The Old Testament

Books · Kings · Prophets · Chronological Order
Books
Kings / Rulers
Prophets
Key Events
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Creation & Early Humanity
Undated — c. 2100 BC
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Books
Genesis 1–11
Kings / Rulers
No formal kings
Adam – first man
Noah – patriarch
Nimrod – first "mighty man"
Prophets / Events
The Creation
The Fall
The Flood (Noah)
Tower of Babel
Enoch – walked with God
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The Patriarchs
c. 2100 – 1800 BC
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Books
Genesis 12–50
Job (likely this era)
Patriarchs / Rulers
Abraham – father of Israel
Isaac
Jacob (Israel)
Joseph – vizier of Egypt
Prophets / Events
Abraham – called prophet (Gen 20:7)
Abrahamic Covenant
Sodom & Gomorrah
Israel goes to Egypt
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Exodus & Wilderness
c. 1446 – 1406 BC
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Books
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Leaders / Pharaohs
Pharaoh – oppressor of Israel
Moses – deliverer & lawgiver
Aaron – high priest
Prophets / Events
Moses – greatest OT prophet
Miriam – prophetess
The Ten Plagues
The Passover
Mosaic Law at Sinai
40 years in the desert
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Conquest of Canaan
c. 1406 – 1380 BC
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Books
Joshua
Leaders
Joshua – commander of Israel
Rahab – ally in Jericho
Events
Crossing the Jordan
Fall of Jericho
Division of the Land
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Period of the Judges
c. 1380 – 1050 BC
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Books
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel 1–7
Judges / Rulers
Othniel
Deborah – judge & prophetess
Gideon
Jephthah
Samson
Eli – priest & judge
Samuel – last judge
Prophets / Events
Deborah – prophetess-judge
Samuel – prophet & judge
Cycles of sin & deliverance
Ark of the Covenant captured
The book of Ruth is set during this era — a story of loyalty and redemption.
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United Monarchy
c. 1050 – 930 BC
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Books
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings 1–11
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 1–9
Psalms (many by David)
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs
Kings of Israel
Saul – first king, c. 1050–1010
David – king of all Israel, c. 1010–970
Solomon – builder of the Temple, c. 970–930
Prophets / Events
Samuel
Nathan – rebuked David
Gad
Ark brought to Jerusalem
Temple built by Solomon
Davidic Covenant
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Divided Kingdom
c. 930 – 586 BC
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Books
1 Kings 12–22
2 Kings
2 Chronicles 10–36
Obadiah c. 848
Joel c. 835
Jonah c. 785
Amos c. 760
Hosea c. 755–715
Isaiah c. 740–680
Micah c. 735–700
Nahum c. 663–612
Zephaniah c. 630
Habakkuk c. 609–605
Jeremiah c. 627–586
Lamentations
Kings — Israel (North)
Jeroboam I 930–909
Omri 885–874
Ahab 874–853 · see Elijah →
Jehu 841–814
Jeroboam II 793–753
Hoshea 732–722 — last king
Kings — Judah (South)
Rehoboam 930–913
Asa 910–869
Jehoshaphat 872–848
Joash 835–796
Hezekiah 715–686
Manasseh 697–642
Josiah 640–609
Zedekiah 597–586 — last king
Prophets
🔥 Elijah – chief prophet of Ahab's reign; drought, Mt. Carmel vs. Baal prophets, fled Jezebel (c. 874–852 BC)
Elisha – Elijah's successor; ministry under Ahab's sons
Obadiah
Joel
Jonah – sent to Nineveh
Amos – prophet to Israel
Hosea – prophet to Israel
Isaiah – messianic prophecies
Micah
Nahum – fall of Nineveh
Zephaniah
Habakkuk
Jeremiah – "weeping prophet"
Fall of Samaria – 722 BC (Assyria)
Fall of Jerusalem – 586 BC (Babylon)
Israel (Northern Kingdom) fell to Assyria in 722 BC; Judah (Southern Kingdom) fell to Babylon in 586 BC.
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The Babylonian Exile
586 – 538 BC
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Books
Ezekiel 593–571 BC
Daniel 605–530 BC
Lamentations
Foreign Kings
Nebuchadnezzar II – king of Babylon
Belshazzar – last Babylonian king
Darius the Mede
Cyrus the Great – Persian king, freed Israel
Prophets / Events
Ezekiel – visions of restoration
Daniel – interpreter of dreams
70-year captivity in Babylon
Edict of Cyrus – 538 BC
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Return & Restoration
538 – 400 BC
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Books
Ezra c. 457 BC
Nehemiah c. 445 BC
Esther c. 479 BC
Haggai c. 520 BC
Zechariah c. 520–480 BC
Malachi c. 430 BC
Kings / Leaders
Cyrus the Great – decreed return
Zerubbabel – led first return
Darius I – Persian king
Xerxes I (Ahasuerus – Esther's king)
Artaxerxes I – supported Ezra & Nehemiah
Ezra – priest & scribe
Nehemiah – governor of Judah
Prophets / Events
Haggai – rebuilt the Temple
Zechariah – messianic visions
Malachi – last OT prophet
Second Temple completed – 516 BC
Walls of Jerusalem rebuilt – 445 BC
Law read publicly by Ezra
"400 years of silence" begins
Malachi (~430 BC) closes the Old Testament. The "400 years of silence" followed before John the Baptist and the New Testament era.
Soli Deo Gloria