15 Fun Facts About Hard Bible Trivia

According to Genesis, how many years did Methuselah live?

Genesis 5:27 records that Methuselah lived 969 years before he died. The 365 belongs to his father Enoch in Genesis 5:23, and the 950 to Noah in Genesis 9:29.

After Judas Iscariot's death, the remaining apostles cast lots to fill his place. On whom did the lot fall?

Acts 1:26 says the lot fell on Matthias, who was then numbered with the eleven apostles. Barnabas, Stephen and Silas all appear later in Acts but were not part of that casting of lots.

The Philistine champion Goliath is identified in 1 Samuel as coming from which city?

1 Samuel 17:4 introduces him as "Goliath, of Gath". Gaza, Ashdod and Ekron were also Philistine cities, which is what makes the question worth asking.

Judges says Samson picked up the fresh jawbone of a donkey and struck down how many men with it?

Judges 15:15 gives the figure as a thousand men, killed with a jawbone Samson found on the spot.

The letter of 2 Timothy praises a faith said to have lived first in Timothy's grandmother. What was her name?

2 Timothy 1:5 names the grandmother as Lois and the mother as Eunice, so the two are easy to swap by mistake.

On which mountain did Elijah gather the prophets of Baal for the contest of the sacrifices?

1 Kings 18:19 has Elijah summon all Israel and the 450 prophets of Baal to Carmel. Nebo is where Moses views the promised land, and Sinai is where the law is given.

Who is stoned to death in Acts 7 while praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit"?

Acts 7:59-60 describes the stoning of Stephen and records that prayer as he died.

Which woman names her newborn son Samuel, saying "Because I have asked him of the LORD"?

1 Samuel 1:20 attributes both the naming and the explanation to Hannah. Elisabeth is the mother of John the Baptist, and Naomi is Ruth's mother-in-law.

What did Jacob hand over to Esau in the exchange that cost Esau his birthright?

Genesis 25:34 says Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils, after which Esau ate, drank and went his way.

In Philippians, Paul describes himself as a Hebrew of the Hebrews and a member of which tribe?

Philippians 3:5 lists his credentials, including circumcision on the eighth day and descent from the tribe of Benjamin.

After the shipwreck in Acts 27, the survivors reach an island that the King James Version calls what?

Acts 28:1 names the island Melita, generally identified with modern Malta. Crete appears earlier in the same voyage, which makes it the tempting wrong answer.

The writing that appeared on the wall at Belshazzar's feast read MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and what?

Daniel 5:25 gives the inscription as MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. Selah is a term found throughout the Psalms, and Maranatha appears in 1 Corinthians.

John's Gospel places the first of Jesus' miracles, the water turned to wine, in which town?

John 2:11 calls the wedding miracle "this beginning of miracles" and locates it in Cana of Galilee.

Exodus 3 finds Moses keeping the flock of his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. What is that man called there?

Exodus 3:1 calls him Jethro, priest of Midian. Laban is Jacob's father-in-law, and Eleazar is a son of Aaron.

Genesis says the ark came to rest upon the mountains of which region?

Genesis 8:4 places the resting point on the mountains of Ararat in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day. Moriah is the mountain of the binding of Isaac.