Biblical books organised by their language of earliest attestation
Note that some of these texts are likely based on original versions in another language (most often, Greek versions of the text that are based on Hebrew or Aramaic originals). However, when an original version remains hypothetical (none of it is extant, and no ancient source actually refers to it), it is not factored into this list.
Biblical texts having their earliest attested versions in Hebrew
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- I Samuel
- II Samuel
- I Kings
- II Kings
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Ezekiel
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zachariah
- Malachi
- Psalms
- Psalm 151 (Hebrew only partially extant)
- Psalms 152-155 (Hebrew only partially extant)
- Proverbs
- Sirach (Hebrew only partially extant)
- Job
- Song of Songs
- Ruth
- Lamentations
- Ecclesiastes
- Esther
- Daniel (earliest attested versions partially in Aramaic)
- Ezra (earliest attested versions partially in Aramaic)
- Nehemiah (earliest attested versions partially in Aramaic)
- I Chronicles
- II Chronicles
- "Prayer of Manasseh" from Qumran
- Tobit (Hebrew only partially extant. Aramaic versions are also among the earliest attestations)
- 1 Maccabees (Hebrew text is completely lost, but well attested)
- Jubilees (Hebrew only partially extant)
- Enoch (only the sections quoting the "Book of Noah," which is only partially extant)
- Josippon (large parts derive from the Greek original, "The Judean War" by Flavius Josephus)
- The Book of the Wise Philosophers (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon, only certain sections originally in Hebrew)
Biblical texts having their earliest attested versions in Israelite (Jewish and/or Samaritan) Aramaic
- Daniel (earliest attested versions partially in Hebrew)
- Ezra (earliest attested versions partially in Hebrew)
- Nehemiah (earliest attested versions partially in Hebrew)
- Tobit (Aramaic only partially extant. Hebrew versions are also among the earliest attestations)
- Judith (Aramaic text is completely lost, but well attested)
- Megillat Antiochus (late composition. Sections quote from earlier non-Aramaic sources)
- Enoch (Aramaic only partially extant.)
Biblical texts having their earliest attested versions in Syriac (Christian) Aramaic
- Homily on Abraham and Sarah in Egypt (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Motä Aron (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- The Colloquy of Moses with God on Mount Sinai (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- The Book of the Wise Philosophers (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon, only certain sections originally in Syriac)
Biblical texts having their earliest attested versions in Ge'ez
- Ethiopic Apocalypse of Baruch (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Beta Israel Acts of Susanna (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Beta Israel Apocalypse of Ezra (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon, draws partially on an earlier Greek source)
- 1 Meqabyan
- 2 Meqabyan
- 3 Meqabyan
- Motä Musē (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Te’ezāza Sanbat (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Arde'et (The Book of the Disciples) (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Gorgoryos (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Sa'atat (The Book of Hours) (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Abba Elyas (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Book of the Angels (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- "In the Beginning God Created" (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
- Fekkare Iyasus (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon)
Biblical texts having their earliest attested versions in Greek
- Ascension of Isaiah
- Baruch
- Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch ("2 Baruch." Greek text is attested only in fragments.)
- Greek Apocalypse of Baruch ("3 Baruch")
- Rest of the Words of Baruch ("4 Baruch")
- Psalms of Solomon
- "additions" to Esther
- "additions" within Daniel
- Susanna
- Bel & The Dragon
- "Greek" Esdras (called "1 Esdras" or "3 Ezra." Clearly draws on the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Ezra-Nehemiah, or an alternate now-lost version of it.)
- Ezra Sutuel (as well as the rest of "4 Esdrae." Greek text is attested only in fragments.)
- Beta Israel Apocalypse of Ezra (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon. Only partially draws on the Greek source)
- Prayer of Manasseh
- 2 Maccabees
- 3 Maccabees
- 4 Maccabees
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Odes (large parts draw on earlier Hebrew/Aramaic versions within other biblical texts)
- "The Judean War" by Flavius Josephus (which forms the basis of the later text Josippon)
- Testament of Abraham (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon.)
- The Book of the Wise Philosophers (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon, only certain sections originally in Greek)
Biblical texts having their earliest attested versions in another language
- Testament of Isaac (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon. Earliest attestations are in Coptic.)
- Testament of Jacob (within the Beta Israel non-biblical canon. Earliest attestations are in Coptic.)
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