Old Testament

• Pentateuch – these five books of Moses make the oldest writings that are known.
  
  • In Genesis the world was made,
  • In Exodus the march was told;
  • Leviticus contains the law,
  • In Numbers are the tribes enrolled;
  • In Deuteronomy again – We’re urged to keep God’s law alone. 
• Historical Books – these eleven books we call the “Historical” books
  
  • Brave Joshua to Canaan leads
  • In Judges oft the Jews rebel
  • We read of David’s name in Ruth, And First and Second Samuel
  • In First and Second Kings we read, How bad the Hebrew state became
  • In First and Second Chronicles, Another history of the same
  • In Ezra captive Jews return
  • While Nehemiah builds the wall
  • Queen Esther saves her race from death
• Poetical Books – these five books we call the “Poetical” books
  • In Job we read of patient faith
  • In Psalms are David’s songs of praise
  • The Proverbs are to make us wise
  • Ecclesiastes next portrays how vain fleeting earthly pleasures are
  • The Song of Solomon is all about the love of God
• Prophetical Books – these seventeen books we call the “Prophetical” books
  • Isaiah tells of Christ to come
  • Jeremiah tells of woe,
  • And in his Lamentations mourns the Hold City’s overthrow
  • Ezekiel speaks of mysteries
  • Daniel foretells kings of old
  • Hosea calls men to repent
  • In Joel, judgments are foretold
  • Amos tells of wrath and Edom
  • Obadiah is sent to warn,
  • While Jonah shows how Christ should rise
  • And Micah where He should be born
  • In Nahum, Nineveh is seen
  • In Habakkuk, Chaldea’s guilt
  • Zephaniah, Judah’s sins
  • Haggai
  • Zechariah
  • And Malachi of Hohn, his signs

And all the books total thirty-nine.