Which Books Are in the Old Testament? A Complete Guide
Introduction
How many books are in the Old Testament?
The Old Testament contains 39 books in the Protestant Bible. These books form the foundation of both Jewish and Christian faith, telling the story of creation, covenant, law, prophecy, poetry, and God’s work through Israel.
Below, you’ll find multiple ways to explore the Old Testament book list:
As they appear in the Bible
Grouped by genre
In approximate chronological order
One of the greatest gifts ever given to me was by my home church in Mississippi. They taught me how to read the bible and study it for myself.
How Many Books Are in the Old Testament?
There are 39 books in the Old Testament according to Protestant traditions. (Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include additional books called the Deuterocanon or Apocrypha.)
Books of the Old Testament in Canonical Order
This is the order they appear in most Bibles:
Old Testament Books in Canonical Order
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
Old Testament Books by Genre
The Old Testament books are typically grouped into five major genres:
1. The Law (Torah or Pentateuch)
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
2. Historical Books
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 & 2 Samuel
- 1 & 2 Kings
- 1 & 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
3. Wisdom & Poetry
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
4. Major Prophets
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
5. Minor Prophets
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
Old Testament Books in (Approximate) Chronological Order
Here’s how many scholars understand the likely order of when these books were written or when the events took place. (Note: This differs from canonical order.)
- Job
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Obadiah
- Joel
- Jonah
- Amos
- Hosea
- Micah
- Isaiah
- Zephaniah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
- Ezra
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Nehemiah
- Malachi
- Esther
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
- Psalms
FAQ
How many books are in the Old Testament?
There are 39 books in the Old Testament according to the Protestant Bible. Catholic and Orthodox traditions include additional books, bringing the total to 46 or more depending on the canon.
What are the 5 main sections of the Old Testament?
The Old Testament is traditionally divided into five genres:
The Law (Torah)
Historical Books
Wisdom and Poetry
Major Prophets
Minor Prophets
What is the first book of the Old Testament?
The first book is Genesis, which tells the story of creation, the fall, the flood, and the beginnings of God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants.
What is the last book of the Old Testament?
In most Christian Bibles, the last book of the Old Testament is Malachi, a prophetic book written after the return from exile.
Are the Old Testament books in chronological order?
Not exactly. The Bible arranges the books by genre, not by when the events happened. That’s why many people also study the books in chronological order to follow the timeline more closely.
Which Old Testament books are the oldest?
Many scholars believe Job is the oldest book in terms of writing, while Genesis records the oldest events. The earliest historical writings date to the time of Moses, around 1400–1200 BCE.
Why do Catholic and Orthodox Bibles have more Old Testament books?
They include additional writings known as the Deuterocanonical books or Apocrypha, which were part of the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) but not included in the later Hebrew canon.
