The Torah, the five books attributed to Mosheh (Moses), were probably written, at least in the form that we now have them, several hundred years after him, by one Baruch ben Neri-Yah, a secretary to the Guild of Prophets whose leader at the time was Yirme-Yahu (Jeremiah).
The Five Books of Law (Torah) are read on a weekly basis in the synagogue, with accompanying passages from elsewhere in the Tanach - click here for the full background and cycle.
The Torah is divided into "Parashot" or sections, and the "Parashot" are themselves collected into what might be called chapters, were that not to cause confusion with the Christian chapters created by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury in the early 13th century. Seven Parashot make one chapter, and the chapters take their names from the opening phrase, one chapter for each of the fifty-four weeks of the Jewish year (there being thirteen months in intercalatory years; double-Parashot resolve the conundrum in normal years). It was from this division that the Greek and Latin versions took their chaptering, though somehow the organisation became lost in modern European versions – the English versions manage fifty chapters for the Book of Bere'shit (Genesis) alone!
The Chumash, from the word for "five", is a specially created version of the Torah in which the Haftarot are placed next to their appropriate Parasha for convenience, and with all relevant Rabbinic commentaries appended, usually as footnotes. Most B'nei Mitzvah "graduates" are presented with their first Chumash by the Rabbi or a community elder at the end of their first service as an adult - or at least, that was still the custom in my youth. It is an edition of the Chumash that you will find on your seat if you attend worship at your local synagogue.
The order of the text being used in TheBibleNet is that of the Masoretic Text, the traditional Yehudit canon. Most English translations follow a slightly different order; generally these fail to distinguish the three sections, redistribute the five scrolls or Megillot to other parts of the whole, and alter the order of both the major and the twelve minor Prophets. The earliest Masoretic Text dates from around the 4th century CE and are attributed to Dosa ben Eleazar, but the final version, the one in use today, was probably not completed before the 10th century CE.
The proper name for the Jewish Bible is the "Tanach", not the "Old Testament", which was an intentional insult and derogation. This term was used by Christians to demonstrate that Judaism had passed into history as an anachronism, replaced by the "New Testament" of Jesus Christ (Islam makes the same claim for the Qu'ran in relation to both Judaism and Christianity). The terminology has now been abandoned by most Christians, and is not used in TheBibleNet as it is both offensive and incorrect. The Jewish sections are referred to as the Yehudit Bible or "Tanach", the Christian sections as the Christian Bible.
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PART ONE: THE TORAH/תורה:
The Book Of The Laws Of The Beney Yisra-El; also known as the Pentateuch or The Five Books of Mosheh
BERE'SHIT/בראשית/Genesis: Properly "The Book Of Origins".
1/5: Creation - 6/11: The Flood - 12/26: Av-Raham and Yitschak - 27/36: Ya'akov and Esav - 37/50: Yoseph.
SHEMOT/שמות/Exodus: Properly "The Book Of Names", though it is also referred to as "The Book Of Mosheh"
SHEMOT/שמות/Exodus: Properly "The Book Of Names", though it is also referred to as "The Book Of Mosheh"
1/9: In Mitsrayim (Egypt) - 20/24 Sinai - 25/40 The Ark of the Covenant.
VA YIKRA/ויקרא/Leviticus: "The Book Of The Priesthood". "Va yikra" means "and he called"; this is the opening word of the text and, as with most ancient texts, its name is derived thereby.
VA YIKRA/ויקרא/Leviticus: "The Book Of The Priesthood". "Va yikra" means "and he called"; this is the opening word of the text and, as with most ancient texts, its name is derived thereby.
1/7: Sacrifices & Offerings - 8/10: The Priesthood - 11/15: Purity & Impurity - 16: The Day of Atonement - 17/27: Worship.
BA MIDBAR/במדבר/The Book of Numbers; and even that is a bad translation: "The Book Of The Numbering of the Tribes" would have been better, or just "The Book of the Tribes". Properly "In the Wilderness" from the opening phrase.
DEVARIM/דברים/Deuteronomy: "The Book Of The Repetition Of The Law". Properly "The Words" from the opening word of the text. The book offers the revised text of the Law according to King Josiah, with still later emendations by both Ezra and Yechezke-El (Ezekiel).
PART TWO: THE BOOKS OF THE PROPHETS/נביאים
(in three parts)
A. The Judges and Early Prophets/Neviyim Rishonim (נביאים ראשונים)
THE BOOK OF YEHOSHU'A/JOSHUA/יהושע
BA MIDBAR/במדבר/The Book of Numbers; and even that is a bad translation: "The Book Of The Numbering of the Tribes" would have been better, or just "The Book of the Tribes". Properly "In the Wilderness" from the opening phrase.
DEVARIM/דברים/Deuteronomy: "The Book Of The Repetition Of The Law". Properly "The Words" from the opening word of the text. The book offers the revised text of the Law according to King Josiah, with still later emendations by both Ezra and Yechezke-El (Ezekiel).
PART TWO: THE BOOKS OF THE PROPHETS/נביאים
(in three parts)
A. The Judges and Early Prophets/Neviyim Rishonim (נביאים ראשונים)
THE BOOK OF YEHOSHU'A/JOSHUA/יהושע
1/12 The conquest of Kena'an (Canaan )- 13/22 The settlement of Kena'an - 23/24 The death of Yehoshu'a.
THE BOOK OF JUDGES/Shophtim/שופטים
THE BOOK OF JUDGES/Shophtim/שופטים
1/4: Yehoshu'a's legacy - 5: Devorah - 6/7: Gid'on - 8/12: Judges - 13/16: Shimshon - 17: Miychah (Micah) - 18/21: Anarchy.
THE FOUR BOOKS OF THE KINGS/Melachim/מלכים
1 SHMU-EL/Samuel/שמואל: Covering the period 1075-975 BCE
1/8 Shmu-El the last Judge - 9/15 Sha'ul - 16/30 David and Sha'ul - 31 The death of Sha'ul.
2 SHMU-EL: The kingship and death of David
3 KINGS (1 KINGS)/Melachim/מלכים: Covering the period 975-587 BCE, compiled from court records during the exile 587-539 BCE 1/11: King Shelomoh (Solomon) - 12/22: Two kingdoms
2 SHMU-EL: The kingship and death of David
3 KINGS (1 KINGS)/Melachim/מלכים: Covering the period 975-587 BCE, compiled from court records during the exile 587-539 BCE 1/11: King Shelomoh (Solomon) - 12/22: Two kingdoms
4 KINGS (2 KINGS):
1/17 Eli-Yahu (Elijah) and Eli-Shah - 18/25: The One Kingdom.
B. Neviyim Acharonim (נביאים אחרונים): The Three Major Prophets
THE BOOK OF YESHA-YAHU/ISAIAH/ישעיה
B. Neviyim Acharonim (נביאים אחרונים): The Three Major Prophets
THE BOOK OF YESHA-YAHU/ISAIAH/ישעיה
In three parts: 1/39: Yerushala'im 8th century BCE, during the threat from Ashur (Assyria) - 40/55: Yehudah in Bav-El (Babylon) - 56/66 Yerushala'im post-exile.
THE BOOK OF YIRME-YAHU/JEREMIAH/ירמיה
THE BOOK OF YIRME-YAHU/JEREMIAH/ירמיה
Circa 650-580 BCE, before and during the exile.
THE BOOK OF YECHEZKE-EL/EZEKIEL/יחזקאל
THE BOOK OF YECHEZKE-EL/EZEKIEL/יחזקאל
Before and during the exile (pre-586 BCE until not later than 536 BCE)
C. The Twelve Minor Prophets/Trey-Asar/תרי עשר
THE BOOK OF HOSHE'A/HOSEA/הושע
C. The Twelve Minor Prophets/Trey-Asar/תרי עשר
THE BOOK OF HOSHE'A/HOSEA/הושע
8th century BCE in Yisra-El, while 1st Isaiah was in Yehudah; up to the fall of the 10 tribes of the northern kingdom in 722 BCE.
THE BOOK OF YO-EL/יואל
THE BOOK OF YO-EL/יואל
Probably post-exile (after 536 BCE)
THE BOOK OF AMOS/עמוס
THE BOOK OF AMOS/עמוס
Reign of Yerav-Am (Jeroboam), 8th century BCE; he was a Beney Yehudah based in Yisra-El.
THE BOOK OF OVAD-YAH/OBADIAH/עובדיה
THE BOOK OF OVAD-YAH/OBADIAH/עובדיה
One of the remnant in Yehudah during the exile.
THE BOOK OF YONAH/JONAH/יונה
THE BOOK OF YONAH/JONAH/יונה
Probably a Persian story brought back after the exile and adapted (though the Persian was itself a late adaptation of a much older Hittite tale, which had also been adapted in the meanwhile as a Babylonian tale); it may have been the original version of Sinbad the Sailor.
THE BOOK OF MIYCHAH/MICAH/מיכה
THE BOOK OF MIYCHAH/MICAH/מיכה
Yehudah and Yisra-El, 8th century BCE.
THE BOOK OF NACHUM/NAHUM/נחום
THE BOOK OF NACHUM/NAHUM/נחום
Written circa 612 BCE.
THE BOOK OF CHAVAKUK/HABAKKUK/חבקוק
THE BOOK OF CHAVAKUK/HABAKKUK/חבקוק
Written at the end of the 7th century BCE while Yirme-Yahu (Jeremiah) was in Yeru-Shala'im.
THE BOOK OF TSEPHAN-YAH/ZEPHANIAH/צפניה
THE BOOK OF TSEPHAN-YAH/ZEPHANIAH/צפניה
Written in Yehudah during the reign of King Yoshi-Yahu (Josiah), 640-609 BCE; he was an elder contemporary of Yirme-Yahu (Jeremiah).
THE BOOK OF CHAGAI/חגי
THE BOOK OF CHAGAI/חגי
Written around 420 BCE, after the conquest of Bav-El (Babylon) by the Persians.
THE BOOK OF ZECHAR-YAH/ZECHARIAH/זכריה
THE BOOK OF ZECHAR-YAH/ZECHARIAH/זכריה
Chapters 1 to 8 areprophecies delivered in Yeru-Shala'im 520-518 BCE; chapters 9 to 14 may be by a different author.
THE BOOK OF MALA'CHI/מלאכי
THE BOOK OF MALA'CHI/מלאכי
Written after the completion of the Second Temple, 516 BCE.
PART 3. KETUVIM/כתובים: An Anthology of Beqney Yisra-El Literature
(in three parts)
A: Wisdom Literature
THE BOOK OF PSALMS/Tehilim/תהלים
PART 3. KETUVIM/כתובים: An Anthology of Beqney Yisra-El Literature
(in three parts)
A: Wisdom Literature
THE BOOK OF PSALMS/Tehilim/תהלים
A collection of liturgical hymns, mostly rewritten by the Rabbis, but based on the temple liturgy of Kena'anite gods and goddesses, most notably the moon-goddess Yah.
THE BOOK OF PROVERBS/Mishley/משלי
THE BOOK OF PROVERBS/Mishley/משלי
Wise saws and platitudes, attributed to King Shelomoh, though this should be read as royal patronage not royal authorship.
THE BOOK OF IYOV/JOB/איוב
THE BOOK OF IYOV/JOB/איוב
Almost certainly an ancient Chaldean folk story brought back by the Babylonian exiles; it contains some of the oldest known pre-Yehudit language (a dialect of Hurrian) of any book in the Tanach but also has significant sections in Aramaic.
B: The 5 Megillot
THE SONG OF SONGS/Canticles/Shir Ha Shirim/שיר השירים
B: The 5 Megillot
THE SONG OF SONGS/Canticles/Shir Ha Shirim/שיר השירים
Again attributed to King Shelomoh, Robert Graves has shown that it was originally a Kena'anite liturgical drama used as part of the New Year wedding ceremonies of the sun-god and moon-goddess.
THE BOOK OF RUT/RUTH/רות
THE BOOK OF RUT/RUTH/רות
Originally a Mo-Avi (Mo'abite) liturgical drama, connected to the harvest festival.
THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS/Eycha/Threni/איכה
THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS/Eycha/Threni/איכה
A mourning song over the fall of Yeru-Shala'im in 587 BCE.
KOHELET/ECCLESIASTES/קהלת
KOHELET/ECCLESIASTES/קהלת
Properly this belongs with the wisdom literature; Kohelet means "preacher".
THE BOOK OF ESTER/ESTHER/אסתר
THE BOOK OF ESTER/ESTHER/אסתר
Brought back from Persia, it was originally the Persian tale of Marduk and Ishtar/Astarte and of the overthrow of the false sun-god - known in the Bible (Leviticus 26:30 et al) as a Chaman, but rendered in the Purim tale as a human being, Haman - told as part of the Persian spring new year ceremonies.
C. Other literature
THE BOOK OF DANI-EL/דניאל
C. Other literature
THE BOOK OF DANI-EL/דניאל
A story of the Babylonian exile, the mystical content (the book is dense with Zoroastrianism) suggests that it was written very much later, possibly as late as the 2nd century BCE, probably as a political satire against the Greeks.
THE BOOK OF EZRA/עזרא
THE BOOK OF EZRA/עזרא
Covering the period 538-433 BCE
1/2: Zeru-Bavel - 3/6: The Temple - 7/10: Ezra. No other book has as much Aramaic in it as this one.
THE BOOK OF NECHEM-YAH/NEHEMIAH/נחמיה
THE BOOK OF NECHEM-YAH/NEHEMIAH/נחמיה
Sometimes called "The Second Book of Ezra", it was probably written around 430 BCE.
1/7: rebuilding Yeru-Shala'im - 8/10: Ezra's "Book" - 11/13: as governor of Yehudah.
DIVREY HA YAMIM/1 CHRONICLES/The Book of Days/דברי הימים
DIVREY HA YAMIM/1 CHRONICLES/The Book of Days/דברי הימים
1/9: Genealogy - 10/29: The Yisra-Elite (northern kingdom) version of King David; the version in Shmu-El and Kings is from Yehudah.
Chronicles remains controversial because it is not always in agreement with other Biblical books as to names, order of events, places and other details. But it is also vital to our investigation - and for precisely this reason.
2 CHRONICLES - 1/9: King Shelomoh - 10: the revolt of Yerav-Am (Jeroboam) - 11/36: The kingdom of Yehudah.
D. THE MISSING BOOKS
Reference is made in the Tanach to other texts of the Biblical period, apparently known then but lost now.
The Book of the Wars of YHVH (cf Numbers 21:14)
The Book of Yashar (cf Joshua 10:14; 2 Samuel 1:18)
The Book of the Cities of Canaan (cf Joshua 18:9)
The Book of the Generations of Adam (cf Genesis 5:1)
The Book of YHVH (cf Isaiah 34:16)
The Acts of Solomon (cf 1 Kings 11:41)
The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah (cf 1 Kings 14:29)
The Chronicles of the Kings of Yisra-El, also known as The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel (cf 1 Kings 14:19, 16:14, 16:20, 2 Kings 1:18), all of which may simply be allusion to the official archives of the reign.
The Chronicles of the Sons of Levi: probably a misreading of Nehemiah 12:23, and actually a reference to the biblical Books of Chronicles.
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (apocryphal)
The Book of Razi-El the Angel (Sepher Razi-El ha Malach): Cut on a sapphire, written down in dictation from the deity to Chanoch (Enoch), given by the angel Razi-El to Adam, from whom it passed by way of No'ach, Av-Raham, Ya'akov, Levi, Mosheh and Yehoshu'a to Shelomoh, who used it in his own writings. The Book of Chanoch (Enoch), chapter 32, also makes reference to it.
2 CHRONICLES - 1/9: King Shelomoh - 10: the revolt of Yerav-Am (Jeroboam) - 11/36: The kingdom of Yehudah.
D. THE MISSING BOOKS
Reference is made in the Tanach to other texts of the Biblical period, apparently known then but lost now.
The Book of the Wars of YHVH (cf Numbers 21:14)
The Book of Yashar (cf Joshua 10:14; 2 Samuel 1:18)
The Book of the Cities of Canaan (cf Joshua 18:9)
The Book of the Generations of Adam (cf Genesis 5:1)
The Book of YHVH (cf Isaiah 34:16)
The Acts of Solomon (cf 1 Kings 11:41)
The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah (cf 1 Kings 14:29)
The Chronicles of the Kings of Yisra-El, also known as The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel (cf 1 Kings 14:19, 16:14, 16:20, 2 Kings 1:18), all of which may simply be allusion to the official archives of the reign.
The Chronicles of the Sons of Levi: probably a misreading of Nehemiah 12:23, and actually a reference to the biblical Books of Chronicles.
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (apocryphal)
The Book of Razi-El the Angel (Sepher Razi-El ha Malach): Cut on a sapphire, written down in dictation from the deity to Chanoch (Enoch), given by the angel Razi-El to Adam, from whom it passed by way of No'ach, Av-Raham, Ya'akov, Levi, Mosheh and Yehoshu'a to Shelomoh, who used it in his own writings. The Book of Chanoch (Enoch), chapter 32, also makes reference to it.
E. The Apocryphal Books
Besides the "Lost Books", listed above, a significant number of other texts do exist, and these have appeared as "apocrypha" in various editions of the Bible. The King James Version includes:
1 Esdras ( 3 Esdras in the Latin Vulgate)
2 Esdras ( 4 Esdras in the Latin Vulgate)
Tobit
Judith ("Judeth" in the Geneva edition)
Rest of Esther (Esther 10:4-16:24 in the Latin Vulgate )
Wisdom
Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach)
Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy ("Jeremiah" in the Geneva edition)
Song of the Three Children or Song of the Three Young Men (Daniel 3:24-90 in the Latin Vulgate); also known as The Prayer of Azaz-Yah (Azaziah)
Story of Susanna ( Daniel 13 in the Latin Vulgate)
The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Daniel 14 in the Latin Vulgate)
Prayer of Manasseh (follows 2 Chronicles in the Geneva edition)
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
These however are not the same as the books that are published in standard Hebrew apocrypha. That list, based on the Septuagint, the Greek translation made by the Rabbis of Alexandria in the 2nd century BCE, is known as the Anagignoskomena (ἀναγιγνωσκόμενα = "things that are read"), rather than Apocrypha (ἀπόκρυφος = "hidden things"). The Septuagint includes:
Tobit:
Judith:
Wisdom of Solomon:
Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira (Sirach):
Baruch:
Epistle of Jeremy (in the Vulgate this is chapter 6 of Baruch):
additions to Daniel (The Prayer of Azarias, Susanna and Bel and the Dragon)
additions to Esther:
1 Maccabees:
2 Maccabees:
3 Maccabees:
1 Esdras, i.e. all the Deuterocanonical plus 3 Maccabees and 1 Esdras.
Some editions, following the 15th century Alexandrian Codex, add Psalm 151; Eastern Orthodox Christian Bibles usually include a section called "The Odes", which is a compilation of prayers excerpted from the biblical books, including the Prayer of Manasseh (or Menasses); 2 Esdras is added as an appendix in Slavonic Bibles; 4 Maccabees is added as an appendix in modern Greek editions.
Finally there are books which have never been included in any Apocrypha or Anagignoskomena, but whose existence is either known (because we have the text) or at least known of. This includes:
The First Book of Adam and Eve
The Second Book of Adam and Eve
The Book of the Secrets of Enoch
The Psalms of Solomon
The Odes of Solomon
The Letter of Aristeas
Fourth Book of Maccabees
The Story of Ahikar
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
Testament of Reuben
Testament of Simeon
Testament of Levi
The Testament of Judah
The Testament of Issachar
The Testament of Zebulun
The Testament of Dan
The Testament of Naphtali
The Testament Of Gad
The Testament of Asher
The Testament of Joseph
The Testament of Benjamin
Copyright © 2019 David Prashker
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