Summary of the Old Testament
Summary of the books of the Old Testament Books
The Book of Genesis uses narrative text to tell us how God created the universe and our world and how God then created man. Adam and Eve did not pay attention to God and were punished; this was the beginning of what is called “the fall of man". God gave orders to Adam and Eve to populate the land, to control and have authority over everything. From what we are told about family trees in sections called toledots. The Book of Genesis also includes the flood, and Patriarchal History, including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. After Adam and Eve sinned and ushered the era of sin and death into the world, men continued to become increasingly sinful. God was so upset with sin that He created a flood to destroy almost everything He created on earth. Noah was chosen by God so that he may save his family and other life in the arc that he built. Years later, Abraham was chosen next by God, this time, to create a nation. We learn about Abraham and how his faith was tested. God uses Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, to begin to fulfill the promises made to Abraham. Finally, we learn how Joseph, Jacob’s son, and his family moved to Egypt.
The first part of the Book of Exodus is narrative. The genre changes to law in verse 20. The narration picks up 400 years after Jacob’s family moved to Egypt. We are told of the oppression of his descendants, the Israelites, by the Egyptians. The Book of Leviticus uses the genre of law. Israelites are told how and why to have sacrificial offerings. These offerings are broken into three general categories. (1) The Consecratory offerings were used to dedicate a person or thing to God. (2) The Expiatory offerings were to acknowledge sin. (3) The Communal offerings were a way for communities to celebrate their thankfulness to God. The Book of Numbers is of both the law and narrative genre. Per God’s instruction, Moses took a census of all the Israelites. This helped to organize them by their 12
The Book of Genesis uses narrative text to tell us how God created the universe and our world and how God then created man. Adam and Eve did not pay attention to God and were punished; this was the beginning of what is called “the fall of man". God gave orders to Adam and Eve to populate the land, to control and have authority over everything. From what we are told about family trees in sections called toledots. The Book of Genesis also includes the flood, and Patriarchal History, including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. After Adam and Eve sinned and ushered the era of sin and death into the world, men continued to become increasingly sinful. God was so upset with sin that He created a flood to destroy almost everything He created on earth. Noah was chosen by God so that he may save his family and other life in the arc that he built. Years later, Abraham was chosen next by God, this time, to create a nation. We learn about Abraham and how his faith was tested. God uses Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, to begin to fulfill the promises made to Abraham. Finally, we learn how Joseph, Jacob’s son, and his family moved to Egypt.
The first part of the Book of Exodus is narrative. The genre changes to law in verse 20. The narration picks up 400 years after Jacob’s family moved to Egypt. We are told of the oppression of his descendants, the Israelites, by the Egyptians. The Book of Leviticus uses the genre of law. Israelites are told how and why to have sacrificial offerings. These offerings are broken into three general categories. (1) The Consecratory offerings were used to dedicate a person or thing to God. (2) The Expiatory offerings were to acknowledge sin. (3) The Communal offerings were a way for communities to celebrate their thankfulness to God. The Book of Numbers is of both the law and narrative genre. Per God’s instruction, Moses took a census of all the Israelites. This helped to organize them by their 12