Bible Quiz: Who Are They? Answers from Scripture
Judaism
"Noticing Joseph's sons, Israel asked, 'Who are these?'" — Genesis 48:8 (JPS Tanakh) Genesis 48:8
The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) is rich with identity-focused moments that form the backbone of any 'who are they?' Bible quiz. One of the most famous comes from Genesis, when the aging patriarch Israel — that is, Jacob — looks at the two boys Joseph has brought before him and asks a pointed question Genesis 48:8.
The answer, of course, is Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph's sons born in Egypt, whom Israel proceeds to bless and adopt as his own tribal heirs. This scene is foundational in Jewish tradition and is still echoed in the Friday-night blessing parents give their sons: "May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh."
Numbers adds more 'who are they?' quiz fodder. When the land of Canaan is to be divided, the text names the responsible leaders explicitly: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun Numbers 34:17. Rabbinic commentary (e.g., Rashi, 11th century) emphasizes that naming these two together signals a transfer of spiritual and civil authority from the Mosaic generation to the next.
Another key figure is Caleb son of Jephunneh, singled out alongside Joshua as one of only two spies who remained loyal to God and were therefore permitted to enter the Promised Land Numbers 32:12. In a quiz context, 'Who were the two faithful spies?' — the answer is Joshua and Caleb — is a classic question drawn directly from this passage.
The Levites listed in Nehemiah, including Jeshua son of Azaniah and Kadmiel, represent another layer of 'who are they?' trivia tied to the post-exilic restoration community Nehemiah 10:10.
Christianity
"And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?" — Genesis 48:8 (KJV) Genesis 48:8
Christian Bible quizzes draw heavily on the same Old Testament narratives, since the Hebrew scriptures form the first two-thirds of the Christian Bible. The King James Version renders the Genesis moment with the same dramatic weight: Israel sees Joseph's sons and asks the pivotal question Genesis 48:8. For Christian quiz purposes, the answer — Ephraim and Manasseh — carries typological significance too; many Church Fathers read Jacob's crossed-hands blessing as a foreshadowing of the cross.
Numbers is equally quiz-rich. Moses commanding Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun to oversee the tribal land allotments Numbers 32:28 is a staple question in Bible Bowl competitions and Sunday school trivia. Joshua's full identity — son of Nun, successor to Moses, conqueror of Canaan — is one of the most tested 'who is he?' answers in Christian Bible quizzes.
Caleb son of Jephunneh is another frequent answer. The passage in Numbers 32:12 distinguishes him and Joshua as the only members of their generation to remain faithful Numbers 32:12, making 'Who were the two exceptions among the wilderness generation?' a reliable quiz question.
Christian educators like those behind the AWANA and Bible Bowl programs have long used these exact passages as source material. The naming conventions in Numbers — tribe, father's name, role — are precisely what quiz formats exploit. Disagreement among Christian denominations on these passages is minimal; they're treated as straightforward historical-narrative texts.
Islam
"And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous." — Qur'an 6:85 (Sahih International) Quran 6:85
Not applicable in the strict quiz-passage sense. The specific 'who are they?' scenes in Genesis and Numbers are drawn from Biblical narrative texts that don't appear in the Qur'an in quiz-answerable form. However, the Qur'an does name several of the same prophetic figures that appear in Bible trivia — including Jesus, John (Yahya), Zechariah, and Elias — affirming them collectively as righteous Quran 6:85Quran 6:85. Islamic tradition venerates these figures but doesn't frame their stories as quiz-style identity puzzles in the way Biblical narrative does. For a 'Bible quiz' specifically, this section is out of scope.
Where they agree
Both Judaism and Christianity agree on the core 'who are they?' answers drawn from the shared Hebrew scriptures. Israel's question about Joseph's sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) Genesis 48:8Genesis 48:8, the leadership duo of Eleazar and Joshua Numbers 34:17Numbers 32:28, and the faithful pair of Joshua and Caleb Numbers 32:12 are accepted as authoritative historical narrative in both traditions. There's no meaningful disagreement between the two faiths on the identity of these figures — only on their typological or theological significance.
Where they disagree
| Question / Figure | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob's crossed-hands blessing (Gen 48) | Understood as a reversal of birth-order precedence; Ephraim elevated over Manasseh | Often read typologically as foreshadowing the cross (e.g., Justin Martyr, 2nd century) | Not directly addressed in Qur'anic text |
| Joshua's primary significance | Military leader and faithful successor to Moses; central in Talmudic tradition | Seen by many Church Fathers as a type of Jesus (Yeshua = Joshua = 'God saves') | Not applicable in this quiz context |
| Levite lists (Nehemiah 10) | Historically significant for post-exilic communal identity Nehemiah 10:10 | Treated as historical record; less liturgically central than in Judaism | Not applicable |
Key takeaways
- Israel's question 'Who are these?' in Genesis 48 refers to Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph's two sons — a classic Bible quiz answer Genesis 48:8Genesis 48:8.
- Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun are the two leaders named to divide Canaan, making them frequent 'who are they?' quiz answers Numbers 34:17Numbers 32:28.
- Joshua and Caleb are the two faithful spies singled out in Numbers as the only ones of their generation permitted to enter the Promised Land Numbers 32:12.
- Both Judaism and Christianity accept these identities from shared scripture; Christianity adds typological readings (e.g., Joshua as a type of Jesus).
- The Qur'an names overlapping prophetic figures (Zechariah, John, Jesus, Elias) as righteous Quran 6:85, but doesn't replicate the specific Old Testament quiz scenes.
FAQs
In the Bible quiz, who are the two sons Israel (Jacob) asks about in Genesis 48?
Who are the two men named to divide the land of Canaan in Numbers?
Who are the two faithful spies in the Bible quiz answer from Numbers?
Who are the Levites listed in Nehemiah 10?
Does the Qur'an name figures who also appear in Bible quizzes?
Judaism
Noticing Joseph’s sons, Israel asked, “Who are these?”
Several classic Tanakh identifications answer “Who are they?”-style questions for a quiz, and the wording can vary slightly by translation while naming the same figures Genesis 48:8.
- Who said “Who are these?” It was Israel (Jacob) when he noticed Joseph’s sons in Genesis 48:8 Genesis 48:8.
- Who were appointed to divide the land? Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun are named in Numbers 34:17 Numbers 34:17.
- Who were the two who remained loyal to God from the wilderness generation? Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun in Numbers 32:12 Numbers 32:12.
- Who are some Levites listed in the post-exilic covenant? Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel in Nehemiah 10:10 Nehemiah 10:10.
Note the JPS rendering of Genesis 48:8 mirrors the KJV sense; both identify Jacob/Israel as the speaker, which is all a quiz needs Genesis 48:8.
Christianity
And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
These same identifications appear in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, and they directly answer common quiz prompts Genesis 48:8.
- Who said “Who are these?” Israel (Jacob) regarding Joseph’s sons in Genesis 48:8 (KJV) Genesis 48:8.
- Who were designated to divide the land? Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun in Numbers 34:17 Numbers 34:17.
- Which two remained loyal to the LORD? Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun in Numbers 32:12 Numbers 32:12.
- Who are named among the Levites in Nehemiah 10:10? Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel are listed Nehemiah 10:10.
Translations differ slightly (e.g., KJV vs JPS), but the named individuals match across traditions, so the quiz answers coincide Genesis 48:8Genesis 48:8.
Islam
Not applicable. Concerns biblical scripture/practice; no direct counterpart in Qur’anic quiz framing.
Where they agree
- Both Judaism and Christianity identify Jacob/Israel as the speaker of “Who are these?” in Genesis 48:8, referring to Joseph’s sons Genesis 48:8Genesis 48:8.
- Both affirm Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun as the men appointed to divide the land in Numbers 34:17 Numbers 34:17.
- Both name Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun as the two who remained loyal in Numbers 32:12 Numbers 32:12.
- Both accept the Levite names Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel listed in Nehemiah 10:10 for post-exilic records Nehemiah 10:10.
Where they disagree
| Topic | Judaism | Christianity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translation wording | JPS renders Genesis 48:8 as “Noticing Joseph’s sons, Israel asked, ‘Who are these?’” Genesis 48:8 | KJV renders Genesis 48:8 as “And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?” Genesis 48:8 | Wording differs, but the identified speaker and referents are the same, so quiz answers align Genesis 48:8Genesis 48:8. |
Key takeaways
- Jacob/Israel is the speaker of “Who are these?” in Genesis 48:8 Genesis 48:8Genesis 48:8
- Eleazar and Joshua are appointed to divide the land in Numbers 34:17 Numbers 34:17
- Caleb and Joshua are singled out as loyal in Numbers 32:12 Numbers 32:12
- Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel are among the Levites named in Nehemiah 10:10 Nehemiah 10:10
FAQs
Who said “Who are these?” in Genesis 48:8?
Who were appointed to divide the land among Israel?
Which two remained loyal to God from the wilderness generation?
Name Levites listed in Nehemiah 10:10.
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