Bible Related Facts You May Not Know

  • The Bible contains sixty-six books, written by forty authors, covering a period of approximately sixteen hundred years.
  • The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word [biblos], meaning “book”.
  • The word “testament” means covenant or agreement. God made an agreement based on law (Deut. 4:5) – called the Old Testament – regarding man’s salvation before Christ came.  God’s new agreement, or Testament, was a Covenant of Grace (Gal. 3:17-25) & describes man’s salvation after Christ came.
  • Jesus quoted from twenty-two Old Testament books.
  • The book of Hebrews quotes the Old Testament eighty-five times.
  • Revelation quotes the Old Testament 245 times.
  • The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119 (176 verses).
  • The shortest chapter is Psalm 117 (two verses).
  • The longest verse in the Bible is found in Esther 8:9 (more than ninety words).
  • Shortest verse: John 11:35 (two words).
  • The longest book in the Old Testament: Psalms (150 chapters).
  • The longest book in the New Testament: Luke
  • The shortest book in the Old Testament: Obadiah (21 verses).
  • The shortest book in the New Testament: 2 John (13 verses).
  • The oddest verse in the Bible – 1 Chronicles 26:18! (Look it up in the KJV of the Bible).
  • Other than the word “the”, the word most often used in the Bible is “Lord”.
  • The two longest words in the Bible (it’s a tie) read:
    • Jonath-Elem-Rechokim (Ps. 56) means “a silent dove of far-off lands” (distant oaks).
    • Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Isa. 8:1)- the name of Isaiah’s son; means “quick to the plunder, swift to spoil”.
  • The shortest prayer in the Bible: “Lord, save me!” – when Peter was walking on the water and became afraid.
  • The longest prayers:
    • Nehemiah’s prayer of praise and confession (9:5-38); and
    • Jesus’ high priestly prayer (John 17).

Things we Cannot Know:

  • The time of Jesus’ return (Mt. 24:36).
  • How God’s sovereignty works (Rom. 11:33-36).
  • How the relationship between Father, Son & Holy Spirit works in the Trinity.
  • The writer of the book of Hebrews.
  • The essence of Eternity (Gen. 1:1; John 1:1)
  • God – unless we first know His Son, Jesus Christ.

Some Extremes of the Bible

The smallest things mentioned in the Bible:

  • A gnat (Matthew 22:34) An ant (Proverbs 6:6)
  • A flea (1 Samuel 24:14) A mustard seed (Mark 4:31)
  • A tittle – part of a Hebrew language letter (Mt.5:18 KJV)

The baldest men in the Bible: Sampson (Judges 16:19); Ezra (Ezra 9:3); Job (Job 1:20); Paul (Acts 21:23-24); Elisha (2Kings 2:23 – The only naturally bald man recorded in the Bible.)

The hairiest men in the Bible:  Esau (Genesis 27:11-23); Samson (Judges 16:17);  Absalom (2 Samuel 14:26); Elijah (2 Kings 1:8);  King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:33); John the Baptist (Luke 1:15).

When the sun stood still or changed direction:
Joshua 10:12-13… It stood still as Israel fought against the Amorites.
2 Kings 20:8-11… It changed directions as a sign to King Hezekiah.

People whom God raised from the dead:

  1. Elijah raised the son of the Zarephath widow (1 Kings 17:17-22)
  2. Elisha raised the son of the Shunamite woman (2 Kings 4:32-35)
  3. A man was raised from the dead when his body touched Elisha’s bones (2 Kings 13:20-21).
  4. Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-15)
  5. Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:41-55)
  6. Jesus raised Lazarus after four days (John 11:1-44)
  7. Many saints rose from the dead at Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:50-53)
  8. Peter raised Dorcas (Acts 9:36-41)
  9. Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20:9-10)
    * One who was raised by Himself… Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28:5-9; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5-6 – and unlike any of the others listed before… He never died again!

Two men who never died:
Enoch lived 365 years & then was taken up to be with God (Genesis 5:23-24; Hebrews 11:5).
Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into Heaven (2 Kings 2:11).

Seven who lived almost a Millennium:
1. Enos: 905 years (Genesis 5:11)
2. Kenan: 910 years (Genesis 5:14)
3. Seth: 912 years (Genesis 5:8)
4. Adam: 930 years (Genesis 5:5)
5. Noah: 950 years (Genesis 9:29)
6. Jared: 962 years (Genesis 5:20)
7. Methuselah: 969 years (Genesis 5:27)(to be continued)

The Ten Most-mentioned Women in the Bible:
1. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, 56 times.
2. Rachel, Jacob’s second wife, 47 times.
3. Leah, Jacob’s first wife, 34 times.
4. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, 31 times.
5. Jezebel, wicked queen and King Ahab’s wife, 23 times.
6. Mary, Jesus’ mother, 19 times.
7. Abigail (Nabal’s and King David’s wife), 15 times.
8. Miriam (Moses and Aaron’s sister), 15 times.
9. Mary Magdalene (Jesus’ friend), 14 times.
10. Hagar (Abrahams’ concubine), 14 times.
Eve, the mother of the human race is mentioned only 4 times.