Overview
The Old Testament consists of thirty-nine books written over roughly a thousand years (approximately 1450 BC to AD 90) by about twenty-nine authors across the Middle East. Written primarily in Hebrew, with small portions in Aramaic, these books form the Hebrew TaNaKh—an acronym for its three divisions: the Torah, the Nevi'im, and the Ketuvim.
The Torah (The Law)
The first five books—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—are called the Pentateuch. According to Finkelstein and Silberman, these books narrate Israel's story from creation, through the flood and patriarchs, the exodus from Egypt, wilderness wanderings, and the giving of the Law at Sinai, concluding with Moses' farewell.
The Nevi'im (The Prophets)
This section divides into two parts. The Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) tell Israel's story from crossing the Jordan and conquering Canaan through the rise and fall of the Israelite kingdoms, ending in defeat and exile at Assyrian and Babylonian hands. The Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and "the book of the twelve") contain oracles, social teaching, sharp condemnation, and messianic expectation from diverse individuals across roughly 350 years.
The Ketuvim (The Writings)
This varied section comprises poetry books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs), the five scrolls (Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Esther), Daniel, and historical books (Ezra, Nehemiah, 1–2 Chronicles). Finkelstein and Silberman describe thiscollection as homilies, poems, prayers, proverbs, and psalms representing Israelite devotion in moments of joy, crisis, worship, and personal reflection—the product of a long composition process stretching over hundreds of years.
How the Old Testament Canon Took Shape
According to Geisler and Nix, Moses' books were collected and kept beside the Ark of the Covenant. Prophetic writings were gathered as soon as they were written throughout the Old Testament period. Ezra the priest preserved and brought back a copy of "the Law of Moses" after the Babylonian captivity. R.T. Beckwith notes that the traditional count of twenty-four (or twenty-two, depending on grouping) canonical books had been accepted "from time immemorial" by the time of first-century historian Josephus. Individual books can be shown to have been recognised by the first century AD or earlier, with only Song of Songs as a partial exception.
A widely accepted account suggests the Old Testament canon formed in three stages: the Law canonised first (early post-exilic period), the Prophets soon after (late third century BC), and the Writings—the more open-ended third category—closed last, traditionally associated with a rabbinic council at Jamnia around AD 90. Milton Fisher adds an interesting note: the early church possessed stronger certification for the Old Testament canon than for the New, since Jesus himself used and affirmed the Hebrew Scriptures as authoritative.
Geisler and Nix outline three later tests for canonicity: a book had to be written by (or under the authority of) a prophet or Spirit-led person; it had to speak relevantly to all generations; and it had to be consistent with previously revealed Scripture, without self-contradiction.
Summary of the Old Testament Story
The Old Testament's overarching story runs from the Garden of Eden, through Noah's flood, to Abraham—chosen to become father of a great nation—and his descendants Isaac, Jacob (renamed Israel), and the twelve tribes. It follows Israel's enslavement in Egypt, deliverance under Moses, covenant at Sinai, conquest of Canaan, united monarchy under David and Solomon, division into northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms, the northern kingdom's fall to Assyria in 722 BC, and Judah's fall to Babylon in 586 BC. Even after this national catastrophe, the biblical narrativecontinues affirming Israel's God, culminating in the exiles' return and temple rebuilding.