Bible quiz
Old Testament Quiz
This Old Testament quiz has 15 multiple-choice questions that travel from Genesis to Malachi: Babel, Jericho, Deborah, Ruth and Boaz, young Samuel, Solomon's temple, Elijah, Esther, Nehemiah, the prophets and more. Questions range from easy to hard, and every answer shows the verse it comes from (BSB).
- Mixed levels
- 15 questions
- About 4 min
- Answers checked against the BSB
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Hi, I’m Pip. 15 questions, about 4 minutes. Every answer comes with its verse.
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1 of 15 · Easy
What does this Old Testament quiz cover?
The questions follow the Old Testament roughly in the order of most English Bibles. You start at the tower of Babel in Genesis, move through the conquest and the judges (Jericho, Deborah), the story of Ruth and the boyhood of Samuel, the kings and prophets (Solomon, Elijah, Naaman), the Persian period (Esther, Nehemiah), and finish with Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jonah and the last words of Malachi.
Some famous stories are left out on purpose because they have their own quizzes: Noah's ark, Moses and the Exodus, and David and Goliath. That leaves room for people and events that many readers half remember, such as how long Solomon spent building the temple or how long it took to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.
How can I use this quiz for Bible study or a class?
Use it as a map of the Old Testament. After each answer, note which book the verse comes from and where that book sits in the list of 39. By the end you have touched more than a dozen books, from the Law through History to the Prophets.
In a group, ask each person to read the verse aloud after the answer is revealed and to say one thing that happens just before or after it. If the group is new to the Bible, look first at how the Old and New Testaments fit together so the order of the books makes sense.
How should I study the Old Testament for a quiz like this?
Read the first chapter or two of a few books rather than trying to cover all 39 at once. Many of the answers here sit near the start of a book or a story: Jonah 1, Esther 2, 1 Samuel 3, Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 37.
Pay attention to numbers and places, because those are what most Old Testament questions test: seven dips in the Jordan, seven years for the temple, fifty-two days for the wall, the brook where ravens fed Elijah, the ship bound for Tarshish. If you want to go deeper into the first book, try the Genesis quiz next.
All questions and answers
Try each question first, then open the answer to see the verse it comes from (Berean Standard Bible).
1. According to Genesis 11, why was the city called Babel?Medium
- The LORD confused the language there
- Its tower was built of baked bricks
- Its tower reached to the heavens
- It was built on a plain in Shinar
Show answer
Answer: A. The LORD confused the language there
Genesis 11:9 says it was called Babel because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world.
“That is why it is called Babel, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole world, and from that place the LORD scattered them over the face of all the earth.”
2. According to Joshua 6, what happened when the people gave a great shout at Jericho?Easy
- The gates opened
- The wall collapsed
- The king surrendered
- The river parted
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Answer: B. The wall collapsed
When the people heard the horn and gave a great shout, the wall collapsed and they went straight into the city.
“So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.”
3. Which prophetess was judging Israel in Judges 4?Easy
- Miriam
- Huldah
- Deborah
- Hannah
Show answer
Answer: C. Deborah
Judges 4:4 names Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, as judging Israel at that time.
“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.”
4. According to Ruth 4, who took Ruth as his wife?Easy
- Obed
- Boaz
- Jesse
- Elimelech
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Answer: B. Boaz
Boaz took Ruth as his wife, and she gave birth to a son.
“So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And when he had relations with her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.”
5. In 1 Samuel 3, who answered the LORD, "Speak, for Your servant is listening"?Easy
- Elkanah
- Saul
- Jonathan
- Samuel
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Answer: D. Samuel
When the LORD called "Samuel! Samuel!" as before, the boy Samuel gave this answer.
“Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.””
6. According to 1 Kings 6, how many years did Solomon spend building the temple?Medium
- Three
- Seven
- Thirteen
- Twenty
Show answer
Answer: B. Seven
The temple was built in seven years, while Solomon's own palace took thirteen years.
“In his eleventh year and eighth month, the month of Bul, the temple was finished in every detail and according to every specification. So he built the temple in seven years.”
7. In 1 Kings 17, what brought Elijah bread and meat while he stayed by the brook?Medium
- Ravens
- Doves
- Angels
- Widows
Show answer
Answer: A. Ravens
The ravens brought Elijah bread and meat morning and evening, and he drank from the brook; a widow feeds him later in the chapter.
“The ravens would bring him bread and meat in the morning and evening, and he would drink from the brook.”
8. According to 2 Kings 5, how many times did Naaman dip himself in the Jordan?Medium
- Three
- Twelve
- Seven
- Forty
Show answer
Answer: C. Seven
Naaman dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had said, and his flesh was restored.
“So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.”
9. According to Esther 2, who had brought up Esther as his own daughter?Medium
- Haman
- Hegai
- King Xerxes
- Mordecai
Show answer
Answer: D. Mordecai
Mordecai had taken in Esther, the daughter of his uncle, after her father and mother died.
“And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter.”
10. According to Nehemiah 6, how long did it take to complete the wall?Hard
- 40 days
- 70 days
- 100 days
- 52 days
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Answer: D. 52 days
Nehemiah 6:15 says the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.
“So the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.”
11. In Isaiah 6, which beings called out "Holy, holy, holy"?Medium
- Cherubim
- Elders
- Seraphim
- Archangels
Show answer
Answer: C. Seraphim
Isaiah saw seraphim, each with six wings, calling out to one another.
“Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.””
12. In Ezekiel 37, what was the valley full of?Easy
- Dry bones
- Fallen tents
- Broken chariots
- Withered trees
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Answer: A. Dry bones
Ezekiel was set down in a valley full of bones, and he saw that they were very dry.
“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry.”
13. According to Daniel 6, what did Daniel say God sent to shut the lions' mouths?Easy
- A strong wind
- His angel
- A pillar of fire
- A deep sleep
Show answer
Answer: B. His angel
Daniel told the king that God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions.
“My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.””
14. In Jonah 1, where was the ship Jonah boarded bound for?Medium
- Joppa
- Nineveh
- Tarshish
- Damascus
Show answer
Answer: C. Tarshish
Jonah went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish, away from Nineveh where he had been sent.
““Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.”
15. According to Malachi 4, which prophet will be sent before the great and awesome Day of the LORD?Hard
- Elisha
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Elijah
Show answer
Answer: D. Elijah
Malachi 4:5 names Elijah the prophet, in the last chapter of the Old Testament in most English Bibles.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.”
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Old Testament?
Most Protestant Bibles have 39 Old Testament books, from Genesis to Malachi. Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include additional books, so their Old Testament is longer.
What is the last book of the Old Testament?
In most English Bibles it is Malachi, which ends with the promise to send Elijah the prophet before the Day of the LORD (Malachi 4:5).
Why are there no questions about Noah, Moses or Goliath?
Those stories have their own quizzes on this site, so this one spends its 15 questions on other people and books. Try the dedicated quizzes if you want those stories in depth.
Is the quiz suitable for beginners?
Yes. About half the questions are easy or well known, such as the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:20), and each answer shows its verse so you learn even when you guess.
Which translation are the verses from?
The verses shown with each answer are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB). The questions are written so they also work if you read along in another modern translation.