Historical Literature (Bible)
The Historical Books of the Bible number sixteen in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament. The Protestant canon of scripture numbers eleven in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament. The books and parts of books removed by Martin Luther in the 16th century and placed by him in a separate section called Apocrypha include the four books of Tobit, Judith, First Maccabees and Second Maccabees, which are here indented.
Not all biblical scholars classify Tobit and Judith as historical books, but rather instead more as edifying fictions included as entertaining forms of instruction for the sapiential purpose of stimulating piety and hope, similar to the instructively entertaining parables of Jesus, thus placing them in a separate category together with Esther as occupying a class of writings somewhere between the historical literature and the wisdom literature of the Bible. These scholars suggest that Tobit and Judith most resemble what today we call historical novels.
Old Testament History Books
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
.Tobit
.Judith
Esther (16 chapters/10 chapters)
.1 Maccabees
.2 Maccabees
The Greek Orthodox Bible also includes 3 Maccabees.
New Testament History Book
Acts of the Apostles.