I was sitting in my favorite armchair last Tuesday, the one with the worn-out arms and the perfect groove in the cushion. It was quiet, the house was empty for a rare hour, and I had my Bible open. I was flipping through the Old Testament, past the familiar stories of Genesis and Exodus, and my fingers just stopped in that huge section of books in the back—the prophets. The pages felt so dense, the text so small. And I had the thought that I think many of us have had: “What Are the Longest Books in the Bible.”
It’s a simple observation, but it gets you thinking. We all know the Bible is a big book, but which parts are the biggest? It’s a natural question to ask, and it leads to some really wonderful discoveries. In fact, digging into the answer to what are the longest books in the bible can change the way you see the entire story God is telling.
So, I did just that. I blocked out a whole afternoon, grabbed my favorite study Bible, a hot cup of coffee, and a notebook, and decided to really figure it out. Not just to get a list, but to understand what God might be showing us through the sheer size and scope of these incredible books. Let’s walk through this together, as friends.
How Do We Decide What Are the Longest Books in the Bible?
Now, the first thing I realized is that you have to decide how you’re going to measure. It’s not as simple as it sounds! There are two main ways to look at it: by the number of chapters or by the number of words.
For a long time, I thought the book of Psalms was the longest, and in a way, it is. It has 150 chapters, more than any other book. It’s like a giant songbook right in the middle of our Bible.
But then I started looking at the actual word counts Does the Bible Have. A chapter in Psalms can be very short—some are just a few verses. On the other hand, a chapter in Jeremiah can be very long and dense. When you count the words in the original languages (and in our English translations), a totally different picture emerges.
For our journey today, we’re going to focus on the word count. To me, that feels like the truest measure of length. It tells us where God dedicated the most space, word by word, to tell His story. So, let’s get to the list.
The Top 5 What Are the Longest Books in the Bible
After all my reading and research, here is the list I came up with, based on the number of words in our English Bibles. I was honestly surprised by the book in the number one spot!
#1 – Jeremiah (Around 33,000 words)
That’s right, the top spot goes to the “weeping prophet,” Jeremiah. This book is an absolute giant. It’s a sprawling epic of prophecy, history, and raw, honest emotion from a man with a very, very difficult job.
Why is Jeremiah First When We Ask What Are the Longest Books in the Bible?
I led a Bible study on Jeremiah a few years back, and let me tell you, it was tough. We met on Wednesday nights in the church basement under those buzzing fluorescent lights, and some nights, the book just felt so heavy. Jeremiah’s message was one of judgment for the nation of Judah, which had turned its back on God. He spent 40 years telling people to repent, and almost no one listened. He was thrown in prison, tossed in a muddy cistern, and rejected by the people he was trying to save.
But here’s the beautiful part. Woven into all that sadness is a message of incredible hope. Right in the middle of the book, you find this amazing promise from God in Jeremiah 31:31: that He will make a “new covenant” with His people, one where He will write His law on their hearts. That’s the promise of Jesus!
For me, the great length of Jeremiah shows us God’s incredible patience. He gave His people so many words, so many warnings, and so many chances to turn back to Him. It’s a beautiful, if sometimes difficult, book to read. If you’re ever going to tackle it, I highly recommend the overview videos from The Bible Project. They do an absolutely amazing job of breaking down the structure and main themes in a way that’s easy to understand. You can find them at bible project.
#2 – Psalms (Around 30,150 words)
Okay, so while it may not be number one in word count, the book of Psalms is still a giant. And let’s be honest, it’s probably the book of the Old Testament we turn to most often. It’s the prayer book and songbook of the Bible.
I once challenged myself to read one Psalm every day for a month. Some days, it was easy. I’d read a beautiful Psalm of praise like Psalm 103 and feel so uplifted. Other days, it was much harder. I’d get to a Psalm where David is crying out in anger or despair, and it felt raw and uncomfortable.
But that’s the beauty of the Psalms. They give us permission to bring every single one of our emotions to God. He’s not afraid of our anger, our sadness, or our questions. The Psalms give us the words to pray when we don’t know what to say.
It’s also amazing to see how many of the Psalms point directly to Jesus. Psalm 22, for example, describes the crucifixion of Jesus with stunning detail, hundreds of years before it happened. It’s one of the biggest reasons this book is so important when considering what are the longest books in the bible.
#3 – Genesis (Around 32,000 words in some versions, but Jeremiah is denser)
The book of beginnings! It’s right at the start of our Bibles, and it sets the stage for everything else. I remember reading Genesis for the first time as a new Christian, and I was just captivated. From the powerful poetry of creation in chapter 1 to the messy family drama of Joseph and his brothers, it reads like an epic novel.
And it’s a long one. It has to be, because it covers so much ground. Think about it. Genesis takes us from the creation of the entire universe to a small family of Hebrew shepherds living in Egypt. That’s a lot of history to cover!
What I love about Genesis is how it shows God’s faithfulness, even when people make huge mistakes. Adam and Eve sinned. Cain murdered his brother. Jacob tricked his father. Yet, in every story, God is there, working out His plan of redemption. He establishes His covenant with Abraham, promising to bless the entire world through him.
This epic story is a key reason why Genesis always makes the list of what are the longest books in the bible. It’s the foundational story. Without Genesis, the rest of the Bible doesn’t make as much sense. It shows us our need for a Savior and introduces the very family line that Jesus would eventually be born into.
#4 – Ezekiel (Around 29,900 words)
Alright, let’s be real for a minute. Ezekiel is weird.
I said it. If you’ve ever tried to read Ezekiel, you know what I mean. There are bizarre visions of wheels within wheels, creatures with four faces, and a prophet who is told to do some very strange things. I honestly got so confused the first time I tried to read it that I had to call my pastor for help. He laughed and said, “You’re not the first one.”
But once you get past the strangeness, Ezekiel is a book of incredible power. The prophet Ezekiel was speaking to the people of Israel while they were in exile, forced to live in Babylon. They felt like God had abandoned them. They felt like their faith was dead.
And right into that hopelessness, God gives Ezekiel the vision of the valley of dry bones. It’s one of the most powerful images in the entire Bible. God asks him, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Then God breathes life into them, and they rise up as a vast army. It’s a beautiful promise that God can bring life to things that seem completely dead.
Whether it’s a nation, a church, or a situation in your own heart, God can restore it. That’s why Ezekiel is so much more than just a strange book. For me, a deep dive into a book like this requires some good tools. I often use the resources at Blue Letter Bible to do word studies on the original Hebrew to help clarify some of the confusing parts. You can find it at blueletterbible.
#5 – Isaiah (Around 25,600 words)
Last but certainly not least on our list is the grand and majestic book of Isaiah. If Genesis is the foundation, Isaiah is like a beautiful cathedral built upon it. This book is often called the “Fifth Gospel” because it is so full of prophecies about Jesus.
Why is Isaiah a Key Book When Discussing What Are the Longest Books in the Bible?
Every Christmas season, our church reads from Isaiah. We read about the promise that “a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,” and that His name will be Immanuel, which means “God with us.” We read that the government will be upon His shoulders, and His name will be “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah is so central to our understanding of who Jesus is. But it’s not just about Christmas. The second half of the book contains the famous “Suffering Servant” passages. Isaiah 53 describes the Messiah being “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities.” It’s a stunningly clear picture of Jesus on the cross, written over 700 years before He was even born.
Because Isaiah covers so much ground—from God’s holiness and judgment to the most tender promises of comfort and salvation—it’s a book you can spend a lifetime studying. Answering the question of what are the longest books in the bible is incomplete without lingering on Isaiah. Its length is necessary to show us the full picture of God’s amazing plan of salvation. If you want to learn more about how to read the prophets, I found a very helpful article from Desiring God that gives great advice. You can find it at how to read the prophets.
A Final Thought for What Are the Longest Books in the Bible: More Than Just Long
So, there you have it. The top five longest books in our Bible.
But here’s the secret. Their length isn’t meant to scare us. It’s meant to show us the depth of God’s heart. He didn’t give us a short, simple pamphlet.
He gave us His Word in abundance.
The next time you pick up your Bible, don’t be intimidated by its size. See it as an invitation. An invitation from a God who loves you and has so much He wants to share with you. Pick one of these big books. Take it slow. And listen to what He has to say. You might be surprised by the beautiful things you find in these long and wonderful books.
FAQ – What Are the Longest Books in the Bible
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Which book of the Bible is the longest by chapter count?
The book of Psalms is the longest book in the Bible when you count its chapters. It has a remarkable 150 individual psalms, each treated as a chapter. This makes it much longer than any other single book. Psalms is a collection of songs, prayers, and poems. It covers a vast range of human feelings and talks about God's nature and His relationship with people. Its great length shows its importance in both Jewish and Christian faith and worship throughout history.
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What is the longest book in the Bible by word count?
While Psalms has the most chapters, the book of Jeremiah is actually the longest book in the Bible by word count in its original Hebrew. This prophetic book from the Old Testament contains many long prophecies, warnings, and laments. Jeremiah records God's messages to the kingdom of Judah before its destruction, urging them to return to God. Its extensive length reflects the complex and often difficult messages Jeremiah was tasked with delivering over many years to a disobedient people.
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Are there other very long books in the Old Testament?
Yes, besides Psalms and Jeremiah, several other Old Testament books are quite long. Isaiah is another major prophetic book known for its length and profound messages. Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are also lengthy books from the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), as they tell the detailed history of creation, the exodus from Egypt, and the laws given to Israel. These books are foundational to the Old Testament, providing a rich narrative and extensive teachings.
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Which New Testament book is the longest?
In the New Testament, the longest book is typically the Gospel of Luke. While most New Testament books are shorter than those in the Old Testament, Luke's Gospel stands out. It offers the most detailed account of Jesus's life, ministry, parables, and teachings. Luke, a physician, wrote his Gospel in a very organized and thorough manner, including many unique stories and events not found in the other Gospels. Its comprehensive nature contributes to its greater length compared to other New Testament writings.
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Why are some Bible books so much longer than others?
The length of a Bible book often depends on its purpose and the type of content it holds. Historical books, like Genesis or Kings, need to be long to cover many events and generations. Prophetic books, like Jeremiah or Isaiah, are extensive because they contain numerous messages and visions given over time. Books of poetry or wisdom, like Psalms or Proverbs, are collections that naturally vary in length. The variety in length reflects the different ways God chose to reveal His message and the diverse literary forms used to record it.
