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What are the meanings of the names of the first five books of the Bible (OT)?



The meanings of the names are as follows:

Genesis - Latin from Greek – be produced, to become, birth, origin (creation of the world); in Hebrew Bereshit (in the beginning), the first word of the Jewish Bible.

Exodus - Latin from Greek - way, going out (the going out of the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land); in Hebrew Shmot (names), at the beginning of the book (These are the names of Israel's sons who came to Egypt...)

Leviticus - Latin from Hebrew - Levi (the tribe of Levi); in Hebrew Wayiqra (and He called), at the beginning of the book (God called to Moses...)

Numbers - numbers (the census of the Israelites after the Exodus from Egypt); in Hebrew Bamidbar (in the desert), at the beginning of the book (God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert...Take a census of the entire Israelite community.)

Deuteronomy – Latin from Greek - later, second (the second statement of the Mosaic Law); in Hebrew Devarim (things or words), at the beginning of the book (These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel...)

The five books together are called Pentateuch – from Latin and Greek - penta=5 teuch = book, scroll, case book meaning five books; in Hebrew Torah (from Hebrew teaching, or law).

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Last updated: June 2013
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