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Old Testament Canon
The
books that are considered to be part of Scripture are called canonical,
or said to be a part of the canon, authoritative in matters of faith
and doctrine. The term canon is derived from a Greek word meaning "a
rule" or "measuring rod." A canon is a list to which other books are
compared and by which they are measured.
The
criteria for selecting the books in the Old Testament canon had to do
with their worth in the religion of the Jewish nation. Jews call their
39 books of Scripture the Tanakh, an acronym formed from the first
letters of Torah (Law), Naviim (Prophets), and Kethubim (Writings).
These are known as the "Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms" in
Luke 24:44.
For
a thousand years, from Moses to Malachi, the Jewish religion existed
wthout a closed canon. The people of the Old Testament didn't have the
entire 39 books of the Old Testament, and it is uncertain just when the
canon was closed.
The
books of the Old Testament were originally divided into 24, according
to the testimony of early Hebrew tradition. The Talmud, rabbinic
literature, and probably the book of 4 Esdras speak of an arrangement
which included 5 books of the Law, 8 of the prophets, and 11 of the
Writings.
Of
these, the one most important to the Israelites has always been the
Law, also known as the Pentateuch, referring to 5 scrolls in one case
(Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). The second
section, the Prophets, includes 4 historical books (Joshua, Judges,
Samuel, and Kings), the books of the 3 major prophets (Isaiah,
Jeremiah, and Ezekiel), and the books of the 12 minor prophets (Hosea,
Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephaniah, Haggai,
Zechariah, and Malachi). The last section, known as the Writings, are
subdivided into the "Wisdom Writings" (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Song
of Songs, Lamentations, and Ecclesiastes), and the "Historical
Writings" (Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles).
Books of the Old Testament
The Pentateuch
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy |
The first five Old Testament books are known as the books of the Law, or the Pentateuch or the Torah.
The first 11 chapters of Genesis
tell about God. Unlike the pagans of the ancient world, the Hebrew people (later known as Israelites or Jews) believed
in only one true God. Through the stories of Creation, The Great Flood and The Tower of Babel we see that God created
everything, and He loves and actively sustains all His creation.
The remainder of Genesis tells the history of the patriarchs. The Jews trace their ancestry to a man named Abraham
through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob. The Muslim Arabs also trace their ancestry to Abraham, through his son
Ishmael.
Exodus and Numbers tell the story of Moses, who led the Hebrews out of captivity in Egypt around 1300 B.C.
They wandered for forty years in the desert before arriving at their Promised Land. During the time in the desert,
God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses.
Leviticus and Deuteronomy discuss the relationship between God
and His chosen people, the Hebrews. They also give details of the Law that regulated almost every aspect of Hebrew
life.
Moses is traditionally considered to be the author of the Pentateuch, but as with many other books of the Bible,
the author and date written are not known for certain.
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The Historical Books
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1st Samuel
2nd Samuel
1st Kings
2nd Kings
1st Chronicles
2nd Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Tobit*
Judith*
Esther
1st Maccabees*
2nd Maccabees* |
The remainder of the Old Testament books are divided by the Jews into categories
of prophets and writings. However, Christians organize it differently
into sections of historical books,
wisdom books, and books of prophecy.
The historical books tell the history of Israel from the time of Moses until several hundred years before the time
of Jesus. After 40 years in the desert, the Hebrews conquered their Promised Land of Canaan. For a time, the tribes
of Israel were ruled by a series of judges. Then, in the eleventh century B.C., came the monarchy with Kings Saul,
David, Solomon and several other kings. Israel suffered a number of military defeats. Jerusalem was destroyed in
586 B.C. and many captives were taken away to Babylon. Eventually, the people were allowed to return and rebuild
Jerusalem and their civilization. |
The Wisdom Books
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Wisdom*
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)* |
Psalms, Proverbs, Wisdom and Sirach contain many sayings of practical wisdom to help
live a happy, successful and holy life. Job and Ecclesiastes deal with the weightier issues of the meaning of life,
the existence of evil and our relationship to God. Song of Solomon is a love song glorifying romantic love between
a man and woman, although it is sometimes interpreted allegorically as a story about the love of God for Israel
or the Church.
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The Books of Prophecy
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch*
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi |
Prophecy means speaking the mind of God. Some prophecies predict the future. Others
are special messages of instruction or warning from God. The prophets were called by God to give these predictions,
messages and warnings to kings, other leaders and the people.
Except for Lamentations and Baruch, Each of these books is named for one of the well-known Hebrew prophets, but
there were many minor prophets also. |
*Included in Roman Catholic and Orthodox Bibles but not in most Protestant
editions.
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