Old Testament

Texts of the OT

Old Testament

The Old Testament is the first part of the Christian Bible, comprising texts originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It is a collection of religious writings by ancient Israelites, believed to have been written over a period of approximately 1,000 years, from the 12th century BCE to the 2nd century BCE. The Old Testament is considered sacred scripture by several religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, though the contents and the order of the books can vary among these faiths.

Composition

The Old Testament consists of several sections and includes various types of literature such as laws, history, poetry, and prophecy. The primary divisions are the Torah or Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Wisdom Literature, and the Prophets.

Torah or Pentateuch

The Torah, also known as the Pentateuch, includes the first five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books narrate the origins of the world, the history of the early Israelites, and the establishment of the covenant between God and his people.

Historical Books

This section covers the history of the Israelite people from their conquest of the Promised Land through their exile and return. It includes books such as Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.

Wisdom Literature

The Wisdom Literature encompasses books that offer insights into life and God's nature through poems, songs, and wise sayings. Notable books in this category include Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

Prophets

The Prophets are divided into the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets, based not on their importance but on the length of the texts. Major Prophets include Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, while the Twelve Minor Prophets include books like Hosea, Amos, and Micah.

Themes and Theology

The Old Testament explores themes such as the covenant between God and Israel, obedience and disobedience to God's laws, the promise of a Messiah, and the hope of redemption and restoration. It lays the foundation for Christian theological concepts and is cited extensively in the New Testament.

Canon

The canon of the Old Testament varies among different Christian denominations. The Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches include additional books, known as the Deuterocanonical books, which are not part of the Hebrew Bible or the Protestant Old Testament.

Influence

The Old Testament has had a profound influence on Western culture, literature, and art. Its narratives, characters, and themes are deeply embedded in Western consciousness and have been explored and reinterpreted in countless works over the centuries.

See Also

• Bible
• Tanakh
• Apocrypha