Old testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament (pronounced: /oʊld ˈtɛstəmənt/) is the first part of the Christian Bible, based primarily upon the Hebrew Bible, a collection of ancient religious writings by the Israelites believed by most Christians and religious Jews to be the sacred Word of God. The second part of the Christian Bible is the New Testament.
Etymology
The term Old Testament, or Old Covenant, comes from the Latin Vetus Testamentum, which is derived from the Greek Παλαιὰ Διαθήκη (Palaiá Diathḗkē). The word testament in both Latin and Greek is a translation of the Hebrew word berith, meaning covenant.
Structure
The Old Testament contains 39 books in total, which are divided into five sections: the Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Wisdom Books, the Major Prophets, and the Minor Prophets.
Related Terms
- Pentateuch: The first five books of the Old Testament, traditionally attributed to Moses.
- Historical Books: These books narrate the history of the Israelites from the conquest of Canaan to the post-exilic period.
- Wisdom Books: A collection of sayings, teachings, and reflections on life, including the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.
- Major Prophets: The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
- Minor Prophets: The twelve shorter prophetic books, from Hosea to Malachi.
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