A Whale of a Quiz: Diving Into Trivia About Jonah

Last updated · 9 min play time

Jonah is one of the most interesting prophets in the Bible. He's disobedient, ornery and a runner. Rarely do we see a prophet contacted by God to do something who simply says, "Yeah, no, I'm outta here."  Jonah didn't like his assignment, so he tried to run away. He (and we) will soon learn that you probably shouldn't do that because there will always be consequences.

The Book of Jonah is only four chapters, but the idea of a man being swallowed by a whale has permeated cultures all over the world.

It was written around 780 BC and is apart of a section of books called The Minor Prophets. That doesn't mean their stories are unimportant or irrelevant, just smaller and made up of fewer pages. Of all twelve minor prophets, Jonah is definitely the star.


Troy Schmidt has worked in game shows since 1985, starting with "Every Second Counts" as a researcher. Over time he's worked in the development of shows such as "1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime" and the production of shows, such as "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader." He helped produce the pilot and all three seasons of GSN's "The American Bible Challenge" with Jeff Foxworthy Troy currently works on staff at Family Church in Windermere, FL and writes books. You can find out more about him at www.troyeschmidt.com.

The Book of Jonah Quiz Questions

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Question 1

Many people associate Jonah with a whale, though the Bible text never specifies that. What does the Bible say swallowed Jonah?

  • A
    A Great White
  • B
    A Leedsichthys
  • C
    A Prehistoric Sturgeon
  • D
    A huge fish

Question 2

The king of Nineveh told everyone, including the animals, to put on what piece of clothing in hopes that God would not destroy their city?

  • A
    Polyester
  • B
    Sackcloth
  • C
    Nothing, he told them to strip naked
  • D
    Dark clothes for mourning

Question 3

The sailors decided to find out who or what caused the terrible storm, so they did something that settled disputes through acts of chance. What did they do that pointed to Jonah as being the cause of the storm?

  • A
    Rock, scissors, paper
  • B
    One, two, three shoot
  • C
    Cast lots
  • D
    Arm wrestle

Question 4

When the Pharisees asked for a sign, Jesus told them to look to Jonah who spent three days and nights in the belly of the fish. But Jesus was really talking about what other sign that they would hear about soon?

  • A
    Jesus would rise out of the grave after three days
  • B
    In three days he would feed 5,000
  • C
    The "three" stands for the Trinity
  • D
    He would bring three people back from the dead

Question 5

Jonah is introduced to us with a description that tells us precisely who he is. How does the Bible describe him?

  • A
    Jonah, the Prophetic One
  • B
    Jonah, the Man of La Mancha
  • C
    Jonah, Son of Hill
  • D
    Jonah, Son of Amittai

Question 6

In Jonah Chapter 2, Jonah did what many of us might do if we were swallowed by a big fish. What was it?

  • A
    He built a fire and made the fish sneeze
  • B
    He prayed
  • C
    He kicked and screamed until the fish spit him out
  • D
    He took a nap for three days

Question 7

In the Bible, God talks to Jonah and tells him to go to a which city that is actually east of Jonah. What city does God tell Jonah to go to?

  • A
    Amsterdam
  • B
    Jerusalem
  • C
    Nineveh
  • D
    Istanbul

Question 8

Jonah's message to Nineveh was direct and right to the point. What did Jonah say to those living in Nineveh?

  • A
    "Get right or get left"
  • B
    "You think it's hot here?"
  • C
    "In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown"
  • D
    "It's the end of the world as we know it"

Question 9

When the sailors found out Jonah was running from God, they wondered what they needed to do since the sea was getting rougher. What did Jonah tell them to do to calm the sea?

  • A
    Pray harder to their gods
  • B
    Throw him into the sea
  • C
    Turn the ship around
  • D
    Start singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"

Question 10

Jesus used the example of the miracle of Jonah when what group of people were looking for sign from him?

  • A
    His apostles
  • B
    The Pharisees
  • C
    Whale hunters
  • D
    Pontius Pilate

Question 11

Jonah got very angry after the people repented, revealing the precise reason why he ran away. Why was Jonah so angry?

  • A
    His hotel reservations got cancelled
  • B
    He knew God was compassionate and would spare Nineveh
  • C
    The king was rude to him
  • D
    Everybody ignored him

Question 12

When God saw how the people in Nineveh responded to Jonah's message, what did he do?

  • A
    Backed off and let everyone live
  • B
    Destroyed the city anyway
  • C
    Sent locusts to eat their crops
  • D
    Had whales attack the city

Question 13

After sufficiently breaking down Jonah's will, God commanded the fish to do something. In Hebrew, the word that describes the action is very specific. What did God tell the fish to do with Jonah?

  • A
    Chew him up and swallow him whole
  • B
    Open his mouth and let Jonah walk out
  • C
    Vomit Jonah up
  • D
    Poop Jonah out

Question 14

God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, which was a large city in that day. How does the Bible describe the size of Nineveh?

  • A
    It took three days to walk across the city
  • B
    It was second in size only to Rome
  • C
    A sign at the entrance read "Population One Million"
  • D
    The city was divided into 12 districts

Question 15

As Jonah sailed away from where God asked him to go, God stirred up a storm in the sea, which frightened the sailors. What does the Bible say Jonah did during this time?

  • A
    Took a nap
  • B
    Prayed to God for help
  • C
    Went fishing
  • D
    Laughed at the sailors

Question 16

Nineveh was the capital city of what ruling nation, known for its harsh and barbaric behavior?

  • A
    Rome
  • B
    Germany
  • C
    Assyria
  • D
    Phoenicia

Question 17

Jonah refuses to go where God directs him, so instead he sets off directly east to a port city in Spain, right on the Mediterranean Sea. Towards what port city does Jonah head?

  • A
    Tarshish
  • B
    Valencia
  • C
    Madrid
  • D
    Guadalajara

Question 18

While Jonah sat outside Nineveh and pouted about God's mercy, God sent something to Jonah, but then took it away to teach Jonah a lesson. What did God send?

  • A
    A kind cow
  • B
    A refreshing rain shower
  • C
    A friendly dog
  • D
    A shady plant

Question 19

When Jonah warned those in Nineveh about what would happen, how did the people in the city respond?

  • A
    They laughed and threw more parties
  • B
    They stopped and carefully researched the message
  • C
    They ignored the crazy old man who smelled like fish
  • D
    They repented and declared a nationwide fast

Question 20

While Jonah cried out to God inside the belly of the big fish, what did he say was wrapped around his head?

  • A
    Seaweed
  • B
    A squid
  • C
    Shame
  • D
    A prayer shawl

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