Old TestamentIntroduction

Canon

&

Text

What is What is the “Old the “Old

Testament”? Testament”?

Canon Cannon?

Hebrew Canon

Canon ChartJUDAISM

Law Prophets Writings

Genesis Joshua Psalms

Exodus Judges Proverbs

Leviticus Samuel Job

Numbers KingsSong of Songs

Deuteronomy The Twelve Ruth

Isaiah Lamentations

Jeremiah Ecclesiastes

Ezekiel Esther

DanielEzra-

Nehemiah

Chronicles

Hebrew Canon

Hebrew Canon

• Josiah—2 Kings 22– “Book of the

Law”

• Exile

Hebrew Canon

• Ezra—Authoritative Torah!=

• Judaism

Hebrew Canon

• Dead Sea Scrolls

Hebrew Canon

• Dead Sea Scrolls– Biblical Texts– Pesharim– Sectarian Texts– Apocrypha and

Pseudepigrapha

Hebrew Canon• New Testament

– Most quoted OT book?

– Non-biblical book quoted?

Hebrew Canon• Early Judaism

– Main debate?– 22 or 24 book

canon?

• Early Church– Jerome– Augustine

Hebrew Canon39 Books (Today order)   22[8], 24 (Josephus, 22, Jerome

accounting 24) 

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers Deuteronomy

5 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

5

Joshua, Judges, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings

6 Joshua, Judges, Samuel (I & II), Kings (I & II)

4

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

15 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the 12 Minor Prophets

4

Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, I Chronicles, II Chronicles

13 Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles (I & II)

11

Total Books 39   24

Canon Chart

• Scripture isn’t Scripture until … Scripture isn’t Scripture until …

•Someone says it isSomeone says it is ! !

Text and Language of the Old Testament

Text and Language

• Masoretic Text—Hebrew

Text and Language

• Aramaic

– אא�רע or ץר�אה

Text and Language

• Greek—Septuagint

Development of OT Text

300

200

0

50 CE

“Original”

Plurality (DSS)

Uniformity (MT)

Septuagint

Church?