Influential Stories From the Bible Quiz


By: Tasha Moore

7 Min Quiz

Image: Emilija Manevska/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

This Bible quiz explores some of the most influential stories of the good book. Take the time to appreciate the major tales that resonate most, like the creation story, the great flood saga, the Exodus tale and so many other accounts. You're bound to learn interesting tidbits about familiar narratives. Did you know that God's instructions to Noah regarding building the ark were so specific that even the name of the substance used to seal the massive vessel is mentioned? It's called "pitch" in the the book of Genesis, the 14th verse of the sixth chapter.

Like the Bible, this quiz is all about the details. Questions regarding common biblical facts require specific answers. The theme of time comes up often, so recall the popular numbers that come up a lot in the Bible, such as three, 12 and 40. Knowing the temperaments of key personalities will come in handy, as well. We delve into the ancient kingdoms of the holy land, the kings who ruled them and the prophets who warned them. 

There's nothing off limits over the course of this intriguing scriptural exam. Scroll forth and score big!

According to the book of Genesis, what kind of man was Noah?

Noah was the patriarch of his family, which included three sons; his great-grandfather was Enoch. God chose Noah to save life on earth from the deadly flood.


Who were Cain and Abel?

Cain grew jealous of his brother Abel and murdered him because God accepted Abel's offering and not his. Abel was a keeper of sheep and offered God the firstlings of his flock. Cain tilled the ground and offered God his fruit.


What type of nation did God say He would make Abram?

God promised Abram that all families of the earth would be blessed in Abram. God also promised that He would bless all those that blessed Abram and curse all those who cursed Abram.


Why did God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?

Abraham interceded on Lot's behalf, so God saved Lot, his wife and two daughters. At first, Lot hesitated to leave the city, but an angel took him and his family by their hands and led them out of the city. The family was told not to look back at the destruction as they left, but Lot's wife disobeyed the order and was turned into a pillar of salt.


Who gave Noah instructions to build the Ark?

The ark was covered inside and out with pitch, which is a tar-like material Noah used to seal the ark to keep it from leaking. According to the Bible, the massive boat measured 300 cubits; one cubit measures 18 inches. The ark's width was 50 cubits, and the height was 30 cubits.


Who wore the coat of many colors?

Jacob loved his son Joseph more that all of his children and made him a coat of many colors. Joseph's jealous brothers stripped him of his coat and sold him into slavery. The brothers dipped the coat in goat's blood and returned it to their father, who assumed Joseph had been devoured by a beast.


How long did it rain on the Earth during the great flood, as recorded in the book of Genesis?

During the great flood, God shut the door to Noah's Ark. The story recounts that water lasted on the Earth for 150 days. A total of eight souls were saved from the flood.


What was the bread from heaven called?

The children of Israel spoke among themselves against Moses and Aaron because it had been 15 days after leaving Egypt and they longed for the food they once had in Egypt. Not only did God give them bread, but He provided the Israelites with animal flesh.


The Exodus story was about what nation of people?

God sent Moses to deliver the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, but Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he refused to let the Israelites go. After God had sent the plagues to Egypt and upon the death of his son, Pharaoh demanded that Moses and the Israelites leave Egypt quickly.


How did David kill Goliath?

At the battle against the Philistine army, David had to remove King Saul's heavy armor, telling him, "I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them." Instead, David took his staff and chose five smooth stones with his sling in his hand.


In the book of Exodus, where within the tabernacle did God dwell?

According to the book of Exodus, "the most holy place" was the inner room of the tabernacle where only the high priest could enter. This room held the Ark of the Covenant.


According to the book of John in the eighth chapter, what was the accused woman's crime?

Although they knew that Mosaic law required that the woman be stoned, scribes and Pharisees brought the adulterous woman before Jesus and asked him what her punishment should be. The Jewish leaders used the woman to try to trick Jesus into speaking against the law.


Why did Joseph's dream cause his brothers to hate him?

Joseph's jealous brothers nicknamed him "the dreamer." They hated and rejected him because he was their father's favorite and because of his strange dreams.


How many days did God use for creation?

The earth was without form and darkness prevailed, before God created: light, a firmament, dry land, the seas, sun, moon, stars, animal life, and Man to care for it all. God rested "on the seventh day from all his work which he had made."


According to the book of Exodus, how many plagues did God send upon Egypt?

Some of the plagues that God sent to Egypt were announced to Pharaoh beforehand, and others came without warning. The first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and 10th plagues were announced; the third, sixth and ninth plagues were not. Plagues included livestock disease, hail, locusts, boils, darkness for three days and death of the firstborn offspring.


Whom did God command to offer their son as a burnt offering?

God commanded Abraham to take his son Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt sacrifice in the mountains. Abraham constructed an altar and bound Isaac for sacrifice upon the altar. Because Abraham had proved his obedience, God provided Abraham a ram to sacrifice instead of Isaac.


How did Moses open up the Red Sea?

The Israelites saw the Egyptian army approaching them and criticized Moses, complaining that he had brought them out of Egypt to die. Moses advised the people to stand still and observe God's salvation.


How long was Jonah in the belly of the fish?

Jonah disobeyed God's command to go to Nineveh and prophesy against the people's wickedness. Instead, he boarded a ship going to Tarshish. God sent a great wind, which endangered the ship that Jonah was sailing in; thereafter, God "prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah."


According to the book of Job, what type of character did Job have?

Satan tested Job's good character. Job lost his children and his property. Job also experienced a terrible affliction in the form of painful boils from head to toe.


What is being sown, according to the New Testament book of Matthew in the 13th chapter?

The 13th chapter of the book of Matthew details a parable about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. In the chapter, Jesus explains to his disciples that as a sower planted seeds, some of the seeds fell "by the way side," "some fell upon stony places," "some fell among thorns," and some "fell into good ground." Jesus goes on to explain in the 12th verse of the chapter: "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath."


What did God ask Ezekiel about the bones?

God told Ezekiel to prophesy to Israelites scattered abroad that they would one day be revived and brought back to their land. Ezekiel prophesied to the dry bones, which symbolized the displaced people, so that God would cause breath to enter them.


In the book of second Kings, what happened when a deceased man's body touched Elisha's bones in the tomb?

The Israeliltes were in the process of burying one of their people when they spotted Moabites, so they quickly cast the man's remains into Elisha's tomb. When the deceased man touched Elisha's bones, the man revived and stood on his feet.


How many times a day did Daniel pray?

Daniel's enemies reported to the king that he was disobeying the king and the law, which stated that anyone who made a petition to any god or man besides the king would be thrown into the lion's den. King Darius ultimately complied with the law and threw Daniel into a den of lions.


In the book of Daniel, whom did Nebuchadnezzar throw into the fiery furnace?

King Nebuchadnezzar had been advised that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the golden image. The three admitted before the king that they would not worship the golden image. He threw the men into the furnace, but later saw a fourth man unharmed in the midst of the fire; the book of Daniel states that "the form of the fourth [was] like the Son of God."


In the Old Testament book of Daniel, what did King Belshazzar offer for reading the writing on the wall?

King Belshazzar commanded that the golden vessels be taken out of the house of God in Jerusalem and brought to a great feast he facilitated so that he and his guests could drink from them. A man's hand appeared and wrote strange writing on a wall while they celebrated. The writing frightened the king so much that he offered wealth and authority in his kingdom to anyone who could interpret it, but Daniel did so without presentation of gifts.


In the Old Testament book of first Kings, what did the widow give to Elijah?

God advised Elijah that he should go to Zarephath to stay with a widow in order to sustain himself during a drought in the land. Elijah saw the widow and asked for a morsel of bread and water. The widow replied that she only had "but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse."


In the second chapter of the book of Daniel, what did King Nebuchadnezzar say when he heard the meaning of his dream?

None of King Nebuchadnezzar's attendants could interpret his troubling dreams. After Daniel and his friend had prayed to God about the dream, God granted Daniel the secret of the dream. Daniel stressed to the king that God was the author of the dream's secrets.


In the book of Joshua, who was the woman with the scarlet rope?

The king of Jericho heard that Israelites had come to the city, and he sent soldiers to Rahab, who was a harlot, to command that she hand over the men in her house. Rahab defied the order and hid Israelite spies before letting them down by a scarlet rope through a window in her house.


According to the 12th chapter in the book of Mark, what is the value of a mite?

Jesus and his disciples observed people as they offered tributes to the treasury. Many rich people contributed large sums, and a poor widow gave two mites. Jesus remarked that the widow, of her want, had cast in all that she had.


How did Solomon show his wisdom?

Two harlots had each given birth, but one baby died; both women claimed ownership of the child who lived. King Solomon requested a sword and said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other." The king gave the child to the woman who said no to the king; the other woman had said, "Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it."


Who decided how to defeat Jericho?

God had advised Joshua what to do to gain victory of the city of Jericho. The Israelite army marched around the city seven times on the seventh day. On the seventh march, Joshua ordered the Israelite army to shout while the priests blew trumpets, and the walls of Jericho fell.


What did the Queen of Sheba say about Solomon's wisdom?

The Queen of Sheba tested Solomon with difficult questions because she had heard of his fame concerning God. Solomon addressed all of her concerns and left nothing unexplained.


In the Old Testament book of second Kings, what did Elisha want from Elijah?

Elijah was about to be translated, and he attempted to persuade Elisha not to travel with him. Elisha would not leave him; however, when a whirlwind transported Elijah into heaven, Elisha took his mantle and struck the Jordan River and divided the waters. Sons of the prophets observed this and said, "the spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha."


What did God do to prove to Hezekiah that he would be healed?

King Hezekiah became mortally ill. Prophet Isaiah advised the king of God's message that the king should set his house in order and that he would die. After King Hezekiah prayed and wept, God told Isaiah to advise the king that He would add 15 years to his life.


What happened when Uzziah offered incense?

Uzziah had become king of Judah at age 16, and he had always done right in the sight of God. However, pride entered Uzziah's heart when he became strong, and he committed to burning incense on an altar, which was a task reserved for priests only. He died a leper.


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