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{{OldTestament}}The '''Old Testament''' is first of the two divisions of [[Holy Scripture]]. It is According to historians, the writings of Old Testament was composed between the old covenant or agreement 5th century BC and contains lawthe 2nd century BC, prophecythough parts of it, history, poetry, stories, sayings, prayerssuch as the Torah, letters and symbolical visions to record Song of God's revelations Deborah (Judges 5), date back much earlier.

The Orthodox Church also numbers among Traditionally the genuine Old Testament is divided into the law books of (the Pentateuch and historical books), the Old Testament Psalms and other wisdom books, and the so-called prophets because of what [[apocryphalJesus Christ|Christ]]said in [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024:44;&version=9; Luke 24:44] books::And he said unto them, meaning literally These are the secret or hidden writings. Other Christians put these books words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be:fulfilled, which were written in a secondary place or reject completely their being the ''law of divine inspirationMoses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms'', concerning me.{{cleanup}}(KJV)

The Orthodox Church also numbers among the genuine books of the Old Testament the so-called ''apocryphal'' books, literally meaning the "secret" or "hidden" writings. A less Protestant-biased term for these parts of Scripture is the ''[[Deuterocanon|deuterocanonical writings]]''. ==PentateuchThe Five Books of the Law ==The '''Five Books of the Law''' are the first part five books of the Old Testament is called , known jointly as the ''[[Pentateuch]]'' which means the five books(Gr. It is also called the Πεντάτευχος, literally ''Torahfive volumes''), which means and they describe God's creation of the ''Law''world, the rebellion of [[Adam and Eve]] and the fall of man. These books are also called the '''Books of Moses'''. They detail the early history of God's people of Israel from the days of Abraham (ca. 2000 BC) right through to the era of [[Moses]] (ca. 1250 BC). They includeThe Five Books of the Law are: * [[Genesis|Genesis]] , meaning "beginning" * [[Exodus|Exodus]] , meaning "exit" or "departure"* [[Leviticus|Leviticus]] * [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] * [[Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]] The events described in these books, from the calling of [[Abraham]] to the death of [[Moses]], probably took place sometime in the meaning "second millennium before [[Christ]] (2000-1200 BC). law"

==Historical booksThe Books of History ==The next set second section of books cover the [[Septuagint|LXX Old Testament]] is known as the '''Historical Books'''. This group covers the history of Israel from the settlement in the promised land of Canaan to the first centuries before Christ.  

*First and Second Kingdoms#[[I Kingdoms]] (I Samuel)*#[[II Kingdoms]] (II Samuel)*Third and Fourth Kingdoms#[[III Kingdoms]] (I Kings)*#[[IV Kingdoms]] (II Kings)*First and Second Chronicles#[[I Paraleipomenon]] (I Chronicles)*#[[II Paraleipomenon]] (II Chronicles)*[[Ezra]]*#[[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]]*[[Book of Esther|Esther]]*#[[I Esdras]]*#[[II Esdras]] (Ezra)*The Final Books#[[Tobit]] (Tobias)*#[[Judith]]*#[[Book of Esther|Esther]]#[[I Maccabees]]*#[[II Maccabees]]*#[[III Maccabees]] (English Bible bible) In the [[Canon (Bible)Holy Scripture|canon]] of the Orthodox Church, which Church—which is generally that of the [[Septuagint]], the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, 1 and Bible—1 & 2 Samuel are called 1 and & 2 Kings, ; and 1 and & 2 Kings are called 3 and & 4 Kings. Also, the so-called apocryphal books, listed above after Esther(I Esdras, II Esdras, Tobit, Judith, I Maccabees, II Maccabees, III Maccabees, IV Maccabees), are considered by the Orthodox as genuine parts of the Bible. The Old Testament apocrypha is a body of writings considered by the non-Orthodox to be of close association with the Bible, but not actually part of its official canonical contents.

* [[Psalms]] * [[Book of Proverbs|Proverbs]]

* [[Wisdom of Solomon]]Although not technically a ''wisdom'' book, [[The the Prayer of Manasseh]] from the so-called [[apocrypha]], is a penitential prayer of the King of Judah, which for the Orthodox is part of the Bible. (It is included in the [[Great Compline]] service of the Orthodox Church.)

* [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] includes book of [[Book of Baruch|Baruch]] and the [[Letter Epistle of Jeremiah]]

* [http://www.biblicaltraining.org/classesold-testament-survey/otsdouglas-stuart/frame.html leadership Old Testament Survey], by Douglas Stuart (seminary class)* [http://207.44.232.113/%7Ebible/reference/ot_intro/intro-Index.html An Introduction to the Old Testament], by Raymond B. Dillard and Tremper Longman III* [http://207.44.232.113/~bible/ot/main.htm Old Testament Studies]