OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Scriptures, has 46 books and is the first major part of the Christian Bible, 1 and 2 the entire Hebrew Bible. They were composed in Hebrew or Aramaic.

It is also called Tanakh, acronym recalling the great divisions of the sacred writings of the Hebrew Bible which are the books of the Law (or Torah), the books of the prophets (or Nevi'im), and so-called writings (Ketuvim). However, the Christian tradition divides the Old Testament elsewhere, and reorders the books dividing them into categories; Law, history, poetry (or wisdom books) and Prophecies.

Many centuries before Christ, scribes, priests, prophets, kings and poets of the Hebrew people kept records of their history and their relationship with God. These records had great significance and importance in their lives and therefore have been copied many, many times and passed from generation to generation.

Over time, these sacred writings were assembled in collections known to the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. These three major sets of books, especially the third, have not been finalized before the Council of Jamnia, which occurred around 95 A.D.

The Law comprises the first five books, such as the Christian Bible. Already the Prophets include: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve Minor Prophets, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. The writings gather the great book of poetry, the Psalms, and Proverbs, Job, Esther, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.

The Old Testament books were written on long scrolls made of goat skin and carefully copied by scribes. Generally, each of these books was written on a separate parchment, although the law would occupy more space was written in two large scrolls.

Aramaic was the original language of some parts of Daniel and Ezra books. Today we are aware that the scroll of Isaiah is the most remote of the Old Testament passage in Hebrew. It is estimated that it was written during the second century B.C. and so closely resembles parchment used by Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth. It was discovered in 1947 along with other documents in a cave near the Dead Sea.

 

Source: WIKIPEDIA