Brain Teasers
A Poem of Biblical Proportions
Adam, God made out of dust
But thought it best to make me first,
So I was made before man
To answer God's most Holy plan.
A living being I became
And Adam gave to me my name.
I from his presence then withdrew
And more of Adam never knew.
I did my Maker's law obey
Nor ever went from it astray.
Thousands of miles I go in fear
But seldom on earth appear.
For purpose wise God did see,
He put a living soul in me.
A soul from me God did claim
And took from me the soul again.
So when from me the soul had fled
I was the same as when first made.
And without hands, or feet, or soul,
I travel on from pole to pole.
I labor hard by day, by night
To fallen man I give great light.
Thousands of people, young and old
Will by my death great light behold.
No right or wrong can I conceive
The scripture I cannot believe.
Although my name therein is found
They are to me an empty sound.
No feat of death doth trouble me
Real happiness I'll never see.
To Heaven I shall never go
Or to Hell below.
Now when these lines you slowly read,
Go search your Bible with all speed
For that my name is written there
I do honestly to you declare.
But thought it best to make me first,
So I was made before man
To answer God's most Holy plan.
A living being I became
And Adam gave to me my name.
I from his presence then withdrew
And more of Adam never knew.
I did my Maker's law obey
Nor ever went from it astray.
Thousands of miles I go in fear
But seldom on earth appear.
For purpose wise God did see,
He put a living soul in me.
A soul from me God did claim
And took from me the soul again.
So when from me the soul had fled
I was the same as when first made.
And without hands, or feet, or soul,
I travel on from pole to pole.
I labor hard by day, by night
To fallen man I give great light.
Thousands of people, young and old
Will by my death great light behold.
No right or wrong can I conceive
The scripture I cannot believe.
Although my name therein is found
They are to me an empty sound.
No feat of death doth trouble me
Real happiness I'll never see.
To Heaven I shall never go
Or to Hell below.
Now when these lines you slowly read,
Go search your Bible with all speed
For that my name is written there
I do honestly to you declare.
Hint
This puzzle was written by a lady in California in response to an offer from a gentleman in Philadelphia that he would pay anyone $1,000 who could write a puzzle he could not solve. He failed to do so and paid the $1,000. The answer is one word, and appears twice in the King James version of the Bible.Answer
I'm a WHALEHide Hint Show Hint Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
Where does the word appear? "Jonah and the Whale" and...? Where?
Actually, it appears four times in the King James version, according to the search I just did. Anyway, it's found in the following verses: Gen 1:21; Job 7:12; Ezek 32:2; Matt 12:40. It's not actually found in Jonah, as he refers to it as a great fish.
Wow, that was hard. I read the Bible all the time but I didn't know that. Great job! More Blble teasers please.
This teaser WAS NOT ORIGINAL!!! I twas copied word for word out a book. It was written by a woman named Lucy King, and was published in a book called Brain Bafflers. You can get it at your local Barnes and Noble. It is on page 75. She wrote because she was offered a reward from a wealthy intelligent business man who was also a serious religious fanatic, but wanted to be stumped. Whoever submitted it to this site, nice try on trying to look intelligent...get your own material.
I want to personally apologize to goldmare. I did not read she did her bibliography in her (or his) hnit because I don't really look at them. I made a fuss because I know some people on this site feel strongly about keeping things original. The mistake was mine, so I get the .
Thank you for the apology eyecue. I appreciate it.
I don't fully understand the part of the brain teaser where it says that the soul has fled, etc. can anyone show any insight to me?!
The only thing I can think of this part talking about is Jonah (though that is a "great fish", not necessarily a whale). "For purpose wise God did see,
He put a living soul in me.
A soul from me God did claim
And took from me the soul again." Any other thoughts?
He put a living soul in me.
A soul from me God did claim
And took from me the soul again." Any other thoughts?
Yes, the \"soul\" is referring to Jonah. Although Jonah refers to it as a great fish, in later passages Bible writers refer back to it as a whale.
Goldmare if whale is the correct answer than it only appears 2 times not 4 times in the King James Version. In Genesis 1:21 it is whales not whale. And in Matthew 12:40 it is whale\'s not whale. So it does appear 2 times. In Job and Ezekiel.
Good point, Grace. Thank you.
What I don't get is how thousands of people, young and old, behold great light when a whale dies?!
I think when it says its death gives light to men it is refering to whale oil being used as a fuel
Yes, that's correct jjflamingo. Whale oil, from the blubber, is used as fuel for oil lamps. One of the main reasons so many whale species are endangered now.
i now get the part about the soul its just talking about jonah going into and out of a giant whale even if it was a fish i liked the tezzer alot and would like 1 like this
I'm glad I bumped into this .. it sets the "gold" standard for riddle writing .. I wonder how long she labored on this or if it just came rushing out as inspired writing.. let your light shine!
I'm glad I bumped into this .. it sets the "gold" standard for riddle writing .. I wonder how long she labored on this or if it just came rushing out as inspired writing.. let your light shine!
I really enjoyed this teaser (even though it was originally written by someone else, I hadn't seen it before). More in a biblical vane would be appreciated!
I really enjoyed this teaser (even though it was originally written by someone else, I hadn't seen it before). More in a biblical vane would be appreciated!
My first thought was that it was the sun, cause when stars die, they give off a lot of light... but now that i read it again it makes perfect sense it was a whale... i even got the soul part and the lots of light part w/o reading the comments... thanks for submitting this even though it wasn't youre own!
why did you bring religon into a teaser?
this is a great teaser and I'm glad you brought it to Braingle. loved the read
Eek! I don't have a bible!
i ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS THE SUN UNTIL I SAW IT WAS WHALE AND THEN IT MADE SENSE! GOOD TEASER!
The title of the teaser should have been a give-away for me, and for missing that I am ashamed.
A couple of lines down when I realised this was no interesting and original teaser but a religous rant poorly clothed as a riddle, I had to cut to the answer and get outta there.
I agree with deepsea, why bring religion into a teaser?
A couple of lines down when I realised this was no interesting and original teaser but a religous rant poorly clothed as a riddle, I had to cut to the answer and get outta there.
I agree with deepsea, why bring religion into a teaser?
If you know where to look this becomes much easier
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