The Old Testament

The Hospitality of Abraham (Visit of the Three Angels).

Benaki Museum. Public domain image. Source

Moses, holding the Ten Commandments in his right hand, and with the burning bush above his left, from an icon painted in the early eighteenth century and kept today at the Kizhi monastery in Russia. The Covenant that God made with Abraham, by which God promised to take his descendants as his own People, appeared to have been forgotten when they lived as slaves under the Egyptian pharaohs. But Moses was raised up to lead them into a land of their own, and there God dwelt among them in his holy Temple at Jerusalem. But despite countless warnings from the prophets, the Israelites did not keep their side of the bargain: they went after other gods, and when the Babylonian Empire came calling early in the sixth century BC, the Israelites found their gods no help at all.

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The Authorized Version

The Old Testament

The story of Israel and her covenants with God, from the making of mankind in the Garden of Eden to Abraham, Moses and David, and the Babylonian Exile in the sixth century BC.

Introduction

The Old Testament is the Christians’ name for the Hebrew Scriptures, a reference to the covenant or ‘testament’ made between God and his chosen people Israel through Moses in the thirteenth century BC. It records and interprets Israelite history from Abraham in about 2000 BC through Moses to the first Temple at Jerusalem in the tenth century, the conquest by Babylon in 596 BC, and the return of the Exiles some seventy years later.

1

Genesis

The First Book of Moses, called Genesis

The Creation, the Great Flood, the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and how Joseph brought Israel and his sons to Egypt.

Picture: By Andrey Rublev (?-?1430), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

2

Exodus

The Second Book of Moses, called Exodus

How Moses led Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and brought them through forty years of wandering to the borders of the Promised Land.

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3

Leviticus

The Third Book of Moses, called Leviticus

Laws given to Israel through Moses, with particular reference to the priestly tribe of Levi.

Picture: By an anonymous Russian artist (?1654), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

4

Numbers

The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers

Further tales from the escape from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan, including the story of Balaam.

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5

Deuteronomy

The Fifth Book of Moses, called Deuteronomy

How Israel was given more laws, and how Moses left them with a choice between blessing and curse.

Picture: By an anonymous Russian artist (1590s), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

6

Joshua

The Book of Joshua

How Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land, and how he conquered Jericho and the other cities and tribes of Canaan.

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7

Judges

The Book of Judges

Tales of the days before the Kings, when Israel was ruled by prophets and mighty warriors including Deborah, Gideon and Samson.

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8

Ruth

The Book of Ruth

A love story about Ruth, who found a home with the people of Israel.

Picture: By Edwin Long (1829-1891), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

9

1 Samuel

The First Book of Samuel Otherwise Called The First Book of the Kings

How the Israelites clamoured to have a king ‘like all the nations’, and how Saul became their first King, but went mad, and how the crown passed to David.

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10

2 Samuel

The Second Book of Samuel Otherwise Called The Second Book of the Kings

How David ruled Israel, and made her great, but his reign was marred by rebellions, including that of his own son Absolom.

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11

1 Kings

The First Book of the Kings, Commonly Called the Third Book of the Kings

How David died, and his crown passed to his son Solomon, and how Solomon built the Temple at Jerusalem, but afterwards his kingdom was divided; and how Elijah prophesied in the time of King Ahab.

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12

2 Kings

The Second Book of the Kings, Commonly Called the Fourth Book of the Kings

How the Kings of Judah and Israel ruled wickedly, and Elijah and Elisha foretold their wickedness would be punished; and how the Northern kingdom was overthrown by Assyria, and Judah by Babylon.

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13

1 Chronicles

The First Book of the Chronicles

The tales of the conquest of Canaan, and the struggle of Saul and David, are told again.

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14

2 Chronicles

The Second Book of the Chronicles

The tale of Solomon and his Temple is retold, and also how the Northern kingdom fell to Assyria and Judah fell to Babylon owing to the wickedness of their kings.

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15

Ezra

Ezra

How Cyrus the King of Persia overcame the Babylonians, and allowed the captive Israelites to return home and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem.

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16

Nehemiah

The Book of Nehemiah

How Nehemiah laboured in Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the Temple after the exiles returned from Babylon.

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17

Esther

The Book of Esther

How Esther was chosen to be Queen to the King of Persia, and how she saved the Jews from the evil designs of Haman.

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18

Job

The Book of Job

How Job was tested by God, and was tormented by the foolish counsel of three friends; and how he spoke bitterly, and God rebuked him out of a whirlwind, but restored him to prosperity.

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19

Psalms

The Book of Psalms

A hundred and fifty songs of repentance, joy and praise, many of them attributed to King David, which were sung in the Temple at Jerusalem.

Picture: Novgorod School (1400), via National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Norway) and Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.. Source.

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Psalms (Coverdale)

The Book of Psalms

Myles Coverdale’s translation of the Book of Psalms, made in 1535 and included in all successive editions of the Book of Common Prayer.

Picture: Novgorod School (1400), via National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Norway) and Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.. Source.

20

Proverbs

The Proverbs

A collection of wise sayings credited to King Solomon, drawn from all over the ancient Near East.

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21

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher

A reflection on the vanity of human ambition and pride, attributed to King Solomon.

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22

Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon

An erotic song of a man who his lover, attributed to King Solomon.

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23

Isaiah

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

The words of the prophet Isaiah, warning Israel’s kings of the consequences of idolatry; and yet, a virgin would conceive a son, who would sit on David’s throne, a Servant who would comfort and restore his people.

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24

Jeremiah

The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

The words of the prophet Jeremiah, who urged the kings of Israel and Judah to repentance and foretold the sack of Jerusalem, and who promised a New Covenant that God would write upon the hearts of men.

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25

Lamentations

The Lamentations of Jeremiah

The words of Jeremiah the prophet, as he grieved over the fall of Jerusalem in the early sixth century BC.

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26

Ezekiel

The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel

The words of the prophet Ezekiel, who condemned the idolatry of Israel’s kings, but foretold the glorious rebuilding of the Temple, and foresaw Israel restored like dry bones brought back to life.

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27

Daniel

The Book of Daniel

The many tales of Daniel, who prophesied in Babylon during the captivity, interpreting the king’s dreams, and who by trust in God survived a night in a lion’s den.

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28

Hosea

Hosea

The words of the prophet Hosea, who foretold the destruction of the Northern kingdom on account of idolatry, but also her restoration.

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29

Joel

Joel

The words of the prophet Joel, who foretold that a day would come when God would pour out his Spirit upon those who call upon his name.

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30

Amos

Amos

The words of the prophet Amos, who pronounced God’s judgment against Israel for idolatry and injustice, but also promised that God would restore her to prosperity.

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31

Obadiah

Obadiah

The words of the prophet Obadiah, who denounced Edom for failing to aid Judah when the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem, and who promised that the Israelites would be restored despite the Edomites.

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32

Jonah

Jonah

The story of a reluctant prophet, who spent three days in the belly of whale before coming back to the lands of men.

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33

Micah

Micah

The words of the prophet Micah, who denounced the injustice and idolatry of Israel’s kings, and foretold a time when a king would be born in Bethlehem, and the gentiles would come to Jerusalem.

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34

Nahum

Nahum

The words of the prophet Nahum, who foretold the destruction of Nineveh.

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35

Habakkuk

Habakkuk

The words of the prophet Habakkuk, who foretold the rise of the Babylonian Empire against Judah, but also that God would cast her down for going too far, and for attributing her power to false gods.

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36

Zephaniah

Zephaniah

The words of the prophet Zephaniah, who foretold disaster and destruction among the neighbours of Israel, and promised the restoration of Jerusalem.

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37

Haggai

Haggai

The words of the prophet Haggai, who rebuked Israel for failing to rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem after the end of the Babylonian captivity.

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38

Zechariah

Zechariah

The words of the prophet Zechariah, who foresaw the return of Israel’s king to Jerusalem, riding upon a donkey.

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39

Malachi

Malachi

The words of the prophet Malachi, who foretold the return of Elijah before the rising of Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings.

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