Old Testament - the collection of books comprising the sacred scripture of the Hebrews and recording their history as the chosen people; the first half of the Christian Biblegolden calf - (Old Testament) an idol made by Aaron for the Israelites to worship; destroyed by Moses; it is now used to refer to anything worshipped undeservedly laver - (Old Testament) large basin used by a priest in an ancient Jewish temple to perform ritual ablutions Dead Sea scrolls - (Old Testament) a collection of written scrolls (containing nearly all of the Old Testament) found in a cave near the Dead Sea in the late 1940s; "the Dead Sea Scrolls provide information about Judaism and the Bible around the time of Jesus" Book of Genesis, Genesis - the first book of the Old Testament: tells of creation; Adam and Eve; the Fall of Man; Cain and Abel; Noah and the flood; God's covenant with Abraham; Abraham and Isaac; Jacob and Esau; Joseph and his brothers Book of Exodus, Exodus - the second book of the Old Testament: tells of the departure of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt led by Moses; God gave them the Ten Commandments and the rest of Mosaic law on Mount Sinai during the Exodus Book of Numbers, Numbers - the fourth book of the Old Testament; contains a record of the number of Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt Book of Joshua, Josue, Joshua - a book in the Old Testament describing how Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan (the Promised Land) after the death of Moses Book of Judges, Judges - a book of the Old Testament that tells the history of Israel under the leaders known as judges Book of Ruth, Ruth - a book of the Old Testament that tells the story of Ruth who was not an Israelite but who married an Israelite and who stayed with her mother-in-law Naomi after her husband died 1 Samuel, I Samuel - the first of two books in the Old Testament that tell of Saul and David 2 Samuel, II Samuel - the second of two books of the Old Testament that tell of Saul and David 1 Kings, I Kings - the first of two Old Testament books telling the histories of the kings of Judah and Israel 2 Kings, II Kings - the second of two Old Testament books telling the histories of the kings of Judah and Israel Paralipomenon - (Old Testament) an obsolete name for the Old Testament books of Chronicles which were regarded as supplementary to Kings 1 Chronicles, I Chronicles - the first of two Old Testament books telling the history of Judah and Israel until the return from the Babylonian Captivity in 536 BC 2 Chronicles, II Chronicles - the second of two Old Testament books telling the history of Judah and Israel until the return from the Babylonian Captivity in 536 BC Book of Ezra, Ezra - an Old Testament book telling of a rabbi's efforts in the 5th century BC to reconstitute Jewish law and worship in Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity Book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah - an Old Testament book telling how a Jewish official at the court of Artaxerxes I in 444 BC became a leader in rebuilding Jeruslaem after the Babylonian Captivity Book of Esther, Esther - an Old Testament book telling of a beautiful Jewess who became queen of Persia and saved her people from massacre Book of Job, Job - a book in the Old Testament containing Job's pleas to God about his afflictions and God's reply Book of Proverbs, Proverbs - an Old Testament book consisting of proverbs from various Israelit sages (including Solomon) Book of Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes - an Old Testament book consisting of reflections on the vanity of human life; is traditionally attributed to Solomon but probably was written about 250 BC |