Bible Quiz

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Music in the Bible

1. In which book does the Bible’s first reference to music appear?

2. Name the prophetess who sang a song of rejoicing on the completion of the Red Sea crossing.

3. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, how did the Last Supper end?

4. Whom did King Saul enlist to play the lyre for the purpose of soothing his troubled spirit?

5. After destroying Jabin, the king of Canaan, which two people sang together?

6. What book of the Bible tells of a song that cannot be learned except by 144,000 special individuals?

7. Who said, “Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen”?

8. Which famous king wrote 1,005 songs?

9. When the women of Israel sang a song that praised their king, who had slain “thousands,” and another man, who had slain “ten thousands,” they inspired jealousy in that king. Who was he?

10. Which prophet demanded the services of a minstrel to help himself prophesy?

Prepared by Michael Shoemaker, BR assistant editor.

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Answers

1. Genesis. The Bible’s first reference to music occurs in the list of Cain’s descendents, one of whom, Jubal, “was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe” (Genesis 4:21)

2. Miriam. After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and saw Pharaoh’s forces destroyed, Moses led the people in a song glorifying the Lord. Next his sister Miriam, the prophetess, “took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dancing” (Exodus 15:20). Then Miriam sang to the Israelites, repeating the song that Moses had sung.

3. With a hymn. Jesus ate his last meal with his disciples at a house in the city, and “when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26).

4. David. The Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king, he told Samuel, because “he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments” (1 Samuel 15:11). When the Lord’s spirit left Saul, it was replaced by an evil spirit that tormented him. Saul was advised to find a skillful lyre-player, whose music would make him well, and so he sought out and employed David. “And whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him” (1 Samuel 16:23).

5. Deborah and Barak. After the Israelites had been subjects of King Jabin of Canaan for 20 years, Deborah, an Israelite prophetess and Judge, summoned Barak and told him that the Lord commanded him to gather his men at Mount Tabor. The ensuing war destroyed Jabin. “Then sang Deborah and Barak… ‘I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel’ ” (Judges 5:1, 3).

6. Revelation. In his Vision of the apocalypse, John sees, standing on Mount Zion, the people who had been redeemed from the earth. Then he hears a voice from heaven, singing a new song, and says, “No one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth” (Revelation 14:3).

7. Amos, speaking for God. The prophet Amos, speaking God’s words, warned Israel that God despised their feasts, took no delight in their solemn assemblies and did not want to hear their songs and melodies. Instead, he said, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24).

8. Solomon. In extolling the wisdom of King Solomon, who was said to be wiser than all other men, the Bible says: “He also uttered three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five” (1 Kings 4:32).

9. Saul. When the young David killed Goliath, the giant Philistine champion, the Philistine army fled from the Israelites all the way back to the Philistine cities, Gath and Ekron. As the Israelite army returned home, the women came out of all the cities to meet King Saul with song and dance. But the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7), which made Saul angry, and he “eyed David from that day on” (1 Samuel 18:9).

10. Elisha. King Jehoram of the northern kingdom of Israel, in alliance with King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom, marched his army against the rebellious King Mesha of Moab. When lack of water brought their campaign to the brink of disaster, they visited the prophet Elisha so as to inquire of the Lord. Out of regard for Jehoshaphat, Elisha agreed to prophesy for them and told them to bring him a minstrel. “And when the minstrel played, the power of the Lord came upon [Elisha]” (2 Kings 3:15), and he prophesied that the Lord would give them water and victory over the Moabites.

Music in the Bible

1. In which book does the Bible’s first reference to music appear?
2. Name the prophetess who sang a song of rejoicing on the completion of the Red Sea crossing.
3. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, how did the Last Supper end?
4. Whom did King Saul enlist to play the lyre for the purpose of soothing his troubled spirit?
5. After destroying Jabin, the king of Canaan, which two people sang together?