One more thing...
The Jewish Old Testament was originally bound in a scroll of 24 books, and the Apocrypha was never bound with these books. The Jews divided the Bible as:
The Law (Torah) - 5 Books - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
The Prophets (Nebhiim) - 8 Books
The former prophets - Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings
The latter prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve
The Writings (Kethubhim) - 11 Books
Poetical books - Psalms, Job, Proverbs
Five rolls (Megilloth) - Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther
Historical books - Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles
The Apocrypha was never counted among this Holy Division. Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian, combined Ruth-Judges and Lamentation-Jeremiah for a total of 22 books, rather than the traditional 24. He writes:
"For we have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, ... only 22 books. which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be Divine;...It is true, our history hath been written since Artaxerxes very particularly, but hath not been esteemed of the like authority with the former by our forefathers;...and how firmly we have given credit to these books of our own nation is evident by what we do; for during so many ages as have already passed, no one has been so bold as either to add anything to them, or to make any change in them." (Flavius Josephus Against Apion Book 1, Section 8).
No what was that again?? Who started the so called editing. Read your history guys...not the biased websites that lack information!
I think EVERY single christian can benfit from learning the Jewish history...it is essential..especially in matters like these!
GEL