Lesson 3: Who wrote the Books of the Bible?
OT: The Kethubhim
The book of Psalms is commonly attributed to King David; however, it is actually a collection of writings by a variety of different authors: Moses wrote Psalm 90, Heman the Ezrahite wrote Psalm 88, Ethan the Ezrahite wrote Psalm 89, Solomon (the son of King David) wrote Psalms 72 and 127, King David wrote Psalms 3-9, 11-32, 34-41, 51-65, 68-70, 86, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 133, and 138-145 , Asaph wrote Psalms 50, and 73-83, the Sons of Korah wrote Psalms 42, 44-45, 47-49, 84-85, and 87, the remaining psalms are of unknown authorship. By the time the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) was written, additional authors were identified: Jeremiah was said to have written Psalm 137, Haggai and Zechariah the Psalms 146-147, Ezra was supposed to have written Psalm 119, Hezekiah may have written Psalms 120-134. The collection of the book of Psalms dates from about 1400 BC to about 500 BC. The Psalms are a collection of songs, hymns and poetry all written to express devotion to and the glory of God.
The book of Proverbs is usually attributed to King Solomon, yet like the book of Psalms, it has a number of authors. Proverbs 1:1-24:22 are attributed to Solomon, Proverbs 24:23-34 are attributed to "the wise", Proverbs 25:1-29:27 are attributed to Solomon, but were collected and recorded by "Hezekiah's men", Proverbs 30:1-33 is attributed to Agur, while Proverbs 31:1-31 is attributed to Lemuel. It is unknown when the book was compiled; yet it is assumed this may have happened between 1000 and 900 BC. It deals with practical aspects of everyday life in short, pithy commentary form.
The book of Job is sometimes attributed to Moses, but there is no definitive answer with respect to authorship. Some claim it was written no earlier than 1000 BC, but there is not certainty to either claim. The book is poetic in nature, and deals with the reconciliation of the problem of suffering under a just and loving God.
The book of Daniel is said to have been written by Daniel himself, sometime between 610 BC and 530 BC. Daniel was a Hebrew prophet in the captivity at Babylon and courageously lived his faith, in spite of royally imposed injunctions. The book chronicles his life and some of his prophecies.
The book of Ezra is generally attributed to the prophet Ezra himself. It is thought to have been written sometime around 400 BC. It writes about Israel’s return from captivity and the rebuilding of its destroyed temple.
The book of Nehemiah is also attributed to Ezra, with some passages perhaps having been written by Nehemiah himself. The book dates to around 400 BC. It deals in detail with the rebuilding of the wall that surrounds Jerusalem. Nehemiah himself used to be a high-ranking official at the court of King Artaxerxes.
The two books of Chronicles relate many of the same topics as the two books of Kings, yet adding a few details here and there, while at the same time emphasizing the history of David’s reign and the history of the Southern Kingdom. While no author is named, many scholars believe that Ezra the Prophet wrote these books around 400 BC.
The Megilloth:
The Song of Songs, sometimes called the Song of Solomon, shows the joy and spiritual purity of the love within a marriage relationship. Solomon is thought to have written this book in the years around 900 BC.
The book of Ruth also does not name an author, and is also attributed to Samuel, suggesting it to be written around 1000 BC. Its theme is the origin of the family line that would eventually produce Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
The book of Lamentations, too, has been attributed to Jeremiah the prophet. It is a first hand account of the destruction of Jerusalem, and may therefore have been written around 589 BC to 580 BC.
The book of Esther, one of the more controversial books of the OT canon, is of unknown penmanship. Some say it may have been Ezra or perhaps Nehemiah who wrote the account of the Jewish girl to married the King of Persia and through her influence upon the king, prevented the annihilation of the Hebrew Nation. It is said to have been written sometime between 500 BC and 400 BC.
The book of Ecclesiastes is said to have been written by an aged King Solomon, around 900 BC. It shows the simple vanity of earthly pursuits at the expense of spiritual living.
