Old Testament

The Old Testament is the first part of the Christian Bible and corresponds closely to the Hebrew Bible used in Judaism.

The Old Testament is the first part of the Christian Bible and corresponds closely to the Hebrew Bible used in Judaism. It contains religious texts written mainly in Hebrew, with some Aramaic, and includes law, history, poetry, wisdom literature, and prophecy. In Canada, the Old Testament is widely read in Christian communities and studied in schools and universities as a foundational text of Western religious and literary history.

Contents and structure

The Old Testament is commonly organized into the Torah or Pentateuch, historical books, wisdom books, and prophetic books. Jewish tradition groups the scriptures as Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim, while Christian traditions often use different arrangements.

Textual traditions and canon

The number of books varies by tradition: Protestant Bibles usually have 39 books, Roman Catholic Bibles 46, and Orthodox traditions may include additional books. Jewish and Christian communities also differ in accepted contents and ordering. Some Christian traditions include deuterocanonical or apocryphal books in or alongside the Old Testament.

Religious significance

In Judaism, these writings are central sacred scriptures and a record of covenantal history. In Christianity, they are read as scripture that precedes and is interpreted in light of the New Testament.

Language and composition

Most of the texts were originally written in Hebrew, with some sections in Aramaic, and were composed over many centuries. The collection reflects varied literary forms, including law, narrative, poetry, and prophecy.