The Old Testament

• The Old Testament was written over approximately 900 years by numerous authors and editors.
• The Old Testament tells the story of God’s relationship with Israel and sets the stage for the Messiah.
• The Old Testament prepares the people for the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
• The Old Testament is divided into the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Books, and Prophetic Books.

Pentateuch (Torah)

• Genesis means "beginning" and contains stories of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) who serve as symbols of faith.
• Abraham is considered the father of a multitude of nations and is a symbol of faith for Christians and Jews, Muslims view him as the father of the Arab people and a prophet like Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad
• Exodus recounts liberation from Egypt, the Covenant at Mount Sinai, and Moses’ leadership.
• Leviticus focuses on laws about holiness and worship.
• Numbers continues the story of the desert wanderings of the Israelites and their themes of trust vs. rebellion.
• Deuteronomy means "second law" & repeats material from Exodus, Leviticus & Numbers, featuring Moses’ final speeches before entering the Promised Land.

Historical Books

• The Historical Books narrate the events of Salvation History and how God remained faithful to the covenant.
• Joshua tells the story of the conquest of the Promised Land.
• Judges recounts the cycle of Israel’s apostasy and God’s deliverance with leaders called judges.
• Ruth is the story of a Gentile woman’s loyalty, illustrating God’s inclusive love, showing that God's love extends to everyone.
• 1 & 2 Samuel tell the stories of Saul and David's rise to kingship in Israel.
• 1 & 2 Kings discuss the development of the monarchy (Saul, David, Solomon) and the division of the kingdom, rise of King Solomon and the division of the united kingdom of Israel
• Ezra & Nehemiah recount the return from Babylonian Exile and rebuilding Jerusalem.
• 1 & 2 Maccabees give an account of the Jewish revolt against foreign rule and a period of Jewish independence.
• Tobit, Judith, and Esther writings encourage the Jewish people through inspiring works of fiction.
• 1 & 2 Chronicles focuses primarily on the southern kingdom from the time of King David until the conquest of Judah by the Babylonians.

Wisdom Books

• Job deals with the question of why the innocent suffer.
• Psalms is a collection of 150 hymns/prayers, expressing praise, lament, and thanksgiving, collection of 150 song lyrics or poetry that praise and thank God
• Proverbs provides short sayings offering practical wisdom for how to live a good life that uses parallelism.
• Ecclesiastes contains reflections on life’s meaning and brevity from Qoheleth teach lessons about living through questions, sayings, and proverbs.
• Song of Songs is a poetic allegory of love, often seen as God’s love.
• Wisdom & Sirach offer advice on righteous living and guidance for Jews in challenging times, A sage who recalls many wise sayings and lessons
• The Book of Wisdom encourages Jews living in Egypt to remain faithful to their religious heritage.

Prophetic Books

• Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel) feature longer writings that call Israel to faithfulness and offering hope.
• Minor Prophets (e.g., Hosea, Amos, Micah) have shorter works with the same urgency to return to God’s covenant.
• Common themes include warnings against idolatry and injustice and promises of restoration and future hope.
• Isaiah was written by a prophet and his disciples over three centuries.
• Jeremiah offered messages of warning and hope to Jews in Jerusalem before the Babylonian Exile and in Egypt during the Exile.
• Lamentations expresses deep sorrow over the fall of Jerusalem.
• Baruch reminds that the Exile was a result of the people's unfaithfulness to God.
• Ezekiel was a prophet in Babylon who promised Salvation and a New Covenant if the Jews returned to God.
• Daniel, initially interpreted as prophetic literature, is an apocalyptic book.
• Major prophets have longer works than minor prophets, but are not necessarily more important.

Key Terms

• Compilation refers to multiple authors/editors contributing to one text.
• Covenant is a sacred agreement between God and His people.
• Prophet is God’s messenger who calls for fidelity and justice and spoke to the people of Israel on behalf of God.
• Apostasy means abandoning faith, often followed by God’s deliverance when people repent.
• Wisdom Literature consists of books focusing on practical and philosophical life lessons.

The Old Testament, crafted over nine centuries, narrates God's bond with Israel and foretells the Messiah's arrival. It is divided into the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Books, and Prophetic Books. Genesis tells stories of the patriarchs, with Abraham symbolizing faith.