Genesis

Genesis means birth or beginnings. This book contains the records of creation; the
garden of Eden, the antediluvians, or the people who lived before the flood; the
flood; Babel's tower; the dispersion of races; and the lives of the patriarchs --
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. The patriarch system is the government by the
man who was the head of the clan. Genesis has been called "the book of origins,"
since all the other books of the Bible arise from it.

Exodus

Exodus means "departure," and the reference is to the departure of the children of
Israel from Egypt. This book consists of an account of the birth and early life of
Moses; the ten plagues; the journey from Egypt to Sinai; the delivery of the law;
and a description of the tabernacle. The pilgrimage of the children of Israel from
Egypt to the promised land has often been compared to the believer's lifelong
pilgrimage. The first 17 verses of chapter 20 of Exodus contain the Ten
Commandments, which are the basis of the Moorish code of civilization.

Levitical

Leviticus and Levite are derived from Levi, the name of one of the twelve sons of
Jacob. The tribe that descended from Levi was the priestly tribe, which was
commissioned to carry out the rites and ceremonies of sacrifices and the teaching
of the law of Moses. The book gives us the ritual that was used in the tabernacle
services and describes the duties of the priests.

Numbers

The book of Numbers derives from the fact that the children of Israel were
numbered twice. Chapter ten is the continuation of the story of the pilgrimage of
the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan, which was interrupted in Exodus 19. On their
pilgrimage from Mount Sinai, the Israelites had planned to travel north and enter
Canaan through the southern borders. But they were frightened by the report of
the spies who spoke of the great size of the inhabitants of the earth. As a result,
they wandered in the desert for 40 years and finally entered Canaan from the east,
crossing the Jordan River. The experiences of those years when they wandered in
the desert are recorded in this book.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy means "second law," or the second installment of the law. Many of
the people who had been present when the law was given on Mount Sinai had died
by this time in Israel's history. Therefore it was necessary to repeat the law for the
benefit of the new generation. Deuteronomy is written in the form of eight speeches
by Moses. The final chapter records his death.
Josue
The book of Joshua is named in honor of one of the two spies who later became
Moses' successor. Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan, attacked and
conquered the Canaanites, and divided the land among his followers. The chapters
that follow contain a speech by Joshua in which he leads the people to high
standards of personal conduct, admonishing them to honor God.

Judges

Judges tells the story of Israel from the death of Joshua to the time of Samuel. This
period, during which the people repeatedly disobeyed and turned away from God,
became one of the darkest times in their history. When they repented of their sins
and turned to God. He raised up leaders, called judges, who delivered them from
their enemies.

Ruth

The book of Ruth is a love story that occurred during the time of the judges. It
gives us an excellent picture of the life and customs of those days. The story is told
in such a curious and interesting way that one seems to see the characters when
they appear on the scene. The passage of 1:16,17 is one of the most beautiful in all
of literature. Ruth was David's great-grandmother, therefore she belonged to the
earthly lineage of Christ.
See chapter 1 of Matthew for more details.

First and Second Samuel

These two books were united into one in the Hebrew Bible. They tell us in detail
the final days of the theocracy (in which God rules directly through the judges)
and the early days of the kingdom. Israel rejected Jehovah, their God, and asked
for a king like the other nations. The first king was Saul, a man of beautiful
appearance and a competent warrior, but not of devotion to God. When Saul died,
David, whom God had chosen, was installed as king. These books cover the life of
David, along with an account of Samuel, the last of the judges.

First and Second Kings

These two books, also united into one in the Hebrew Bible, continue the history of
the people of Israel from the coronation of Solomon, David's son, as king until the
deportation of the people into captivity. Recorded here are the death of David, the
reign of Solomon, and the revolt of Jeroboam and his ten tribes during the reign of
Jeroboam, Solomon's son. From this time onwards, the narrative combines the
history of the two kingdoms until the captivity of both.

First and Second Chronicles

The two books of Chronicles duplicate, in a sense, the books of Samuel and Kings.
These latter writings are believed to come from a source in the northern kingdom,
and the two Books of Chronicles from a source in the southern kingdom.
Chronicles emphasizes the story of Judah and temple worship.

Ezra

The book of Ezra gives us an account of the return of some of the exiles from
captivity and the rebuilding of the temple. The task of rebuilding the place of
worship, carried out in an atmosphere of hostility and paganism, was also delayed
by the spiritual coldness of the people.

Nehemiah

Although largely biographical in nature, the book of Nehemiah is the last of the
historical books of the Old Testament. As cupbearer to King Artaxertes, Nehemiah
enjoyed a luxurious life. But after learning of the conditions that existed in
Jerusalem, he renounced that life to return to the city of his ancestors to rebuild
the walls. A man of action, he was also a very firm leader. Important religious and
social reforms were carried out under Nehemiah.

Ester

This book records one of the liberations that the Jews experienced in their history.
Modern descendants of the Jews read this book during the festival of Purim in
memory of that liberation. Esther is a literary gem that is read with interest and
delight by both young people and adults. It offers us a good example of the
providence of God, who predicts what is going to happen and cares for His
children.

job

Many consider Job to be one of the oldest pieces of literature that exist. The
patriarch Job, a righteous man, suddenly suffers the loss of property and, one by
one, all his children. As if this were not enough, he himself is thrown into terrible
physical suffering. A large part of this book is devoted to the philosophical
discussion of suffering between Job and his friends. His friends accuse him by
telling him that according to the laws of nature, suffering comes as a result of sin.
Job insists on affirming that he is good, and that suffering must have another
purpose. The last chapters tell us how his prosperity was restored.

Psalms

The book of Psalms was the hymnal of the Hebrews. About 70 psalms are
attributed to King David, and the rest to other authors. A large number of hymns
that Christians sing today have taken their lyrics from the psalms. This book is
made up of 150 poems, some of which are of great expressive beauty. Of them,
Psalms 1,19,22,23,90,100 and 103 are perhaps the most notable.

Proverbs

A proverb is a short sentence that communicates a moral truth in a concise and

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes means the orator or the preacher. This book appears to have been
written as a soliloquy (a person talking to themselves). According to Jewish
tradition, Solomon was the author, although some scholars say it was written at a
later time. The word "vanity," which appears many times in the book, means
transitory or passing. When the author says that all things are vanity, he means
that they will end. The last chapter, cited very frequently, is very interesting and
instructive. The symbolic references refer to the different parts of the human
being.

The Song of Songs

This book is also called The Song of Solomon, to whom literary authorship is
attributed. It is the story of a pure and deep love between a man and a woman.
Solomon writes about the beauty and sacredness of that relationship. The story
symbolizes God's great love for His people.

Isaiah

This book was written in a turbulent time. The people had distanced themselves
from religion and had become corrupted. The prophet Isaiah predicted the
Babylonian captivity for both Israel and Judah. But he also prophesied the return
of the exiles and the coming of the Messiah. In chapters 9, 11, and 53 are dramatic
descriptions of Christ and His kingdom, written more than 500 years before the
time of Christ. The book of Isaiah is one of the world's great masterpieces. Written
by an educated person, in good Hebrew, it contains elevated style, vehement
expression, fervent sentiment, and vivid imagination. It is cited in the New
Testament more times than any other book.

Jeremiah

The Prophet Jeremiah lived in a sad time in the history of the Hebrew people.
During this time, the people of the southern kingdom, or Judah, were taken by
Nebuchadnezzar into captivity in Babylon, although Jeremiah remained in
Jerusalem. He wrote with authority regarding the certainty of God's judgment on
a sinful people as well as the greatness of divine love.

Wailing

In this book, Jeremiah, standing in the midst of the ruins of Jerusalem and the
temple, laments the destruction that he himself had predicted. In the Hebrew
language, Jeremiah is written in a series of poems describing the ruin of the city
and the cause of the desolation. The book has been called a dirge about Jerusalem.

Ezequiel

As a young man, Ezekiel was taken into captivity 11 years before the destruction of
Jerusalem. The theme of his prophecy is precisely the destruction of Jerusalem, the
judgment on the people, and finally, the return of the exiled and the glorious
future of Israel.

Daniel

Daniel's prophecy constitutes one of the most interesting books in the Bible. Their
stories (caps. 1-6) are vivid and exciting, and the visions of the rest of the book
(chaps. 7-12) are very significant. The four beasts of Daniel 7:3 are considered the
four great world powers, the Babylonians, the Medo-Persians, the Greco-
Macedonians, and the Romans. The second vision (Daniel 8:1) is considered a
reference to the government of the Greeks under Alexander the Great. The
kingdom mentioned in chapter 9 is the messianic government of the kingdom of
Christ. The vision of chapters 10-12 is considered a reference to the end of the
ages.

Hosea

The Message of the prophet Hosea was addressed primarily to Israel. The first
three chapters give us an account of Israel's domestic problems. They have the
purpose of showing us the sins of Israel and the love of God. The rest of the book
contains denunciations against the people for their idolatry and their sin.
joel

The book of Joel is divided into two parts; (1) a great calamity caused by a locust
invasion, and (2) God's answer to the people's prayers. The book contains a
prophecy frequently found in the writings of prophets: that the Jews would
establish a great nation in Palestine in the future.

Amos

Amos is one of the first prophetic books. The author prophesies that God loves
mercy and not just formal sacrifices. Amos was born about 12 miles south of
Jerusalem, but his prophecies were directed to the northern kingdom (Israel). He
taught that Israel's future greatness would not be secured by power and wealth,
but by justice and judgment.

Obadiah

Obadiah lived in Jerusalem after the deportation of Judah to Babylon. He was the
messenger of God who announced the fall of the Edomites, who were the
descendants of Esau, who had rejoiced in the fall of Judah. He also prophesied of a
future when the Jews would once again rule the lands that were once under
David's control.

jonas

Jones's book is the most pleasant to read of all the minor prophets. Some biblical
scholars consider it a historical account, while others see it as a symbolic story,
teaching that just as Jonah failed in his duty to the people of Nineveh, so Israel
failed in its moral and religious obligations toward other nations. Jesus' reference
to Jonah (see Matthew 12:38-41) to indicate that Jonah was a historical narrative.

Micah

Micah lived during the time of Isaiah. Like Isaiah, he preached against the sins of
his time and especially against the oppression of the rich towards the poor. He
prophesied the destruction of both Israel and Judah shortly before judgment fell
on Israel.

Nahum

This book, which is divided into two main parts, prophesies the destruction of
Nineveh. The first part presents the judge and the second the judgment on the evil
city. Very little is known about Nahum, who lived around 505 BC.

Habakkuk

Habakkuk prophesied in Judah during the reign of Jehoiachin. He wrote about the
evils of Israel and their imminent defeat at the hands of the Chaldeans. He also
described the sinfulness of the Chaldean conquerors and prophesied their ultimate
downfall. The book concludes with a prayer of faith.

Zephaniah

Zephaniah lived in the time of Jeremiah. Habakkuk and Nahum. Just like those
prophets, he spoke against the sins of the people. He prophesied judgment on
Judah and the surrounding nations as well as blessings on the restored Jerusalem.

Haggai

The book of Haggai contains four prophecies, all of them related to the rebuilding
of the temple under Zerubbabel. God raised up Haggai and Zechariah to
encourage the people to rebuild their house. In order to get a picture of the
conditions of that period, see the first chapters of Ezra.

Zacharias

Zechariah's message is divided into two parts. The first part (caps. 1-8) deals with
the restoration of the temple, and the last part (chaps. 9-14) with the kingdom of
Christ.

Malachi

Malachi was the last time of the Old Testament prophets. He lived through the
time after the rebuilding of the temple and the restoration of worship, but he saw
the people turning back to their old lives of sin. In addition to rebuking them for
their spiritual condition, he also predicted the coming of the Messiah.