Some Totals
Total number of books in the Old Testament – 39
Total number of chapters in the Old Testament – 929
Total number of books in the New Testament – 27
Total number of chapters in the New Testament – 260
Total number of verses in the Old Testament – 23,145
Total number of verses in the New Testament – 7,959
The shortest book in the Old Testament is Obadiah.
The shortest chapter in the Old Testament is Esther 10.
Some Firsts
The first worker for salvation was Cain (Gen. 4).
The first city builder and murderer was Cain (Gen. 4).
The first recorded instance of a daughter being born is noted in Genesis 4.
The first general confederacy amongst men is recorded in Genesis 11:1-61And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. (Genesis 11:1‑6).
The first, second, and third kings of all Israel each reigned the probationary period of 40 years.
The first notice of the Rainbow — token of Divine goodness — is in Genesis 9.
Some Titles
Abimelech was a common title of a race of Philistine kings.
Pharaoh was the royal designation of the Egyptian monarchs.
Antiochus was the royal title borne by the kings of the North, or of Syria.
Ptolemy was the royal title of the kings of the South, or of Egypt.
Caesar was the title borne by the first Roman emperors.
Guide Books
The priests’ guide book was Leviticus.
The Levites’ guide book was Numbers.
The peoples’ guide book was Deuteronomy.
Life Spans
Human life has been shortened by about a half, several times; thus the longest lived person after the flood — Heber — lived 464 years, a little less than half Methuselah’s age, 969 years, the longest lived person before or since the flood; the longest lived person after the dispersion at Babel — Reu lived 239 years, a little more than half Heber’s age. In the wilderness, life was again shortened to about half of the age of Abram (Psa. 90:1010The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10)): the blessed Lord was cut off in “midst” or half of His days, as a man (Psa. 102:2424I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. (Psalm 102:24)).
Contemporary Lives
Seth, third son of Adam, in whom the line of grace was continued, was contemporary with all the antediluvian fathers, except Noah.
Methuselah was contemporary with Adam for more than 200 years, and with Noah for about 600 years.
Enoch, who walked with God, was contemporary with Adam for about 300 years, and with Noah for some time, and thus the truth and revelation of God then revealed, was handed down for 1656 years.
Called to be Perfect
Miscellaneous Notes
The moral condition of Israel to the first coming of the Lord in grace is given in the book of Malachi.
Old Testament history is comprised in sixteen books — from Genesis till Nehemiah — the first and last historical books of the Old Testament.
The following prophets prophesied after the restoration from the captivity: — Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
The following prophets prophesied during the captivity: — Daniel in the royal court of the conquerors; Ezekiel amongst the captives at the river of Chebar; and Jeremiah amongst the poor of the people left in the land.
There were ten fathers before the flood, and ten fathers after the flood, till Abram.
Christ suffered at man’s hands as a martyr for righteousness; hence judgment is the result (Psa. 69).
Christ suffered at God’s hands as a victim for sin; hence grace to man is the blessed fruit (Psa. 22).
The last five verses of Psalm 40 — the prayer of the suffering Messiah — forms Psalm 70, the prayer of the future remnant of Judah.
“There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked,” is the concluding words of Jehovah’s expostulation with His people, because of their idolatry (Isa. 40-48). “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked,” is the concluding words of God’s expostulation with the people, because of their rejection of the Messiah (Isa. 49-57).
Scripture furnishes no account of the birth or death of any of Cain’s posterity, but simply records their doings (Gen. 4).
The first four chapters of Lamentations, Proverbs 31:10-31,10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:10‑31) and Psalms 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119 and 145, are acrostics founded on the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Raguel, Reuel, Jethro, are various names given to Moses’ father-in-law.
The sovereignty of God in election cannot be questioned, for the Word of God is full of it from Genesis to Revelation. Jacob instead of Esau, Isaac instead of Ishmael, Shem instead of Japheth, Seth instead of Cain, Arphaxad instead of Elam, Ephraim instead of Manasseh, Joseph instead of Reuben, royalty in the fourth son of Jacob, and priesthood in the third, are all witnesses of the sovereign elective purposes of God.
The subject of Isaiah chapter 53 commences with verse 13 of chapter 52.
The Jews have been successively ruled over by the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Syrians, and the Romans.
Both Phinehas and Aaron were set in the priesthood, the latter by the choice of Jehovah (Lev. 8), the former by earning his title to it (Num. 25).
The first recorded instance of Egypt invading Judah is in the reign of Rehoboam. The temple and palace were plundered of their wealth; but Jerusalem itself and the country were spared for a time (1 Kings 14; 2 Chron. 12).