The Old Testament Stories Quiz

RELIGION

By: Olivia Cantor

6 Min Quiz

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

From creation to destruction to restoration, the Old Testament stories tell it all. Do you think you can identify these major stories and the characters involved?

The Old Testament portion of The Bible is a thought-provoking and intriguing account of how the world came to be, how humankind developed early on and how "being human" was defined, redefined, challenged and constructed in the many poetic verses of each book's chapters. Personalities developed, ambitions grew higher, devotions got deeper and the Old Testament stories narrated them all. Think you can pinpoint who's who here, what's what, or which happened where? That's the interesting and exciting content of this quiz!

Of course, this quiz is not merely for the faithful and devoted, it's for everyone who has faith in the good of humanity, and it's definitely for anyone who struggles to fight inner and outer demons, just as these Biblical characters have done in their respective narratives. This is where the timelessness of their stories comes in - as we still learn lessons from their victories and defeats, up to this day and for the days still to come.

So come and celebrate these stories with us, as you take this quiz and rediscover these stories. We have faith that you're up for the challenge. Good luck!

The “Creation of the World in 6 days" story is perhaps the most well-known story from the Old Testament. In which book can it be found?

The story about God’s Paradise garden and the Creation of Man can be read in the first few verses of Genesis.

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Who are the main characters featured in the Genesis creation story?

Adam and Eve were the first inhabitants of the garden paradise God created in 6 days.

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What did Adam and Eve do which led to their banishment from God’s garden paradise?

The forbidden fruit is said to introduce man to sin, hence the banishment result. They did this not because of hunger but because of curiosity and temptation.

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Who were the first children of Adam and Eve?

They had the kids after being banished from the garden paradise. Firstborn Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd who offered sacrifices to God of their own land. God favored Abel's sacrifice so Cain murdered Abel and was then punished to a life of wandering by God.

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In their own story, what did Cain do to Abel that was so terrible in the eyes of God?

Since God was more pleased by Abel’s offerings, this made Cain angry at his brother, enough to kill him.

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In the Great Flood story, who was the main character whom God communicated with about the upcoming deluge?

God commanded Noah to prepare himself and his family for the upcoming flood. God had plans to return the Earth to its pre-Creation state because of humanity's misdeeds and then remake it using the creatures of Noah's ark.

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What did Noah build in order to prepare for the flood?

God told Noah to build the ark, which took years. Noah's instructions are given to him by God (Genesis 6:14–16) with dimensions for the ark being 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.

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Aside from his family, what else did Noah bring inside the ark?

One pair of each kind of animal was brought inside the ark to propagate the world later on.

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How many days did it rain on earth nonstop, enough to flood it all?

God let it rain for 40 days to wipe out all the existing evil in the world.

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Which elderly man had a son named Isaac?

Abraham - originally known as Abram - was forced by God to leave the house of his father Terah and settle in the land originally given to Canaan. God promised to Abraham and his progeny, reinforcing themes of land and posterity.

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In order to prove his love to God, Abraham was willing to do this to his son Isaac.

Abraham was about to knife down Isaac when an angel appeared before him and made him stop, saying he passed God’s test.

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Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities that God punished because of the evil things the residents were doing. What destroyed the cities?

God let the rain of fire destroy and cleanse these cities.

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Who did God warn about the Sodom destruction?

Despite his sometimes hardheadedness of wanting to live in Sodom, God still saw Lot as a good man that could be saved.

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What did God’s angel say to Lot and his family as they were escaping Sodom?

When Lot took his time to leave the angels took hold of Lot, his wife and two daughters, and transported them beyond the city. The angel told Lot, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed."

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While they were escaping, Lot’s wife looked back at the destruction of Sodom. What happened to her?

To Lot’s dismay, his wife was turned into a pillar of salt when she stopped and looked back during their escape journey.

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Who are the sons of Isaac who had an issue of stealing the other’s birth right and their father’s final blessings?

Esau is the elder son so he should have gotten the rights that Jacob stole.

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Since Jacob cheated his brother Esau from his birth right and blessings, he was also deceived when it came to marrying. What was the name of the woman he wanted to marry?

Unfortunately, Rachel is the younger sister, and it is forbidden for them to marry before the older sisters.

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How many sons did Jacob have?

Majority of the sons were from Leah, but he also had kids with Rachel, and his wive's handmaidens Bilhah and Zilpah. His sole daughter mentioned in Genesis is named Dinah and collectively his sons became the progenitors of the "Tribes of Israel."

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What was the name of Jacob’s favorite son?

Joseph’s mother is Rachel, Jacob’s one true love. It's assumed he is his favorite because of his deep affection for Rachel.

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Out of sibling rivalry, Joseph’s brothers sold him to become one of this, in a faraway land.

Joseph was sold to be a slave in Egypt but he rose in power to become the vizier, the second most powerful man in Egypt next to Pharaoh.

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Joseph was freed from slavery since he helped interpret these things of the ruling pharaoh.

Since he’s a good dream interpreter, Joseph also became an influential figure in Egypt later on.

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Who was the Hebrew baby who was set afloat in the river to escape being killed?

He was adopted by the Egyptians when the Pharaoh’s own daughter found the baby floating in the river. Moses’ name means “drawn out” since he was literally drawn out of the river.

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When Moses grew up and discovered his true Hebrew heritage, God communicated with him once via this method.

The burning bush was a powerful symbol of God commanding Moses for his upcoming duty.

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What did God give Moses to spread to his people?

The Ten Commandments form the basis of Jewish law and appear in the Book of Exodus and Deuteronomy. The commandments include instructions to worship only God, honor your parents, and to keep the sabbath day holy.

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When Moses was leading his people out of Egyptian slavery, what sea did he part so they could pass through?

With God’s help, Moses parted the Red Sea, proving that God was really on their side.

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What is the name of the man whose source of strength is his long locks of hair?

Samson had a vow to love God, which was the source of his strength.

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What is the name of the woman who tried to coax Samson into telling her the secret of his strength?

Delilah belonged to the Philistines, who were at war with Samson’s own tribe of Nazirites. After her third attempt he tells her the source of his strength and while he sleeps Delilah orders a servant to cut his hair, thereby allowing her to turn him over to the Philistines.

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What is the name of the giant that fights with the soldiers called Philistines?

Goliath is believed by some to have been 9 feet and a few inches tall. He's described in the Book of Samuel and is known for having been defeated by David in single combat.

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What is the name of the shepherd boy who defeated Goliath?

He is known as the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah. He was a young shepherd who initially gains fame as a musician before killing Goliath.

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What is the name of the young man who became a wise king?

When God asked Solomon what he wanted, he asked for wisdom above all.

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The young King Solomon demonstrated his wisdom by making a decision between these two people.

This story teaches about honesty and wisdom.

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What did King Solomon first suggest to solve the problem of the troubled mothers, wherein each of them claimed to be the mother of the child?

Through this strategy he was able to figure out who was the real mother because she begged the sword be sheathed and the child given over to the rival so as to spare his life.

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What did the wise king Solomon do to the mother who refused to have the child cut?

According to King Solomon, the real mother will not let any harm come upon her child, so it is evident that the other one is a fake.

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Daniel’s story is about him being thrown to a pit of these animals when their king found out that Daniel was still praying to God.

When Daniel was punished and sentenced to be thrown into the pit of the lions, he was miraculously saved and protected inside the pit because he prayed to God.

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