The collection of books comprising Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther, that forms the second division of the Old Testament in the English Bible (the ordering of these books following a different arrangement in the Hebrew Bible, of which see ☰). The events narrated in the collection covers the period from Israel's conquest of Canaan, sometime in the 15th/13th Cent to Judah's return from the Babylonian exile during the 6th Cent BC. Theologically, they remind Israel of Yahweh's faithfulness to his promises, and her disastrous failure to live faithful to Yahweh. Together with the prophetic literature they underline the fact that Israel's redemption cannot be realized if left to her, but can ultimately be accomplished only by an act of divine grace.
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