HOME BIBLE STUDY #2 - Major Divisions and Books of the Bible
Introduction - The Old and New Testaments
The Bible (Gk. biblia, lit. books or the books) is a book comprising many books. These books are grouped into two major divisions called the Old Testament and the New Testament, lit. covenant. The Old Testament covers the historical period from the Creation to the time before Christ, i.e. thousands of years. The New Testament covers the period of time from Christ to approximately 100 years after His death.
Books of the Old Testament - 5 Major Divisions
1) Pentateuch (Five-Volumed Book), or Law, or Torah (5 Books)
|
BOOK |
AUTHOR |
TIME and LOCATION |
MAJOR DIVISIONS |
MAJOR THEMES |
|
Genesis |
Moses |
Creation to Mesopotamia to Egypt to 1446 BC |
Primeval History (1:1 - 11:26) creation, the fall and the flood Patriarchal History (11:27 - 50:26) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph |
Story of election Story of faith Promise Covenant faithfulness |
|
Exodus |
Moses |
Egypt to Canaan 1446 BC |
Deliverance/Redemption oppression, Moses, exodus, wanderings Covenant at Sinai decalogue, the covenant, worship, the tabernacle |
Covenant of redemption God’s name, attributes, law Theology of worship (641 laws, not burdensome, holiness)
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|
Leviticus |
Moses |
Mt. Sinai 1446 BC |
Laws and Regulations Offerings,Priestly Office Worship Moral Law Festivals Blessins and Curses |
Holiness Codes |
|
Numbers |
Moses |
Mt. Sinai to Canaan 1446 to 1406 BC |
Preparation to leave for Canaan Israel at Kadesh - 12 Spies Kadesh to Moab |
Israel’s rebellion, wanderings
|
|
Deuteronomy |
Moses |
Before enterning Canaan 1406 BC |
Moses’ Instruction (1-33) Covenant Stipulations Curses and Blessings Moses’ Death (34) |
Repetition of the Law Love the Lord your God |
2) History (12 Books)
|
BOOK |
AUTHOR |
TIME and LOCATION |
MAJOR DIVISIONS |
MAJOR THEMES |
|
Joshua |
Joshua ? |
1400-1375 BC |
Conquering the land (1-12) Crossing Jordan Destruction of Jericho Achan punished Amorites defeated Dividing the land (13-22) Joshua’s farewell & death (23-24) |
God’s people to Promised Land
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|
Judges |
? |
1375-1050 BC |
Israelites did not possess all the land (1,2) God sent judges (3-16) Israelites did not keep God’s laws (17-21) |
Disobedience Defeat Deliverance
|
|
Ruth |
? |
1375-1050 BC |
Story of Ruth (1-4) |
Faithfulness |
|
1 Samuel |
? |
1100-1010 BC |
Samuel-last of the judges (1-8) Saul-Israel’s first king (9-15) David-a new king is chosen (16-31) |
Transition of leadership from judges to kings |
|
2 Samuel |
? |
1010-970 BC |
David’s rise-king and ruler (1-10) David’s fall-sin &problems (11-20) David’s last days (21-24) |
David’s reign over Judah & then over whole nation of Israel |
|
1 Kings |
Jeremiah? |
970-853 BC |
Reign of Solomon (1-8) Division of kingdom (11-16) Reign of King Ahab (17-22) |
Israel divided into two kingdoms |
|
2 Kings |
Jeremiah? |
850-586 BC |
Ministries of Elijah &Elisha (1-9) Last days of Israel (10-17) Last days of Judah (18-25) |
Ministry of Elisha Fall of Judah |
|
1 Chronicles |
Ezra |
1010-970 BC |
Another look at Jewish history Saul David Nathan Solomon |
God’s faithfulness to the Jews
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|
2 Chronicles |
Ezra |
970-538 BC |
Reign of Solomon (1-9) Rulers of Judah (10-35) Babylonian captivity (36) Fall of Jerusalem |
God’s plan |
|
Ezra |
Ezra |
540-458 BC |
Return under Shehbazzar (1-6) Temple rebuilt Return under Ezra(7-10) God’s laws taught |
God’s people return to their land
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|
Nehemiah |
Ezra Nehemiah |
458-432 BC |
Return under Nehemiah (1-13) Wall of Jerusalem rebuilt |
God’s people settle in their land |
|
Esther |
? |
460 BC |
Esther becomes queen and saves her people from being destroyed |
God saves his people |
Chronological Overview - Review
1446BC Exodus
1010 Begin Davidic Dynasty
931 Colapse of United Empire
722 Collapse of Northern Kingdom (Israel)
701 Hezekiah - builds tunnel during Sennarcherib seige
621 Josiah discovers scroll - Major Reforms
609 Death of Josiah
605 Babylonians invade Jerusalem after defeating Egypt
597 Second Exile
586 Jerusalem destroyed - Third Exile
Babylonians defeated by Persians (Cyrus)
538 First return under Zerrubabel (Ezra 1-6)
458 Second return under Ezra
444 Third return under Nehemiah (wall built in 52 days)
3) Wisdom Literature (Poetry) (5 Books)
|
BOOK |
AUTHOR |
TIME and LOCATION |
MAJOR DIVISIONS |
MAJOR THEMES |
|
Job |
Unknown
|
Unknown |
1-2 Prologue - the Lord gives, the Lord takes 3-31 three cycles of debate / discussion - Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophai 32-37 Elihu speech 38-41 Yahweh speeches 42 Epilogue |
- questioning the human ability to understand the ways of God - humility - sometimes things happen to teach us - there are limits to human wisdom |
|
Psalms |
Various David, Asaph, Others |
Various (some sayings found in other ANE writings |
5 Major Books 1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150 Possibly to correspond to the 5 books of Moses |
Five Major Types: 1) Complaint or Lament (6, 22) invocation, complaint, plea, condemnation of enemy, statement of confidence, confession of sin, vow, blessing expected 2) Thanksgiving (30, 107, Jonah 2) call to thanks, account of trouble, praise, promise (of sacrifice), blessings experienced 3) Royal or Enthronement (2, 21, 45, 93) God as King or psalm for the king, king is the “son” of God 4) Wisdom or Instruction (1, 19, 119) generally: do good and prosper, do evil and God will judge 5) Hymn of Praise (146-150) arises out of personal deliverance |
|
Proverbs |
Solomon (1-29) Agur (30), Lemuel (31) |
10th cent BC? compiled after Hezekiah? |
1-9: in defence of wisdom 10-32:8 proverbs of Solomon 23:17-24:22 words of the wise (close to Egyptian collection) 24:23-34 more words of the wise 25-29 proverbs of solomon 30 words of Agur (Arabic) 31 words of Lemuel (Arabic) |
- how does God work in the world and how do we respond - deuteronomistic principle - benefits of following, tragedy if not - certitudes - philosophical wisdom - sum total of what can be known is the fear of Yahweh - the fool, the sluggard, the friend, the family |
|
Ecclesiastes |
Uncertain, possibly Solomon
|
10th cent BC? |
(none) |
- all is vanity - futility - all is to be enjoyed - cannot know the full answer - remeber God in your youth - be faithful, heed His instuctions |
|
Song of Songs, Song of Solomon |
Solomon?
|
10th cent BC |
(none) |
- a love song - an allegory of the love relationship between God and Israel, or Christ and the Church |
4) Major Prophets (5 Books)
prophet - someone who speaks for God
prophecy - a message spoken as instructed by God, either forthtelling or foretelling laws, instructions, events
early examples - Moses (Dt 34) - “presence” and “power” of God - “face-to-face”
Saul (1 Sam 10, 19), Nathan (2 Sam 13), Elijah and Elisha (1 Kg 17; 2 Kg 2)
divisions - pre-exilic (8th cent - Assyrians, 7th cent - Babylonians), exilic (6th cent - Babylonian), post-exilic (6th to 5th cent - Persian)
|
BOOK |
AUTHOR |
TIME and LOCATION |
MAJOR DIVISIONS |
MAJOR THEMES |
|
Isaiah |
Isaiah |
pre-exilic northern kingdom |
1 - 35 - oracles of judgement and hope 36 - 39 - historical narrative 40 - 66 - book of consolation |
1:5 consequences of foresaking Yahweh 2 - 4 - pending “day of the Lord” 5 - 6 Ahaz invaded - “in whom do you place your trust” 10 - 11 restoration servant songs (49:1-6, 53) - Israel, Jacob, Jesus |
|
Jeremiah |
Jeremiah |
pre-exilic to exilic (627 - 586) northern kingdom |
2 - offences 3 - 4:4 - call to return 7 - false security 11:15; 14:11; 15:1 doubt of return - God tells Jer. to stop praying - judgement is inevitable 18 - 29 - judgement 30 - 33 - restoration, consoltation |
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|
Lamentations |
Jeremiah |
586 |
|
Jeremiah weeping over destroyed Jerusalem |
|
Ezekial |
Ezekial |
early exilic 605, 597, 586 30th year -> 575? |
1 - 24 - message “toward Jerusalem” 25 - 32 - oracles against the nations 33 - 48 - exile and restoration |
Ezekial is a priest -> concerned with holiness 8 - indictment - glory has departed exile allegories - 17 (eagles); 23 (two sisters); 24 (cooking pot)
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|
Daniel |
Daniel |
|
|
apocalyptic a.o.t. prophetic |
5) Minor Prophets (Book of the Twelve) (12 Books)
|
BOOK |
AUTHOR |
TIME and LOCATION |
MAJOR DIVISIONS |
MAJOR THEMES |
|
Hosea |
Hosea |
pre-exilic northern kingdom |
1 - 3 - prophet’s unfaithful family 4 - 12 - Israel on trial |
prophet’s family as a sign and symbol of unfaithful Israel and faithful God |
|
Joel |
Joel |
exilic (probably) |
|
describing the day of “Yahweh” restoration “day of Yahweh” for the nations |
|
Amos |
Amos |
pre-exilic northern kingdom |
1:1 - superscription 1:2 - 2:5 - oracles against the nations 2:6 - 9:15 - oracles against Israel 7 - 8 - divine mercy and justice |
impending judgement |
|
Obadiah |
Obadiah |
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|
|
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Jonah |
Jonah |
pre-exilic Ninevah |
|
God’s mercy on all nations |
|
Micah |
Micah |
pre-exilic northern kingdom |
(similar to Isaiah) |
charge of injustice (2:1-2; 6:9-16) and penalty call to repentance hope of restoration (4:1-5, 7:8-20) |
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Nahum |
Nahum |
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Habbakuk |
Habbakuk |
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Zephaniah |
Zephaniah |
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|
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Haggai |
Haggai |
early post-exilic Darius (520 BC) |
|
people have wrong priorities future glorious temple holiness required of people and priests |
|
Zacheriah |
Zacheriah |
post-exilic |
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Malachi |
Malachi |
post-exilic 5th cent (?) |
|
responds to expectations fo Haggai “God does not love Israel?” - No - “Israel does not love God”, esp priests - misunderstanding of the law marital infidelity judgement and restoration vindications of the righteous conclusion - “keep the law” |
Ref: BIBLE_2 Date: