3. Concerning history.

D. What is history? M. The narration of events past or present.

[2] D. In which books is divine history contained? M. In seventeen: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Kings (four books according to us, two according to the Hebrews), the four Gospels--according to Matthew, according to Mark, according to Luke, according to John --, the Acts of the Apostles. D. Do no other books belong to divine history? M. Many people add two books of Paraleipomena , Job, Tobit, Ezra<-Nehemiah>, Judith, Esther, two books of Maccabees. D. Why are these books not current among the canonical Scriptures? M. Because among the Hebrews, too, they used to be excluded with regard to this distinction, just as Jerome and the others testify.

[3] D. Is no other kind found in these books? M. The other kinds occur, but not principally, because even if the persons by whom things were first said spoke in keeping with the other kinds, nevertheless by him who wrote the book the things were reported as history. For example, the blessings of the patriarch Jacob were said by him indeed as prophecies, but Moses, who reports them, narrates them in a historical format. And when Moses himself says that in the beginning heaven was made, and the earth (Gn 1:1), he indeed speaks with prophetic inspiration, but he narrates in the historical form. Similarly, too, history sometimes sounds proverbial, e.g., "Walking trees walked, to anoint a king over themselves" (Jgs 9:8). Elsewhere he plainly teaches, e.g., "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is the only God" (Dt 6:4). All things nevertheless, as I have said, are composed in historical form.

[4] D. Why does the historical excel the other kinds? M. Because to it the others are subject; itself, to none.

[5] D. What does it share with the others? M. It has in common with plain teaching the fact that both seem to be clear on the surface, although they are very often difficult to understand; for the other kinds have it the opposite.