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| | ===The Old Testament=== | | ===The Old Testament=== |
| | The [[Old Testament]], or [[Hebrew Bible]] consists of 39 books. "Hebrew" in "[[Hebrew Bible]]" may refer to either the [[Hebrew language]] or to the [[Hebrew people]] who historically used Hebrew as a spoken language, and have continuously used the language in prayer and study, or both. | | The [[Old Testament]], or [[Hebrew Bible]] consists of 39 books. "Hebrew" in "[[Hebrew Bible]]" may refer to either the [[Hebrew language]] or to the [[Hebrew people]] who historically used Hebrew as a spoken language, and have continuously used the language in prayer and study, or both. |
| − | As used by the Jewish community, the word ''Tanakh'' describes the three parts of the Hebrew Bible: the [[Torah]] ("Teaching or Law"), and also known as the [[Pentateuch]], the first five books of Moses; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). The arrangment of the books in this way is common within the Jewish community; within the familiar Bibles of the English-speaking world the arrangement differs, however the actual writing of each book remains the same. | + | As used by the Jewish community, the word ''Tanakh'' describes the three parts of the Hebrew Bible: the [[Torah]] ("Teaching or Law"), and also known as the [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). The arrangment of the books in this way is common within the Jewish community; within the familiar Bibles of the English-speaking world the arrangement differs, however the actual writing of each book remains the same. |
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| | ====Torah==== | | ====Torah==== |
| − | The books of the Torah, or "Teaching," is also known as the five books of [[Moses]], thus [[Humash|Chumash]] or [[Pentateuch]] (Hebrew and Greek for "five," respectively): | + | The books of the Torah is also known as the five books of Moses, thus [[Chumash]] or [[Pentateuch]] (Hebrew and Greek for "five," respectively): |
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| | *[[Genesis]] | | *[[Genesis]] |
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| | The Torah focuses on three moments in the changing relationship between God and people. | | The Torah focuses on three moments in the changing relationship between God and people. |
| − | *The first eleven chapters of Genesis provide accounts of the [[Creation (theology)|creation]] (or ordering) of the world, and the history of God's early relationship with humanity. | + | *The first eleven chapters of Genesis provide accounts of the [[Creation]] of the world, the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. |
| | *The remaining thirty-nine chapters of Genesis provide an account of God's covenant with the Hebrew patriarchs, [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (also called [[Israel]]), and Jacob's children (the "[[Children of Israel]]"), especially [[Joseph]]. It tells of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home in the city of [[Ur]], eventually to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt. | | *The remaining thirty-nine chapters of Genesis provide an account of God's covenant with the Hebrew patriarchs, [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (also called [[Israel]]), and Jacob's children (the "[[Children of Israel]]"), especially [[Joseph]]. It tells of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home in the city of [[Ur]], eventually to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt. |
| | *The remaining four books of the Torah tell the story of [[Moses]], who lived hundreds of years after the patriarchs. His story coincides with the story of the liberation of the Children of Israel from slavery in [[Ancient Egypt]], to the renewal of their covenant with God at [[Mount Sinai]], and their wanderings in the desert until a new generation would be ready to enter the land of Canaan. The Torah ends with the death of Moses. | | *The remaining four books of the Torah tell the story of [[Moses]], who lived hundreds of years after the patriarchs. His story coincides with the story of the liberation of the Children of Israel from slavery in [[Ancient Egypt]], to the renewal of their covenant with God at [[Mount Sinai]], and their wanderings in the desert until a new generation would be ready to enter the land of Canaan. The Torah ends with the death of Moses. |