50 1 Samuel Bible Quiz Questions and Answers

From Hannah's prayer to David and Goliath, 1 Samuel tells how Israel got its first king. See how well you know it.

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Bible Arena · Bible trivia

Easy questions

  1. Question 1Easy

    In the Old Testament, a hollowed-out animal horn was commonly used as a flask to hold anointing oil.

    Answer: True1 Samuel 16:1
    And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
  2. Question 2Easy

    Who was Nabal's intelligent and beautiful wife?

    Answer: A. Abigail1 Samuel 25:3
    Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
  3. Question 3Easy

    Abigail brought food to David's men without telling her husband.

    Answer: True1 Samuel 25:19
    And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
  4. Question 4Easy

    What did David do after Nabal died?

    Answer: C. He asked Abigail to marry him1 Samuel 25:39-40
    And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent …
  5. Question 5Easy

    Which two sons of Eli died on the same day?

    Answer: D. Hophni and Phinehas1 Samuel 4:11
    And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
  6. Question 6Easy

    Peninnah provoked Hannah because Hannah had no children.

    Answer: True1 Samuel 1:6
    And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
  7. Question 7Easy

    What was the name of Hannah's rival wife?

    Answer: C. Peninnah1 Samuel 1:2
    And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
  8. Question 8Easy

    How many smooth stones did David choose from the stream when preparing to fight Goliath?

    Answer: B. Five1 Samuel 17:40
    And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
  9. Question 9Easy

    What did Jesse send with David to his brothers at the camp?

    Answer: D. Grain and loaves of bread1 Samuel 17:17
    And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;
  10. Question 10Easy

    Where did David escape to after leaving Gath?

    Answer: D. The cave of Adullam1 Samuel 22:1
    David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.

Medium questions

  1. Question 11Medium

    When the Philistines returned the Ark of the Covenant, to which town did the cows carry it, lowing as they went?

    Answer: B. Beth Shemesh1 Samuel 6:12
    And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
  2. Question 12Medium

    Who visited David at Horesh to help him find strength in God?

    Answer: D. Jonathan1 Samuel 23:16
    And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
  3. Question 13Medium

    What proverb was repeated when Saul prophesied at Naioth?

    Answer: B. Is Saul also among the prophets?1 Samuel 19:24
    And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
  4. Question 14Medium

    King Saul and the army completely destroyed everything belonging to the Amalekites, as God commanded.

    Answer: False1 Samuel 15:9
    But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
  5. Question 15Medium

    Where was Nabal's property located?

    Answer: C. Carmel1 Samuel 25:2
    And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
  6. Question 16Medium

    What lie did David tell Ahimelech about why he was alone?

    Answer: C. The king has sent me on a secret mission1 Samuel 21:2
    And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
  7. Question 17Medium

    Where did the Philistines place the captured Ark of God?

    Answer: D. In the temple of Dagon at Ashdod1 Samuel 5:2
    When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
  8. Question 18Medium

    Michal was King Saul's younger daughter, while Merab was the older.

    Answer: True1 Samuel 14:49
    Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:
  9. Question 19Medium

    After David defeated Goliath, what song did the women sing that made Saul angry?

    Answer: A. Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands1 Samuel 18:7
    And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
  10. Question 20Medium

    After the Philistines placed the Ark of God in Dagon's temple, what happened to Dagon's statue on the second morning?

    Answer: D. Fallen on its face, head and hands broken off1 Samuel 5:4
    And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
  11. Question 21Medium

    Who was the only son of Ahimelech to escape the slaughter at Nob?

    Answer: A. Abiathar1 Samuel 22:20
    And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
  12. Question 22Medium

    Who gathered to David at the cave of Adullam?

    Answer: C. All those who were in distress, in debt, or discontented1 Samuel 22:2
    And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
  13. Question 23Medium

    When King Saul inquired of the Lord before the battle against the Philistines, the Lord answered him by dreams and prophets.

    Answer: False1 Samuel 28:6
    And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
  14. Question 24Medium

    Achish king of Gath gave the town of Ziklag to David.

    Answer: True1 Samuel 27:6
    Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
  15. Question 25Medium

    What did Samuel name the stone he set up between Mizpah and Shen?

    Answer: D. Ebenezer (Stone of Help)1 Samuel 7:12
    Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
  16. Question 26Medium

    Where did David put Goliath's head?

    Answer: C. Jerusalem1 Samuel 17:54
    And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
  17. Question 27Medium

    How did the Lord defeat the Philistines at Mizpah?

    Answer: D. With loud thunder1 Samuel 7:10
    And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
  18. Question 28Medium

    How much of what was taken from Ziklag did David recover?

    Answer: C. Everything; nothing was missing1 Samuel 30:19
    And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
  19. Question 29Medium

    How long did David fight the Amalekites to recover the spoil?

    Answer: D. From twilight until the evening of the next day1 Samuel 30:17
    And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.
  20. Question 30Medium

    Besides the priests, who else did Doeg kill in Nob?

    Answer: A. Men, women, children, and livestock1 Samuel 22:19
    And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
  21. Question 31Medium

    What did King Saul throw at David while David was playing the harp?

    Answer: D. A spear1 Samuel 18:11
    And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
  22. Question 32Medium

    How many chosen men did Saul take to hunt David in the Desert of Ziph?

    Answer: A. 3,0001 Samuel 26:2
    Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
  23. Question 33Medium

    Who came to Eli to pronounce judgment on his house?

    Answer: A. A man of God1 Samuel 2:27
    And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
  24. Question 34Medium

    How many Philistines did David kill to marry Michal, doubling the amount Saul requested?

    Answer: D. 2001 Samuel 18:27
    Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
  25. Question 35Medium

    What did King Saul's armor-bearer do when he saw that Saul was dead?

    Answer: C. He fell on his own sword and died1 Samuel 31:5
    And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

Hard questions

  1. Question 36Hard

    What did Abigail bring to David to stop him from killing Nabal?

    Answer: B. Bread, wine, sheep, grain, raisins, and figs1 Samuel 25:18
    Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
  2. Question 37Hard

    To whom had Saul given his daughter Michal, David's wife?

    Answer: C. Palti (Paltiel)1 Samuel 25:44
    But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.
  3. Question 38Hard

    After the capture of the Ark, what did the dying wife of Phinehas name her son, meaning 'The glory has departed'?

    Answer: A. Ichabod1 Samuel 4:21
    And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
  4. Question 39Hard

    What instrument did Eli's sons use to take meat from the boiling pot?

    Answer: A. A three-pronged fork1 Samuel 2:13
    And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
  5. Question 40Hard

    Which animals did the Philistines choose to pull the cart carrying the Ark of the Covenant?

    Answer: C. Two cows that had calved and never been yoked1 Samuel 6:7
    Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
  6. Question 41Hard

    After defeating the Amalekites, to which towns did David send a portion of the plunder?

    Answer: C. Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir1 Samuel 30:26-31
    And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir, And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa, And to them which were in Rachal, and …
  7. Question 42Hard

    How much did Goliath's bronze coat of scale armor weigh?

    Answer: D. 5,000 shekels (about 125 lbs)1 Samuel 17:5
    And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
  8. Question 43Hard

    In whose temple did the Philistines place King Saul's armor?

    Answer: D. Ashtoreths1 Samuel 31:10
    And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.
  9. Question 44Hard

    How is Saul described physically before he became king?

    Answer: A. As an impressive young man without equal, a head taller than others1 Samuel 9:2
    And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
  10. Question 45Hard

    Which people did David raid while living in Ziklag?

    Answer: C. Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites1 Samuel 27:8
    And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
  11. Question 46Hard

    Who retrieved the bodies of King Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan?

    Answer: A. The valiant men of Jabesh Gilead1 Samuel 31:11-12
    And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul; All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
  12. Question 47Hard

    How many Israelite foot soldiers fell in the battle where the Ark was captured?

    Answer: B. 30,0001 Samuel 4:10
    And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
  13. Question 48Hard

    What condition did Nahash the Ammonite demand for making a treaty with Jabesh Gilead?

    Answer: C. Gouge out the right eye of every man1 Samuel 11:2
    And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
  14. Question 49Hard

    With whom did David leave his parents for safety?

    Answer: D. The king of Moab1 Samuel 22:3
    And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
  15. Question 50Hard

    How did Abigail describe David's life in God's care?

    Answer: D. Bound in the bundle of the living1 Samuel 25:29
    Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

Answer key

  1. True (1 Samuel 16:1)
  2. A. Abigail (1 Samuel 25:3)
  3. True (1 Samuel 25:19)
  4. C. He asked Abigail to marry him (1 Samuel 25:39-40)
  5. D. Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 4:11)
  6. True (1 Samuel 1:6)
  7. C. Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:2)
  8. B. Five (1 Samuel 17:40)
  9. D. Grain and loaves of bread (1 Samuel 17:17)
  10. D. The cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1)
  11. B. Beth Shemesh (1 Samuel 6:12)
  12. D. Jonathan (1 Samuel 23:16)
  13. B. Is Saul also among the prophets? (1 Samuel 19:24)
  14. False (1 Samuel 15:9)
  15. C. Carmel (1 Samuel 25:2)
  16. C. The king has sent me on a secret mission (1 Samuel 21:2)
  17. D. In the temple of Dagon at Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:2)
  18. True (1 Samuel 14:49)
  19. A. Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands (1 Samuel 18:7)
  20. D. Fallen on its face, head and hands broken off (1 Samuel 5:4)
  21. A. Abiathar (1 Samuel 22:20)
  22. C. All those who were in distress, in debt, or discontented (1 Samuel 22:2)
  23. False (1 Samuel 28:6)
  24. True (1 Samuel 27:6)
  25. D. Ebenezer (Stone of Help) (1 Samuel 7:12)
  26. C. Jerusalem (1 Samuel 17:54)
  27. D. With loud thunder (1 Samuel 7:10)
  28. C. Everything; nothing was missing (1 Samuel 30:19)
  29. D. From twilight until the evening of the next day (1 Samuel 30:17)
  30. A. Men, women, children, and livestock (1 Samuel 22:19)
  31. D. A spear (1 Samuel 18:11)
  32. A. 3,000 (1 Samuel 26:2)
  33. A. A man of God (1 Samuel 2:27)
  34. D. 200 (1 Samuel 18:27)
  35. C. He fell on his own sword and died (1 Samuel 31:5)
  36. B. Bread, wine, sheep, grain, raisins, and figs (1 Samuel 25:18)
  37. C. Palti (Paltiel) (1 Samuel 25:44)
  38. A. Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:21)
  39. A. A three-pronged fork (1 Samuel 2:13)
  40. C. Two cows that had calved and never been yoked (1 Samuel 6:7)
  41. C. Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir (1 Samuel 30:26-31)
  42. D. 5,000 shekels (about 125 lbs) (1 Samuel 17:5)
  43. D. Ashtoreths (1 Samuel 31:10)
  44. A. As an impressive young man without equal, a head taller than others (1 Samuel 9:2)
  45. C. Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites (1 Samuel 27:8)
  46. A. The valiant men of Jabesh Gilead (1 Samuel 31:11-12)
  47. B. 30,000 (1 Samuel 4:10)
  48. C. Gouge out the right eye of every man (1 Samuel 11:2)
  49. D. The king of Moab (1 Samuel 22:3)
  50. D. Bound in the bundle of the living (1 Samuel 25:29)
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What is the Book of 1 Samuel about?

1 Samuel is the ninth book of the Bible. It opens with Hannah, who prays for a son and then gives him to serve the Lord. As a boy at Shiloh, Samuel hears God call his name and answers, "Speak; for thy servant heareth" (1 Samuel 3:10). The ark is captured by the Philistines and later sent back, and Samuel leads Israel as prophet and judge.

When the people ask for a king like the other nations, Samuel anoints Saul (1 Samuel 10:1). Saul disobeys God and is rejected, and Samuel anoints the young shepherd David, for "the LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). David defeats Goliath with a sling and a stone (1 Samuel 17:49) and becomes close friends with Saul's son Jonathan. Jealous Saul hunts David for years. The book ends with Saul and his sons dying in battle on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:1–6).

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