Genesis
Synopsis: Genesis is the first book of the King James Bible. The title means “beginning.” The key verse is “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, AV) It encompasses all that is God and that we understand about God and about ourselves and the world in which we live.
Exodus
Exodus describes the history of the Israelites leaving Egypt after slavery. The book lays a foundational theology in which God reveals his name, his attributes, his redemption, his law and how he is to be worshiped.
Leviticus
Leviticus receives its name from the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the Old Testament) and means "concerning the Levites" (the priests of Israel). It serves as a manual of regulations enabling the holy King to set up his earthly throne among the people of his kingdom. It explains how they are to be his...
Numbers
Numbers relates the story of Israel's journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab on the border of Canaan. The book tells of the murmuring and rebellion of God's people and of their subsequent judgment.
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy ("repetition of the Law") serves as a reminder to God's people about His covenant. The book is a "pause" before Joshua's conquest begins and a reminder of what God required.
Joshua
Joshua is a story of conquest and fulfillment for the people of God. After many years of slavery in Egypt and 40 years in the desert, the Israelites were finally allowed to enter the land promised to their fathers.
Judges
The book of Judges depicts the life of Israel in the Promised Land—from the death of Joshua to the rise of the monarchy. It tells of urgent appeals to God in times of crisis and apostasy, moving the Lord to raise up leaders (judges) through whom He throws off foreign oppressors and restores the land...
Ruth
When Written: Around 1270 B.C. Synopsis: The book of Ruth is a short book of only four chapters and it chronicles part of the life of Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, and Ruth after they returned to Naomi's home town in Judah because of the death of their husbands. These two women, as widows with no income,...
1 Samuel
When Written: Around 1055 B.C. Synopsis: Samuel was a great prophet and judge, and in this first book named after him, more history of the Hebrew people is recorded, including the anointing by Samuel of the first king of the nation Israel, King Saul. The rejection of King Saul by God, the choosing of the...
2 Samuel
Synopsis: This book records the unification of the twelve tribes of Israel under King David's rule, David's many battles, sins, family strife and his dedication and reliance on the LORD during all his political, military and personal experiences. When Written: Around 1017 B.C. Chapters 1-10 record the unification of Israel under David and his wars...
1 Kings
When Written: Around 900 B.C. Synopsis: This book begins with the death of King David and the accession of his son, Solomon, to the throne of Israel. Solomon builds the temple that King David had wanted to build for the LORD, and a program of taxation and forced labor is instigated by Solomon to provide...
2 Kings
Synopsis: The history of the two Hebrew nations and their kings is recorded in this book. Some of the kings were wicked and idolatrous and some of them were righteous and following the LORD. Eventually, the northern kingdom was conquered and taken into the nation Assyria. The southern kingdom, or Judah, lasted a little longer...
1 Chronicles
Synopsis: This book contains genealogical records that go back to the first man, Adam. The writer carefully lists names and descendants and then gives a history of the southern kingdom. Chapters 1-9 is the genealogy. Chapters 10-29 is about Judah, including the death of King Saul and up to the death of King David. Some...
2 Chronicles
Synopsis: This book records the history of the southern nation, Judah, beginning with King Solomon's reign over Israel and the splitting of the kingdom into two nations after his death, to the people of Judah being conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and then carried away into captivity to the nation Babylon. It starts with the building...
Ezra
Synopsis: Ezra is described in the seventh chapter of this book as a "scribe in the law of Moses" and he records his genealogy as going back to Aaron, the brother of Moses and the first chief priest of the Hebrew nation. He records the first return of the Jews to their land from their...
Nehemiah
Synopsis: This book, along with the companion book, Ezra, records the return of the Jews to their land and the rebuilding of the wall and the Temple in the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was employed as a high servant of King Artaxerxes who gave him time off from his duties to return to Jerusalem and...
Esther
Synopsis: Esther is an interesting book in that God is not mentioned anywhere in the text. There is no seeking or relying on divine power and authority to help solve the problems facing the Jewish people. Depending on how a person wishes to interpret this book, it is either about an innocent young women thrust...
Job
Synopsis: This book is thought to be one of the oldest books in the Old Testament and is considered to be a poetical book dealing with the problem of suffering. God was approached by Satan who questioned Job's faithfulness to God because of the many blessings he had in his life. If Job faced trials...
Psalms
Note: When referring to Christian believers throughout this study, this writer means those believers who are converted and filled with the Holy Ghost/Spirit. There are many people in the world today who believe in God and who believe they are "Christians", but they have never yielded their life to the LORD and have never received...
Proverbs
Synopsis: This book contains words of wisdom from King Solomon to his son, words which comprise common sense and sound advice that, today, helps the reader develop a practical philosophy to living a life of righteousness that is pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ. Since King Solomon has been thought of as the wisest man...
Ecclesiastes
The author of Ecclesiastes puts his powers of wisdom to work to examine the human experience and assess the human situation. His perspective is limited to what happens "under the sun" (as is that of all human teachers).
Song of Solomon
In ancient Israel everything human came to expression in words: reverence, gratitude, anger, sorrow, suffering, trust, friendship, commitment. In the Song of Solomon, it is love that finds words–inspired words that disclose its exquisite charm and beauty as one of God's choicest gifts.
Isaiah
Synopsis: Isaiah is the first of four books referred to as the "major prophets." The term 'major' refers to the length of the book and is in no way a term that diminishes the importance of the books of the minor prophets which are so termed because they are short in length. As is true...
Daniel
Completed Synopsis: The book of Daniel is a prophetic book in that it chronicles the rise and fall of four, one world empires, and the fall of the physical nation of Israel before these events actually happened. The first six chapters explain how Daniel came to be living in Babylon and how his faith in...
Joel
Completed The book of Joel contains 3 chapters and is the 29th book of the Old Testament and one of twelve books which are called "the minor prophets". These books are called thus because they are short, not because the information in them is unimportant or not as significant as the books written by, for...
Amos
Completed The book of Amos is the 30th book of the Old Testament and is considered to be one of the minor prophets because it is only 9 chapters in length. Amos is thought to have written this book around 784 BC and he was a contemporary of the prophet Joel and of the prophet...
Obadiah
Completed Obadiah was a prophet of God who lived and wrote around 587 B.C. and who was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah. Under the inspiration of God, Obadiah pronounces judgement upon the nation of Edom which came into being when the descendants of Jacob's brother, Esau, settled in the region called mount Seir, the...
Jonah
Completed The book of Jonah is considered to be one of the minor prophetic books because it is short, only four chapters, and it is the 32nd book of the Old Testament. The prophet Jonah is thought to have written this book around 785 B. C. and it contains the historical account of the prophet's...
Micah
Completed The book of Micah is the 6th book in the order of the minor prophets and is thought to have been written around 710 B. C., a short book containing only seven chapters. The prophet Micah wrote and prophesied during the reigns of three kings of Judah, as explained in verse one of the...
Nahum
Completed Date: 700 BC Synopsis: The book of Nahum is the 34th book of the Bible and was written most likely during the end of the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah and just before the reign of his son, King Manasseh. Twenty one years prior the Kingdom of Israel ended when the physical nation...
