Can You Get 100% on This Biblical Geography Quiz?

Isadora Teich

Image: Nicolas Poussin

About This Quiz

Do you think you are a biblical geography whiz? The Bible is the most influential work in all of western literature. Whether you personally believe in the religions associated with it or not,  Christianity and the Bible have had a huge influence on mankind for centuries around the world. From Europe to the U.S. to even parts of Asia, Christianity has had a large impact historically and remains influential to this day. 

The Bible mentions many events that occurred and places that existed, though not everything mentioned in it happened literally. With this in mind, having a basic understanding of biblical places can help to form knowledge about history. The Bible mentions places like Israel, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the Roman Empire. It covers a portion of the ancient world and has even guided archaeologists and historians in their studies in some instances. People and events do not exist separately from their settings, and place can play a huge part in events. That is why it is important to not only know the characters and events and background of the Bible. If you want to truly understand it, you must also know about the places it talks about. 

If you think you are a biblical geography expert, try your hand at this quiz! 

Where was Jesus born?

The birth of Jesus is one of the most famous Biblical stories. He was born in Bethlehem, a city five miles south of Jerusalem.

Which of these places was once the capital of Egypt?

Alexandria was the capital of Egypt around 330 BC. It was famous for its ancient library and ornate lighthouse.

What river was Moses found in as a baby, floating in a basket?

As a baby, Moses was found by the Pharaoh's daughter floating down the Nile in a basket. His mother did this to try to help him escape death at the Pharaoh's orders.

Was Babylon a real place?

While the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are largely considered to be mythic, Babylon itself was a real place. This Mesopotamian city is estimated to have been the largest city in the Ancient World at different points in history.

What is the name of the garden that Adam and Eve lived in?

Right after creation, God planted the Garden of Eden. This is where Adam and Eve lived before they were exiled.

Where did Solomon build a temple to the Lord?

Solomon built a temple to the Lord on Mount Moriah. This was located in Jerusalem.

What river did the Pharaoh dream of in Genesis that only Joseph could interpret?

In Genesis, Pharaoh dreams that seven cows come out of the Nile. No one can interpret his dream, until he asks Joseph.

Which Biblical city is one of the oldest inhabited cities on earth?

Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth. Today it is the capital of Syria.

What sea is next to Israel?

Israel of the Old Testament and modern-day Israel share a Mediterranean shore in common. They both touch the easternmost part of the sea.

Which biblical place is identified with the modern country of Ethiopia?

The land of Cush in the bible is thought to roughly correspond with modern day Ethiopia. It is thought to be the home of the Queen of Sheba, who famously visited King Solomon.

Where did Abraham take Isaac to be sacrificed?

This is one of the most famous biblical stories. Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac on a mountaintop in Moriah, which is believed to be in Jerusalem by Christian and Jewish sources and near Mecca by Muslim sources.

Which river is said to have its origins in the Garden of Eden?

The Euphrates is one of the most important rivers in world history. With the Nile and Tigris rivers it helped to form the fertile crescent, where numerous ancient civilizations innovated and thrived.

Was the Garden of Eden a real place?

The Garden of Eden is considered mythological by most modern scholars. There have been some suggestions of its location throughout the Middle East, but these cannot be proved.

Where were the followers of Christ called Christians for the first time?

This occurred for the first time in the Greek city of Antioch. It was founded by one of Alexander the Great's generals and later became the capital of the Roman province, Syria.

Abraham traveled from Ur to:

Abraham traveled from Ur to Canaan. He made this journey by going through Haran.

In which biblical place is there said to be gold?

In Genesis, Havilah is said to be a land of gold. One of the four rivers which flows from the Garden of Eden skirts it.

According to the Bible, a river flowed into Eden and split into how many rivers on its way out?

Four rivers flowed out of the Garden of Eden. According to Genesis, they are the Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates.

In ancient times, which city was the southernmost part of Israel.

Today, Beersheba is the largest Israeli city in the Negev Desert of Southern Israel. Biblical patriarchs Abraham and Jacob were there in ancient days.

Akkad was a ___________ state.

Akkad was the capital of the Akkadian Empire, though no one is quite sure where it was. This empire politically dominated Mesopotamia for over a century,

The Israelites marched for 40 years from Egypt to The Promised Land. Where was the Promised Land?

Canaan was biblically the promised land where the Israelites settled initially, led by Moses. In modern times, this land took up parts of Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Syria.

John, who wrote the book of Revelation, was exiled to the Island of Patmos. Where was Patmos?

The Aegean Sea is part of the Mediterranean. It contains many Islands, including Patmos, and sits between Greece and Turkey.

Abraham was born in Ur. In modern times, which country would he have been born in?

Ur was located in lower Mesopotamia. This would have been modern-day Iraq.

In the Bible, which continent did Paul travel to as a missionary?

In Acts, Paul travels to Macedonia, Greece, and Italy. These are part of the European continent.

Where was Lazarus raised from the dead?

Jesus raised Lazarus in Bethany. It was a village outside of Jerusalem.

Where did Jesus ascend to heaven after his resurrection?

In Luke, Jesus ascends to heaven while his disciples watch. This took place in the village of Bethany.

On which mountain did Moses receive the Ten Commandments?

Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Scholars think this was located either in Egypt or Saudi Arabia.

Where did Jesus turn water into wine?

In the Gospel of John, Jesus attends a wedding in the city of Cana in Galilee. There he turns water into wine.

Soddom and Gomorrah were located near which sea?

These biblical cities were destroyed for turning away from God. Their ruins have been excavated near the shores of the Dead Sea.

Where did Noah's Ark eventually safely land?

Noah's ark came to rest in the Ararat mountain range after God's flood ended. Today, Mount Ararat is the highest peak in Turkey.

Where did the prophet Elijah come up against hundreds of prophets of Baal?

In 1 Kings, Elijah defeats 450 prophets of Baal. This occurs on Mount Carmel.

What was Mesopotamia?

Mesopotamia was a historic region in the Middle East within the Tigris-Euphrates river system. It roughly contained Iraq, Kuwait, parts of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Iran.

In which town did Jesus heal a blind man?

In biblical times, Jericho was a part of Israel. It was here that Jesus healed the blind man, Bartimaeus.

Where was the apostle Paul from?

In Acts, Paul talks about his life before becoming Christian. He was from the city of Tarsus, which is in present-day south-central Turkey.

The Israelites and the Moabites were often fighting with each other. The Moabites lived in Moab, which is which modern-day country?

Moab was located in present-day Jordan. It was on the eastern side of the Dead Sea.

Babylon was located in which present-day country?

While most scholars think that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are a myth, Babylon was a real place. It was located in modern-day Iraq.

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