Think You're Some Sort of Wise Guy? Try this Book of Proverbs Quiz, Part 1.
Written by Troy E. Schmidt
Last updated · 8 min play time
The Book of Proverbs was written by some pretty smart people. See if you're smarter.
The Book of Proverbs was written by some pretty smart people, mostly King Solomon. God came to him and told to ask for anything and God would grant it. It's the ultimate Genie-in-a-bottle wish! Many kings would choose riches, long life, power and hot women. Solomon chose wisdom to handle his job. You can imagine how much God loved that.
God gave Solomon wisdom, plus wealth, health, peace in his kingdom and long life. Solomon used wisdom to guide his people (for a period of time until those hot women led him astray from God).
Here's a quiz that covers the first half of Proverbs and addresses how a person can live a life full of wisdom. Be wise and put your thinking cap on and see if you're smarter than King Solomon.
Quiz written by
Troy E. SchmidtTroy 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.
Proverbs - Chapters 1-15 Quiz Questions
22 Questions · 189 Plays · No comments
Question 1
In Proverbs 7, Solomon suggests that his teachings should be cherished. Fill in the missing fruit: "guard my teachings as the _______ of your eye."
-
AOrange
-
BApple
-
CBlueberry
-
DFig
Apple
Today, the term "apple of your eye" still refers to someone that brings joy and satisfaction to a person who sees or ruminates on it. Its importance is higher than anything else.
Question 2
Personification is a literary tool used when something non-human is humanized. In Proverbs 8, wisdom is personified and verbally makes a plea to be respected, stating that it had been around since the creation of what?
-
ALiterature
-
BThe world
-
CGoogle
-
DSchools
The world
While wisdom might argue it's been around since the other three, in Proverbs 8 it specifically states that it had been around since the creation of the world, before the foundations were laid and the heavens were put in place. Wisdom, it insinuates, guided the creation of the world.
Question 3
While spanking is controversial today, it wasn't in Solomon's time. What instrument used for spanking is mentioned in Proverbs 13:24, suggesting that if you withheld it when disciplining your child that you actually hated him?
-
APaddle
-
BRod
-
CBack of the hand
-
DWooden spoon
Rod
The rod could be a staff, branch (like a switch) or club. The Bible sees discipling children as an act of love, used to correct disobedience to keep the children from repeating a behavior that could harm them.
Question 4
The writer of Proverbs wants to make sure his son always remembers wisdom. On what part of the body does the author encourage him to "write" love and faithfulness?
-
AOn the back of his hand
-
BOn each of his fingers
-
COn the soles of his feet
-
DOn his heart
On his heart
The heart, to a Jewish reader, would be the place where passion and the will collide. The writer Solomon wants love and faithfulness to be the very center/core of a person's life.
Question 5
Wisdom clearly makes itself known to people so they can live well. According to Proverbs chapter 1, how does wisdom make itself clearly known?
-
AIt writes an opinion piece in the Jerusalem Times
-
BIt shouts out in public and city squares
-
CIt flies over the city with a banner
-
DIt debates and win arguments
It shouts out in public and city squares
The writer says that wisdom cries out, shouting at the top of its lungs in the public square and at the city gates. But apparently, before Facebook and Twitter, people couldn't always hear wisdom and got into meaningless arguments or just flat out ignored wisdom.
Question 6
In Chapter 3, verses 5 and 6 of Proverbs, it says we must trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. It adds that if we submit to God in all our ways, what does the Lord promise to do for us?
-
AMake us popular
-
BMake our paths straight
-
CMake others respect us
-
DMake the people believe
Make our paths straight
Proverbs 3:5-6 ends by saying if we trust in God, not lean on our understanding, and submit to Him, he will make our paths straight. This is in contrast to the crooked paths of the evil ones. God promises to help us to get to where he wants us to go, through the best path possible.
Question 7
Proverbs is not shy about pointing out the faults of evil. What does Proverbs call "crooked" when it talks about evil in chapters 2 and 10?
-
ACrooked backs
-
BCrooked smiles
-
CCrooked paths
-
DCrooked lawyers
Crooked paths
The word "crooked" in the Bible means twisted, distorted, perverted. Two times the Bible says evil men walk down crooked paths. The straight path is always a good and righteous path. Bad people wander from that path and go their own way.
Question 8
Proverbs has a lot to say about adultery, forbidding it in the strongest sense. Where does Proverbs say the house of an adulterous woman leads?
-
ATo death
-
BTo a severe beating by a jealous husband
-
CTo a lonely life
-
DTo a soap opera
To death
While adultery is a common theme of many soap operas and cheesy romance novels, the Bible clearly says it only leads to one thing: death. It could be a physical death, but it's more likely a spiritual death as one's relationship with God is hindered.
Question 9
The book of Proverbs wants you to discover the keys to wisdom. In Proverbs 1:7, the writer says that what quality is the beginning of wisdom?
-
AStudying the night before a test
-
BBeing diligent
-
CFearing the Lord
-
DRemembering your mistakes
Fearing the Lord
The writer says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. One must have a heart that's submissive to God's wisdom before he/she can apply it to their lives.
Question 10
The book of Proverbs repeatedly imparts the value of wisdom. In Chapter 3, the writer says wisdom is more valuable than three commodities: gold, silver and what?
-
APearls
-
BCrowns
-
CBitcoin
-
DRubies
Rubies
Rubies are red jewels often attributed to emotions like love and passion. Superstition believed rubies were created by lightning.
Question 11
Chapter 6 of Proverbs could certainly have been the inspiration for the phrase, "you play with fire, you get burned." What sin was Solomon talking about that was "playing with fire"?
-
ABribing a government official
-
BTelling lies about a person
-
CShooting an arrow into the air
-
DSleeping with another man's wife
Sleeping with another man's wife
Messing around with another man's wife will only make you the target of a husband's fury, says Solomon. He was right, and today that husband would get a lighter sentence for his "crime of passion." Solomon asks in Proverbs 6:27, how can you scoop hot coals on your lap and not burn your clothes? Don't play with fire, young man.
Question 12
The book of Proverbs speaks frequently of the wisdom of parents, urging children to listen to them. In Proverbs 1, the writer compares a father and mother's instruction to what piece of jewelry?
-
AA chain to adorn your neck
-
BA locket with mom's picture inside
-
CA medal of heroism
-
DA charm bracelet
A chain to adorn your neck
The writer implores his son to listen to mom and dad's instruction because they are a chain to adorn your neck, addressing the value of their wisdom and how it accents a person's life. There's no mention of lockets in the Bible and charms were considered evil.
Question 13
The book of Proverbs was written by at least three different authors. The primary author who wrote over 90% of Proverbs is given credit on the first line of Proverbs. Who is he?
-
AIsaiah
-
BSolomon
-
CSome guy named Jerry
-
DKing Farouk
Solomon
Solomon was the son of King David. When asked by God what he wanted, Solomon said wisdom and not things like health and wealth. God gave him wisdom, and health and wealth. Solomon feared the Lord at the beginning of his reign.
Question 14
In Proverbs 7, the writer desperately tries to dissuade the reader from falling into the trap of a prostitute by comparing the personal destruction to the fate of three animals. Which one of these is NOT one of them?
-
AAn ox going to slaughter
-
BA deer stepping into a noose
-
CA bird darting into a snare
-
DA mouse taunting a cat
A mouse taunting a cat
While it would be foolish for a cat to taunt a cat, the Bible never mentions the terms "mouse" or "cat" in the domesticated sense. Leopards and lions are mentioned quite frequently, but not your neighborhood kitty cat.
Question 15
Solomon warned his son in Proverbs against adulterous women. "They will be the death of you!" Solomon writes. What will drip from the lips of an adulterous woman?
-
ASaliva
-
BLies
-
CHoney
-
DLipstick
Honey
Just like in modern times, honey was a sweet enticer, but that sweetness only went to the surface. Past that temptation, Solomon wrote, was nothing but death.
Question 16
Proverbs is very concerned about your heart, wanting to make sure it's guarded and kept healthy. In Proverbs 13:12, what makes the heart sick when it is deferred or drawn away from it?
-
ALaughter
-
BCoQ10
-
CHope
-
DWine
Hope
If a person loses hope, it hurts the heart by weighing it down physically with anxiety, or by removing any reason to live spiritually. If a person hopes, they always have something to look forward to. Proverbs understands that that's good medicine for your heart.
Question 17
Solomon looked to the insect world to give lazy people inspiration to go out and find a job. What creepy-crawly's work habits does Solomon tell this sluggard to go out and study?
-
AAn ant
-
BA grasshopper
-
CA praying mantis
-
DA bee
An ant
Solomon admired the ant because it did its job without a boss screaming out orders and telling the ant what to do. By instinct, the ant always seemed to be busy. You never see an ant sleeping or taking a ten minute break. Ants are always working to store and gather food for ever season of life.
Question 18
Proverbs knows that beauty can turn many into beasts. One proverb in chapter 11, verse 22, says a beautiful woman who shows no discretion or proper judgment is like a gold ring in what animal's nose?
-
AA pig
-
BA bull
-
CA dog
-
DA snake
A pig
Pigs have become part of another metaphor similar to this when people say, "It's like putting lipstick on a pig," which means you can make attempts to beautify or cover up something, but underneath it's still a pig. Proverbs says a beautiful woman with poor judgment is not beautiful at all, just like a gold ring in the snout of pig looks hideous.
Question 19
In Proverbs 6, Solomon lists seven things that the Lord hates, many of them attributed to a part of the body. Which of these is NOT something the Lord has put on his Top 7 Most Detestable List?
-
AHaughty eyes
-
BSnarling lips
-
CA lying tongue
-
DFeet that rush to evil
Snarling lips
While a snarling lip surely indicates the anger of a dog building up inside a person, it didn't make the list. Five of the "most hated" list relate to parts of the body, including these three in addition to hands that shed blood and a heart that devises wickedness (plus a false witness and a person who stirs up trouble).
Question 20
In order to dissuade his son from committing adultery with another women, Solomon uses imagery that relates to drinking water. What does Solomon say to only drink water from?
-
AHis own hose
-
BHis own cup
-
CHis own cistern
-
DHis own river
His own cistern
A cistern collected rain water and underground water into a hole that was dipped into when someone needed to drink. Solomon was saying to his son, "Don't go drinking from other cisterns" or having sex with other men's wives.
Question 21
Just like Robert Burns' famous quote (translated) "The best laid plans of mice and men can still go awry," Proverbs 15 says something about making plans. Which of these does Solomon say causes plans to fail?
-
AThey were made by fools
-
BThey didn't have an end game
-
CNobody wrote them down
-
DThere was a lack of counsel or advisers
There was a lack of counsel or advisers
Solomon wanted to emphasize the need to surround oneself with advisers to help the king make decisions. He had his own advisers, as seen when his son rose to power and rejected his dad's counselors and failed. It's always good to get other's perspectives before moving forward.
Question 22
The Bible suggests that food, served properly and with the right attitude, can make you smile. According to Proverbs 15, what small serving of food is better served with love than getting a big ol' fattened steak with hate?
-
AVegetables
-
BChips and dip
-
CBread
-
DCheese
Vegetables
Would you rather eat a side dish of broccoli at a restaurant with great service or a surf and turf platter where the waiters tell you how much they despise you? Proverbs says veggies win, especially at a big family dinner, like Thanksgiving. Love can serve up just about anything.
Comments (0)
We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.