This 2018 assessment paper explores biblical narratives spanning from creation accounts and early Israelite history to the Gospels and Pauline epistles. Major thematic elements highlighted in these thirty-nine questions involve the reigns and accountability of early Israelite monarchs, prophetic warnings from figures like Amos and Hosea, and crucial moments from the ministry and resurrection of Jesus. Use this practice session to test your knowledge thoroughly, paying close attention to the explanatory notes for each question to build a deeper grasp of the scriptures.
Topics in this paper
God created man and asked him to dominate all the following except
Distractor check: Options A, B, or C might be chosen if a student forgets the specific categories of physical creation listed in the biblical text. Reasoning to the answer: In Genesis 1:28, God explicitly commanded man to have dominion over physical creations such as fish, birds, and creeping animals that move on the earth. Spirits of the earth are never mentioned as part of this dominion because rule was granted solely over the physical creation. Common mistake: Assuming spiritual entities were included in the dominion mandate given to man.
Adam called Eve woman because she was
Distractor check: A student might mistakenly choose option B (a helper of man) or C (mother of mankind) by recalling general roles rather than the specific naming justification. Reasoning to the answer: Genesis 2:23 records that Adam named Eve 'Woman' specifically because she was taken directly out of Man, exclaiming that she was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, thereby emphasizing their close unity. Common mistake: Confusing the reason for her name with her general function as a companion.
Which of the following experiences did Joseph not go through? He was
Distractor check: Students could select option A, B, or C because Joseph's narrative famously includes being cast into a pit, sold into slavery, and imprisoned. Reasoning to the answer: While Joseph's journey in Genesis 37-50 involved being thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and imprisoned in Egypt, there is no biblical account of him being molested or raped; rather, Potiphar's wife attempted seduction and he fled. Common mistake: Confusing Potiphar's wife's attempted seduction with physical assault.
Joseph earned his brothers' hatred because
Distractor check: Students often pick option B (he was a dreamer) or C (Jacob had more love for Joseph) because those are prominent themes in the narrative. Reasoning to the answer: Although Jacob's favoritism and Joseph's prophetic dreams exacerbated tensions, Genesis 37:2 explicitly notes that the initial cause of his brothers' hatred was that he brought a bad report about them to their father. Common mistake: Overlooking the specific initial trigger of carrying an ill report in favor of the more famous dreams.
As Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he told them that God allowed him to be sold into slavery so as to
Distractor check: A student might pick option C (punish them) or D (seek revenge) by misinterpreting Joseph's emotional reunion as an act of retribution. Reasoning to the answer: When revealing his identity to his brothers, Joseph explained in Genesis 50:20 that although they intended harm, God orchestrated his enslavement for good to accomplish the saving of many lives during the severe famine. Common mistake: Forgetting the theological theme of divine providence overriding human malice.
The parents of Moses belonged to the tribe of
Distractor check: Option A (Judah) is a frequent guess because Judah became the prominent royal and genealogical tribe later in Israel's history. Reasoning to the answer: According to Exodus 2:1, both the mother and father of Moses belonged to the tribe of Levi, making them Levites who were later set apart for sacred priestly duties. Common mistake: Attributing Moses' lineage to the royal tribe of Judah.
The parents of Moses did the following to ensure his survival except
Distractor check: Students might mistakenly select option B, C, or A by forgetting which specific action was performed by a family member rather than the parents themselves. Reasoning to the answer: Exodus 2:1-4 details how Moses' parents hid him for three months, placed him in a waterproofed basket, and cast that basket into the Nile River to save him. His sister watching over him from a distance was her own protective initiative rather than a direct action of the parents. Common mistake: Failing to distinguish between actions taken by the parents and actions taken by Moses' sister.
'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!' This statement was a manifestation of Israel’s
Distractor check: A student might choose option A (unfaithfulness) or B (immorality) by viewing the golden calf incident as a general moral failure. Reasoning to the answer: When Aaron fashioned the golden calf and proclaimed it as the god that brought Israel out of Egypt, the people engaged in direct idol worship, which violated the second commandment against graven images shortly after the Exodus. Common mistake: Confusing general covenant unfaithfulness with the specific sin of idolatry.
Before Joshua’s appointment as successor to Moses, he was a
Distractor check: Option A (commander of the army) is a common distractor because Joshua later led military campaigns in Canaan. Reasoning to the answer: Exodus 24:13 and 33:11 explicitly describe Joshua as Moses' personal minister or aide who waited at the tent of meeting, which served as his preparation for leadership. Common mistake: Assuming Joshua held a formal military command position before becoming Moses' successor.
Deborah, a prophetess who was a judge in Israel, was the wife of
Distractor check: Option A (Barak) is a popular guess because Barak fought alongside Deborah against Sisera in the military campaign. Reasoning to the answer: Judges 4:4 identifies Deborah as a prophetess and judge who led Israel alongside Barak, and explicitly states that she was the wife of Lappidoth. Common mistake: Confusing Deborah's military partner Barak with her husband Lappidoth.
The two sons of Eli were
Distractor check: Students might pick option C (Joel and Abijah) by confusing Eli's corrupt sons with the later wayward sons of the prophet Samuel. Reasoning to the answer: 1 Samuel 1:3 and 2:22 clearly name Eli's wicked sons who served as priests at Shiloh as Hophni and Phinehas. Common mistake: Mixing up the genealogy of Eli with the sons of Samuel.
The sons of Eli were worthless because they
Distractor check: A student might select option A (stole offering) or C (seized offering) by misreading the exact phrasing used to describe their temple misconduct. Reasoning to the answer: 1 Samuel 2:17 explains that the sin of Eli's sons was extremely severe in the sight of the Lord because they treated the divine offerings with contempt through their unauthorized actions. Common mistake: Using colloquial terms like stealing rather than the biblical description of treating offerings with contempt.
'It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.' This statement by Eli shows that God
Distractor check: Students might select option B (knows everything) because it sounds like a general theological attribute of God. Reasoning to the answer: Eli's statement in 1 Samuel 3:18 where he accepts the severe judgment pronounced against his household demonstrates his submission to God's ultimate sovereignty in making the final decision over human affairs. Common mistake: Misinterpreting submission to divine judgment as a statement of omniscience.
The direct consequence of the behaviour of the sons of Eli was
Distractor check: A student might choose option D (Israel's request for a king) by connecting overall leadership failures to the later establishment of the monarchy. Reasoning to the answer: 1 Samuel 4 details how the unworthiness of the corrupt priests Hophni and Phinehas led the Israelites to take the ark into battle as a talisman, resulting in its capture by the Philistines and the immediate deaths of the sons of Eli. Common mistake: Attributing the loss of the ark to general national sin rather than the direct consequence of the priests' behavior.
The elders of Israel went to Samuel to request for a king at
Distractor check: Option A (Jerusalem) or B (Gilgal) are common guesses since they served as major administrative or religious centers later in biblical history. Reasoning to the answer: 1 Samuel 8:4-5 records that the elders of Israel gathered together specifically at Ramah to present their formal request to Samuel for a king to govern them like surrounding nations. Common mistake: Assuming the request for a king took place at a major capital city like Jerusalem.
Why did God command Saul to entirely destroy Amalek?
Distractor check: Option A (serving foreign gods) is a frequent misconception since foreign worship was a common reason for divine judgment in Israelite history. Reasoning to the answer: According to Deuteronomy 25:17-19 and 1 Samuel 15:2-3, God commanded the total destruction of Amalek as retribution because the Amalekites had maliciously ambushed the weary Israelites on their way out of Egypt during the Exodus. Common mistake: Believing the Amalekites were destroyed for idolatry rather than their historical hostility during the Exodus.
God repented that He made Saul King because he
Distractor check: A student might choose option A (utterly destroyed the Amalekites) by misremembering whether Saul followed or disobeyed the divine command. Reasoning to the answer: 1 Samuel 15:11 and 35 state that the Lord deeply regretted making Saul king because Saul turned away from following Him and failed to carry out all instructions regarding the total destruction of Amalek. Common mistake: Assuming Saul successfully completed the destruction commanded by God.
God sent an evil spirit to torment Saul because
1) Distractor check: Students might incorrectly select option A, thinking God wanted to introduce David to Saul immediately, or option D, believing God desired musical entertainment for Saul. These seem plausible because music eventually played a role, but the text explicitly identifies the primary theological cause. 2) Reasoning to the answer: An evil spirit tormented Saul because the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, which happened as a consequence of his disobedience to Samuel. This divine departure opened the door for torment, and David's music subsequently provided relief. 3) Common mistake: Confusing the secondary outcome (David playing the lyre) with the primary cause (the departure of the Lord's Spirit due to disobedience).
Which of the following people was ready to strike King Saul at the wilderness of Ziph?
1) Distractor check: A student might choose option B (Abner) or option D (Joab) because they are prominent military commanders mentioned frequently alongside David or Saul, making them seem like likely candidates for a nighttime raid in the wilderness. 2) Reasoning to the answer: When David and his nephew went into the camp at Ziph while Saul and his guards were fast asleep, Abishai offered to pin Saul to the earth with a single spear thrust. David ultimately refused to allow this harm against God's anointed. 3) Common mistake: Confusing Abishai with Abner, who was actually the commander of Saul's army rather than David's nephew offering the strike.
David spared Saul’s life at Ziph because David
1) Distractor check: Option C is tempting because Abner's poor guard duty was evident when David slipped into the camp, but Abner was Saul's commander, not the reason David stayed his hand. Option A is also a plausible-sounding distractor about military rules, but it lacks biblical backing. 2) Reasoning to the answer: David refrained from killing Saul at Ziph, just as he had previously at En-gedi, because he respected Saul as God's anointed leader. Despite facing personal peril, David refused to lift a hand against the man chosen by God. 3) Common mistake: Assuming David's restraint was based on tactical military codes rather than his strict reverence for God's anointed appointment.
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