Do you know how many historical books the Bible has? Find out here
There are always questions regarding how many historical books does the Bible have? Well these have a lot of text collection. It begins with the Pentateuch, to later reach the Wisdom Books, it is important to mention that the first five books of the Old Testament, which are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, can also be considered historical books. Post contain great historical and religious importance.
How many historical books does the Bible have?
The Bible is a complex of books that is considered the most important in the world. They are made up of 16 historical books, which are found for just over a millennium. All these books are writings of God where he has the objective of demonstrating his wisdom, since it is saving and allows us to learn through the event.
In this way, thanks to each story embodied in it, it seeks to educate each people, which allows the fidelity of each one of the believer to be known and, in turn, the mercy of our Lord.
The historical books narrate each of the stories that have happened in the people of Israel. These stories present narratives worth analyzing chronologically. However, there is no scientific element that is part of the history of Israel. What generates perspectives of faith.
These are considered sacred stories of the religion. Theologians demonstrate the presence of the Savior. The Bible is considered revelation and is directly related to the faith of the Israelites. That is why it is not considered a catalog of dogmas, they are rather events carried out by the hand of God. (Read the article on how many archangels are there in the bible )
For this reason, it is considered that the historical books found in the Old Testament are developed in four groups, in addition to this they have very clear theological approaches. They are the following:
deuteronomic
The stories that are composed by this type are those of Joshua. Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. These stories are considered to go under this heading like the books where Deuteronomy came out. They are considered songs to the justice of our Lord. With the aim of creating hope in believers.
His writings are made from exile s. VI a. C. At the time when Jerusalem and her temple were destroyed and in addition to that, the land promised by God invaded. It defines the alliance that existed with God and also highlights the infidelity that the people had for which there was an exile.
On the other hand, it highlights the fall of the monarchy and a God who is always faithful to those who love him and are part of his people. The books of Joshua and Judges talk about how the establishment of the people of the Israelites in the promised land was carried out.
The books 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings narrate how the kingdom was established under the hands of David. It also speaks of the division that began with the northern kingdom that is Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The books speak of a variety of kings and prophets that each kingdom possessed, until the fall of Jerusalem unfolds.
In the book of Judges, the story is divided into stages, in it proposals of love of God are made. In addition to this, it focuses on the infidelity and sin of the people, in which God’s punishment also unfolds.
On the other hand, the repentance of the people is highlighted, since they make a cry for help. He also talks about the mercy of God’s forgiveness, his time of stability and again the infidelity that made them start the cycle again.
Chronicle
It is divided into 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah. In these books archives and traditions are developed, which are related to the legitimacy of the offices for the cult of David. 1 and 2 Chronicles relate to a story that runs parallel to Deuteronomy.
This is narrated from the story that takes place with Adam until the reestablishment of Israel occurs, after this event that is called exile.
This allows the tensions to be nuanced in order to make the reconstructions more interesting. They are concerned with highlighting the results of infidelity to the worship in the temple, rather than the covenant at Sinai.
In addition to this, they highlight a permanent desire for the arrival of the Messiah. Ezra and Nehemiah highlight the return produced after the exile and reconstruction of nations. (Know the short Christian prayer )
Maccabees
It is made up of Maccabees 1 and 2. In it there are two versions that contain different elements where they describe the Jewish resistance, as well as the Maccabean rebellion.
This after the domination carried out by the Greeks, in addition to this demonstrates the imposition of the Hellenistic culture in Hebrew territory in the second century BC
Tobias, Judith, Esther and Ruth
The narrative composition of these four books indicates the patriarchal accounts. That is why the specific periods in which the historical plot unfolds count. They are considered fictions of literary range. Its objective is to teach, exhort and strengthen the faith of its believers in complex times of its history.
The historical and geographical area, in addition to the chronological theme, is developed with elements that are cataloged with great freedom. At the moment that the books are read, it is noted that their authors do not specifically know the God that Jesus explains to us, centuries later.
Christians call these types of books important because they are God-imposed revelations. This is how Jesus explains it. Since the Old Testament collaborates with the understanding of the New Testament.
The books are the following:
- Josue
- judges
- Samuel 1 and 2
- Kings 1 and 2
- Chronicles 1 and 2
- Tobias
- Judith
- Ester
- Rut
Queen valera
The Bible has many versions, these can be studied in different ways and achieve daily devotionals. The Reina Valera Bible is divided into parts according to its style, which allows a better understanding of what is read.
In his prophetic books you can perceive the life and works carried out by the men and women that are part of the biblical historical writings. The fight carried out by the people of God is reflected in the same way, with reference to the idolatry of him and also to the infidelities that they carry out against God and then return to repent.
All the books that make up this range have stories related to battles that are full of victories and losses. These victories and defeats were the elements that convinced them to understand what happened when they faithfully served God. As well as when some kind of disobedience occurred towards the instructions that God gave.
On many occasions, the stories captured leave a teaching that is still being told as an example to somehow preserve faith in God. This is because it specifies how God acts when you have a condition of faithfulness for him.
In the same way, it is understood at what moment we are considered unfaithful and disobedient before God and what consequences it has if we do not repent from the heart. On the other hand, he sees himself captured as his people had failed him and turned his back on the beliefs instilled by God.
In addition, it is observed how his people repented over and over again and defend themselves from their considerable enemies. In these books there are singular and unique stories that stand out for their enormous faith. The books are the following:
Josue
This was considered a warrior of the people of God, this man stood out for his great faith in God and the constant and courageous struggle that led him to obtain victory for the people of Israel, in every battle he participated.
Joshua always took care to obey the voice of God. In his book, all the elements related to the journey that the Israelites had to go through are narrated. It ends at the moment in which the conquest and the distribution of land among the so-called 12 tribes of Israel are described, as God had asked Joshua. (See also: Prayer of Faith ).
judges
This book specifies how the people of Israel fell into constant disobedience that turned into attitudes against God. Thanks to this they lost their battles and their punishment was to lose them. Even the people for whom the Israelites were defeated took them as prisoners.
However, the mercy of God allowed men and women to rise up to form battalions to help his disobedient people. With this there was a way to get out of the yoke. These characters were called Judges, with the aim of working judging the people.
Looking for them to be on the right path, guided towards holiness and obedience to God. Similarly, it is important to note that the judges on many occasions were the warriors of the people of Israel. Well, this did not shake their hands at the time of carrying out these actions in search of obeying God. One of the most outstanding was Débora.
Rut
The book of Ruth speaks of the demonstration of love that Ruth feels towards her mother-in-law Nohemí and her commitment to her. After the death of her husband, she manifests elements of fidelity that any person does not possess.
In this book it can be understood that when we act with fidelity and love, God rewards us with many good acts for our lives. This story is considered one of the best to use for faith growth and strengthening.
Samuel
Samuel was a priest who considered himself a servant of God. He lived during the period of judges and King Saul. It should be mentioned that the people of Israel asked God and were rewarded with King Saul. Yet with their attitudes, they were once again despising God’s attitudes.
This type of attitude of disobedience brought as a consequence to the people that they presented themselves in terrible conditions. During this reading you can see how King Saul failed in the presence of God, while David was anointed by Samuel as king.
Although David was anointed as the king, it took a long time for him to be crowned as such. The second book of Samuel was considered to be written precisely in the period in which David reigned.
In addition to this, it expresses that in the time in which David reigns the people of Israel. In addition, he grew stronger and grew. But after the sin of adultery and murder of David, it begins with terrible consequences to decide for the people of Israel, as well as the families that were part of the people of God.
Reyes
After David’s death, his son Solomon comes to reign. It is then that he begins the text of the first book of kings. At this time a great civil war begins. This generated the total division of a nation.
After this event, two new nations are born, the so-called Judah that was located in the south and Israel in the north.
Reyes 2
This book focuses on the history of how the conquest of Judah and Israel was carried out by the people of Babylon and by the settlers of Assyria. It is highlighted in this story that these assaults were motivated as a result of disobedience to God. Because the people did not comply with the laws of God.
Chronicles
This book is made up of absolutely all the genealogies, the times of Adam are developed until the arrival of King David. That is why they also highlight all the events that took place during the period of King David.
Chronicles 2
The second book of Chronicles recounts the same center of stories that the first does, however the stories narrate the events of the south in a more detailed way. This means that the stories centered on Judah and the ruling kings in the land at that time.
Ezra
God’s people found themselves captive because they committed acts of disobedience to the Most High. This went on for many years. Similarly, it speaks of the return of the people, following the leadership of a male servant of God named Ezra.
Ezra received a challenge that was related to encouraging the people to believe and follow God again, in addition to giving him the necessary acts of honor that He deserves.
Nehemiah
Nehemiah was a man with whom God connected through his heart, with the goal that the man would go to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. Thanks to him the people of Israel again had courage and faith.
God would always be there for them, he would also accompany them to wield sword in hand and other tools that would allow them to work on other works. Nehemiah, together with Ezra, drew up a hard work plan with the objective of making the people open their hearts to God again.
Among the plans they had was to be able to mention and demonstrate the passion they felt for God, since our sacred and merciful Lord had never left them alone.
Ester
Esther was a woman who lived under the rank of queen of Persia. She was of Jewish origin, in the story it is narrated how her permanence as queen of Persia elapses. Lay she was chosen among many women to be the king’s wife.
All these facts were in the plans that God had determined for her. With the aim of having the power to calmly liberate the people subjected by the Persians.
This story stands out for demonstrating the believers’ fidelity to God and our Lord’s own fidelity to his people.
narrated period
The historical texts found in the Bible speak of the historical events that developed humanity and mainly the Jewish people, after the death of Moses until the so-called Maccabean rebellion against the people of Hellenism.
This could imply that its historical aspects cover from the period from 1240 BC to 173 BC. C, which is deduced to about 11 centuries. That is, from the period of conquest in which the promised land for the Hebrews is obtained until the battle against the Greek people.
Its history encompassed great historical conflicts that were always developed due to disobedience of God’s law and the course of its forgiveness. Among the narrations that the bible contains in reference to history. There is the battle against the people of Assyria. The invasion comprised by the Babylonians of Nebuchadnezzar II is also reflected.
In the same way, the rise of the judges of Ruth and Samson is narrated. Also the span of monarchy comprised of King Saul and his successors, King David and King Solomon. In addition, the entire transition process to become a henotheist town is shown. What allowed to have tribes with different customs that composed it, despite being classified as a monotheistic people.
collection books
These historical books found in the bible are made up of sixteen historical books, which are broken down into: Joshua, Judges, Ruth 1 and 2, Samuel 1 and 2, Kings 1 and 2, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobias, Judith, Book of Esther, Maccabees 1 and Maccabees 2.
Language
The historical books that make up the Bible are written in the Hebrew language. However, there are exceptions, as is the case of some chapters of Ezra and Daniel, in addition to also having a verse of Jeremiah with writings in the Aramaic language.
Canonicidad
The canonical biblical stories are mostly related in the Hebrew and Aramaic versions that relate directly to the historical books. These are fully canonical for Catholics, Protestants and also for Jews.
Despite this, in some cases the surviving texts are from the Greek language. For Jews and Protestants these are called apocrypha, since they are not under the Hebrew or the Aramaic version. That is why these stories are not captured under their sacred books.
However, the Catholic religion did accept them and called them deuterocanonical. These stories are developed in the books of Judith, Tobias and in some of Esther’s writings that are part of the historical books. In addition to this they have the wisdom, ecclesiastical, Baruch and Daniel within the so-called prophetic books.
Biblical Histography
For the ancient Hebrews the past was a matter of great importance. In addition to this, they always kept in mind the importance of having a better future brought by our Heavenly Father. This was because their nature was of the covenant people.
Since the people of Israel are the chosen people and it is their obligation to study and review with wisdom and depth every aspect of their past. It is important to mention that his people at the beginning of the Jewish development was a persecuted and enslaved people and after the discovery and evolution of the faith, they had begun to be the army of Yahveh.
Despite this, the historical books that comprise the Bible are represented with different levels of historicity. This is because each piece of writing has its own elements that allow it to tell the story in a different way.
In the same way, many stories were reissued over time, this was due to the interests of the ruling castes. That is why expert scholars have taken care to divide the historical books of the Bible into six groups. All depending on how accurate the story was and the methods used by the author of it. They are the following:
David and Solomon are part of the books of the kings. It is from this stage where a starting point begins. Put right in this book is when you start with the historical texts that are known today and are considered true.
The intermediate period that was developed and composed by Samuel. The Judges is another book that narrates precisely the times when Israel was divided by various cultures that could call themselves threatened by different types of traps.
In addition to this, the exodus is reflected, which is a much better preserved and written text than the previous ones. One of the reasons is that for that period of time a detailed record of each event was kept. In addition to this, Israel was not divided after a chaos that would take place years later. (See also: Serenity and Tranquility Prayer )
The patriarchs are considered other stories directly related to Moses and Abraham, both half a millennium apart in reference to their lives. There are also the origins that narrate the creation, genealogies of man and his chronological system. Post has the peculiarity of explaining what will come next.