The Old Testament of the Bible contains 39 books that are divided into specific divisions (or groupings). These major divisions of the Old Testament books contain ancient Scriptures that record the history, instructions, and prophecies during a time period when the Hebrew nation was under the Old Covenant of the Law with God.
Below, you will find a complete overview of the main divisions of the Old Testament, their purpose, and the individual books included in each section (or classification).
Divisions of the Old Testament
There are 4 major divisions of the Old Testament: the Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Poetic and Wisdom Writings, and the Prophetic Books. These sections of the Old Testament group books of the Bible together according to their genres.
Major Divisions of the Old Testament Chart
| Law | History | Poetic and Wisdom | Prophetic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Major Prophets: Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Minor Prophets: Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi |
Note: The Prophetic section of the Old Testament in the Christian Bible is divided into two classifications: Major Prophets and Minor Prophets. As a result, some Biblical reference guides label the 5 divisions of the Old Testament as the Law, History, Poetry and Wisdom, Major Prophets, and Minor Prophets.
Overview of the Old Testament Sections
The Law (Or Pentateuch)
The first five books of the Bible are collectively called the Pentateuch. Pentateuch is the Greek word for “five books” or “five scrolls”. In the Hebrew Bible, this collection of books is called the Torah (Hebrew word for law). The author of these books was Moses which is why this section of the Old Testament is often referred to as “The Law of Moses”.
The Law (or Pentateuch) includes these books of the Bible:
Historical Books
The Historical division of Old Testament books records the history of God’s dealings with His chosen people over many centuries. This collection traces the Israelites’ history from entering the Promised Land of Canaan, through the chaotic period of the Judges, to the establishment of the Davidic monarchy, through Israel’s life under multiple kings and destruction of Jerusalem, exile to Babylon, to some Jews returning from exile, and others living in Persia.
The Historical Books include:
Poetic and Wisdom Writings
The Poetic and Wisdom Writings of the Old Testament were written to offer wisdom, understanding, and instruction for the Hebrew nation. This classification contains the fewest number of books.
The Poetic and Wisdom Books include:
Prophetic Books
The Prophetic Books division of the Old Testament recounts God’s messages to specific people and cultures through chosen prophets led by the Holy Spirit. There are two sections of Prophetic Books based on the length of the writings (not their importance): Major and Minor Prophets. This results in one major division in the Old Testament that is divided into two sections.
Major Prophets
Minor Prophets
Learn About the New Testament Divisions of the Bible
Now that you understand how the Old Testament books are divided into different divisions, you may also be interested in learning about the sections in the New Testament. See this related guide on the Divisions of the New Testament for a deeper dive into that topic or visit the main Divisions of the Bible page for a general overview of how all books of the Bible are classified.
Summary for the Divisions of the Old Testament Books
We hope you enjoyed this guide on the main divisions of the Old Testament books in the Bible.
As you discovered, there are 4 major divisions of the Old Testament that contain specific groupings of books based on their genre: the Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Poetic and Wisdom Writings, and the Prophetic Books. The Prophetic Books can be further divided into two sections (Major Prophets and Minor Prophets), making a total of 5 sections in the Old Testament. We encourage you to read through each division to fully understand why the Bible was organized in this way. As a result, you can gain a deeper understanding of the Old Covenant the Lord had with the people of Israel.
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