Holy Bible (s) (noun), Holy Bibles (pl)

The first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament which is Judaism's account of the creation of the world and the origins of the Jewish people.

The word Bible came into existence in the fifth century of the Christian era.

The priests who were in charge of the manuscripts used in the synagogues, and later in the churches, referred to them as "the Books."

Here is a list of the various sections or books of the Holy Bible:

• Genesis, the beginnings of things.

This section is called Genesis because it records the beginning or the generation of things and it sets forth several beginnings:

The truth of God, that God is, that there is one God, that He is the Creator of the universe and that it is not self-existent.

That humans were not only made by God, but in the image of God and by the supreme creative act of God.

So the book of Genesis in the first three chapters provides the groundwork for all of the other books which follow.

The other fact is, that the understanding of the Bible requires a knowledge of the book of Genesis.

We must trace the unfolding of God's redemptive processes in Christ, which is the central purpose of the Bible.

• Exodus, the departure from Egypt.

This is the title of the second book of the Pentateuch, which signifies departure, because it gives the account of the Israelites leaving Egypt, the event that marks the beginning of their national existence and which is often referred to through out their history.

• Leviticus, the institutions, laws, and ordinances or religious rites or ceremonies.

The title of this book is suggestive that it has something to do with the Levites and the priests.

The altar of sacrifice, the character and construction of the tabernacle and institution of the priesthood are set forth in the book of Exodus.

This is a continuation of the book of Exodus in elaborating what has been already communicated and in the larger unfolding of the Sinaitic legislation.

• Numbers, the census and wandering.

The fourth book of the Law or Pentateuch which takes uses the name in the Septuagint and Vulgate from the double numbering of the people, so it is called Numbers.

This book covers the long period fro the time of the last days at Sinnai, or about the close of the first year after leaving Egypt, to the end of the wandering, which was the fortieth year.

• Deuteronomy, the law repeated.

The title of this fifth book of the Pentateuch signifies the Second Law or the Law Repeated.

This title is not of Hebrew but of Greek origin and it is a second declaration of the Law.
• Joshua, conquest of the land.

This is the first of the twelve books of the Old Testament.

It takes its name from the person who occupied the primary place in history and it consists of the Israelites where it is left by Deuteronomy and is a continuation of the Pentateuch.

• The Book of Judges.

A condition of the tribes after the death of Joshua and the complete possession of the land was not achieved.

Many Canamites left to test Israel.

• The Book of Ruth.

In this narrative we have one of the better stories of the Bible which is all in the contrast to the warfare, bloodshed of the time as recorded by the book of Judges.

Placed between the books of Judges and Samuel, it is the sequel of the former and an introduction to the latter.

• The First Book of Samuel.

In the Hebrew Canon, the two books of Samuel are considered as one book, and the same is true of the two books of Kings.

The Jews spoke of the first book of Kings, the four books being regarded as a continuous series which were called the four books of Kings, or of the Kingdom.

These two sets of books, however, are different as literary productions, as to authors and the times to which they belong.

It is a striking circumstance that the books of Samuel do not record David's death. This is so unusual that it is inferred that these books were composed prior to David's decease.

• The Second Book of Samuel.

Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, that a man came out of the camp from Sahl with is clothes rent, and earth upon his head that he fell to the ground, and did obeisance and David asked him, "From whence comest thou?" And the man said, "Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped."

• The First Book of the Kings.

In the Hebrew Canon, the two books of Kings are counted as one book.

In the old version, it was divided into two books while the books of Samuel and the Kings were called the four books of the kingdom or of the Kings.

The title of these books is appropriate since they give the history of the kings from Solomon to the Captivity.

• The Second Book of the Kings.

In the introductory statement of the first book of Kings, it is noted that these two books are counted as one in the Hebrew Canon and so they form one whole book.

This book is about the Reign of Solomon and the Kings of Judah.

• The First Book of the Chronicles.

In the Septuagint, the books of Chronicles are called Paraleipomena or "things omitted", which signifies that they supplement the books of Kings.

The Hebrew title signifies diaries, journals or annals and the Hebrews made them into just one book.

• The Second Book of the Chronicles.

This book is about the Reign of Solomon and the First Period of Judah.

• The Book of the Ezra.

Consists of the First expedition to Jerusalem, Rebuilding the Temple and the Labors of Ezra.

• The Book of the Nehemiah.

This book is a sequel to the narrative of the book of Ezra.

It is not so much a history of the times of Nehemia as of some important events that took place.

• The Book of the Esther.

In the Hebrew Bible, this book is in the third division of the Canon and it is one of the five rolls. As noted in the study of Ezra and Nehemiah, they should be kept together as they form a whole unit.

The book of Esther is a picture of the Jews in the Persian state and it opens with a scene of great festivity in the Persian state.

The princes and nobles of the one hundred and twenty provinces are there and the king makes a a great feast.

It is the third year of the king's reign and he is preparing to invade Greece with a mighty army.

• The Book of Job.

Job is the hero of the book that bears his name.

Apart from the book itself we can not determine his nationality.

He is believed by some to have been an Arab, but the book is a genuine product of Israelitish thought and religion.

• The Book of Psalms.
• The Book of Proverbs.
• The Book of Ecclesiastes.
• The Song of Solomon.
• The Book of Isaiah.
• The Book of Jeremiah.
• The Book of Ezekiel.
• The Book of Danial.
• The Book of Hosea.
• The Book of Amos.
• The Book of Obadiah.
• The Book of Jonah.
• The Book of Micah.
• The Book of Nahum.
• The Book of Habakkuk.
• The Book of Zephaniah.
• The Book of Haggai.
• The Book of Zechariah.
• The Book of Malachi.
• The Apocryphal Books.
• The Book of Matthew.
• The Book of St Mark.
• The Book of Luke.
• The Book of John.
• The Acts of the Apostles.
• The Epistle of Paul, The Apostle to the Colossians.
• The First Epistle of Paul, The Apostle to Timothy.
• The Epistle, of Paul, to Titus.
• The Epistle to the Hebrews.
• The General Epistle of James.
• The First Epistle of Peter.
• The Second Epistle of Peter.
• The First Epistle of John.
• The Second Epistle of John.
• The Third Epistle of John.
• The Epistle of Jude.
• The Revelation of St John, The Divine.

The primary source of information for this unit comes from The New Analytical Bible and Dictionary of the Bible as the Authorized King James Version with the addition, in many instances of the more correct rendering of the American Revised Version, copyright 1929 by the International Council of Religious Education.

By the John A. Dickson Publishing Company, Chicago, USA