What are the books of the Old Testament?

What are the books of the Old Testament?

The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible, is a collection of sacred texts in Judaism and Christianity. It is divided into several books, categorized into different genres such as historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, and law. The specific books of the Old Testament can vary slightly between different religious traditions, but the following is a general list based on the common structure found in many Christian denominations.

The Old Testament is a collection of sacred texts that are part of the religious scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. The Old Testament is divided into several books, and the exact number and arrangement of these books may vary slightly between different religious traditions. In the most commonly accepted arrangement, the books of the Old Testament include:

old testament books in order

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

It’s important to note that the order and grouping of books may vary in different traditions. Additionally, some books may be grouped differently or omitted in certain versions of the Old Testament. The Old Testament is also recognized in Christianity as the precursor to the New Testament, which includes the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

The order of the books can vary slightly in different Christian traditions. Additionally, the arrangement of the Old Testament books in the Hebrew Bible is different, with the books grouped into three sections: Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). The Christian Old Testament follows a different organization, combining the books into historical, wisdom, and prophetic sections.

What are green lentils and red lentils?

The Old Testament with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books listed afterward

The Hebrew Bible (“Old Testament”)

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther
• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs)
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel
• Daniel
• Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi

Old testament books in order

The Apocrypha (typically considered less authoritative, but often some or all of these are included in different versions of the Bible. Most Protestant Bibles exclude the Apocrypha.)

• Tobit
• Judith
• Additions to the Book of Esther
• Wisdom of Solomon
• Ecclesiasticus
• Baruch
• The Letter of Jeremiah
• The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews
• Susanna
• Bel and the Dragon
• 1 Maccabees
• 2 Maccabees
• 1 Esdras
• Prayer of Manasseh
• Psalm 151
• 3 Maccabees
• 2 Esdras
• 4 Maccabees

It is necessary to rebuke the oldest canon of Scripture on the planet (oldest alongside the DSS) for its inclusion of what we call the Apocrypha (which the DSS and EVERY canon did until the latter half of the first MILLENIUM AD), instead of just relaying the facts that they included them. This is unnecessary, and beside the point.

The order of these books can vary slightly between different denominations and traditions. It’s important to note that the Old Testament is primarily the sacred scripture of Judaism, while Christianity includes the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, which contains the teachings of Jesus Christ and the early Christian writings.

What are the books of the Old Testament?

The Old Testament is the first part of the Christian Bible, containing a treasure trove of ancient wisdom, poetry, history, and laws that also form part of the Hebrew Bible. It’s a collection of texts that provide the backdrop for the New Testament, and it’s critical to both the Jewish and Christian faiths.

There’s a significant number of books in the Old Testament, and they vary depending on which version of the Bible you’re referencing. The Protestant Bible includes 39 books in the Old Testament, while the Catholic Bible includes several additional books, known as the Deuterocanonical books, making it 46. Meanwhile, the Eastern Orthodox Church includes a few more, bringing their total to 49.

But let’s focus on the traditional Protestant lineup:

The Books of the Law – also known as the Torah or Pentateuch:

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy

These are like the origin stories, detailing everything from the creation of the world to the stories of Abraham’s covenant with God and Moses leading his people out of Egypt.

The Historical Books:

1. Joshua
2. Judges
3. Ruth
4. 1 Samuel
5. 2 Samuel
6. 1 Kings
7. 2 Kings
8. 1 Chronicles
9. 2 Chronicles
10. Ezra
11. Nehemiah
12. Esther

You’re looking at an epic saga stretching from the entrance of the Israelites into the Promised Land to the return from exile in Babylon.

The Books of Wisdom and Poetry:

1. Job
2. Psalms
3. Proverbs
4. Ecclesiastes
5. Song of Solomon

This is where you find those verses people quote often, like the comforting Psalms or the existential musings in Ecclesiastes. Job is like the ultimate test of faith narrative.

The Major Prophets:

1. Isaiah
2. Jeremiah
3. Lamentations
4. Ezekiel
5. Daniel

You’re diving into big-picture prophecy here – warnings, promises of redemption, and yes, more history.

The Minor Prophets:

1. Hosea
2. Joel
3. Amos
4. Obadiah
5. Jonah
6. Micah
7. Nahum
8. Habakkuk
9. Zephaniah
10. Haggai
11. Zechariah
12. Malachi

They might be called minor because their books are shorter, but their impact isn’t small. They’ve got plenty to say about how people should live and what’s coming in the future.

Each book has its own style and context – Isaiah’s not going to sound like Leviticus, which isn’t going to read like Esther. You’ve got laws, history, poems, aphorisms, and even apocalyptic literature.

Remember, regardless of religious beliefs, reading the Old Testament is like getting a master class in literature and ancient Near Eastern history. Few texts have had such a massive impact on the world, in part or as a whole. Plus, you’ll finally get where all those references in Western art and literature are coming from.

According to the Jews, who wrote the Old Testament?

That varies from Bible canon to Bible canon. There is not one and only one standard Old Testament. Different denominations use different Bibles, and these different Bibles have different contents in the Old Testament.

The books of the Hebrew Bible are divided into three categories:

The Torah

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy

The books were written by Moses, except for 8–12 verses scattered throughout the books. (The last 8 verses which speak about Moses’s death, and possibly up to 4 more. Different commentators disagree.)

The prophets

These books were written by various writers:

1. Joshua (mostly by Joshua)
2. Judges (written by Samuel)
3. Samuel (mostly by Samuel)
4. Kings (written by Jeremiah)
5. Isaiah (written by Isaiah)
6. Jeremiah (written by Jeremiah)
7. Ezekiel (written by Ezekiel)
8. The Book of the Twelve Prophets (mostly written by the prophets themselves and then, at some point, were organized into one book)

The writings

1. Psalms (most of the psalms were written by King David, with some other authors writing others of the psalms. It’s unclear who put the book together.)
2. Proverbs (written by Solomon)
3. Job (written by Moses)
4. Daniel (written by Jewish scholars)
5. Ezra (written by Jewish scholars)
6. Chronicles (written by Jewish scholars)
7. Song of Songs (written by Solomon)
8. Ecclesiastes (written by Solomon)
9. Lamentations (written by Jeremiah)
10. Esther (written by Jewish scholars)
11. Ruth (written by Samuel)

I hope that that helps.

How many books are in the Old Testament, and how many are in the New Testament?

The Bible is a collection of scripts, and various collections exist. Everybody agrees on some writings; some are “in” here and “out” there.

The Old Testament holds up to 39 books (protestant), up to 46 books (catholic), or up to 51 books (Eastern Orthodox/oriental orthodox). Some view certain books as “non-canonical” but still include them in their print, so the number of books will vary.

The New Testament is more general, holding 27 books. The order of books is generally the same, except for the Slavonic, Ethiopian, and Armenian traditions, which have another order.

The number of books in the Old and New Testaments varies between Christian denominations. In most Christian traditions, the Old Testament contains 39 books, while the New Testament contains 27. This brings the total number of books in the Christian Bible to 66.

Here’s the breakdown:

Old Testament (39 books):

1. Pentateuch (Torah or Law) – 5 books
2. Historical Books – 12 books
3. Wisdom Literature – 5 books
4. Major Prophets – 5 books
5. Minor Prophets – 12 books

New Testament (27 books):

1. Gospels – 4 books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
2. Acts of the Apostles
3. Pauline Epistles – 13 books
4. General Epistles – 7 books
5. Revelation

It’s important to note that the canonical books can vary slightly between Christian denominations. For example, some denominations include additional books known as the Deuterocanonical or Apocryphal in their Old Testament, while others do not. The number of books in the New Testament is generally consistent across denominations.

What are the two parts of the Old Testament?

Sometimes people refer to the “Old Testament” as two parts, saying “the Law and the Prophets,”… but the Jews today more often refer to 3 parts of the Hebrew “Holy Scriptures” as “The Law (Torah) and the Prophets (Nevíim) and the Writings (Khethuvim).”

The Jews have created a nice little acronym to identify the entire collection of the Scriptures as “Tanakh” using the letter T from Torah, the letter N from Nevíim, and the Hebrew Kh from Khethuvim.

The invented term “Tanakh” is not in the Scriptures, similar to the word “Bible,” which is not written in the Bible itself. The word “Bible” is related to a root word as’ books in a library’ in another language. Thus, the word “Bible” refers to ‘a collection of sacred books.’

The reference to the Jewish” writing” included alongside” the Law and the Prophet” in the Tanakh are… > the Proverbs, the many Songs, Ecclesiastes, and histories, etc., … of god’s chosen people back then.

However, the promise to Abraham is being fulfilled today that people of all the nations will be blessed”…not just one country anymore. Genesis 22:10-18. See also Amos 9:11-12, and note that the new blessings come through the”New Covenant” foretold in Jeremiah 31:31–33; See also Malachi 1:11 and 3:16–18.

What are the names of the first five books of the Old Testament?

The first five books are known as Torah, the books of the law. The first book, Genesis, or “Beginnings,” is about the Patriarchs, the founding fathers of Judaism: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The following four books, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, are the books of Moses, the Lawgiver. 

Exodus deals with the escape from slavery with Passover, the key, the giving of the Ten Commandments, and the covenant that created a tent of worship, the forerunner of the Temple and the priestly ceremonies. 

Leviticus are laws of daily living, Numbers tales of wandering 40 years, and Deuteronomy Moses’ last advice as his people prepare to go, without him, into the promised land.

The first five books of the Old Testament, collectively known as the Pentateuch or Torah, are:

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy

These books are foundational to both Judaism and Christianity, containing narratives about the world’s creation, the patriarchs (such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. They are attributed to Moses and are considered central to understanding religious history and law in these traditions.

What are the names of Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) books?

Most of the Hebrew names are equivalents of their English names (or vice versa since the Hebrew names came first) so for example, Joshua is Yehoshua, and Kings is Melakhim (which means Kings). There are some exceptions to this. The Five Books of Moses are named after the first few words of each book in Hebrew.

• Genesis – Bereshit – In the Beginning
• Exodus – Shemot – Names
• Leviticus – Vayikra – And He (God) Called
• Numbers – Bemidbar – In the Desert
• Deuteronomy – Devarim – Words

Another book that follows this convention is Lamentations, which uses the first word, Eikha, meaning Alas! or How (is this possible)?

In Hebrew, the Song of Solomon is known by its other name (which is also the first few words of the book), Shir HaShirim – Song of Songs.

Ecclesiastes is an odd situation. The Hebrew name of the book is Kohelet, which is the name or title of the person to whom the book is attributed. What’s odd about this is that Ecclesiastes translates Kohelet into Greek as if it were a title. But it does not get translated into English from Greek (in most editions) but is transliterated as if it were a name. 

More complicating things is that in the actual attribution that appears in the book, the word does get translated to English, often as a teacher or preacher. Because of this, those unfamiliar with Hebrew or Greek wouldn’t realize that this word is the same as Ecclesiastes unless they’re reading Duay Rheims, the Wycliffe Bible, or the Evangelical Heritage Version, which leaves the attribution as Ecclesiastes as well.

There are also some books the Christians have divided into parts that need to be divided into parts in the Hebrew canon. This includes all books divided into two: Shmuel (Samuel), Melakhim (Kings), and Divrei HaYamim (Chronicles). Ezra and Nehemiah are also a single book in Hebrew, called Ezra (Though nowadays, Ezra – Nehemiah is used for the combined book to avoid confusion). 

And also, the twelve books of the minor prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) are considered a single book, called Trei Asar (the Twelve). 

This name is in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.

In practice, the Christian divisions and names of the above books (translated back into Hebrew) are marked in most Hebrew Bibles in use today (and the Christian chapters and verses are marked, though with a few modifications) to make citations easier since no numbering system predates the Christian one.

How many books are there in the Old Testament?

The Catholic Old Testament has 46 books, plus two in the Latin Appendix, 3 Esdras and Prayer of Manasseh. The Orthodox Old Testament has 51 books, including the following: 1 Esdras, 3 Esdras, Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, and 3 Maccabees, plus one more in the Greek Appendix, 4 Maccabees.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Old Testament has 58 books, which include the following additional books: Jubilees, Enoch, Synodicon, Diddascalia Apostolorum, Testament of the Lord, Qalementus, and 4 Barach.

The Protestant Old Testament has 39 books. The seven books it removed were Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, and Baruch. In addition, the Protestants removed several chapters from the books of Esther and Daniel. The New Testament in all major Christian traditions is the same, with 27 books.

What is your favorite book of the Old Testament, and why?

Ecclesiastes contains some genuine poetry and sentiments that make sense. For example:

Something else meaningless occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This, too, is meaningless. So, I commend the enjoyment of life because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. 

ECC. 8:14-15

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name needs to be remembered.

Their love, hate, and jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they participate in anything that happens under the sun.

Ecc. 9:5-6

Conclusion: old testament books in order

“Old Testament” is a slight way of referring to the Hebrew Bible. It implies that God had a covenant with the Jewish people, which has been replaced by a “New Testament”—a doctrine that many Christian scholars now reject. It would be better to use the term Hebrew Bible, and please know that Jews call it Tanach (a Hebrew acronym for Torah, N’vi’im, Ch’tuvim, or “Teaching, Prophets, and other Writings”).

I like The Books of the Bible; according to its Preface, it uses features such as “changes in subject matter, movement in place or time, or transitions from one type of writing to another” to identify natural ones—literary division within the books of the Bible. 

It also relies on authors’ tendency to repeat “certain phrases… whenever they make a transition from one section to another.” The placement of these phrases “reinforces a structure that can be clearly distinguished from other characteristics.” The Books of the Bible use lines of varying widths to mark the natural, literary sections at various levels. 

It still gives a chapter and verse column in faded type at the bottom of each page. The Books of the Bible was the first presentation of an unedited translation by the Bible committee to remove chapter and verse numbers entirely and instead present the books of the Bible according to their natural literary structures. 

This edition of the Bible is also notable for the way it combines traditionally divided books and for the way, it puts the books of the Bible in a different order.

old testament books in order