Bible crossword puzzle: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and 1 and 2 Samuel

TL;DR:
The crossword covers how the Israelites entered and took possession of the Promised Land, as well as the challenges they faced during their early years in Canaan. Topics also include Samuel's transitional role in Israel's story, the Davidic covenant, and the reigns of Saul and David.

Priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan River beneath a pillar cloud — Joshua Passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant, oil on panel by Benjamin West, c. 1800 | Image source

More classic art masterpieces used as illustrations

Based on chapters 7 and 8 of Discovering the Bible, edited by Alex Varughese

Challenge: Can you solve this crossword puzzle even if you do not have the book by Varughese?

Across

3 The man Samuel anointed as Israel's first king
7 Israel's second king, described as a man "after God's own heart." The textbook calls his reign Israel's Golden Years
8 David's son who killed his brother Amnon in retaliation for raping their sister Tamar and later tried to take the throne from his father
9 Saul's son who was David's close friend
12 A woman prophetess-judge whose leadership brought deliverance from oppression to Israel
13 The book that presents the stories of entering, possessing, and distributing the land as a solemn act of worship
14 A Jericho resident who assisted two spies sent to her city because she had heard what God had done for the Israelites
16 A priest who had two evil sons

Down

1 A book containing a biographical sketch of a Moabite woman who became King David's great-grandmother
2 A book covering 350 years of Israel's "Dark Ages" that takes its name from the warrior heroes who were the central characters in its stories
3 Israel's last judge, a priest, and a prophet who stood between the era of the judges and the establishment of the monarchy
4 A judge of Israel who defeated a far larger Midianite army with only 300 men (pared down from the 32,000 soldiers who initially showed up for the battle)
5 Samuel's mother, who vowed that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord as a Nazirite
6 The woman with whom David committed adultery. The second son that David fathered with her was named Solomon
10 A physically powerful man dedicated to God as a Nazirite but whose life illustrates how badly a leader can falter
11 The prophet who confronted David about his sins in the affair with Bathsheba
13 Father of King David
15 The god of a Canaanite fertility religion

This crossword puzzle was created for use in the course Introduction to Biblical Literature. The words and clues come from the textbook Discovering the Bible: Story and Faith of the Biblical Communities, edited by Alex Varughese and published by what is now called The Foundry.

—Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu

Historical context

The books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and 1 and 2 Samuel span an important period in ancient Israelite history. Together, they trace the transition from the conquest of Canaan to the establishment of the monarchy.

The Book of Joshua follows the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land under Moses' successor. It recounts military campaigns and the allocation of tribal inheritances. The Book of Judges chronicles a tumultuous era marked by cycles of apostasy, foreign oppression, and deliverance through charismatic leaders known as judges. Ruth offers an intimate glimpse into Israelite society during the time of the judges, focusing on loyalty, redemption, and the inclusion of foreigners.

The books of Samuel detail the rise of the monarchy in Israel, from the prophet Samuel's anointing of Saul as the first king to the reign of David, Israel's most renowned king. Together, these five books recount important events while offering insights into Israel's religious, social, and political development.