Editing Hebrew Bible (section)

==Books==
The Tanakh consists of twenty-four books, counting as one book each [[Books of Samuel|1 Samuel and 2 Samuel]], [[Books of Kings|1 Kings and 2 Kings]], [[Books of Chronicles|1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles]], and [[Ezra–Nehemiah]]. The [[Twelve Minor Prophets]] ({{lang|he|תרי עשר|rtl=yes}}) are also counted as a single book. In Hebrew, the books are often referred to by their [[Incipit|prominent first words]].

===Torah===
{{Main|Torah}}
The Torah ({{lang|he|תּוֹרָה}}, literally "teaching") is also known as the "Pentateuch", or as the "Five Books of Moses". Printed versions (rather than scrolls) of the Torah are often called {{lang|he-Latn|Chamisha Chumshei Torah}} ({{lang|he|חמישה חומשי תורה|rtl=yes}} "Five fifth-sections of the Torah") and informally as {{lang|he-Latn|[[Chumash (Judaism)|Chumash]]}}.
* {{lang|he-Latn|Bərē’šīṯ}} ({{lang|he|בְּרֵאשִׁית|rtl=yes}}, literally "In the beginning") – [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Šəmōṯ}} ({{lang|he|שְׁמֹות|rtl=yes}}, literally "The names of") – [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Vayyīqrā’}} ({{lang|he|וַיִּקְרָא|rtl=yes}}, literally "And He called") – [[Book of Leviticus|Leviticus]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Bəmīḏbar}} ({{lang|he|בְּמִדְבַּר|rtl=yes}}, literally "In the desert of") – [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Dəvārīm}} ({{lang|he|דְּבָרִים|rtl=yes}}, literally "Things" or "Words") – [[Book of Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]]

===Nevi'im===
{{Main|Nevi'im}}
''Nevi'im'' ({{lang|he|נְבִיאִים|rtl=yes}} {{lang|he-Latn|Nəḇīʾīm}}, "Prophets") is the second main division of the Tanakh, between the Torah and [[Ketuvim]]. This division includes the books which cover the time from the entrance of the Israelites into the [[Land of Israel]] until the [[Babylonian captivity]] of Judah (the ''"period of prophecy"''). Their distribution is not chronological, but substantive.{{clarify|date=August 2024}}

The [[Nevi'im#Former Prophets ⋅|Former Prophets]] ({{lang|he|נביאים ראשונים |rtl=yes}} {{lang|he-Latn|Nevi'im Rishonim}}):
* {{lang|he-Latn|Yəhōšúaʿ}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|יְהוֹשֻעַ}}) – [[Book of Joshua|Joshua]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Šōfṭīm}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|שֹׁפְטִים}}) – [[Book of Judges|Judges]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Šəmūʾēl}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|שְׁמוּאֵל}}) – [[Books of Samuel|Samuel]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Məlāḵīm}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|מְלָכִים}}) – [[Books of Kings|Kings]]

The [[Nevi'im#Latter Prophets|Latter Prophets]] ({{lang|he|נביאים אחרונים |rtl=yes}} {{lang|he-Latn|Nevi'im Aharonim}}):
* {{lang|he-Latn|Yəšaʿyāhū}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|יְשַׁעְיָהוּ}}) – [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Yīrməyāhū}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|יִרְמְיָהוּ}}) – [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Yəḥezqēʾl}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|יְחֶזְקֵאל}}) – [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]]

The [[Twelve Minor Prophets]] ({{lang|he|תרי עשר|rtl=yes}}, {{lang|he-Latn|Trei Asar}}, "The Twelve"), which are considered one book:
* {{lang|he-Latn|Hōšēaʿ}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|הוֹשֵׁעַ}}) – [[Book of Hosea|Hosea]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Yōʾēl}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|יוֹאֵל}}) – [[Book of Joel|Joel]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|ʿĀmōs}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|עָמוֹס}}) – [[Book of Amos|Amos]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|ʿŌḇaḏyā}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|עֹבַדְיָה}}) – [[Book of Obadiah|Obadiah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Yōnā}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|יוֹנָה}}) – [[Book of Jonah|Jonah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Mīḵā}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|מִיכָה}}) – [[Book of Micah|Micah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Naḥūm}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|נַחוּם}}) – [[Book of Nahum|Nahum]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Ḥăḇaqqūq}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|חֲבַקּוּק}}) – [[Book of Habakkuk|Habakkuk]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Ṣəfanyā}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|צְפַנְיָה}}) – [[Book of Zephaniah|Zephaniah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Ḥaggay}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|חַגַּי}}) – [[Book of Haggai|Haggai]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Zəḵaryā}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|זְכַרְיָה}}) – [[Book of Zechariah|Zechariah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Malʾāḵī}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|מַלְאָכִי}}) – [[Book of Malachi|Malachi]]

===Ketuvim===
{{Main|Ketuvim}}
{{lang|he-Latn|Kəṯūḇīm}} ({{lang|he|כְּתוּבִים|rtl=yes}}, "Writings") consists of eleven books.

====Poetic books====
{{Further|Ketuvim#Sifrei Emet}}
In Masoretic manuscripts (and some printed editions), Psalms, Proverbs and Job are presented in a special two-column form emphasizing the parallel [[wikt:stich#English|stichs]] in the verses, which are a function of their [[Biblical poetry|poetry]]. Collectively, these three books are known as {{lang|he-Latn|Sifrei Emet}} (an acronym of the titles in Hebrew, {{lang|he|rtl=yes|איוב, משלי, תהלים}} yields {{lang|he-Latn|Emet}} {{lang|he|rtl=yes|אמ"ת}}, which is also the Hebrew for "[[truth]]").

These three books are also the only ones in Tanakh with a special system of [[Hebrew cantillation|cantillation]] notes that are designed to emphasize parallel stichs within verses. However, the beginning and end of the book of Job are in the normal prose system.

* {{lang|he-Latn|Təhīllīm}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|תְהִלִּים}}) – [[Psalms]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Mīšlē}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|מִשְׁלֵי}}) – [[Book of Proverbs|Proverbs]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|’Īyyōḇ}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|אִיּוֹב}}) – [[Book of Job|Job]]

====Five scrolls====
{{Further|Five Megillot}}
The five relatively short books of the [[Song of Songs]], [[Book of Ruth|Ruth]], [[Book of Lamentations|Lamentations]], [[Ecclesiastes]], and [[Book of Esther|Esther]] are collectively known as the {{lang|he-Latn|Ḥamesh Megillot}} (Five Megillot).

In many Jewish communities, these books are read aloud in the synagogue on particular occasions, the occasion listed below in parentheses.
* {{lang|he-Latn|Šīr hašŠīrīm}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים}}) – [[Song of Songs]], also known as Song of Solomon (on [[Passover]])
* {{lang|he-Latn|Rūṯ}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|רוּת}}) – [[Book of Ruth|Ruth]] (on [[Shavuot]])
* {{lang|he-Latn|’Ēḵā}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|אֵיכָה}}) – [[Book of Lamentations|Lamentations]]<ref>Also called {{lang|he-Latn|Kinnot}} in Hebrew.</ref> (on [[Tisha B'Av]])
* {{lang|he-Latn|Qōheleṯ}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|קֹהֶלֶת}}) – [[Ecclesiastes]] (on [[Sukkot]])
* {{lang|he-Latn|’Esṯēr}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|אֶסְתֵר}}) – [[Book of Esther|Esther]] (on [[Purim]])

====Other books====
Besides the three poetic books and the five scrolls, the remaining books in Ketuvim are [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]], [[Ezra–Nehemiah]] and [[Books of Chronicles|Chronicles]]. Although there is no formal grouping for these books in the Jewish tradition, they nevertheless share a number of distinguishing characteristics: their narratives all openly describe relatively late events (i.e. the Babylonian captivity and the subsequent restoration of Zion); the Talmudic tradition ascribes late authorship to all of them; two of them (Daniel and Ezra) are the only books in Tanakh with significant portions in [[Biblical Aramaic|Aramaic]].
* {{lang|he-Latn|Dānīyyē’l}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|דָּנִיֵּאל}}) – [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|‘Ezrā’}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|עֶזְרָא}}) – [[Book of Ezra|Ezra]] and [[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]]
* {{lang|he-Latn|Dīvrē hayYāmīm}} ({{lang|he|rtl=yes|דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים}}) – [[Books of Chronicles|Chronicles]]

====Book order====
The Jewish textual tradition never finalized the order of the books in Ketuvim. The [[Talmud]] gives their order as Ruth, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Daniel, Scroll of Esther, Ezra, Chronicles.<ref name=bb14>[[Babylonian Talmud]], [[Bava Batra]] [https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Batra.14b.11 14b]</ref> This order is roughly chronological (assuming traditional authorship).

In [[Tiberian Hebrew|Tiberian]] Masoretic [[codices]] (including the [[Aleppo Codex]] and the [[Leningrad Codex]]), and often in old Spanish manuscripts as well, the order is Chronicles, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra.<ref>{{Cite book |last = Swete|first = Henry Barclay |author-link = Henry Barclay Swete |title=An Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek |publisher = Macmillan and Co. |place = Cambridge |year = 1902 |url = https://archive.org/details/anintrotooldtes00swetuoft/page/200/mode/1up?view=theater | page = 200}}</ref> This order is more thematic (e.g. the ''megillot'' are listed together).

===Number of books===
{{See also|Development of the Hebrew Bible canon}}
The Hebrew Bible is generally considered to consist of 24 books, but this number is somewhat arbitrary, as (for example) it regards 12 separate books of minor prophets as a single book.<ref name=niehoff>Darshan, G. [https://www.academia.edu/7021817/The_Twenty-Four_Books_of_the_Hebrew_Bible_and_Alexandrian_Scribal_Methods_in_M.R._Niehoff_ed._Homer_and_the_Bible_in_the_Eyes_of_Ancient_Interpreters_Between_Literary_and_Religious_Concerns_JSRC_16_Leiden_Brill_2012_pp._221_244 "The Twenty-Four Books of the Hebrew Bible and Alexandrian Scribal Methods,"], in: M.R. Niehoff (ed.), ''Homer and the Bible in the Eyes of Ancient Interpreters: Between Literary and Religious Concerns'' (JSRC 16), Leiden: Brill 2012, pp. 221–44</ref> The traditional rabbinic count of 24 books appears in the [[Talmud]]<ref name=bb14/> and numerous works of [[midrash]].<ref>[[Exodus Rabbah]] 41:5; [[Numbers Rabbah]] 13:15, 14:4, 14:18, 15:22, 18:21; [[Song of Songs Rabbah]] 4:11; [[Ecclesiastes Rabbah]] 12:11, 12:12; [[Tanhuma]] Ki Tisa 16:2, Korach 12:1, Vayelech 1:1; [[Pesikta Rabbati]] 3:1; [[Lekach Tov]], Genesis 49:8; [[Minor tractate|Kallah Rabbati]] 10:14, etc.</ref> In several early nonrabbinic sources, the number of books given is 22.<ref>[[Josephus]], [[Against Apion]], 1:8; also [[2 Esdras]] 12:45, [[Origen]]</ref> This number corresponds to the letters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]]; according to [[Athanasius of Alexandria]] there were 27 books, corresponding to the alphabet with final letter forms (''sofiot'').

The count of 24 was said to be equal to the number of [[priestly divisions]].<ref>[https://www.daat.ac.il/daat/tanach/shelanu/shelanu.htm  התנ"ך שלנו]</ref> According to a modern source, the number of books may be related to the division of the [[Iliad]] and [[Odyssey]] into 24 books, corresponding to the letters of the Greek alphabet. Both the Bible and Homer formed "foundational literature" of their respective cultures, studied by children and considered distillations of the society's values. The division of the Bible into 22 books may be a conversion of the Greek system to the Hebrew alphabet, while the division into 24 may be an adoption of the "perfect" number 24 as befitting the Bible's stature in Jewish eyes.<ref name=niehoff/>