Biblical Oddities #29 - Have You Met Your Match? Quiz

Answer: Rizpah

Rizpah was a concubine of King Saul who showed immense maternal love after her two sons Armoni and Mephiboshethand were executed by the Gibeonites.

In an extremely macabre situation, the bodies of her two sons were left hanging on a rocky craig. Scripture tells of Rizpah, guarding the bodies for months, preventing animals and birds from drawing near.

When David was told about Rizpah guarding the bodies of her sons, he made arrangements for a proper burial.

For details about Rizpah, see 2 Samuel 21:8-11.

Answer: Michal

King Saul detested, abhorred and loathed David, the young shepherd boy who became a national hero when he slayed the Philistine giant Goliath with a slingshot.

Meanwhile Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David and would eventually marry the future king.

Scripture tells of Saul granting permission to David to marry his daughter if he could produce one hundred Philistine foreskins, thinking David would be killed trying to achieve such a lofty goal.

Saul must have been flabbergast when David responded by producing two hundred Philistine foreskins to win Michal's hand.

According to Scripture, Saul spent most of his latter days trying to kill David, this even though he had no hard feelings for the king. It seems Saul became immensely jealous of David after he became a national hero and feared he would seize the throne from him.

It's interesting to note Michal is the only woman in the Bible specifically described as being in love with a man.

Answer: Zelophehad

There are some highly unusual names in the Bible and one of them has to be Zelophehad. In addition to having an unusual name, his family ended up in an unusual situation in which the inheritance laws were changed for Israel.

Zelophehad and his unnamed wife had no sons and five daughters -- Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirza. According to inheritance laws, Zelophehad's estate risked being lost because only sons could receive their late father's property.

Numbers 27 tells of the daughters taking their case before Moses, Eleazar the priest, and community leaders at the Tent of Meeting. The five women were successful in being able to inherit their father's estate. In other words, they established a new precedent for Israelite inheritance law.

According to an AI overview "their bold initiative is often celebrated as one of the first known legal challenges for women's rights to property in ancient history."

Answer: Jezebel

Jezebel is the correct answer. She was married to King Ahab and two of their sons became kings of the northern kingdom of Israel.

Jezebel's two sons who became kings were Ahaziah (1 Kings 22:51) and his successor Jehoram (sometimes referred to as Joram) 2 Kings 3:1.

Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. She is seen as the most wicked woman in the Bible, and that's saying a mouthful.

Naamah is the other Queen Mother who was not Jewish. She was an Ammonite who was married to Solomon. Their son Rehobaom replaced Solomon as king after his death.

Answer: Reuben

Scripture tells of Reuben, the oldest son of Jacob and Leah, being intimate with Bilhah, his father's concubine.

Before becoming Jacob's concubine, Bilhah had served as Rachel's handmaiden. Rachel was the younger sister of Leah and Jacob's second wife.

As a result of his actions, Reuben lost his distinction as the firstborn, with his birthright privileges given to the sons of Joseph, as per 1 Chronicles 5:1.

Answer: Barziillai

Barzillai is the correct answer. Ezra 2:61 states the daughter of Barzillai kept her maiden name when she married. In fact, Scripture states her husband took her name after marriage. Similar information can be found in Nehemiah 7:63.

She is the only woman in the Bible to keep her name after marriage. However, no name is given for the woman.

Barzillai was a Gileadite and was wealthy and powerful.

Answer: Sheba

Sheba was a rebel from the tribe of Benjamin who did all in his power to turn Israel against King David.

In the NKJV, Sheba is described as a "rebel" but in other Bible versions he is described as "a worthless man" or as a "troublemaker".

2 Samuel 20 tells of Sheba blowing a trumpet and proclaiming: "We have no share in David, nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!."

Sheba's actions led to a new rebellion against David on the heels of the death of Absalom. Absalom had been killed by Joab bringing an end to a bloody coup attempt.

Scripture tells of the people turning against Sheba and beheading him and then giving his bead to Joab, the commander of David's army.

No reason is given in Scripture for Sheba's hatred for David, but because he was a Benjamite, the same as King Saul, it is assumed by many he was part of a lingering resentment against David's reign.

Answer: Uzzah

Uzzah is one of a number of people who were struck dead in the Bible in a case of divine retribution .

According to Scripture, the Isrealites were given divine orders not to touch the Ark of God when it was being transported back to Israel after being in the hands of the Philistines.

Scripture tells of the oxen being used to transport the sacred item stumbling and Uzzah reaching out to steady things, as per 2 Samuel 6 and 1 Chronicles 13. As soon as Uzzah touched the Ark of God he was struck dead.

2 Samuel 6:6-7 explains things this way in the NKJV: "And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the Ark of God."

Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, is known as Uzza in some Bible versions.

An overview provided by AI states "the incident occurred because the Ark was not being transported properly. God instructed that it be carried by Levites using poles, not on a cart (Numbers 4:15, 1 Chronicles 15:15)."

Answer: Martha

Luke 10:41 quotes Jesus in the NKJV as saying, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things."

This is the only time Jesus is quoted as saying a woman's name twice in one breath.

To be fair, Jesus responded in a similar manner to two men.

In Luke 22:31, He states, "Simon, Simon," and in Acts 9:4 He states, "Saul, Saul."

In His conversation with Martha, Jesus said she was guilty of being caught up in the urgency of getting unimportant things done and should be like her sister Mary who was taking time to listen to Him speak.

For details, see Luke 10:38-42.

Answer: Anna

Anna is described as a prophetess in Luke 2:36, making her the only New Testament woman who is named and to be able to prophesies.

According to Scripture Anna experienced tremendous joy when baby Jesus was taken to the temple by Joseph and Mary.

After seeing Jesus, Luke 2:38 in the NKJV states: "And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem."

Scripture states Anna was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, "who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day."

It should be pointed out Acts 21:8-9 states Philip the evangelist had four "virgin daughters who prophesied", but no names are given.