Kind, clever or corrupt - catching Kings! Online Quiz | Religion

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. 1 Samuel, chapters 9-31 tells the story of this king, son of Kish, who was appointed by Samuel and ruled Israel from around 1049 BC to 1007 BC. He ruled from Gibeah, a hill near what was to become the city of Jerusalem. He died by falling on his sword at the Battle of Gilboa. Three of his sons, including Jonathan, also died during this battle. Who was this King of Israel?

Answer: Saul

King Saul, the first King of Israel, began his reign by following the prophet Samuel's bidding. He eventually started disobeying God, including not killing all the Amalekites during battle. He also became increasingly jealous of Jonathan's great friend David. David eventually married Michal, one of Saul's daughters.

After Saul's death the kingship was contested by David the warrior hero, and Saul's remaining son, Ish-bosheth. The Qur'an also refers to Saul as the first King of Israel. King Saul should definitely not be confused with the New Testament's Saul of Tarsus who eventually became the Apostle Paul after conversion on the road to Damascus.

2. 1 Samuel Chapter 17 describes an apparently uneven battle between a very large Philistine warrior and a much smaller Jewish shepherd armed with a sling and some stones. The young man won and eventually became which great king of Israel?

Answer: David

David's killing of Goliath caused the Philistine army to flee, leaving victory to King Saul. After the death of Saul, David became king of the southern kingdom (Judah) while Saul's son Ish-bosheth was king of the northern kingdom (Israel). In 993 BC David became the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel after the murder of Ish-bosheth brought to an end the war between Israel and Judah.

He ruled for 33 years. David was an important figure in Jewish, Christian and Islamic cultures and was seen as a powerful and good ruler, but not without flaws. David is believed to be the author of many of the psalms in the Bible.

3. This wise King of Israel was the second son of King David and his wife Bathsheba. 1 Kings Chapter 3 verses 16-28 recounts how this man determined the real mother of a child between two claimants, by threatening to divide the child in two. He is also renowned for his great wealth. Although this is in some dispute, this man was also reputedly the author of the Bible books Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and his eponymous 'Songs'. So who was this King of Israel?

Answer: Solomon

Solomon became king at a relatively young age (18) and remained in power for 40 years. One of the great differences between Solomon's reign and that of his father is that Solomon and Israel enjoyed a remarkable period of peace with surrounding countries including Egypt and Phoenicia, and with King Hiram of Tyre.

The construction of the 'First Temple' on Temple Mount in Jerusalem commenced early in Solomon's reign. It was destroyed several centuries later by King Nebuchadnezzar (in 587 BC). The Bible records that later in his life, Solomon turned away from God by taking many wives and building temples for them. God forgave him for the sake of his father (David) but the Kingdom of Israel was to be split on Solomon's death.

4. Unlike many other kings of Judah, this man, the son of King Asa, was seen as a man of peace and virtue. He took the throne at the age of 35 in 870 BC and ruled for 25 years. 2 Chronicles Chapter 17 verses 7-9 describes this king sending out his priests and Levites to instruct people in the way of the Law. Nowadays, according to a mild expression of surprise, this man 'jumped'! So who was this man, whose only major blemish was to marry his son to the daughter of King Ahab of Israel, which resulted in the Battle of Ramoth-Gilead?

Answer: Jehoshaphat

The Kingdom of Judah originated with the split of the Israelite Kingdom into the northern Kingdom (Israel) and the southern Kingdom (Judah) after the death of King Solomon, as stated in 1 Kings Chapter 11. Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah and was succeeded after death by his son Jehorum. Jehoshaphat was a successful diplomat ensuring peaceful relationships with his neighbors, including Ahab, the King of Israel.

He also formed an alliance with Israel in battles against the Moabites. The sending out of the priests and Levites was a sabbatical task (to be performed every seven years) as dictated in Deuteronomy Chapter 31.

5. As described in chapter 17 of the Old Testament Book 2 Kings, this man is notable because he was the last King of the Israelite Kingdom of Israel (based in Samaria). He slew his predecessor Pekah in 732 BC and ruled the northern Kingdom of Israel for 12 years. His power base remained while he paid tributes (tax money) to the Assyrians. Around 721 BC these payments were stopped and the Assyrians, under Shalmaneser V, invaded. So who was this last King whose reign ended when he was arrested by the Assyrians?

Answer: Hoshea (NOT Hosea!)

Not to be confused with the Old Testament prophet Hosea, King Hoshea was the nineteenth and last king of the Kingdom of Israel. His story is told in 2 Kings, Chapters 15, 17 and 18. One reason given for him refusing to pay the required taxes to the Assyrians was that he'd entered into an agreement with King So of Egypt.

Historians have some uncertainty about the identity of this Egyptian ruler; nevertheless this act resulted in severe retribution from the Assyrians. The Israelites continued to rebel against the Assyrians in Samaria after Hoshea's arrest but did not manage to overthrow the regime that treated them very harshly.

6. This man ruled the Chaldean Empire from approx 605-562 BC. According to the Book of Daniel, he conquered Jerusalem, sending the Jews into exile. He dreamed about a large tree which Daniel interpreted as meaning he would go insane for seven years; this then occurred. After this, the king repented and praised God. The Book of Jeremiah also records the actions of this man as he destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple. But who is this king, who is also credited with creating the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

Answer: Nebuchadnezzar II

The Egyptian empire was defeated at the Battle of Carchemish by the neo-Babylonians (Chaldeans) under King Nabopolassar in 605 BC, but the King himself died soon afterward. Rule of the Chaldean Empire passed on to his son Nebuchadnezzar II. During his 43-year reign, King Nebuchadnezzar II waged a series of wars with the nations around Babylon and continued the reconstruction of the capital commenced by his father.

The Hanging Gardens were created to comfort his homesick wife Amytis, by reminding her of her Persian homeland.

The story of the survival of the Jews Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego after Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the furnace is told in the third chapter of the Book of Daniel.

7. This king, a practicing Jew, is sometimes called 'the Great' although he was also a cruel tyrant. He ruled Judea on behalf of Rome for 37 years to his death at age 70 in 4 BC. One of his most infamous acts, described in Matthew (2:1-4, 7, 16) was to use his soldiers to kill all male children two years old and under in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus. So who was this king?

Answer: Herod

Herod was elected King of the Jews by the Roman Senate in 40 BC as one of the eventual consequences of the murder of Julius Caesar four years earlier. Herod eventually recaptured Jerusalem from Antigonus, the last of the Hasmonean kings of Judea. Antigonus had led a fierce struggle for Jewish independence against the might of Rome.

Herod's most notable contribution to Jerusalem was the rebuilding and large expansion of the Second Temple on Temple Mount. It was later destroyed by the Romans under Titus in 70 AD.

8. This ruler of Judea conducted the trial of Christ as described in several gospels including Mark Chapter 15, verses 1-15. He ruled from 26-36 AD, yet relatively little is known of the man whom Matthew described 'washing his hands' of responsibility for the ensuing crucifixion. Who was this man who asked the crowd whether they wanted him to release the thief Barabbas or the King of the Jews?

Answer: Pontius Pilate

In Matthew 27 verse 24, Pilate revealed what he thought of the accusations against Christ by the chief priests and elders by washing his hands and saying "I am innocent of this man's blood" and "It is your responsibility!". Pilate's birthplace is uncertain, with theories ranging from Bisenti in central Italy to Perthshire in Scotland. Similarly, there is academic dispute as to how and where he died.

In 1961, a dedication to Tiberius was discovered in ruins at Caesarea Maritima which refers to Pilate as the "Prefect of Judaea"; a term used to refer to Governors of the region.

9. This man became the second Roman Emperor after the death of Augustus in 14 AD. Luke 3:1 records that John the Baptist began preaching in the 15th year of this emperor's reign. Although he ruled in Rome throughout the latter half of Christ's life, historians are unsure whether this man knew much about Jesus and his preaching. So who was this emperor, who was also the adoptive grandfather of Caligula?

Answer: Tiberius

Tiberius was born in 42 BC and was emperor from 14 AD to his death 23 years later. For many centuries he was believed to be a ruthless tyrant, but some twentieth-century historians revised this, believing that especially early in his reign, he was wise and just. Nevertheless, by the end he had lost the support of the Senate and the people and news of his death was met with great rejoicing. Tiberias, the city on the western shore of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), is named in honor of this emperor.

10. The four gospels provide detailed accounts of this "King's" life and death, all told with slightly different perspectives. This man was both revered and feared; his death and subsequent resurrection are a focal point for Christian belief. So who is this man of whom the governor asked "Are you the King of the Jews?" at his trial?

Answer: Jesus Christ

Jesus upset the incumbent religious authorities by stating he was the Son of God and highlighting their double standards and hypocrisies. It was the Sanhedrin, the Jewish judicial body, which condemned Jesus and took him before Pilate. It is commonly accepted that Jesus was 33 years old when he was crucified.

Source: Author MikeMaster99

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Kind, clever or corrupt - catching Kings! Quiz

Kings (and other rulers) play a variety of roles in the Bible. Some are wise, some are pious and others are cruel. Based on a range of clues, can you identify a selection of these men? Some are relatively easy, some a little more obscure.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>