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Brief Overview of the Bible
The Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures
     

The Hebrew Canon

Ancient Jews of the time of Christ only recognized the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh –ta'-nak, te'-nak– תנ״ך) which had already been canonized by the time Jesus was born. Traditionally, the Hebrew Cannon has been subdivided into three sections:

1. The Law/Teaching or Torah (תורה). This section includes the first five books of the Bible, traditionally known to have been authored by the Prophet Moses. In the western world, we know them by their Greek names as:
  1. Genesis (בראשית, Bereshit: "In the beginning...")
  2. Exodus (שמות, Shemot: "Names")
  3. Leviticus (ויקרא, Vayyiqra: "And he called...")
  4. Numbers (במדבר, Bamidbar: "In the desert...")
  5. Deuteronomy (דברים, Devarim: "Words", "Discourses", or "Things")
Note: Today, the printed form of the Torah is referred to as Chumash (חומש –hu'-mash, “five-part”). Whereas, in the western world, we know it as the Pentateuch (pen'-tuh-took, “five scrolls”).

2. The Prophets or Nevi'im (נביאים). This section includes historical books written during the “period of prophesy.” They cover the history of Israel chronologically from the conquest of Canaan, the Promised Land, until the Babylonian captivity of the southern kingdom of Judah. Even though, the Book of Chronicles covers the same period, it was excluded from this section of the Cannon. The Nevi'im have traditionally been divided into two parts:
  1. The Earlier or Former Prophets
    • Generally Historical: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings
  2. The Later or Latter Prophets
    • Exhortational Prophecies: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel,
    • The Twelve, or Minor, Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zepheniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
Note: Another way they are referred to is the Major Prophets (includes the historical and exhortational prophets) and the Minor Prophets.

3. The Writings or Ketuvim (כתובים). Sometimes known by its Greek name, Hagiographa. This section of the Cannon encompasses all the remaining books, and includes the Pentateuch. They have traditionally been divided into three categories:
  1. The Wisdom books: Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs
  2. The Poetry books: Psalms, Lamentations and Song of Solomon
  3. The Historical books: Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles.

The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Canon

The following is a composite list of books that comprise the Roman Catholic Canon as well as the Orthodox Canon.  They are presented here as one category because of the similarity.  However, there are some difference which will be noted below.

1. Pentateuch (Five Books)
  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • Leviticus
  • Numbers
  • Deuteronomy
2. History
  • Joshua
  • Judges
  • Ruth
  • 1 Samuel (1 Kingdoms)
  • 2 Samuel (2 Kingdoms)
  • 1 Kings (3 Kingdoms)
  • 2 Kings (4 Kingdoms)
  • 1 Chronicles
  • 2 Chronicles
  • 1 Esdras (Eastern Orthodox only)
  • Ezra (2 Esdras)
  • Nehemiah (2 Esdras)
  • Tobit
  • Judith
  • Esther
  • 1 Maccabees1
  • 2 Maccabees
  • 3 Maccabees (Eastern Orthodox only)2
  • 4 Maccabees (Eastern Orthodox only)
3. Poetry and Wisdom
  • Job
  • Psalms
  • Odes (Eastern Orthodox only)
  • Proverbs
  • Ecclesiastes
  • Song of Solomon
  • Wisdom
  • Sirach
4. Major Prophets
  • Isaiah
  • Jeremiah
  • Lamentations
  • Baruch
  • Letter of Jeremiah
  • Ezekiel
  • Daniel
5. Minor Prophets
  • Hosea
  • Joel
  • Amos
  • Obadiah
  • Jonah
  • Micah
  • Nahum
  • Habakkuk
  • Zephaniah
  • Haggai
  • Zechariah
  • Malachi
Notes:
1. The Latin Vulgate, Douay-Rheims, and Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition place First and Second Maccabees after Malachi; other Catholic translations place them after Esther.
2. Found in most Orthodox Bibles as a part of the Anagignoskomena.

The Protestant Old Testament

1. Pentateuch (Five Books)
  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • Leviticus
  • Numbers
  • Deuteronomy
2. History
  • Joshua
  • Judges
  • Ruth
  • 1 Samuel
  • 2 Samuel
  • 1 Kings
  • 2 Kings
  • 1 Chronicles
  • 2 Chronicles
  • Ezra
  • Nehemiah
  • Esther
3. Poetry and Wisdom
  • Job
  • Psalms
  • Proverbs
  • Ecclesiastes
  • Song of Solomon
4. Major Prophets
  • Isaiah
  • Jeremiah
  • Lamentations
  • Ezekiel
  • Daniel
5. Minor Prophets
  • Hosea
  • Joel
  • Amos
  • Obadiah
  • Jonah
  • Micah
  • Nahum
  • Habakkuk
  • Zephaniah
  • Haggai
  • Zechariah
  • Malachi
 
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