Book — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

A set of written sheets or a scroll—whether composed of wood, parchment, papyrus, or paper—containing records or a literary composition. With respect to the Bible, each individual composition is called a “book” because that was what the document was before it became part of the biblical collection. As such, the Bible has 66 books—such as Genesis, Isaiah, Matthew, and Revelation.

The most important book to the ancient Hebrews was the Book of the Law (2 Kgs 22:8), because it came from God to Moses (Jos 23:6; Mk 12:26) and contained the record of the Mosaic covenant (e.g., Ex 20). God instructed Joshua to meditate on it day and night (Jos 1:8). The prophets appealed to it constantly, particularly to Deuteronomy. The discovery of the Book of the Law during the renovation of the temple in Josiah’s reign led to important religious reforms (2 Kgs 22:8-13).

Show passage in OET: KI2 22:8

OET-RV KI2 22:8

8 During the repairs, the high priest Hilkiyah told the scribe Shafan, “I found a scroll in the temple with Yahweh’s instructions written on it.” So Hilkiyah gave the scroll to Shafan to read.

OET-LV KI2 22:8

8 And_ Ḩilqiy^yāh the_priest/officer (the)_great _he/it _said to Shāfān the_scribe the _scroll _of the _law I _have _found in_house _of YHWH and_ Ḩilqiy^yāh _he/it _gave DOM the_scroll to Shāfān and_he_read _it.

Show passage in OET: JOS 23:6

OET-RV JOS 23:6

6 Take great care to obey and do everything that Mosheh (Moses) wrote down—don’t deviate from it in any way.

OET-LV JOS 23:6

6 And_you(pl)_will _be _strong very to_guard/protect and_to_do DOM every _of (the)_thing_written in_the _book _of the _law _of Mosheh to_not to _turn _aside from_him/it right _hand and_left _hand.

Show passage in OET: MRK 12:26

OET-RV MRK 12:26

26 But as for the state of those who’ve died, didn’t you all read in the scriptures about Mosheh when God spoke to him in front of the burning thorn bush and said, ‘I am the god of Avraham and the god of Yitshak (Isaac) and the god of Ya’akov’ (Jacob)?

OET-LV MRK 12:26

26 But concerning the dead, that they _are _being _raised, not you _all _read in the scroll of _Mōsaʸs concerning the thorn _bush, how the god spoke to _him saying:
I am the god of _Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām), and god of _Isaʼak/(Yiʦḩāq), and the god of_Yakōb/(Yaˊₐqoⱱ)?

Show passage in OET: JOS 1:8

OET-RV JOS 1:8

8 That book of the law must always be on your lips and you should meditate on it day and night, so that you’ll be careful to follow everything that’s written in it, because then you’ll make your ways prosperous and then you’ll be wise.

OET-LV JOS 1:8

8 Not the _book _of the _law the_this it _will _depart from_mouth _of_your and_you _will _meditate in/on/over_him/it by _day and_night so _that you _may _take _care for_doing according_to _every _of (the)_thing_written in/on/over_him/it if/because then you _will _make _successful DOM ways _of_your and_then you _will _be _successful.

Show passage in OET: KI2 22:8–13

OET-RV KI2 22:8

OET-RV KI2 22:9

9 Then Shafan the scribe went to the king with this report, “Your servants handed over the money that had been collected in the temple, and they gave it to the supervisors of the workers doing the repairs.”

OET-RV KI2 22:10

10 Then he added, “And the priest Hilkiyah gave me a scroll.” Then he read it out loud to King Yoshiyah.

OET-RV KI2 22:11

11 When the king heard the contents of the scroll, he tore his clothes

OET-RV KI2 22:12

12 and commanded the priest Hilkiyah, Shafan’s son Ahikam, Mikayah’s son Akbor, the scribe Shafan, and the king’s servant Asayah,

OET-RV KI2 22:13

13 “Go and inquire from Yahweh on my behalf and on behalf of the people and all Yehudah (Judah), concerning the words of this scroll that was found. Because it sounds like Yahweh must be very angry at us because our predecessors didn’t listen to what’s written on this scroll and didn’t do what was expected of us.”

OET-LV KI2 22:8

OET-LV KI2 22:9

9 And_ Shāfān the_scribe _he _went to the_king and_he _brought _back DOM the_king message and_he/it _said your_servants they _have _poured _out DOM the_money which_was_found in_house and_they_have _given _it on the _hand _of the _doers _of the _work who_had _been_appointed the _house _of YHWH.

OET-LV KI2 22:10

10 And_ Shāfān the_scribe _he _told to/for_the _king to_say a _scroll he _gave to_me Ḩilqiy^yāh the_priest/officer and_he_read _it _aloud Shāfān to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before the_king.

OET-LV KI2 22:11

11 And_he/it _was just_ the_king _as _heard DOM the _words/messages _of the _scroll _of the _law and_he _tore DOM clothes _of_his.

OET-LV KI2 22:12

12 And_ the_king _he/it _commanded DOM Ḩilqiy^yāh the_priest/officer and_DOM ʼAḩīqām the _son _of Shāfān and_DOM ˊAkbōr the _son _of Mīkā^yāh and_DOM Shāfān the_scribe and_DOM ˊAsā^yāh the _servant _of the_king to_say.

OET-LV KI2 22:13

13 Go consult DOM YHWH for_me and_for the_people and_for all _of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) on the _words/messages _of the _scroll which_has _been_found the_this if/because is_great the _rage _of YHWH which it it _has _been _kindled on_us on that not ancestors _of_our they _listened to the _words/messages _of the _scroll the_this for_doing according_to _every _of (the)_thing_written on_us.

Jump to OET KI2 22:8 section.

Jump to OET JOS 23:6 section.

Jump to OET MRK 12:26 section.

Jump to OET JOS 1:8 section.

Jump to OET KI2 22:8–13 section.

Some books specifically labeled as biblical source materials are the Book of the Wars of the Lord (Nm 21:14), the Book of Jashar (Jos 10:13; 2 Sm 1:18), the Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Kgs 11:41), and the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah (14:29). A number of prophetic works are cited in the books of Chronicles as sources for the material recorded in those books. Some of these are the Chronicles of Samuel the Seer, the Chronicles of Nathan the Prophet, the Chronicles of Gad the Seer (1 Chr 29:29), and the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite (2 Chr 9:29). The fact that prophetic sources were used for Chronicles demonstrates that the Hebrew people regarded their history as the record of God’s activity. See Writing.