How long did it take to write the different books of the Bible?

Answer 1

Over a period of some 1,600 years, about forty writers were directed by God's active force to contribute to the sixty-six books now making up The Bible.

Name of Book: Genesis
Writer(s): Moses
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 1513
Time Covered (B.C.E.): "In the beginning" to 1657

Name of Book: Exodus
Writer(s): Moses
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 1512
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 1657-1512

Name of Book: Leviticus
Writer(s): Moses
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 1512
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 1 month (1512)

Name of Book: Numbers
Writer(s): Moses
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 1473
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 1512-1473

Name of Book: Deuteronomy
Writer(s): Moses
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 1473
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 2 months (1473)

Name of Book: Joshua
Writer(s): Joshua
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 1450
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 1473-c. 1450

Name of Book: Judges
Writer(s): Samuel
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 1100
Time Covered (B.C.E.): c. 1450-c. 1120

Name of Book: Ruth
Writer(s): Samuel
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 1090
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 11 years of Judges' rule

Name of Book: 1 Samuel
Writer(s): Samuel; Gad; Nathan
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 1078
Time Covered (B.C.E.): c. 1180-1078

Name of Book: 2 Samuel
Writer(s): Gad; Nathan
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 1040
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 1077-c. 1040

Name of Book: 1 Kings
2 Kings
Writer(s): Jeremiah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 1 roll 580
Time Covered (B.C.E.): c. 1040-580

Name of Book: 1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Writer(s): Ezra
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 1 roll c. 460
Time Covered (B.C.E.): After 1 Chronicles 9:44: 1077-537

Name of Book: Ezra
Writer(s): Ezra
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 460
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 537-c. 467

Name of Book: Nehemiah
Writer(s): Nehemiah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): a. 443
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 456-a. 443

Name of Book: Esther
Writer(s): Mordecai
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 475
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 493-c. 475

Name of Book: Job
Writer(s): Moses
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 1473
Time Covered (B.C.E.): Over 140 years between 1657 and 1473

Name of Book: Psalms
Writer(s): David and others
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 460
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Proverbs
Writer(s): Solomon; Agur; Lemuel
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 717
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Ecclesiastes
Writer(s): Solomon
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): b. 1000
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Song of Solomon, The
Writer(s): Solomon
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 1020
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Isaiah
Writer(s): Isaiah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): a. 732
Time Covered (B.C.E.): c. 778-a. 732

Name of Book: Jeremiah
Writer(s): Jeremiah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 580
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 647-580

Name of Book: Lamentations
Writer(s): Jeremiah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 607
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Ezekiel
Writer(s): Ezekiel
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 591
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 613-c. 591

Name of Book: Daniel
Writer(s): Daniel
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 536
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 618-c. 536

Name of Book: Hosea
Writer(s): Hosea
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): a. 745
Time Covered (B.C.E.): b. 804-a. 745

Name of Book: Joel
Writer(s): Joel
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 820 (?)
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Amos
Writer(s): Amos
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 804
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Obadiah
Writer(s): Obadiah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 607
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Jonah
Writer(s): Jonah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 844
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Micah
Writer(s): Micah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): b. 717
Time Covered (B.C.E.): c. 777-717

Name of Book: Nahum
Writer(s): Nahum
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): b. 632
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Habakkuk
Writer(s): Habakkuk
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): c. 628 (?)
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Zephaniah
Writer(s): Zephaniah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): b. 648
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Haggai
Writer(s): Haggai
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 520
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 112 days (520)

Name of Book: Zechariah
Writer(s): Zechariah
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): 518
Time Covered (B.C.E.): 520-518

Name of Book: Malachi
Writer(s): Malachi
Writing Completed (B.C.E.): a. 443
Time Covered (B.C.E.):

Name of Book: Matthew
Writer: Matthew
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 41
Time Covered: 2 B.C.E.-33 C.E.

Name of Book: Mark
Writer: Mark
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 60-65
Time Covered: 29-33 C.E.

Name of Book: Luke
Writer: Luke
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 56-58
Time Covered: 3 B.C.E.-33 C.E.

Name of Book: John
Writer: Apostle John
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 98
Time Covered: After prologue, 29-33 C.E.

Name of Book: Acts
Writer: Luke
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 61
Time Covered: 33-c. 61 C.E.

Name of Book: Romans
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 56
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 1 Corinthians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 55
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 2 Corinthians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 55
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Galatians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 50-52
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Ephesians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 60-61
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Philippians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 60-61
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Colossians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 60-61
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 1 Thessalonians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 50
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 2 Thessalonians
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 51
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 1 Timothy
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 61-64
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 2 Timothy
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 65
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Titus
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 61-64
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Philemon
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 60-61
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Hebrews
Writer: Paul
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 61
Time Covered:

Name of Book: James
Writer: James (Jesus' brother)
Writing Completed (C.E.): b. 62
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 1 Peter
Writer: Peter
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 62-64
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 2 Peter
Writer: Peter
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 64
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 1 John
Writer: Apostle John
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 98
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 2 John
Writer: Apostle John
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 98
Time Covered:

Name of Book: 3 John
Writer: Apostle John
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 98
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Jude
Writer: Jude (Jesus' brother)
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 65
Time Covered:

Name of Book: Revelation
Writer: Apostle John
Writing Completed (C.E.): c. 96
Time Covered:

SOURCE: Watchtower Bible & Tract Society