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The first five books of the Bible are from the Hebrew "Torah", which means "teaching" or "instruction".
In English sometimes the term "Pentateuch" is used, which in turn derives from the Greek Septuagint
section called the "Five Books" - "Penta teuchoi". Starting in the 1st century AD, the books were often
writen on a single scroll.
Genesis
"Genesis" is the name given to the book in the Greek Septuagint - a translation of the Hebrew word
"toledot", meaning "story", "record", or "line"
Exodus
Known as "Sefer ve'eleh shemot" in Hebrew, for "the book of 'And these are the names'", usually
abbreviated as "Shemot"
"Exodus" is derived from the Greek title used in the Septuagint, which is a shortening of "Exodos
Aigyptou", or "Departure from Egypt"
Leviticus
Traditionally called "Vayikra" ("and He called") in Hebrew; also called the "torat kohanim" ("instruction
of/for the priests")
"Leviticus" is derived from the Greek title used in the Septuagint, "Levitikon", or, roughly, "[things]
pertaining to the Levites" (i.e. the priests called from the tribe of Levi)
Numbers
Called "Bemidbar" in Hebrew, meaning "in the wilderness [of Sinai]" [Numbers 1:1]
"Numbers" is the literal English translation of the Greek title used in the Septuagint, "Arithmoi", which
is titled thus because of the various censuses in the first four chapters. Some Jewish scholars believe
that the Greek title also represents an older Hebrew title for the book.
Deuteronomy
There are two Hebrew names for this book: "Sefer Devarim" ("The Book of Words") [viz.
Deuteronomy 1:1] and "Mishneh Torah", alluding to the copy of the Teaching that any future king was
to have in hand, prepared by the Levites.
Deutoronomy is derived from the title given to the book in the Greek Septuagint - "Deuteronomion" -
something like "Second Law" - meant to represent the Hebrew "Mishneh Torah"
NEVI'IM/PROPHETS
The Hebrew division of these books differ from what is found in Christian Bibles, which, in turn, is
derived from how the books were divided in the Greek Septuagint
Joshua
"Judges" is the English translation of the book's Greek title in the Septuagint - "kritai"
1 Samuel/2 Samuel
1 Samuel and 2 Samuel formed a single book "Samuel" in Hebrew, that described Samuel and the
Kings he anointed (Saul and David).
The Greek Septuagint divided the Hebrew "Samuel" into two individual books named "1 Kingdoms"
and "2 Kingdoms". The division between 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel retains the division found in the
Septuagint.
1 Kings/2 Kings
Again, in Hebrew these formed a single book of "Kings", covering the times from the rise of Solomon
through the Babylonian exile.
As was the case with Samuel, "Kings" was divided into two books, which were considered a
continuation of the preceding two books of Samuel (1 Kingdoms and 2 Kingdoms in the Septuagint).
Therefore, in the Septuagint they are named "3 Kingdoms" and "4 Kingdoms". The division between 1
Kings and 2 Kings in modern Bibles is that assigned by the Septuagint.
At this point the order of books within the remainder of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint, and the
Protestant Old Testament diverge. I am following the Hebrew order and groupings.
The following books all take their titles from the Prophets that are their subject, both in Hebrew and in
the Greek Septuagint:
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Zechariah
Malachi
KETUVIM/WRITINGS
The books in the Hebrew Ketuvim are a mix of historical works, prayers, wisdom works, apocalyptic
prophecy; in short, everything that didn't get put into either the Torah or the Nevi'im.
Psalms
The word "Psalms" is derived from the Greek title in the Septuagint, psalmoi, the plural of "psalmos",
which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew "mizmor", a song that is accompanied by a stringed
instrument.
Proverbs
"Proverbs" is the literal translation of the Hebrew title, or the Greek translation of the Hebrew title
found in the Septuagint ("Paroimiai")
Job
Called Job in Hebrew and Greek ("Iob"), referring to the person of Job
Song of Songs
Called "'Ekha'" in Hebrew - "Alas", referring to the destruction of the First Temple.
Originally titled "Lamentations of Jeremiah" in the Septuagint, it also followed the Book of Jeremiah in
the Septuagint. "Lamentations" is the English translation of the Greek title "Threenoi"
Ecclesiastes
The Hebrew title of this book is "Koheleth" which designates a person who gains wisdom through
experience.
"Ecclesiastes" is the title given the book in the Greek Septuagint, meaning something like "the one
who assembled" - meant to translate the Hebrew "Koheleth"
Esther
Written as a single book of "Ezra" in the Hebrew canon; precedes Chronicles, even though events
follow what is in Chronicles.
These two books were broken up in different ways within the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, and later
in the medieval Jewish text.
Both books seem to have been written by the same person - Ezra
1 Chronicles/2 Chronicles
As with Samuel and Kings, Chronicles is a single book in the Hebrew text and is entitled "Divrei
Hayamim" - "Annals"
Chronicles is a parallel account of events detailed in Samuel and Kings (1-4 Kingdoms in the
Septuagint), and was therefore titled "Paralepomenon" - roughly, "a supplement to things omitted" - in
Greek.
The Septuagint divided the Paralepomenon into 2 sections. The division between 1 Chronicles and 2
Chronicles is the division found in the Septuagint.
In the above, I only considered the books that are found in the Masoretic Text and not all the books in
the Septuagint, which include the Deuterocanonical Books.
Old Testament
New Testament