Overview of the Old Testament

Genesis

1-2 Creation

3-4 Fall

6-9 Noah

11 Tower of Babel

12-25 Abraham (c.2000 B.C.)

21-27 Isaac

25-36 Jacob

37-50 Joseph (c. 1850 B.C)

Exodus

1 Oppression in Egypt

2-6 Birth and call of Moses

7-11 The 10 plagues in Egypt

12-13 Exodus from Egypt (c.1400 B.C.)

14-19 Journey to Mount Sinai

20 The 10 Commendments

21-31 Laws and regulations

32 The Golden Calf

33-34 Renewal of the convenant

35-40 The Tabernacle

Leviticus

1-7 Laws regarding offerings

8-9Ordination of Aaron

11-15 Laws of purity

16 The Day of Atonement

17-27 Laws and regulations

Numbers

1-10 Census of the people, the Levites, various laws

11-21 Leaving Sinai, journey in the desert, disobedience, various laws

22-24 Balaam

25-36 Journey to the area east of Jordan, Various laws

Deuteronomy

The farewell discourse of Moses, repeating the most important events from the 40 desert years.

1-4 Historical review and exhortations

5-11 Reminder about the convenant with the Lord

12-26 Various laws, warnings against leaving the Lord

27-30 Curses and blessings

31-34 Moses farewell

Joshua

1-5 Preparations of the conquest of Canaan

6-12 Conquest of Canaan

6 The fall of Jericho

13-22 Distibution of the land among Israel´s tribe

23-24 Joshua´s farewell

Judges

1 The conquest of Canaan

2-16 The 12 judges

  6-9 Gideon

  13-16 Samson

17-21 Religious and moral disorder

Ruth

The story of Ruth, David´s great grandmother. Around 11 00 B.C.

1 Samuel

1-8 Samuel as Judge

9-15 Saul, Israel´s first king

16 David anoited to be king

17 David and Goliath

18-30 Saul persecutes David

28 & 30 Saul´s defeat and death

2 Samuel

1-24 David as king over Israel (from around 1000 B.C.)

  7 God´s convenant with David

  11-12 David and Bathsheba

  13-19 Absalom´s rebellion

  22 David´s song of praise

1 Kings

1-2 The death of David

3-11 Solomon as king

12-16 The kingdom is devided into two separate parts:

  – Israel in the North

  – Judah in the south

17-22 The prophet Elijah

  18 Elijah on Mount Carmel

2 Kings

1-2 Elijah´s last days

3-8 The prophet Elisha

9-16 Short accounts of the king of

  – Judah in the south and

  – Israel in the north

17 Israel´s fall. Deporation of the people to Assyria (722 B.C.)

18-23 The kings of Judah from 722 B.C. to 587 B.C.

  23 King Josiah renews the convenant

24-25 The Babylonian king Nebuchadnessar conquers Jerusalem. The people are deported to Babylon in 587 B.C.

1 Chronicles

1-9 The reign of Salomon, The building of the Temple

10-36 History of the kings of Judah in the south

The EXILE in BABYLON 587 – 538 B.C.

Ezra

1 The Persian kingCyrus lets the Jews return home from exile in Babylon

2-6 Rebuilding of the Temple

7-10 Ezra and his work in Jerusalem

Nehemiah

1-7 The walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt (around 450 B.C.)

8-13 Renewal of the people´s religious life

Esther

1-2 The Persian queen is deposed. Esther is made queen in her place

3-8 Plot to destroy the Jews. Esther intervenes.

9-10 Triumph of the Jews

Job

1-2 Prologue: Job and Satan

3-37 DIalogues between Job and his ´friends´

38-41 The Lord speaks to Job

42 Job´s confession and restoration

Psalms

The Psalms were the Isralites´book of prayers and hymns. According to information in the Psalms, 73 of them were wrtten by David, 12 by Asaph, 12 by the Sons of Korah, 2 by Solomon, 1 by Moses, 1 by Heman and 1 by Ethan, 48 lack indication of author.

Praise psalms: 29-33-65-66-89A-95A-100-103-111-113-117-135-136-144-150

Creation hymns: Psalms 8-19A-104-139-148

Trust psalms: Psalms 5-16-17-23-25-26-27-40-41-62-63-67-71-85-91-108-118-121

Thanksgiving psalms:

Collective: Psalms 68-107-124-126

induvidual: psalms 9-18-30-31b-34a-92-116-138

Lamentation psalms with prayer for help

Collective: Psalms 44 – 60 – 74 – 79 – 80 – 83 – 89b

Individual: Psalms 3 – 4 -7 -10 – 11 – 12 – 13 -14 – 22 -28 -31a- 35- 36- 39b-42 – 43 -54 – 55 – 56 – 57 -59 -61 – 64 -69 -70 – 77 – 86 – 88 – 94 – 102 -109 -140 -141 – 142

Psalms of repentance: Psalm 6 – 32 – 38 – 51 – 130 – 143

Wisdom Psalms: Psalm 1 – 19b – 34b -37 -39a – 49 -73 -90 – 112 – 127 – 133 – 139

Teaching psalms:  Psalm 50 – 52 – 53 – 58 – 75 – 81 – 82 – 101 – 115

History Psalms: Psalms 78 – 105 -106 – 114 – 137

King Psalms: Psalms 2 – 18 – 20 – 21 – 45 – 72 – 110 –  132

Psalms about the Lord as King: Psalm 47 – 93 – 96 -97-98-99

Pilgrim psalms (on the road to Jerusalem: Psalm 15 – 24 – 120 -121-122-123-124-125-126-127-128-129-130-131-132-133-134

Psalms about Jerusalem and the temple: Psalm 46-48-76-84-87-122-

Proverbs

A collection of wise sayings, rules for living and exhortations, written by Salomon and other wise men – e.g. Agur 30:1 and Lemuel 31:1

Ecclesiastes

1 Introdudtion to the theme Èverything is meaningless`

2-12 The theme is expounded

  3 À time for everything`

Ch 12:13-14 Conclusion

Song of Songs

Poem about the love between a man and a woman. In addition to being a love poem, many interpret the message of the book as a poetic illustration of the relationship between the heavenly bridegroom (Christ) and his church.

Isaiah (c. 740-680 B.C.)

Ch 1-39: The book of judgment

1-12 Messages of rebuke and promise for God´s people

  6 Isaiah´s calling

13-23 Judgemnt against the nations

24-39 Messages of judgement and promise

Ch 40-66 The book of comfort

  Deliverance and Restoration. 

The 4 songs about the Lord´s suffering servant: 42:1-6  & 49:1-6 & 50:4-9 & 52:13-53:12

Jeremiah (c. 627-587 B.C.)

1 The calling of Jeremiah

2-25 Warnings to Judah and Jerusalem

26-29+36-45 Sufferings of Jeremiah

30-33 Promises of restoration

46-51 Judgemnet against the nations

52 Fall of Jerusalem

Lamentations

Written around 587 B.C. when Jerusalem was destroyed and the people deported to Babylon

Ezekiel (Ministered as a prophet 593-571 B.C.)

1-3 The calling of Ezekiel

4-24 Warnings and judgement agains Judah

25-32 Judgment against other nations

33-39 Consolation for Israel

40-48 Visions of the new Temple and the new land

Daniel (c.605-530 B.C.)

1-6 The story of Daniel

  6 Daniel in the lions´den

7-12 Daniel´s visions

12 ´minor´prophets

Hosea c.750 BC

Joel c. 800 BC?

Amos c.750 BC

Obadiah c.600 BC?

Jonah c.730 BC?

Micah c.730 BC

Nahum c.620 BC

Habakkuk c.600 BC

Zephaniah c.625 BC

Haggai c. 520 BC

Zechariah c.520 BC

Malachi 440 BC