Definition

Proper noun 1. The first major division of the Christian Bible: The Old Testament is the collection of sacred scriptures that Christianity shares with Judaism. It contains texts considered by Christians to be divinely inspired and which record the history, laws, prophecies, and covenant between God and the people of Israel before the coming of Jesus Christ. 2. The sacred scripture of Judaism (the Hebrew Bible): When used in a Jewish context, it refers to the Tanakh, which contains the same core texts divided into the Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).

Usage Examples

• As a proper noun (Christian context):
  • We studied the creation story from the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament.
  • The prophecy in the Old Testament is said to point toward the coming of a Messiah.
• Referring to the Hebrew Bible:
  • The Old Testament and the Hebrew Tanakh contain essentially the same books, though in a different order.

Advanced Usage

• "Old Testament prophet": Refers to a prophetic figure like Isaiah or Jeremiah from these scriptures.
  • The teachings of the Old Testament prophets emphasized justice and righteousness.
• "Old Testament law": Often refers specifically to the legal and covenantal codes found in books like Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.
  • Some Old Testament laws are concerned with ritual purity and social order.

Variants and Related Words

• Testament (noun): A will disposing of personal property; or, in a religious context, a covenant or dispensation (e.g., ).
• Old Testamentary (adjective): Pertaining to or characteristic of the Old Testament (less common).
  • The sermon had an Old Testamentary tone of warning and judgment.

Synonyms

• The Hebrew Bible: The collection of Jewish scriptures.
• The Tanakh: The Hebrew acronym for the Jewish Bible (Torah, Nevi'im, Ketuvim).
• The First Testament: A term sometimes used in interfaith dialogue to avoid the implication that the covenant is "old" or superseded.

Related Phrases

• Old Testament God: A phrase sometimes used to depict God as portrayed in these scriptures, often emphasizing aspects of law, judgment, and power.
  • He viewed God as an Old Testament God of justice rather than solely mercy.
• In the Old Testament: A prepositional phrase used to locate a story, figure, or teaching.
  • The story of David and Goliath is found in the Old Testament.

Related Idioms

• "An eye for an eye" (lex talionis): A principle of retributive justice found in the Old Testament (Exodus 21:24).
  • He didn't believe in mercy; his philosophy was strictly an eye for an eye.
• "The patience of Job": Refers to the immense endurance shown by the figure Job in the Old Testament book named after him.
  • You need the patience of Job to work in customer service.

Noun

1. 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 Bible