursuits. What is it?

1. 'All is shadow and darkness'
2. 'The wind blows south and turns to the north'
3. 'There is nothing new under the sun'
4. 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity'

4. Job had three friends who came to comfort him. Which of the following was NOT one of Job's three friends?

1. Bildad the Shuhite
2. Elihu the Buzite
3. Eliphaz the Temanite
4. Zophar the Naamathite

5. The Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) is unique in the Bible because:

1. It contains the only direct quotation of God's own words in poetry form
2. It is entirely written as poetry in the form of a love song between a bridegroom and bride
3. It is the only book attributed to two different authors
4. It is the only book with no mention of God

6. How many chapters does the book of Psalms have, making it the longest book in the Bible?

1. 100
2. 120
3. 150
4. 175

7. Proverbs 31 contains a famous description of what?

1. The excellent wife of noble character
2. The foolish youth who rejects wisdom
3. The ideal king who rules with justice and wisdom
4. The wise elder who counsels the community

8. In the book of Job, God's answer to Job comes from what?

1. A burning bush as with Moses
2. A still small voice as with Elijah
3. A whirlwind
4. An angelic messenger

9. Ecclesiastes 3 contains a famous poem beginning with 'There is a time for everything.' Which of these pairings does NOT appear in it?

1. A time to be born and a time to die
2. A time to build and a time to pray
3. A time to laugh and a time to weep
4. A time to plant and a time to uproot

10. The 23rd Psalm, one of the most beloved in the Bible, was written by whom?

1. Asaph
2. David
3. Moses
4. Solomon

11. What is the main theological question the book of Job wrestles with?

1. How to maintain faith during periods of national exile
2. Whether God exists and can be known
3. Whether God's commands in the law can be kept
4. Why the righteous suffer — can a good person suffer for reasons other than their own sin?

12. Proverbs is often associated with Solomon. According to 1 Kings 4:32, how many proverbs did Solomon speak?

1. 1000
2. 10000
3. 300
4. 3000

13. The book of Ecclesiastes opens with 'The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.' Who is traditionally identified as the Teacher (Qohelet)?

1. A later unknown author writing in Solomon's voice
2. Both 'Solomon' and 'an unknown author' are widely held views
3. David himself
4. Solomon

14. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the entire Bible. It is structured as an acrostic around what?

1. The 10 commandments, with each section addressing a different commandment
2. The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet — each section of 8 verses begins with successive letters
3. The 7 days of creation, with each section meditating on a day
4. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel

15. God restored Job's fortunes after his suffering. How did God describe the amount He restored to Job?

1. Half as much again as he had before
2. Ten times as much as he had before
3. The same amount as before — exactly restored
4. Twice as much as he had before

16. Proverbs personifies Wisdom as a woman calling in the streets. She is contrasted with which opposing figure?

1. The adulteress woman / Folly
2. The false prophet
3. The lazy man
4. The wicked king

17. The 'penitential psalms' are a group of psalms expressing repentance. The most famous, Psalm 51, was written by David after what event?

1. His census of Israel that brought a plague
2. His flight from his son Absalom's rebellion
3. His sin with Bathsheba and the death of Uriah
4. His years of running from King Saul

18. Song of Solomon 8:6 contains a powerful statement about love. What does it say?

1. Both 'love is as strong as death' and 'many waters cannot quench love' appear in 8:6-7
2. Love is as strong as death; its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire
3. Love is patient and kind, bearing all things
4. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away

19. Which Psalm begins 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' — words later quoted by Jesus on the cross?

1. Psalm 22
2. Psalm 23
3. Psalm 69
4. Psalm 88

20. What is the conclusion and ultimate message of the book of Ecclesiastes?

1. Enjoy whatever pleasures you can, for they are God's gifts to the living
2. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man
3. Life is ultimately meaningless and death makes everything equal
4. Seek wisdom and knowledge above all things for they give lasting meaning