BibleProject Guides

Old Testament

Old Testament

Get an overview of each book in the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible.

Genesis
Dive into the story's beginning where God creates order, beauty, and goodness and refuses to abandon his creation, despite their selfish and evil ways. Gain a better understanding of God's provision of life and safety amidst chaos and the consistency of God’s promise to rescue and restore in the book of Genesis.
Exodus
Explore how God commits and recommits to the people of Israel by rescuing them from Egypt and inviting them into a covenant relationship. Dig into the larger story of God’s plan to dwell among his people and his faithfulness to an often faithless people in the book of Exodus.
Leviticus
Discover God's invitation to Moses to enter his presence in the tent of meeting and the symbolic rituals that create a path for Israel and God to live together in peace. Gain a deeper understanding of this powerful expression of God's holy and gracious mercy in the book of Leviticus.
Numbers
Discover the contrast between Israel’s rebellion and lack of trust and God’s continuous grace and protection for the people throughout their wilderness wandering. Dig deeper into God's desire for holiness, his mercy toward sin, and his unwavering faithfulness to his covenant promises in the book of Numbers.
Deuteronomy
Hear Moses’ final word to Israel, encouraging the people to listen to God and love him, and discover how Israel’s faithfulness to God's covenant becomes the path to blessing for themselves and everyone around them. Dig deeper into God's promise to transform the hearts of his people in the book of Deuteronomy.
Joshua
Explore Joshua's instructions to Israel to live according to the covenant as they enter the land of Canaan and experience the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. Gain a better understanding of God's generosity for protection and rescue in the book of Joshua.
Judges
Explore humanity’s tendency to trust themselves over God and do what is right in their own eyes. Discover how this highlights our need for God's grace and a king to rescue us from our self-centeredness. Dig into Israel's descent into self-destruction and their desperation for God's rescue in the book of Judges.
Ruth
Discover God’s grand story of redemption for all creation in the seemingly mundane events of life, including joy and hardship. Dive into the short but brilliant book of Ruth to consider how God might be at work in our own lives.
Samuel
Explore God's works to carry out his purposes and bring God's Kingdom and blessing to all nations, despite the evil of human kings. Learn how the stories of Samuel, Saul, and David in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel connect to the Bible's larger narrative.
Kings
Discover the work of Israel’s prophets to turn people from idolatry and injustice, and the consequences God allows the people to face in light of their rebellion. Understand the big picture of covenant unfaithfulness, exile, and repentance in the books of 1 and 2 Kings.
Chronicles
Unpack the conclusion of the Hebrew Bible as it highlights the messianic promises yet to be fulfilled and encourages God's people to see their past as the source of hope for the future. Discover the hope for a messiah and a new temple in the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles.x
Ezra-Nehemiah
Discover the actions of Israel, their spiritual state upon returning to their land, and God's call for a holistic transformation of their hearts in light of his covenant promises. Follow the stories of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah after the Babylonian exile in the book of Ezra-Nehemiah.
Esther
Uncover how Esther asks us to trust in God's providence, even when we can't see it working, and to hold a posture of hope in God’s commitment to redeem his good world and overcome evil. Discover the invitation to trust and hope in God in the exciting and unique book of Esther.
Job
Explore God’s wisdom, goodness, and justice and learn how it transcends our assumptions about fairness and pushes us beyond the limitations of human reasoning. Dive into the relationship between suffering and punishment, and the mystery of God's justice, in the book of Job.
Psalms
Discover the lament, praise, faith, and hope of God's people as they learn to trust that God will fulfill his promises from the Torah and send the messiah. Dive into the 150 ancient Hebrew poems, songs, and prayers that teach us to neither ignore our pain nor let it determine our lives in the book of Psalms.
Proverbs
Explore the Bible's vision for living wisely in God’s good world, dependent on trusting God and staying away from folly which leads to death. Explore the wisdom of Solomon and others in the poems and sayings of the book of Proverbs.
Ecclesiastes
Discover how hope for God's judgment leads us to live with honesty and integrity, despite life's mysteries, and find the true meaning of a good life. Explore why life apart from God lacks meaning and purpose in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Song of Songs
Learn how the transcendent gift of love shows us something greater—the gift of God’s love that will one day permeate and transform his beloved world. Gain a deeper understanding of the ancient Hebrew love poetry found in Song of Songs.
Isaiah
Explore why God’s acts of justice do not mean he is abandoning his covenant promises and how he will renew creation and establish his Kingdom here on Earth as it is in Heaven. Gain a better understanding of the message of judgment and hope in the book of Isaiah.
Jeremiah
Discover Jeremiah's sober evaluation of Israel's past and the hopeful message that God will keep his promise to remain with his people and provide a future king from David’s line. Unpack the themes of judgment and hope in the book of Jeremiah.
Lamentations
Explore this memorial to the Israelites’ pain and confusion following the destruction of Jerusalem and understand how prayerful lament is a crucial part of our journey of faith in a broken world. Discover how the biblical authors express grief in the book of Lamentations.
Ezekiel
Discover a future full of hope, emerging out of the darkness of humanity’s evil and promising a new world of restored humans who are animated by God’s life-giving Spirit and permeated with God’s love and justice. Gain a better understanding of the prophet's visions in the book of Ezekiel.
Daniel
Discover Daniel's hope and assurance for the day that God will confront evil and deliver his people in this timeless message of unwavering faithfulness. Explore the stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, while also unpacking Daniel’s dreams and visions in the book of Daniel.
Hosea
Explore the unbreakable nature of God's love and his ultimate purpose to heal and save. Uncover God’s faithfulness to Israel despite their unfaithfulness and his covenant fulfillment through Israel to the nations in the book of Hosea.
Joel
Discover God's longing to show mercy to Israel, including his promise to defeat evil, both in us and in the world, and bring his healing presence to make all things new. Unpack the hope of new creation and restoration of the land in the book of Joel.
Amos
Explore Amos' call to embrace acts of justice, righteousness, and neighborly love as true worship of God, and to await his long-term purpose to restore creation and create a new family. Dive into themes of justice and the Day of the Lord in the book of Amos.
Obadiah
Discover how the people of Edom's pride and betrayal exemplify the human condition, especially the ways people betray one another and harm God’s good world. Learn how God will deal with the evil in our world and bring all nations into his Kingdom of peace in the short book of Obadiah.
Jonah
Explore God’s kindness and mercy, extended to Jonah’s enemies, and the invitation for Jonah to love his enemy as God does. Gain a better understanding of repentance, forgiveness, and God’s love and compassion for those who oppose him in the complex book of Jonah.
Micah
Discover how God’s judgment reveals the power of his covenant love and serves as a source of hope against human evil. Uncover themes of covenant renewal, the forgiveness of sins, and restoration from exile in the book of Micah.
Nahum
Explore God's invitation to be humble and trust that his goodness and justice will compel him to confront every oppressor. Gain a deeper understanding of God’s opposition to oppressive and rebellious nations and his rescue plan in the book of Nahum.
Habakkuk
Discover Habakkuk's vision of the darkness of the world as an invitation for faith in God’s promise to one day set things right. Dig deeper into the tension between injustice and God’s care for his world in the book of Habakkuk.
Zephaniah
Discover how the future hope of our world is held in two aspects of God’s character at once—his justice and his love. Explore God’s greater purposes for restoration, safety, and peace in the book of Zephaniah.
Haggai
Explore the way God uses our obedience and faithfulness to work out his purposes and how this reality invites reflection and prompts action rooted in the hope of God’s coming Kingdom. Discover the challenging and hopeful message of the book of Haggai and its relevance for today.
Zechariah
Discover the challenge for all generations of God's people to live faithfully in the present moment and look above the chaos in hope of God’s Kingdom. Gain a better understanding of the strange dreams and visions in the book of Zechariah.
Malachi
Explore Malachi’s oracles as an indictment of the human condition and Israel’s selfishness and sin. Gain a deeper understanding of God's promise to send a messenger who will personally confront evil, restore his people, and bring his healing justice in the book of Malachi.