Introduction to the prophet Jeremiah The 24th book of the Bible, consisting of 52 chaptersA prophet to the last seven kings of the Southern Kingdom of Judah The name Jeremiah, familiar to us, is “Yirmeyahu” in Hebrew and means “YHWH / the Lord exalts” or “the Lord / YHWH establishes.”Jeremiah is the second of the…
Introduction to the prophet Isaiah The 23rd book of the Bible, consisting of 66 chaptersThe first and longest of the Prophetic Books The name Isaiah is “Yeshayahu” in Hebrew and means “YHWH is salvation”—or “the Lord saves.” According to Jewish tradition, Isaiah himself belonged to the royal family; he was a grandson of King Joash,…
Introduction to the Song of Songs The 22nd Book of the Bible: A Love Song in 8 ChaptersGod’s Love Song to Israel and to the Christian Church The Song of Songs is called “Shir Ha-Shirim” in Hebrew, which literally translates to “The Song of Songs” and thus means “The most beautiful or greatest of all…
Introduction to Ecclesiastes Introduction to the Book of Ecclesiastes or KoheletThe 21st Book of the Bible: The Meaninglessness of Life Without a Personal Relationship with God “Ecclesiastes” is likely Martin Luther’s translation of the Hebrew “qoheleth,” which roughly means “assembly leader.”In English, the book is called Ecclesiastes, after the Greek title in the Septuagint, “Ekklesiastea,”…
Introduction to the Proverbs The 20th book of the Bible, teachings for a life pleasing to God Proverbs is also called the “Book of Proverbs” or “Proverbs of Solomon,” after the author mentioned at the beginning, the third king of Israel. The English name “Proverbs” derives from the Latin Vulgate, where the book is referred…
Introduction to the Psalms The 19th Book of the Bible: Prayers and a Hymnal for Jews and Christians A collection of 150 prayers, originally sung, that cover the full spectrum of human emotions, from fear of death and pain to joy and worship.In addition, we find in the Psalms a rich treasure trove of prophetic…
Introduction to the book Job The 18th Book of the Bible: Suffering Even in the Lives of Righteous People The Book of Job deals with the theme of God’s justice. How can a righteous God allow even good people to suffer?Even in secular circles, Job is recognized as one of the most significant poetic works…
Introduction to the book Esther The 17th Book of the Bible: God’s Protection Throughout History The Book of Esther tells the story of the planned annihilation of the entire Jewish people—and with it, the eradication of the biblical faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—throughout the Persian Empire, from Africa to the borders…
Introduction to the book Nehemiah The 16th Book of the Bible: The Restoration of Jewish Life in Jerusalem Nehemiah (“the Lord has comforted”) originally held a high position at the Persian royal court under King Artaxerxes (Artasasta). In April or May of 445 B.C., the king appointed him governor of the province of Judah. In…
Introduction to the book Ezra The 15th Book of the Bible: Return from the Babylonian Exile To this day, the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah form a single scroll in the Jewish Tanakh. They are found among the three prophetic-historical books of the Writings (Ketuvim), placed between Daniel and Chronicles. Jerome, one of the Church…