Old Testament

The books of the Old Testament were written largely in Hebrew (with a few passages in Aramaic). The pages here set that original text beside an English translation, one verse at a time, so you can read the two together even without any Hebrew. The Hebrew is the vowel-pointed Masoretic text; the English is the public-domain Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917. All thirty-nine books are here, in the traditional Christian order.

Torah

The five books of Moses — the Law.

• Genesis בְּרֵאשִׁית

  The beginning: creation, the flood, and the founding family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob down to Joseph in Egypt.

• Exodus שְׁמוֹת

  Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, the crossing of the sea, the covenant at Sinai, and the building of the Tabernacle.

• Leviticus וַיִּקְרָא

  The priestly book of offerings, purity, and holiness — “you shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”

• Numbers בְּמִדְבַּר

  Israel numbered and on the move: the forty years of wandering between Sinai and the edge of the promised land.

• Deuteronomy דְּבָרִים

  Moses’ farewell addresses on the plains of Moab, restating the law and the covenant before his death.

Historical Books

From the conquest of the land to the return from exile.

• Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁעַ

  The conquest and division of the land of Canaan under Joshua, Moses’ successor.

• Judges שׁוֹפְטִים

  Cycles of apostasy and rescue under a succession of judges — Deborah, Gideon, Samson — when “every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

• Ruth רוּת

  A short story of loyalty and redemption: Ruth the Moabite, Boaz, and the line that leads to David.

• 1 Samuel שְׁמוּאֵל א׳

  Samuel, Saul, and the rise of David — from the last of the judges to Israel’s first kings.

• 2 Samuel שְׁמוּאֵל ב׳

  The reign of David: his triumphs, his sin with Bathsheba, and the troubles within his own house.

• 1 Kings מְלָכִים א׳

  Solomon’s glory and the building of the Temple, the kingdom’s split, and the prophet Elijah.

• 2 Kings מְלָכִים ב׳

  The divided monarchy to its end: Elisha, the fall of Samaria, and the exile of Judah to Babylon.

• 1 Chronicles דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים א׳

  Genealogies from Adam and a retelling of David’s reign, written for the returned community.

• 2 Chronicles דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים ב׳

  From Solomon and the Temple through the kings of Judah to the exile and the edict of Cyrus.

• Ezra עֶזְרָא

  The return from exile, the rebuilding of the Temple, and Ezra’s reforms.

• Nehemiah נְחֶמְיָה

  Nehemiah rebuilds the walls of Jerusalem and renews the covenant of the restored community.

• Esther אֶסְתֵּר

  The story behind Purim: Esther and Mordecai in the Persian court, and a people delivered from destruction.

Poetry & Wisdom

The poetry, songs, and wisdom of Israel.

• Job אִיּוֹב

  A poem on suffering and the justice of God: the testing of a righteous man and the answer out of the whirlwind.

• Psalms תְּהִלִּים

  The hymnbook of Israel — 150 psalms of praise, lament, trust, and thanksgiving.

• Proverbs מִשְׁלֵי

  Sayings of wisdom for living well, gathered around the fear of the LORD as the beginning of knowledge.

• Ecclesiastes קֹהֶלֶת

  Koheleth’s meditation on the fleeting nature of life — “vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

• Song of Songs שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים

  A garland of love poetry between bride and beloved, read in tradition as a song of devotion.

Major Prophets

The longer prophetic books.

• Isaiah יְשַׁעְיָהוּ

  Visions of judgment and comfort — the Holy One of Israel, the suffering servant, and a new creation.

• Jeremiah יִרְמְיָהוּ

  The weeping prophet of Judah’s last days, calling for repentance and promising a new covenant.

• Lamentations אֵיכָה

  Five acrostic dirges over the ruin of Jerusalem — grief held within the hope of God’s mercies.

• Ezekiel יְחֶזְקֵאל

  Visions in exile: the chariot-throne, the valley of dry bones, and the restored Temple.

• Daniel דָּנִיֵּאל

  Faithfulness in the Babylonian court and apocalyptic visions of kingdoms and the end of days.

Minor Prophets

The Book of the Twelve — shorter prophetic books.

• Hosea הוֹשֵׁעַ

  God’s wounded love for unfaithful Israel, pictured in the prophet’s own marriage.

• Joel יוֹאֵל

  A plague of locusts read as the day of the LORD, and the promise of the outpoured Spirit.

• Amos עָמוֹס

  A herdsman’s thunder against injustice — “let justice roll down like waters.”

• Obadiah עֹבַדְיָה

  The shortest book: a single oracle against Edom for its violence against Jacob.

• Jonah יוֹנָה

  The reluctant prophet, the great fish, and God’s mercy on the city of Nineveh.

• Micah מִיכָה

  Judgment and hope from a country prophet — “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly.”

• Nahum נַחוּם

  An oracle on the fall of Nineveh, capital of Assyria.

• Habakkuk חֲבַקּוּק

  The prophet’s dialogue with God over the problem of evil — “the righteous shall live by his faith.”

• Zephaniah צְפַנְיָה

  The day of the LORD against Judah and the nations, closing in a song of restoration.

• Haggai חַגַּי

  A call to the returned exiles to finish rebuilding the Temple.

• Zechariah זְכַרְיָה

  Night visions and oracles of encouragement for the restored community, looking toward a coming king.

• Malachi מַלְאָכִי

  The last of the prophets: disputes on faithfulness, and the promise of the messenger to come.