Match These Old Testament Characters -- #8 Quiz

Answer: High priest

According to Genesis 14:18, Melchizedek was the king of Salem and the high priest of God Most High who blessed Abram. (In the NIV he is described as the king of Salem and as priest of God Most High rather than the 'high' priest of God Most High.)

In addition to Genesis 14:18, Melchizedek's name appears once in Psalm 110:4 in the NKJV and no less than nine times in the Book of Hebrews -- 5:6, 10, 6:20, 7:1, 10, 11 15, 17, 21.

Psalm 110:4, in the NKJV Bible, states: "The LORD has sworn and will not relent, 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek'."

In a nutshell, the writer of Hebrews makes a comparison between Melchizedek and Jesus and states Christ is far greater. Hebrews 7:20-23, in the NKJV, states: "And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:
'The LORD has sworn
And will not relent,
You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek,'
by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

Answer: King of Judah

Scripture states Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa and he became the fourth king of Judah. After reigning for twenty-five years, Jehoshaphat was succeeded by his son Jehoram. Jehoshaphat attempted to end idolatry and did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as per 1 Kings 22:43, but Scripture states the people continued to burn incense in the high places.

Despite his apparent love for the LORD, Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with King Ahab and his wife Jezebel of the northern kingdom. Ahab and Jezebel were two of the most unpopular people in the Old Testament, largely because of their persecution of the LORD'S prophets and their worship of other gods.

Answer: Hananiah

Shadrach is the name given to Hananiah by King Nebuchadezznar. At the same time, the name Belteshazzar was given to Daniel, Meshach to Mishael and Abed-Nego to Azariah.

According to the third chapter of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abedn-Nego were thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar because they refused to bow down and worship an image of gold he had made.

However, Scripture states the men were not harmed by the immense heat of furnace, even though the flames killed the soldiers who were attempting to take Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego to their doom.

Hananiah is a common name in the Old Testament with more than ten men sharing the name. According to the Website Christiananswers.net, Hannaniah means Jehovah has given.

Answer: Assassinated King Joash

Jozachar was one of the two servants who assassinated Joash, the king of Judah, as per 2 Kings 12:21. He was assisted by Jehozabad.

Scripture reports Jozachar was the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad was the son of Shomer. According to 2 Kings 12:20, Joash was assassinated at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla. Joash was buried with his ancestors in the City of David and Amaziah, his son, succeeded him as king. Scripture reports Joash reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah and she was from Beersheba.

Answer: Mother of Absalom

According to 2 Samuel 3:3, Maacah was the mother of Absalom. The verse goes on to state she was the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. However, not much is known about her as she is mentioned in passing reference.

When it comes to Absalom, it's a bit of a long story. In a nutshell, he plunged the country into civil war when he attempted to oust King David his father. It all came to an ignoble end when Absalom died a highly unusual death during a heated battle between forces loyal to the two men. According to 2 Samuel 18, the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim and 20,000 men were killed. According to Scripture, Absalom had beautiful long hair that got caught in a tree branch while he was riding on a donkey. After Absalom was left hanging in mid-air, Joab, one of David's three military commanders, killed him.

Answer: Mother of Adonijah

Adonijah, the son of David and Haggith, came ever-so-close to becoming king, it seems. The first chapter of 1 Kings tells of Adonijah proclaiming himself as king when David was old and frail and basically out of it.

However, Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, and Nathan the prophet intervened. After telling David what was happening, Solomon was officially proclaimed king, as per 1 Kings 1:8-45.

It appears one of Adonijah's crucial mistakes was that he did not get support from Nathan.

Not much is known about Haggith as she is mentioned in passing reference.

Answer: Father of 12 sons

According to Scripture, Jacob was the father of twelve sons and one daughter. The names of the sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin, according to Genesis 35:23-26. Dinah was the lone female, as per Genesis 30:21. The mothers of the children were Leah, Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah.

Answer: Head cut off

According to Scripture, Ishbosheth was assassinated while he slept in his bed and his head was cut off.

It's a bit of a long story, but Ishbosheth was the son of Saul and after his father died he became king of Israel. However, the people of Judah enthroned David as their king and the Israelites were involved in a bloody civil as a result. The war came to an end with Ishbosheth's death.

2 Samuel 4:4-8 in the NKJV explains Ishbosheth's gruesome death this way: "Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon. And they came there, all the way into the house, as though to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain. And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, 'Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.'"

Scripture goes on to state that the assassination angered David and he reacted by ordering the execution of the killers.

The chapter concludes by stating David's "young men" executed the assassins, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. Then they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

Answer: Mesopotamia or Aram Naharaim

Rebekah was originally from Mesopotamia, according to the KJV and the NKJV. (In the NIV, the location is given as Aram Naharaim.) Scripture states Abraham sent his senior servant to Mesopotamia to find a wife for his son Isaac.

Genesis 24:10-15, in the NKJV, tells this about the selection of Rebekah as Isaac's wife: "Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, for all his master's goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, 'O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink' -- let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master'. And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder."

Answer: Temple gate keeper

Meshelemiah was a temple gate keeper in the days of King David. However, not much is known about him as he is mentioned largely in passing reference. 1 Chronicles 26:1 states he was the son or Kore, who was one of the sons of Asaph. According to the Website Christiananswers.net, Meshelemiah means 'friendship of Jehovah'.