Close Calls

"By the skin of my teeth." The Book of Job gave our language this wonderful phrase meaning "escaped, but just barely." (It's from Job 19:20.) Scattered throughout the Bible are several colorful stories of hair's–breadth escapes. See how much you know about the Book's people–some good, some bad–who barely escaped from some hairy situations.

1. What Christian escaped an angry Jewish crowd by being let down in a basket from the city walls of Damascus?
   
   
2. What future king of Israel escaped death by dodging the spear thrown at him by the reigning king?
   
   
3. When a violent storm caused the death of Job's children, how many people escaped the tragedy?
   
   
4. In Genesis, the king of Sodom escaped his attackers by hiding in what unpleasant place?
   
   
5. Which Gospel records that at the time of Jesus' arrest, a young man escaped the soldiers by slipping out of his garment and fleeing naked?
   
   
6. Who warned Joseph to take Mary and the infant Jesus to Egypt to escape the wrath of baby–killing King Herod?
   
   
7. What book records a man murdering his 70 brothers, except for one who escaped by hiding?
   
   
8. Who let David down through a window so he could escape the murderers sent by King Saul?
   
   
9. King Rehoboam, the tactless son of Solomon, had to flee in his chariot to escape a mob that was about to do what to him?
   
   

Who Said That?

"God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance." (Hint: Genesis.)

What Is Your Favorite Old Testament Story?

• 23% Joseph and his brothers
  
  
• 13% Ruth
  
  
• 10% Esther
  
  
• 6% Moses
  
  
• 5% Creation/Adam & Eve
  
  
• 5% Noah's Ark
  
  
• 4% Daniel
  
  
• 4% Jonah
  
  
• 12% Other
  
  

Source: A non–scientific poll of 558 visitors to www.todays-christian.com.

Click here for answers.

J. Stephen Lang is the author of 15 books about the Bible, including the recently published What the Good Book Didn't Say (Citadel Press) and Talking Donkeys & Wheels of Fire: Bible Stories That Are Truly Bizarre! (Warner).

Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today/Today's Christian magazine.
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