BIBLE (Gr. la Books"—see ]look) is the name given by Chrysostom in the 4th c. to that collection of sacred writings recognized by Christians as the documents of their divinely revealed religion. Both as regards language and contents, they are divided into two parts—the Old and New Testament, or rather, (lie Old and New Cove nant; for the word testamentum is only a translation into the later•Latinity of the 2d c. of the Greek diatheke, "covenant." The history of the Old Testament is connected with that of the new by a series of writings not received by Protestants as canonical, and collectively styled the Apocrypha. (q. v.).
The OLD TESTAMENT is a collection of 39 books, written partly in the Hebrew and partly in the Chaldaic language, and containing all the remains of Hebrew-Chaldaic literature down to the middle of the 2d C. B.C. By an artificial arrangement under the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the number of books has been limited among the Jews to 22. These writings were spoken of in the time of Christ, and for sonic indefinite period before his time, as graphi, Scripture, or Holy Scripture, or. as " the Law and the Prophets." Sometimes the Psalms and the remaining holy writings (hagiographa) are distinctively noticed. The usus loquendi of the New Testament (Matt. xi. 13, xxii. 40; Acts xiii. 15; Luke xxiv. 44, etc.) is evidence of this. The Law com prised the Pentateuch, or the first five books. The Prophets were subdivided into earlier and later: the former including the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings: and the latter containing the three great prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and as well as the twelve minor prophets. The third division of the Old Testament embraced the bagiographa, consisting of the books of Job, Proverbs, Psalms, the S9ng of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, Lamentations, and Esther, together with the books of Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. With regard to the order of these several books, the Alexandrine translation, the fathers of the church, and Luther, on one side, differ from the Jews; again, among the Jews. the Talniudists differ from the Masoretes, while a difference is also found between Spanish and German MSS. Renee have sprung the different arriingements of the books of the 01(1 Testament.
The Septuagint is generally adduced in proof of the existence of these books In a collected form as curly as 285 n c., hut an examination of the Aristean fiction (see Ants TEAS and SEPTUAGINT) is sufficient to show that at that period 110 more than the Penta teuch was translated into Ile:lents( ie Greek. The earliest indubitable notice is found in
the prologue to the Alexandrine translation of the book of Jesus, son of Sir:tell, written by his grandson probably about 180 B.C., which demonstrates that the Law and the Prophets then existed in a collective form; but this language does not prove that the third division was then concluded, though neither doe it disprove it. This conclusion is first definitely ascertained from the catalogue given by Josephus, who flourished after tile middle of the 1st C. of the Christian era, while Philo, who flourished 41 A.n., quotes casually from nearly the whole of them.
As regards the genuineness and authenticity of the Old Testament, there has been much discussion in modern times. The generally received opinion is, that the various honks were originally written wholly or chiefly by the ivrsons whose names are affixed to them, except Judges (Samuel), Ruth (Samuel), 'Esther (Mordecai). Kings and Chroni cles (Ezra and Jeremiah). and perhaps Job (Moses?); but that these MSS. having per ished in the destruction of the first temple. when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, the members of the great synagogue (q,v,)—whieli included Ezra, Nehemiah. Haggai, Zecha riah, Malachi, and afterwards Simon the Just-50 years after the building of the second temple, acting in accordance with a divine commission, rewrote the Old Testament: or rather made a recension of other existing copies, to which were subsequently added the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Thus the canon was concluded. This was the belief of the Jews themselves at a later period; the Pirkc Aboth (Sayings of the Fathers), one of the oldest books of the Talmud, as well as other Jewish records, distinctly assert it. It is, however, simply n tradition, and though possibly true, is necessarily incapable either of demonstration or refutation. In the absence of any direct and conclusive evidence on this point, the contcntsof the Old Testament have been minutely analyzed by modern German critics, who have attempted to show that they bear internal evidence of having been composed generally at a later period than is ordinarily believed. Their work has now been taken up by Lnglish, Dutch, and French scholars, of whom perhaps the most notable are Colenso (see NATAL) and Rumen, and prosecuted with keenness and vigor.