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Structure of Each Book of the Former Prophets

Source: Barry L. Bandstra, Reading the Old Testament, 3rd edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2003).

 

 

Outline of Joshua

  1. Military Campaigns (1-12)
    1. Yahweh Commissions Joshua (1)
    2. Spying the Land (2)
    3. Crossing the Jordan (3-4)
    4. Events at Gilgal (5)
    5. Military Stories (6-12)
      1. Jericho (6)
      2. Ai (7-8)
      3. Southern City-States (9-10)
      4. Hazor (11)
      5. List of Conquests (12)
  2. Tribal Territories (13-21)
    1. Settlement of Claims (13-17)
    2. Remainder of Tribes (18-19)
    3. Cities of Refuge (20)
    4. Levitical Cities (21)
  3. Covenant Considerations (22-24)
    1. Worship in Transjordan (22)
    2. Covenant Address to Leaders (23)
    3. Covenant Renewal at Shechem (24)

Outline of Judges

  1. Failure to Occupy Canaan (1:1-2:5)
  2. Theological Framework (2:6-3:6)
  3. Judge Narratives
    1. Othniel (3:7-11)
    2. Ehud (3:12-31)
    3. Deborah (4-5)
    4. Gideon (6-8)
    5. Abimelech (9)
    6. Tola (10:1-2)
    7. Jair (10:3-5)
    8. Jephthah (10:6-12:7)
    9. Ibzan (12:8-10)
    10. Elon (12:11-12)
    11. Abdon (12:13-15)
    12. Samson (13-16)
  4. Failures of Israelite Tribes (17-21)
    1. Danites (17-18)
    2. Benjaminites (19-21

Outline of Samuel

  1. Samuel Cycle (1 Samuel 1-12)
    1. Samuel's Birth, Dedication and Early Ministry (1:1-4:1a)
    2. The Travels of the Ark (4:1b-7:17)
    3. Search for a King (8:1-12:25)
  2. Saul Cycle (1 Samuel 13-31)
    1. Saul's disobedience (13:1-15:35)
    2. Saul versus David (16:1-31:13)
  3. David Cycle (2 Samuel 1-24)
    1. David's rise to power (1:1-8:18)
    2. Dynastic succession struggles (9:1-20:26)
    3. David's last days (21:1-24:25)

Outline of Kings

  1. Solomon and the United Monarchy (1 Kings 1-11)
    1. Solomon secures the throne (1-2)
    2. Solomon's wisdom (3-4)
    3. Building the temple (5-8)
    4. Solomon's downfall (9-11)
  2. Parallel Histories of Israel and Judah (1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17)
    1. Division of the kingdom (12-16)
    2. Prophetic ministry of Elijah (1 Kings 17-2 Kings 2)
    3. Prophetic ministry of Elisha (2-9)
    4. Assyrian crisis (10-16)
  3. Judah to the Babylonian Exile (2 Kings 18-25)
    1. Hezekiah and Isaiah (18-20)
    2. Josiah's Reform (21-23)
    3. First conquest of Jerusalem (24)
    4. Second conquest of Jerusalem (25)