But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

• Genesis 33:4

They are to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck, not dividing it completely,

• Leviticus 5:8

Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.

• Deuteronomy 10:16

and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck.

• Deuteronomy 21:4

When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

• Joshua 10:24

When I wrote this quiz, I was in Tennessee after a very busy two-day drive down there.  I had worked hard preparing for a Sunday school class on Sunday, then that Sunday afternoon, I spent most of it packing the car with non-essential items.  Even then, it took over an hour packing all the essential stuff the next morning – with appropriate breaks.  That was followed by my annual doctor’s visit to show him how I was taking care of myself.  Then, I did the opposite, driving about five hundred miles after the appointment was over.  Then over three hundred miles the next day, followed by unpacking the car, driving to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for my son before the pharmacy closed …

The next day, with nothing but relaxation on the to-do list, the day of this writing, my neck hurt all day long.  I awoke without a stiff neck, a rarity, but within no time, the pain came and stayed regardless of what I did.

This quiz is about the word “neck”, not just stiff-necked people, which is mentioned nineteen times in the NIV, only once in the New Testament.

These questions are in biblical order and they are all from the Old Testament.

The Questions:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	The first mention of “neck” in the NIV is using goatskin to cover a neck.  Who wore goatskin to obtain a blessing meant for another?
2	Later in that same story, who will throw the yoke of his brother off his neck when he gets restless?
3	The first mention of stiff-necked is when God’s chosen people began to worship what?
4	Where did Gideon obtain ornaments and chains when he killed the eastern kings, Zebah and Zalmunna?
5	Who learned that the ark had been captured by the Philistines, fell backward off his chair and broke his neck?
6	Who was set up by Nebuchadnezzar to be king of Judah, but became stiff-necked and rebelled against Babylon?
7	What should always be bound on your heart and fastened around your neck?
8	How does “He” liken his love’s neck in Song of Songs?
9	To illustrate how Judah will serve Nebuchadnezzar, the Lord had Jeremiah make what to put around his neck?
10	King Belshazzar promises that whoever can read what will get a gold chain around his neck and be the third highest ruler in the kingdom?

I misread something and said it wrong in teaching a class.  Oops.  Everyone makes mistakes.  If you do not redeem a firstborn donkey, you are to break its neck.  I said legs.  Yes, I made a mistake.  But the point is that the firstborn of each womb must be redeemed, in this case a lamb for the donkey.  Why?  God redeemed the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt by killing the firstborn of humans and animals in Egypt. (Exodus 13)

The atonement for an unsolved murder is the take a heifer (a cow that has never calved) into a valley and break its neck (Deuteronomy 21).

Have you ever thought about how one of the weaknesses of many animals, including the human animal, is the neck.  A tiger instinctively goes after the neck or throat of its prey.

The expression “sticking one’s neck out” means that you are putting yourself in a vulnerable position to help someone else.

Yet, it can be quite romantic to kiss your spouse’s neck.

Bible References:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	The first mention of “neck” in the NIV is using goatskin to cover a neck.  Who wore goatskin to obtain a blessing meant for another?	Genesis 27:16
2	Later in that same story, who will throw the yoke of his brother off his neck when he gets restless?	Genesis 27:40
3	The first mention of stiff-necked is when God’s chosen people began to worship what?	Exodus 32:9
4	Where did Gideon obtain ornaments and chains when he killed the eastern kings, Zebah and Zalmunna?	Judges 8:21-26
5	Who learned that the ark had been captured by the Philistines, fell backward off his chair and broke his neck?	1 Samuel 4:18
6	Who was set up by Nebuchadnezzar to be king of Judah, but became stiff-necked and rebelled against Babylon?	2 Chronicles 36:13
7	What should always be bound on your heart and fastened around your neck?	Proverbs 6:20-21
8	How does “He” liken his love’s neck in Song of Songs?	Song of Songs 4:4
9	To illustrate how Judah will serve Nebuchadnezzar, the Lord had Jeremiah make what to put around his neck?	Jeremiah 27:2
10	King Belshazzar promises that whoever can read what will get a gold chain around his neck and be the third highest ruler in the kingdom?	Daniel 5:7

If you are in a tight race, it is said you are running neck and neck.  This could be any kind of competition or a political campaign.

If someone is very annoying and irritating, they are a pain in the neck.

I have had bosses who literally did this, which was highly intimidating, but someone who is insistent on you getting something done is said to be breathing down your neck.  Yes, I had bosses who literally did that so that I understood the extent of their intimidation and insistence.  And yes, the quality of my work suffered, but I got it done in a hurry.

And if I really wanted to meet you, I would invite you to come over, that is, anytime you are in my neck of the woods.

   …

   …

   …

The Answers:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	The first mention of “neck” in the NIV is using goatskin to cover a neck.  Who wore goatskin to obtain a blessing meant for another?	Genesis 27:16	Jacob, aided by his mother Rebekah
2	Later in that same story, who will throw the yoke of his brother off his neck when he gets restless?	Genesis 27:40	Esau, but Isaac said he would serve his brother.
3	The first mention of stiff-necked is when God’s chosen people began to worship what?	Exodus 32:9	Golden Calf
4	Where did Gideon obtain ornaments and chains when he killed the eastern kings, Zebah and Zalmunna?	Judges 8:21-26	Their camel’s necks
5	Who learned that the ark had been captured by the Philistines, fell backward off his chair and broke his neck?	1 Samuel 4:18	Eli, the priest
6	Who was set up by Nebuchadnezzar to be king of Judah, but became stiff-necked and rebelled against Babylon?	2 Chronicles 36:13	Zedekiah
7	What should always be bound on your heart and fastened around your neck?	Proverbs 6:20-21	A father’s commands and a mother’s teachings
8	How does “He” liken his love’s neck in Song of Songs?	Song of Songs 4:4	The tower of David, or at least a tower
9	To illustrate how Judah will serve Nebuchadnezzar, the Lord had Jeremiah make what to put around his neck?	Jeremiah 27:2	A yoke
10	King Belshazzar promises that whoever can read what will get a gold chain around his neck and be the third highest ruler in the kingdom?	Daniel 5:7	The writing on the wall

Whether you did well on this quiz or, ummm, not so well, for the first video, here are George Younce and Jake Hess singing Up Above My Head.  But then Gene McDonald and Rex Nelon join in.  Finally, Jake gets some help from Guy Penrod and Vestal Goodman.

Here is Hymns of Grace singing O Sacred Head, Now Wounded.  It has been known as O Sacred Neck.

Here is a mixed quartet from the Crown College from Powell, Tennessee, USA singing O Christ, What Burdens Bowed Thy Head.  If you see a pattern here, it is purely intentional.

Here is Sing unto the Lord singing Head of Thy Church Triumphant.

All these hymns had “head” in the title, but uneasy is the head that wears the crown (William Shakespeare, King Henry IV).  After all, the head sits upon the neck.

If you like these Saturday morning Bible quizzes, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Saturday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.