OLD TESTAMENT

The name given to that part of Scripture which contains the collected works of tlie inspired writers previously to the advent of our Saviour. The period of their being collected is unknown. Some of them were in existence before the Babylonish captivity (600 years B.C.); others were collected at a later period; and the collection as it at present stands was completed in the second century before Christ. Tlie Jews divided the Old Testament into the Law, tlie Prophets, and other writings known by the name Hagiographa, of which the Psalms were at the head. The contents of the Old Testament may be conveniently divided into the Historical Books, of which there are 17; the Poetical, of which there are 5; and the Prophetical, of which there are 16, distinguished into the books of 4 greater and 12 minor prophets. The Historical Books include the Pent a teuch, the Book of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 2 Books of Samuel, 2 Books of Kings, 2 Books of Chronicles, the Book of Ezra, of Nehemiah, and of Esther; the Poetical Books include the Book of Job, the Psalms, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and tlie Song of Solomon; and the Prophetical comprise (of the greater) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and (of the minor) Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachtriah, and Malachi. See Bible, Testament, Prophets, Psalms, . OLEACE^. (Olea, one of the genera.) The natural order of plants which contains the olive tree and the ash; it consists of trees or shrubs inhabiting the temperate parts of the world, and distinguished from others by their flowers being monopetalous and diandrous, with a'valvate estivation. Se; Olive. [s. 856]