Book

This word has a comprehensive meaning in Scripture. In the Old Testament it is the rendering of the Hebrew word "sepher", which properly means a "writing," and then a "volume" (Ex. 17:14; Deut. 28:58; 29:20; Job 19:23) or "roll of a book" (Jer. 36:2, 4). Books were originally written on skins, on linen or cotton cloth, and on Egyptian papyrus, whence our word "paper." The leaves of the book were generally written in columns, designated by a Hebrew word properly meaning "doors" and "valves" (Jer. 36:23, R.V., marg. "columns"). Among the Hebrews books were generally rolled up like our maps, or if very long they were rolled from both ends, forming two rolls (Luke 4:17-20). Thus they were arranged when the writing was on flexible materials; but if the writing was on tablets of wood or brass or lead, then the several tablets were bound together by rings through which a rod was passed. A sealed book is one whose contents are secret (Isa. 29:11; Rev. 5:1-3). To "eat" a book (Jer. 15:16; Ezek. 2:8-10; 3:1-3; Rev. 10:9) is to study its contents carefully. The book of judgment (Dan. 7:10) refers to the method of human courts of justice as illustrating the proceedings which will take place at the day of God's final judgment. The book of the wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14), the book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13), and the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah and Israel (2 Chr. 25:26), were probably ancient documents known to the Hebrews, but not forming a part of the canon. The book of life (Ps. 69:28) suggests the idea that as the redeemed form a community or citizenship (Phil. 3:20; 4:3), a catalogue of the citizens' names is preserved (Luke 10:20; Rev. 20:15). Their names are registered in heaven (Luke 10:20; Rev. 3:5). The book of the covenant (Ex. 24:7), containing Ex. 20:22-23:33, is the first book actually mentioned as a part of the written word. It contains a series of laws, civil, social, and religious, given to Moses at Sinai immediately after the delivery of the decalogue. These were written in this "book."

You Might Also Like:

Book image
Read More

Noah's Ark

Have you ever heard the story of Noah's Ark? It's a famous story from the Bible about a man named Noah who built a huge boat to save himself and the a...

Book image
Read More

Tower of Babel

Have you ever heard the story of the Tower of Babel? It's a story from the Bible about a group of people who wanted to build a tower that reached all ...

Book image
Read More

Ten Plagues

Have you ever heard about the Ten Plagues in the Bible? It's a fascinating story about how God showed His power to the Pharaoh of Egypt and freed the ...

Book image
Read More

Ten Commandments

Have you ever heard about the Ten Commandments in the Bible? These are ten rules that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai to guide the Israelites and all...

Book image
Read More

12 Tribes of Israel

Have you ever heard about the 12 Tribes of Israel in the Bible? These tribes were the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob, who was later named Isr...

Book image
Read More

Ministry of Jesus

Have you ever heard about the Ministry of Jesus in the Bible? Jesus was a great teacher and healer who spent three years traveling throughout Israel, ...

Book image
Read More

Early Church

Have you ever heard about the Early Church in the Bible? After Jesus' death and resurrection, his followers began to spread his teachings throughout t...

Book image
Read More

Abraham

Today, let's learn about one of the most important figures in the Bible, Abraham. Abraham's story is told in the book of Genesis and is considered a f...

Book image
Read More

Moses

Let's learn about another important figure in the Bible, Moses. The story of Moses is told in the book of Exodus and is a central part of the history ...

Book image
Read More

Joshua

Let's talk about Joshua, another important figure in the Bible. The story of Joshua is told in the book of Joshua, which follows the book of Deuterono...

Book image
Read More

David

David is one of the most well-known figures in the Bible, and his story is told in several books of the Old Testament, including 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel...

Book image
Read More

Solomon

Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba, and he was known for his great wisdom and wealth. When David was near death, he declared that Solomon...

Book image
Read More

Jesus

Jesus is the central figure of the Christian faith, and his life and teachings have had a profound impact on the world. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to...

Book image
Read More

Paul

Paul, also known as Saul of Tarsus, is one of the most important figures in the history of Christianity. Originally, Paul was a persecutor of Christia...

Book image
Read More

Israel

Israel is a land that is rich in history and culture, and it plays an important role in the Bible. In the Old Testament, Israel was the promised land ...

Book image
Read More

Egypt

Egypt is a country that is steeped in history and culture, and it plays an important role in the Bible. In the Old Testament, Egypt is prominently fea...

Book image
Read More

Assyria

Assyria was a powerful empire that played an important role in the ancient Near East and in the Bible. In the Old Testament, Assyria is known for its ...

Book image
Read More

Babylon

Babylon was a great ancient city in Mesopotamia, located in what is now modern-day Iraq. It was the capital of the Babylonian Empire and is mentioned ...