Читать книгу Faith and Practice - Frank E. Wilson - Страница 14

The Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language. The first of such writings dates from about the ninth century before Christ. Up to that time the history of the race had been handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation in song and story, quite in the same way as the early history of any other race. These songs and stories were firmly fixed in the minds of the people, and were recited in their homes, around campfires, and on festival occasions. About the year B.C. 1000, some collections of them began to be assembled such as the Book of the Wars of the Lord and the Book of Jasher.⁴ From similar sources came longer poems like the Song of Moses⁵ and the Song of Deborah.⁶ These collections mark the beginning of what we now call the Old Testament.

The contents of the Old Testament were gradually assembled but it was by no means a steady process. Down to the time of our Lord it was still an open question as to precisely what books should comprise the Canon (that is, the authorized list of contents).