1. Story-Line of the Hebrew Bible

2. “In the Beginning” (Primeval History)
Where It’s Found: Genesis 1-11
Main Events:
Creation
Origin & Consequences of Human Sin
The Flood
Re-Populating of Earth
Tower of Babel/Confusion of Languages
Main Characters: God, Adam & Eve, Noah

3. Abraham & His Descendants: Patriarchal Period (2000-1700 BCE)
Where It’s Found: Genesis 12-50
Main Events:
God’s Covenant with Abraham
Births of Ishmael & Isaac
(Near-) Sacrifice of Isaac
Birth of Jacob & Esau
Jacob’s 12 Sons/Origins of 12 Tribes
Joseph in Egypt
Main Characters: Abraham & Sarah, Ishmael & Isaac, Jacob & Esau, Joseph

4. Bondage & Deliverance: The Exodus (1700-1290 BCE)
Where It’s Found: Exodus 1-15
Main Events:
Slavery in Egypt
Call of Moses as Deliverer by “Yahweh”
Plagues on Egypt
Institution of Passover
Crossing the Sea
Main Characters: God, Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh

5. Wandering in the Wilderness (1290-1250 BCE)
Where It’s Found: Exodus 16-40, Numbers, Leviticus Deuteronomy
Main Events:
Giving the Law/Covenant at Sinai
Golden Calf & Other Disobedience
Construction of Tabernacle
Israel Learns about Holiness
Main Characters: Moses, Aaron, People of Israel

6. Conquest of Canaan: The Promised Land (1250-1050 BCE)
Where It’s Found: Joshua
Main Events:
Commissioning of Joshua
Rahab Hides the Spies
Fall of Jericho, Ai, etc.
Division of the Land
Failure to Conquer Parts of Canaan
Main Characters: Joshua, Caleb

7. Era of the Judges: “No King in Israel” (1250-1050 BCE)
Where It’s Found: Judges, 1 Sam. 1-7, Ruth
Main Events:
Death of Joshua
Failure to Conquer the Land
Israel’s Repeated Disobedience
Rise of Numerous Judges
Demise of Order in Israel
Main Characters: Joshua, Deborah, Gideon, Samson, Samuel

8. The Monarchy: The United Kingdom (1050-930 BCE)
Where It’s Found: 1 Sam. 8-31, 2 Sam., 1 Ki. 1-11
Main Events:
Israel Demands a King; Samuel anoints Saul
Saul sins; removal is predicted
Samuel anoints David as 2nd King
David unites the Kingdom
God’s Promise of a “House” (Lineage) for David
David’s sin with Bathsheba
Gradual unravelling of David’s kingship
Solomon becomes 3rd King; builds Temple

9. The Divided Monarchy (930-721 BCE)
Where It’s Found: 1 Kings 12-2 Kings 16
Main Events:
Rehoboam behaves foolishly; Jereboam establishes N. Kingdom (Israel)
A succession of Kings, mostly evil in both Israel & Judah (S. Kingdom)
Elijah/Elisha try to reign in the Kings
Leads to fall of N. Kingdom
Main Characters: Rehoboam, Jereboam, Elijah, Elisha

10. Judah Alone (721-586 BCE) Where It’s Found: 2 Kings 17-25 Main Events:
N. Kingdom falls to Assyrians (721 B.C.E.)
Judah continues approx. 150 yrs.
Continued succession of idolatrous Kings
Josiah’s Reforms
Fall of S. Kingdom to Babylonians 586 B.C.E, destruction of Jerusalem & Temple
Main Characters: Hezekiah, Sennacherib, Isaiah, Manasseh, Josiah, Nebuchadnezzar

11. Exile ( BCE)
Where It’s Found: 2 Ki. 25, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Esther, Daniel, etc.
Main Events:
Judah falls to Babylonian rule
Persian rulers succeed Babylonians
Numerous Prophets remind Israelites of their sins, reason for Exile
Main Characters: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Esther, other Prophets

12. Post-Exile ( BCE)
Where It’s Found: Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Daniel
Main Events:
Cyrus & Artaxerxes (Persian) allow successive groups of Jews to return to Jerusalem/Judea
Ezra & Nehemiah lead in reconstruction of city & Temple
Prophets declare continual sins of the people & need to get their hearts right
Main Characters: Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, Cyrus, Artaxerxes, various Prophets