The Writers of the Bible

1. The Writers of the Bible • First, let’s look at the obvious ones. • (1) Moses. • The first writing of Moses is mentioned in connection with the battle with the Amalekites at Rephidim (Exod. 17:14).

2. Another is when he wrote the words of the covenant God made with Israel (Exod. 24:4). • The next is when God told him to write “these words” (Exod 34:27). • I think it is most likely that the words Moses was here instructed to write were the words of the commandments of the law in general.

3. The last half of the verse says, “And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.” • Whether this was Moses who did the writing or God is not clear from this clause. • There is no question about who wrote the words on the original tables of stone (Exod. 31:18; 32:16).

4. In Exodus 34:1 God promises that “I will write upon the tables the words which were on the first tables,” so I think that God wrote the words on these tablets, but Moses wrote the words of the law that God had spoken to Moses.

5. The king who would come was instructed to make for himself a copy of “this law” (Deut. 17:18). • Therefore there had to be a copy of the law for it to be copied. • Moses wrote the law (Deut. 31:9). • He made an end of writing “the words of this law in a book” (Deut. 31:24).

6. Joshua was told not to let “this book of the law” depart from his mouth (Josh. 1:8). • Joshua wrote “a copy of the law of Moses which he wrote” on stones (Josh. 8:32; Deut. 27:4, 8). • To Moses is rightly credited the writing of the first five books in the Bible.

7. (2) Writer of Joshua. • The writer of Joshua is unnamed, but a man did not necessarily have to know how to write to be the author of a book. • Jeremiah dictated his book to Baruch (Jer. 36:4, 17-18, 32; 45:1). • Certainly no one better qualified to write it than Joshua.

8. (3) Writer of Judges. • The book of Judges covers over 300 years, so obviously no one man simply wrote a running account. • Again, the most logical choices were the judges themselves, or prophets in their day, in order that a record might be kept of the deeds done during the period. • The accounts were assembled by someone such as Samuel.

9. (4) Samuel. • Since Samuel was born in 1 Samuel 1, he was not alive to record what had happened before. • Since his death is recorded in 1 Sam. 25, he could not written what came after that. • He is mentioned as a writer of the history of David (1 Chron. 29:29). • He is certainly the most logical writer of most of 1 Samuel.

10. (5) Author of Ruth. • Unnamed. • Since the account brings the lineage down to David, the final form of the book was written by someone in the days of David or soon afterward. • It could have been Samuel, or David, or one of the other writers mentioned in that period.

11. (6) David. • Toward the end of the account of David’s life we find these words: “Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse saith, and the man who was raised on high saith, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel: ‘The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and His word was upon my tongue” (2 Sam. 23:1-2).

12. About half of the Psalms are attributed to David by very ancient titles. • Jesus said that in the 110th Psalm David “in the Spirit” called the Messiah Lord, and quoted Psalm 110:1 (Matt. 22:43-44).

13. Of Psalm 16, Peter said, “For David saith concerning Him” (Acts 2:25). • Of Psalm 2 the inspired apostles said, “who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say” (Acts 4:25-26).

14. (7) Solomon. • “And he spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five” (1 Kings 4:32). • The Proverbs are almost altogether attributed to Solomon (1:1; 10:1; 25:1). • By these three inscriptions, virtually all of Proverbs except chapters 30 and 31 are credited to Solomon.

15. The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes claims to have been Solomon (1:1, 12; 2:9). • The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s (1:1). • We do not know who wrote the book of Job, but it fits into the kind of literature that flourished in Solomon’s day. • It was therefore probably put in its final form in the time of Solomon.

16. (8) Isaiah. • Isaiah 1:1. • Isaiah is also mentioned in the historical record in the days of Hezekiah (2 Kings chs. 19-20). • The rest of the acts of Hezekiah are written in the vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz (2 Chron. 32:32).

17. Not only is Isaiah listed as the writer in the book of Isaiah itself, but in the New Testament 21 times his writing is quoted and attributed to him with 13 times occurring in the gospel accounts, and three of those times at the mouth of Jesus.

18. (9) Jeremiah. • Jer. 1:1-3. • Jeremiah dictated his book to Baruch (Jer. 36:4, 17-18, 32; 45:1). • Jeremiah is referred to by name in the New Testament a few times (Matt. 2:17), where Jeremiah 31:15 is quoted (Matt. 2:18). Also in Matthew 16:14. • His writings, however, are quoted quite prominently in the book of Hebrews (31:31-34 in Hebrews 8:8-12).

19. (10) Ezekiel. • Ezek. 1:1-3. • The chronological references in Ezekiel are so detailed that one must think that the prophecy was written as it was delivered. • Though Ezekiel is quoted in the New Testament (37:27 in 2 Cor. 6:16), he is not mentioned by name.

20. (11) Daniel. • The first half of Daniel (chapters 1-6) is written in the third person, but the last half is written in the first person. • A good big chunk of the book is written in Aramaic (2:4-7:28) which would have been the language used in the courts of Assyria, Babylon, and Persia • Two references are made by Jesus, to the writings of Daniel (Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14).

21. (12) Hosea. • Hosea 1:1. • He is quoted by name once in the New Testament (Rom. 9:25), and his writings quoted several times (Matt. 2:15; 9:13; Rom. 9:25-26; 1 Cor. 15:55).

22. (13) Joel. • Joel 1:1. • Joel is mentioned by name and quoted by the apostle Peter in Acts 2 (Joel 2:28ff).

23. (14) Amos. • Amos 1:1. • Amos is quoted in Acts 11:16-18, but he is not named. • Nevertheless he is referred to as one of “the prophets.”

24. (15) Obadiah. • 1:1. • Obadiah is quoted a number of times in Jeremiah 49 but is not quoted or named in the New Testament.

25. (16) Jonah. • Jonah 1:1. • Jonah is mentioned a number of times in the New Testament, several times in Matthew 12:39-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-11:32.

26. (17) Micah. • Mic. 1:1. • (18) Nahum. • Nah. 1:1. • Not quoted or named in the New Testament.

27. (19) Habakkuk. • Hab. 1:1. • Habakkuk is not mentioned in the New Testament, but he is quoted as one of the “prophets” (1:5 in Acts 13:41, and 2:3-4 in Hebrews 10:37-38 and in Rom.1:17).

28. (20) Zephaniah. • Zeph. 1:1. • Zephaniah is not mentioned in the New Testament, nor is his book quoted in the New Testament.

29. (21) Haggai. • Hag. 1:1. • Haggai is not mentioned in the New Testament, but his book is quoted (2:6 in Heb. 12:26), as the word of God.

30. (22) Zechariah. • Zech. 1:1. • Not mentioned in the New Testament but is quoted (9:9 in Matt.21:5; 11:12 in Matt. 27:3-10; 13:7 in Matt. 26:31).

31. (23) Malachi. • Mal. 1:1. • Malachi is not mentioned in the New Testament, but his work is quoted (1:2-3 in Rom. 9:13; 3:1 in Matt. 11:10 and 4:5 in Luke 1:17).

32. (24) Ezra. • Ezra is described as a “competent scribe” (Ezra 7:6). • He is the author of the history of two of the returns of the Jews, first, the one in 536, and second, the one in 458. • Ezra would be high on the short list of men who did a great deal of the work of assembling the books and records that make up the Old Testament as we have it.

33. (25) Writer of Esther. • We do not know who wrote the book of Esther. • It might have been Mordecai. • It might very well have been Ezra.

34. Esther’s part in the story began about 479 B.C. • It would have been quite possible for Ezra to have known about this story. • The crisis that arose when Haman determined to slay the Jews of the empire was about 474, only 16 years before Ezra led his return.

35. (26) Nehemiah. • Nehemiah wrote this account of his work in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. • Often he refers to himself in the first person.

36. Some less familiar ones. • (27) Asaph. • Listed as one of “they whom David set over the service of song in the house of Jehovah” (1 Chron. 6:31).

37. Of Kohath, Heman the singer (1 Chron. 6:33), of Gershom, Asaph (1 Chron. 6:39-43), and of Merari, Ethan or Jeduthun (1 Chron. 6:44). • These three are mentioned prominently in the organization of the worship of the Lord in connection with the sanctuary (1 Chron. 25:1-8). • Particularly, their sons are divided up into three groups to sing and play various instruments in praising God.

38. Psalm 50 and Psalms 73-83 are attributed to Asaph. • It seems that not all of these could have personally been written by him, such as 79 which describes the destruction of Jerusalem and the defiling of the temple (79:1), because these things would have happened long after he was dead. • Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praises unto the Lord with “the words of David, and Asaph the seer” (2 Chron. 30:30).

39. (28) Jeduthun. • Psalm 39 is “for Jeduthun.” • Psalms 62 and 77 are “after the manner of Jeduthun.” • Psalm 77, though written “after the manner of Jeduthun,” is called “a Psalm of Asaph.” • Therefore it is uncertain whether Jeduthun wrote any of these Psalms or whether they were merely written in a style he used.

40. (29) Heman. • One of the three mentioned above with Asaph and Jeduthun. • He was also one of the “sons of Korah” (1 Chron. 6:33-37). • Psalm 88 is attributed to him.

41. (30) Ethan the Ezrahite. • Psalm 89 is attributed to him. • This was not one of these three singers, but a wise man who was a contemporary of Solomon (1 Kings 4:31). • He was a man of Judah, one of the sons of Zerah (1 Chron. 2:3, 6).

42. (31) Sons of Korah. • These “sons” included men such as Heman whom we have already mentioned. • Therefore these songs written by the sons of Korah may have been written in part by Heman. • A number of the Psalms are attributed to them (42, 44-49, 84-85, 87).

43. (32) Nathan. • A very prominent prophet in the days of David, and a personal friend. • He wrote of the acts of David (1 Chron. 29:29). • He was prominent in arranging the Levites for the worship of the Lord (2 Chron. 29:25). • He also wrote of the acts of Solomon (2 Chron. 9:29).

44. (33) Gad. • One of the earliest of the prophets to deal with David (1 Sam. 22:5). • He was still alive and dealing with David much later (1 Chron. 21:9-18). • He wrote the “history of Gad the seer” (1 Chron. 29:29). • He was likewise prominent in arranging the Levites for the worship of the Lord (2 Chron. 29:25).

45. (34) Ahijah the Shilonite. • Ahijah prophesied toward the end of Solomon’s reign and into the time of Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:29-39). • The rest of the acts of Solomon were written in the “prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite” (2 Chron. 9:29).

46. (35) Iddo the seer. • We know nothing more about Iddo from the historical accounts. • The rest of the acts of Solomon were recorded in the “visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat” (2 Chron. 9:29). • The rest of the acts of Rehoboam are recorded in the “histories of Iddo the seer” (2 Chron. 12:15). • The rest of the acts of King Abijah are recorded in “the commentary of the prophet Iddo” (2 Chron. 13:22).

47. (36) Shemaiah. • Shemaiah was a prophet in Judah who was sent to Rehoboam to tell him not to go up to fight against Jeroboam to bring his kingdom back together (1 Kings 12:21-24; 2 Chron. 11:1-4). • The acts of Rehoboam were written in the “histories” or “words” of Shemaiah (2 Chron. 12:15).

48. (36) Writer of the book of Jasher (Joshua 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18). • Jasher merely means “the upright,” and is probably not the name of a man. • We do not know who wrote this book, but it spanned far too long a time to be someone who wrote the entire thing as it happened. • It was known, however, as a book to the writers of the histories of the Old Testament.

49. (37) History of Hozai (the seers) (2 Chron. 33:19). • We know nothing specifically about this word, but it may include the works of men like Samuel, Gad and Iddo, all of whom were called “seers.”

50. As we come to the end of our survey of writers of the Old Testament there are several things that need to be said. • There were written records kept of the reigns of the various kings of Israel, just as there were in other lands and times. • I want to show you some of these.