Scripture Helps: Old Testament

Studying the Old Testament

Resources

• What can help me understand the Old Testament?

• Learn More

Note: The citation of a source not published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the endnotes does not imply that it or its author is endorsed by the Church or represents the official position of the Church.

What can help me understand the Old Testament?

The Old Testament contains foundational teachings about God, His plan of salvation, and the covenantal relationship He desires to have with each of us. However, the differences of time and culture between ancient times and today can make some aspects of the Old Testament difficult to understand. The following principles and suggestions can help you gain understanding and find relevance as you study the Old Testament.

Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost is a teacher and revelator. Through the Spirit, God can enlighten our understanding and help us learn truth. Prayerfully seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost as you study. As you do, your understanding of the Old Testament will increase.

Look for Jesus Christ

The Old Testament testifies of Jesus Christ. It contains prophecies of His mortal ministry, atoning sacrifice, and Second Coming. Through Jehovah’s actions and words in the Old Testament, we can learn about His character, attributes, and teachings. We can also find symbols that testify of Him. Many of these symbols are straightforward, and others are more subtle. As you study the Old Testament, pay attention to what you are learning about Jesus Christ. You can draw closer to Him as you learn about His love, mercy, and power in the lives of ancient people.

Adam and Eve Offering Sacrifices, by Keith Larson

Use Restoration scripture

In our dispensation, the Lord has blessed us with many scriptures that support and clarify Old Testament teachings. For example, the Book of Mormon contains numerous references to and quotations from the Old Testament. The Prophet Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Bible gives us helpful clarifications for many Old Testament passages. The books of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price include details and doctrinal insights that are not recorded in Genesis. And some of Joseph Smith’s revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants also expound on or clarify Old Testament passages.

Using the scriptures of the Restoration can help you better understand the Old Testament and the importance of its message.

Use scripture study aids

Latter-day Saint editions of the Bible contain helpful tools for understanding the Old Testament. These include chapter headings, footnotes, Guide to the Scriptures, Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, and maps. The Gospel Library app also includes a “Define” feature for help with understanding the meaning of words.

The following resources are found in the footnotes in Latter-day Saint editions of the Old Testament:

• Scripture cross-references. Scriptures throughout the standard works that relate to Old Testament passages.

• References to Topical Guide (TG). Suggested topics that can be explored for further study and to find additional related scripture passages.

• Hebrew meanings (HEB). Alternate translations from the Hebrew.

• Modern synonyms or explanations (IE and OR). Clarification for archaic or obscure words and phrases.

• Joseph Smith Translation (JST). Excerpts from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Many of the Prophet’s shorter revisions are included in the footnotes, while longer excerpts are in the Joseph Smith Translation Appendix (found in Study Helps in the Scriptures collection of Gospel Library).

Remember the purpose of scripture

The Old Testament writers did not intend to provide a comprehensive historical account in their writings. Their intent was to teach about God and how He interacts with His people. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ—faith that They exist; faith in the Father’s plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which animates this plan of happiness; faith to make the gospel of Jesus Christ our way of life; and faith to come to know ‘the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent’ (John 17:3).”

Keep the author’s perspective in mind

Because we live in a very different world from the people who wrote the Old Testament, we might mistakenly apply our own modern views and cultural standards to what we are reading. This can lead to misunderstandings. Make an effort to see what you are reading from the perspective of the inspired authors in their original context.

For more ideas to help you study the scriptures, refer to the topics addressed in Scripture Study Skills (2025).

Learn More

• Gary J. Coleman, “The Book of Mormon: A Guide for the Old Testament,” Ensign, Jan. 2002, 45–49

• Marissa Widdison, “Finding Jesus Christ in the Old Testament,” Liahona, Jan. 2022, 12–17

• David R. Seely, “Seeking Christ and Covenants: Nephi’s Keys to Reading the Old Testament” (digital-only article), Liahona, Jan. 2022

• Mark L. Pace, “The Blessings of Studying the Old Testament,” Liahona, Jan. 2022, 41–45

• Donald W. Parry, “The Atonement of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament,” Liahona, Apr. 2022, 42–43

Notes

1. See Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and others, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints (2009), 3.

2. See John 14:26; Alma 5:46.

3. See Alma 32:28; Moroni 10:5; Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13.

4. 2 Nephi 25:4.

5. See Luke 24:25–27; John 5:39; 1 Nephi 19:23; 2 Nephi 11:4.

6. For examples, see Gary J. Coleman, “The Book of Mormon: A Guide for the Old Testament,” Ensign, Jan. 2002, 45–49.

7. Examples include Doctrine and Covenants 2; 65; 84:5–39; 107:40–57; 113; 116; 132:34–39. Many other revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants use Old Testament language (see Nicholas J. Frederick, “Old Wine in New Bottles: Exploring the Use of the Old Testament in the Doctrine and Covenants,” in Prophets and Prophecies of the Old Testament, ed. Aaron P. Schade and others [2017], 231–64).

8. D. Todd Christofferson, “The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 34.

9. Matthew J. Grow, a Church historian, noted: “As a historian, I try to follow the advice of a British novelist. He said: ‘The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there’ (L. P. Hartley, The Go-Between [1953], prologue). That means when we visit the past, we don’t want to be an ‘ugly tourist.’ We want to try to understand people within their own context and their own culture. We want to be patient with what we perceive as their faults. We want to be humble about the limits of our own knowledge. And we want to have a spirit of charity about the past” (“How Do We Know If a Source About Church History Is Reliable?,” in Quentin L. Cook, “Church History: A Source of Strength and Inspiration,” Ensign, July 2020, 15).