iry has raised concerning the books of the Old Testament--their
genuineness, integrity, date, chronology, and credibility; their
relation to science, to profane history, to each other, and to the New
Testament--would far exceed the limits allowed by the plan of the
present work. To the Pentateuch alone, or even a single book of it, as
Genesis or Deuteronomy; to the books of Chronicles; to Isaiah or Daniel,
a whole volume might be devoted without exhausting the subject. In the
present Introduction to the books of the Old Testament, the aim has been
to give the results of biblical research, ancient and modern, with a
concise statement of the lines of argument employed, wherever this could
be done without involving discussions intelligible only to those who are
familiar with the original languages of Scripture and the ancient
versions. For such discussions the biblical student is referred to the
more extended Introductions which abound at the present day. The author
has endeavored, first of all, to direct the reader's attention to the
_unity of Scripture_. "Known unto God are all his works from the
beginning of the world." The plan of Redemption is the very highest of
these works, and it constitutes a gloriously perfect whole, gradually
unfolding itself from age to age. The earliest revelations have
reference to all that follow. The later revelations shed light on the
earlier, and receive light from them in return. It is only when the
Scriptures are thus studied as a whole, that any one part of them can be
truly comprehended. The effort has accordingly been made to show the
relation of the Old Testament, considered as a whole, to the New; then,
the relation of the several great divisions of the Old Testament--the
law, the historical books, the prophets, the poetical books--to each
other, and the place which each holds in the system of revelation; and
finally, the office of each particular book, with such notices of its
authorship, date, general plan, and contents, as will prepare the reader
to study it intelligently and profitably. To all who would have a
thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the _New_ Testament, the
diligent study of the preparatory revelation contained in the _Old_, is
earnestly commended. The present Introduction will be followed by one to
the New Testament on the same general plan. It is hardly necessary to
add that for much of the materials employed, in these two parts,
particularly what relates to an