THE OLD TESTAMENT
"The Bible did not fall from heaven. The books it contains were not proclaimed from the clouds by some heavenly speaker, but rather they were patiently gathered through the centuries within the heart of Israel, the people of God, thanks to the faith of its most conscious minorities. For some eighteen centuries, from Abraham to Jesus, the people of Israel discovered ever more clearly that the One God had committed Himself to them. The experiences of the national community, the warnings of those men called prophets, who spoke on behalf of God, the concerns which developed among believers; all of this somehow went into these books. The religious leaders of Israel received books, selected and accredited them, then integrated them into the Sacred Book.
Estimated walking time
5 Hours
Estimated running time
2.5 Hours
Estimated cycling time
1.5 Hours
BOOK 1
GENESIS
York Minster
"In the beginning when God Created the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep..."
BOOK 2
EXODUS
St Michael Le Belfrey
"God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM""
BOOK 3
LEVITICUS
York Library
"For six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest…"
BOOK 4
NUMBERS
Museum Gardens
"Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank."
BOOK 5
DEUTERONOMY
Yorkshire Museum
"Hear O Israel; the Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."
BOOK 6
JOSHUA
Memorial Gardens
"On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priest blowing the trumpets."
BOOK 7
JUDGES
Railway Station
"Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet"
BOOK 8
RUTH
Train Shed - Railway Museum
"May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first..."
BOOK 9
SAMUEL 1
Locomotive Shed - Railway Museum
"He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was amoured with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was 5000 shekels of bronze"
BOOK 10
SAMUEL 2
Third Shed - Railway Museum
"Your blood be upon your head; for your own mouth has testified against you, saying "I have killed the Lord's annointed."
BOOK 11
KINGS 1
Holgate Windmill
"The king said, 'Divide the living boy in two; then give half to one, and half to the other'."
BOOK 12
KINGS 2
Cold War Bunker
"At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son..."
BOOK 13
CHRONICLES 1
Acomb Library
"... David took the stronghold of Zion, now the city of David."
BOOK 14
CHRONICLES 2
Dringhouses Library
"When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions..."
BOOK 15
EZRA
Goddards
"... our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens."
BOOK 16
NEHEMIAH
Bar Convent
"Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace. "
BOOK 17
TOBIT
Micklegate
"'My son, when I die, give me a proper burial. Honour your mother and do not abandon her all the days of her life."
BOOK 18
JUDITH
City Council Offices
"Soon afterwards she went out and gave Holofernes' head to her maid, who placed it in her food bag."
BOOK 19
ESTHER
Lendal Bridge & Peacock Coffee House
"You know my necessity - that I abhor the sign of my proud position, which is upon my head on days when I appear in public."
BOOK 20
1 MACCABEES
MacDonalds
"Old men sat in the streets; they all talked together of good things, and the youths put on splendid military attire."
BOOK 21
2 MACCABEES
St Helens Anglican Church
"When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan."
BOOK 22
JOB
St Martins Church
"It is not the old that are wise, nor the aged that understand what is right. Therefore I say, "Listen to me..."BOOK 23
PSALMS
City Screen Cinema
"Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord."
BOOK 24
PROVERBS
Spurriergate Church/Café
"Do not answer fools according to their folly, or you will be a fool yourself. Answer fools according to their folly..."
BOOK 25
ECCLESIATES
Ousegate Bridge
"A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace."
BOOK 26
SONG OF SOLOMON
Holy Trinity Anglican Church
"You are stately as a palm tree, and your breasts are likes its clusters ... I will climb the palm tree and lay hold of its branches."
BOOK 27
WISDOM OF SOLOMON
Baptist Church
"... from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator."BOOK 28
SIRACH
Victoria Bar
"I have exhaled a perfume like cinnamon and acacia, I have breathed out a scent like choice myrrh, like galbanum, onycha, ..., like the smoke of incense in the tabernacle."
BOOK 30
JEREMIAH
Millenium Bridge
"... I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
BOOK 31
LAMENTATION
Clifford Tower
"He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace;..."
BOOK 32
BARUCH
Castle Museum
"Like a scarecrow in a cucumber bed, which guards nothing, so are their Gods of woods, overlaid with gold and silver."
BOOK 33
EZEKIEL
Army Museum
"Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord."
BOOK 34
DANIEL
Fairfax House
"Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the wall of the royal palace..." Mene, mene tekel parsin
BOOK 35
HOSEA
St Mary's Coppergate
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son."
BOOK 36
JOEL
St Crux's Anglican Church
"I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams..."
BOOK 37
AMOS
Merchant Adventurers House
"We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances..."
BOOK 38
OBADIAH
Fishergate
"But you should not have gloated over your brother on the day of his misfortune..."
BOOK 39
JONAH
Dick Turpin's Grave
"...the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights."
BOOK 40
MICAH
The Phoenix
"... O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, ... from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old..."
BOOK 41
NAHOM
Walmgate Bar
"'Nineveh is devastated: who will bemoan her?' Where shall I seek comforters for you?"
BOOK 42
HABBAKUK
St Deny's Anglican Church
"O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save?"
BOOK 43
ZEPHANIAH
Foss Bridge
"From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, my scattered ones, shall bring my offering."
BOOK 44
HAGGAI
Cosy Café
"Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your panelled houses, while this house lies in ruins?"
BOOK 45
ZECHARIAH
St Crux's Café/Church
"Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
BOOK 46
MALACHI
Shrine of St Margaret Clitheroe
"...'How have we wearied him?' By saying, "All who do evil are good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them."