How Much Do You Know About Biblical Deaths?

By: Isadora Teich
Image: YouTube

About This Quiz

The Bible may be known as the Good Book, but that doesn't mean that a whole bunch of terrible things didn't happen in it - and a lot of those bad things resulted in an awful lot of dead people. Some of the deaths in the Bible are so numerous that all the deceased are not named, but others involve some of the most important characters. From heroes to villains to sidekicks to innocent bystanders, no one in the Bible is safe.

Sometimes Biblical deaths occur at the hand of God, whether you are the innocent firstborn of a sinner, a king who is turning his people away from the true God, or simply collateral involved in God proving a point about whether a particular city or country is full of bad guys. God also takes time to personally smite more than a few particularly deserving souls, sometimes using disease or something really nasty, and other times straight up delivering a lightning bolt or just death.

Other Biblical deaths take place at the end of a long, natural life, though these tend to be less remarked upon in the text. And yet others occur during the many battles, duels, and conquests of the Good Book's power struggles, as people do violence on each other often in the name of God. Let's see how well you remember which is which!

Who killed Goliath?

Goliath was a giant Philistine who hoped to end the constant conflict between the Israelites and Philistines in a one-on-one fight. Despite being less armed and smaller than Goliath, David won using a slingshot. He then cut off Goliath's head and brought it to Jerusalem.

Which of these Biblical figures died on the cross?

Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected 3 days later. He was the son of god.

Which of these Biblical cities did god destroy, killing everyone?

God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities which he found sinful. He destroyed the cities with fire and brimstone, killing almost all of their inhabitants.

Which of these characters died when they were turned into a pillar of salt?

When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he let Lot's family escape on the condition that none of them look back while they fled. Lot's wife looked back and was transformed into a pillar of salt.

How did God punish the cruel King Jehoram?

King Jehoram was a cruel king who had all of his brothers murdered so there was no competition for his throne. God dealt with him by giving him a painful bowel disease which ended with his bowels bursting out of his body.

Who called an assembly on the pretense of worshipping Baal, and then killed all of Baal's followers?

Jehu gathered all of the followers of Baal under the pretense of leading a sacrifice to their god. When they gathered, he had his men kill them all.

How did the evil King Ahab die?

Ahab, King of Israel, was killed in battle when an arrow struck him in the gap between his breastplate and shoulder armor, and dogs lapped up his blood. His death and the death of his wife Jezebel had been foreseen by the prophet Elijah 3 years before.

Which of these biblical figures died when they were thrown out of a window?

The evil queen Jezebel outlived her husband, only to be thrown out the window by her servants. When they went to collect her body for burial, dogs had eaten everything but her skull, hands, and feet.

Which of these characters died fleeing battle when their hair got caught in an oak tree?

Absalom was King David's conniving son, who tried to betray him and take the throne. When running away from battle his long hair got caught in a tree, and he was stabbed until dead.

Which biblical woman killed General Sisera?

After fleeing battle and trying to seek shelter in the tent of Jael, General Sisera met his death. She used a hammer to drive a tent peg through his head.

Who killed Samson?

While everyone knows the story of Delilah cutting Samson's hair, the source of his strength, while he slept and leaving him defenseless, not as many people know what happened to him after. He was taken prisoner by the Phillistines and one day, after they took him out of prison to mock him, he prayed to god for strength one last time and knocked down the support pillars of the building they were in, crushing his captors and himself.

What did God send to punish those who did not fear him enough?

In 2 Kings 17.25 and 17.26, god sicks lions on people to eat them. This is because they do not fear him or "know not the manner of the God of the land."

Samson, of the famous story of Samson and Delilah, is said to have killed 1,000 men with what?

Before Delilah cut his hair, which was the source of his strength, Samson was an Israelite hero known for his great feats of strength. One of these was killing 1,000 men using only a donkey's jawbone.

Why did Elijah have 450 men killed?

In order to prove that his god was better than Baal, Elijah suggested a prayer contest and 450 prophets of Baal met him on a mountaintop. After succeeding in having his god light an animal sacrifice on fire through prayer while the prophets could not, Elijah ordered that spectators murder all of the prophets.

Who did the city of Samaria eat when they were under siege for so long that the population was starving?

When the citizens of Samaria ran out of food, parents began to eat their own children and even made agreements with each other to eat each other's babies in a certain order. Some mothers would eat the babies of their neighbors and then back out of the agreement by hiding their own the next day.

Why was King Herod Agrippa struck down?

King of Juda Herod Agrippa had an ego so large that when his people claimed he was the voice of God, he agreed. For this, an angel struck him down and he was eaten alive by worms.

Which of these men was unpopular King of Israel who got murdered?

King of Eglon was known as a glutton and suppressor of the people of Israel. He was killed by judge Ehud, who claimed to have a message from god for Eglon and then stabbed him in the stomach.

Which biblical figure was killed when a stone was thrown at his head?

Abimelech killed dozens of his siblings and waged war on entire towns in order to try to take and keep power. He died in battle, when a woman on top of a wall threw a stone at his head.

Why was Er struck down by god?

No one knows exactly what Er did to earn god's wrath. In Genesis 38:7 it simply says that he was "wicked in the sight of the lord; and the lord slew him."

God killed all of the firstborn of which biblical place?

God swept several plagues over Egypt. One was the death of the firstborn children of all Egyptian families.

On which biblical figure's orders were about 3,000 people killed?

After Moses returned from 40 days atop the mountain in Exodus 32: 26-28, he found his people dancing naked and worshipping a golden calf. In response, he ordered every man on the lord's side to prove it by killing their neighbors, family, and friends. It's said that on this day about 3,000 people died.

Whose sons were burned to death by God in the Bible?

Aaron's sons, Abihu and Nadab, were burned to death by God after offering him "strange fire." Then Aaron was forbidden from mourning his sons' deaths, for he would also be killed if he did.

Why did David have Uriah killed?

David was sleeping with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. When she became pregnant, David sent her husband to the front lines of battle, so that he would die, and he did.

1 million people from which place were killed at once on a single day in the Bible?

In 2 Chronicles 14.9 Zerah the Ethiopian leads a million man army against King Asa of Judah, who had God's favor. When King Asa prayed to the lord for help, he smote the entire army and destroyed them.

Which Biblical killing did Satan have a direct hand in?

In order to prove to Satan that Job was genuinely devoted to god, and not just in favor of him because his life was going well, God destroyed his life. This included killing his family and slaves.

Which of these women prayed to God for beauty, which she used to seduce and murder an enemy?

Judith was a beautiful pious widow who prayed to God for help defeating her enemies. God granted her beauty, which she used to seduce and murder an Assyrian general. She partied with him and then cut off his head while he slept.

Why did God kill David and Bathsheba's baby?

David had Uriah killed after he impregnated his wife, Bathsheba, which displeased God. In order to punish David, God made their newborn baby very sick for a week and finally killed it.

Which of these people killed their own child?

Jephthah promised God that he would offer him a burned sacrifice of whatever greeted him when he returned home if he helped him slaughter the Ammonites. Jephthah went on to destroy 20 cities only to return home and be greeted by his daughter, who he had to burn to death.

Why were Achan and his family stoned and burned to death?

Achan displeased God by taking trinkets from Jericho during a massacre, so God ordered that he be destroyed. All of Israel then stoned Achan and his family, and after that set them on fire.

Which race did God kill all of?

In Deuteronomy, a race of giants called the Zamzummims is referred to by God. God says he killed all of them.

Who killed Agag, King of the Amalekites?

Samuel said that the lord ordered that all Amalekites be killed, but Saul broke that commandment by leaving their king Agag alive. Samuel completed it by hacking Agag to pieces.

42 boys who made fun of a prophet's bald head were killed by:

The prophet Elisha cursed a group of children who mocked him for being bald. After he did this, two bears came out of the woods and ripped the children apart.

Which man killed King Ahab's entire family?

Jehu killed one of Ahab's sons and his wife and was set on killing the rest of his family. The rulers of Jezreel were so intimidated by Jehu that when he demanded that all 70 of the king's son's heads be brought to him in baskets, they complied.

Why did God hate and kill King Jeroboam?

King Jeroboam of the Israelites made golden calves and encouraged people to make sacrifices to them. This angered God so much that he killed Jeroboam and his entire family.

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