What is The Old Testament?

Discover the books of The Old Testament. But first, learn the different ways Christians, Jews, and critical scholars view this ancient library.

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From a Christian perspective

The Old Testament is the first section of the Christian Bible and is believed to be divinely inspired. It provides a historical account of God's dealings with humanity before the birth of Jesus Christ and serves as a foundation for understanding the Christian faith. The Old Testament contains a range of literary genres, including narrative, poetry, wisdom literature, and prophecy, and covers key events such as the creation of the world, the fall of humanity, the lives of the patriarchs, the exodus from Egypt, the establishment of the monarchy, the Babylonian exile, and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Christians view the Old Testament as a crucial part of God's redemptive plan for humanity and consider it to contain numerous prophecies that were fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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From a Jewish perspective

The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, is the sacred scripture of the Jewish faith. It consists of three main sections: the Torah, which includes the five books of Moses and provides the foundation for Jewish law and practice; the Prophets, which includes historical accounts and prophetic messages from the major and minor prophets; and the Writings, which includes poetry, wisdom literature, and other writings. The Old Testament chronicles the history of the Jewish people and their covenant with God, beginning with the creation of the world and continuing through the exodus from Egypt, the establishment of the monarchy, the Babylonian exile, and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews consider the Old Testament to be the primary source of religious and moral guidance, and it is central to Jewish worship, study, and observance.

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From a Critical Scholar perspective

From a critical scholar perspective, the Old Testament is a collection of ancient texts that have been compiled and edited over time by various authors and editors. These texts reflect the beliefs, practices, and historical experiences of the ancient Israelites, and provide insights into the religious and cultural context of the ancient Near East. Critical scholars have identified various sources and layers within the Old Testament, including the Documentary Hypothesis, which suggests that the first five books of the Bible were compiled from multiple sources over several centuries. They also recognize the influence of other cultures and religions on the development of the Old Testament, such as the Babylonian captivity and the Persian Empire. Overall, critical scholars view the Old Testament as a complex and multifaceted text that requires careful analysis and interpretation in order to understand its historical and religious significance.

Canonical Lists

The below canonical lists represent the most well-known and widely recognized Old Testament canons within Judaism and Christianity.

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Christian Canons

The Septuagint (LXX): The Septuagint is an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that was widely used in the Hellenistic Jewish community and early Christian Church. The Septuagint includes the same books as the Hebrew Bible, but in a different order, and also contains additional books known as the Deuterocanonicals or Apocrypha, such as Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, and Sirach, which are accepted as canonical by some Christian traditions.

The Catholic Old Testament Canon: The Catholic Old Testament includes the books found in the Septuagint, embracing the Deuterocanonicals as part of the canon. The order of books is different from the Jewish Canon and the Septuagint, with the Deuterocanonicals integrated into the historical and wisdom books.

The Eastern Orthodox Old Testament Canon: The Eastern Orthodox Church's Old Testament Canon includes the same books as the Catholic Canon, with a few additional texts, such as 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and the Prayer of Manasseh. The exact list of canonical books may vary slightly between different Orthodox traditions.

The Protestant Old Testament Canon: The Protestant Old Testament follows the Jewish Canon's structure and content, excluding the Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. The books are organized similarly to the Hebrew Bible, but with some variations in the order of the books.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Old Testament Canon: The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has a unique Old Testament canon that includes the books found in the Septuagint, as well as other texts not found in other canons, such as the Book of Enoch, Jubilees, and additional books of Ezra and Maccabees. The Ethiopian Canon has a total of 81 books, making it the largest Old Testament Canon among Christian traditions.

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Jewish Canon

The Jewish Canon (Hebrew Bible or Tanakh): The Jewish Canon consists of three main divisions: the Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). The Torah comprises the first five books of Moses, the Nevi'im consists of both the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets), and the Ketuvim includes various historical, poetic, and wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, etc.).

More about The Old Testament

What is The Old Testament?

Canonical Lists