Questions in the Bible

There are roughly 3,300 questions in the Bible, from God’s first question, “Where are you?” in Genesis, to the final questions in Revelation.

Here is an approximate breakdown based on English translations:

• Old Testament: about 2,200 questions
• New Testament: about 1,100 questions

These include rhetorical questions, direct inquiries, and poetic laments. The Book of Job alone contains nearly 300 questions, many of them from Job to God—and finally, from God to Job.

Counting the Questions

Scholars estimate that the Bible contains between 3,000 and 3,300 questions. Exact numbers vary because punctuation was added long after the original texts were written. Hebrew and Greek manuscripts did not use modern question marks. Therefore, modern translators had to decide where questions begin and end, so numbers differ across versions.

The Power of Questions in Scripture

When God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (Job 38:4), it reminds readers that divine questions are not designed to humiliate but to humble. They remind us of our place in creation and God’s vast wisdom.

The Bible is not a book of easy answers. It is a book full of questions that probe the heart and shape faith. Some are asked by God, others by prophets, disciples, and even skeptics. Those questions create conversations that we might also have.

The first recorded words of God to humanity come in the form of a question: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). It is not that God did not know Adam’s location, but that God was inviting honesty, reflection, and return. That pattern continues throughout the Bible. God’s questions are less about information and more about transformation.

Questions Jesus Asked

Of the roughly 1,100 questions in the New Testament, around 300 are attributed to Jesus, who was a master of asking questions. He used them not to trap or confuse, but to awaken faith. Each question drew listeners deeper into self-examination and relationship.

Jesus asked far more questions than He directly answered, suggesting that faith grows through dialogue, not mere definition.

Some of Jesus’ most memorable questions include:

• “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)
• “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26)
• “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6)
• “What are you looking for?” (John 1:38)
• “Do you love me?” (John 21:17)

Those questions reveal that Jesus did not simply tell people what to think. He invited them to engage, respond, and grow. His teaching method was relational. By asking questions, He drew hearts near.

The Purpose of Biblical Questions

There are many questions in the Bible because questions are how God forms conversation. Questions often appear at turning points—moments of failure, revelation, or decision.

• God’s questions expose truth (“Where are you?”)
• Jesus’ questions invite discipleship (“Do you love me?”)
• Humanity’s questions express longing (“How long, O Lord?”)

When we wrestle with biblical questions, we are seeking to understand, trust, and be transformed.

Holy Curiosity

In our own lives, faith grows through holy curiosity. Asking questions does not weaken belief. It strengthens it. The Bible never scolds us for asking. Instead, it welcomes honest inquiry that leads to encounter and transformation.

Author's Note

The first question in the Bible is God's question to Adam in Genesis 3:9: “Where are you?” My holy curiosity caused me to search the scriptures and write a book about places in the Bible based on those three words.

Throughout my 116-page book, I recorded every place in the Bible: cities, towns, mountains, valleys, roads, fields, gardens, rivers, houses, temples, and gave a life application for being in those places.

Excerpt from the book that is based on one question

It is no accident that the very first question God asks in the Bible is not “Who are you?” or “How are you?” but “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).

God knew that Adam was in the physical space He had put him in. God was concerned about Adam’s condition. In other words, when God asked Adam, “Where are you?” God was giving Adam an opportunity to confess what he had done. It was a question that would provoke conviction for Adam to confess his sin. God was not asking Adam where he was positionally. He was asking Adam where he was conditionally.