The Hebrew Bible, also known as the Tanakh, is the canonical collection of Jewish texts. It is the foundational scripture of Judaism and a significant source for Christianity. It tells the story of the world's creation, the history of the ancient Israelites, their relationship with God, and their laws and moral codes.
The Tanakh is an acronym derived from the first letters of its three major divisions:
1. Torah (תּוֹרָה): Meaning "teaching," "instruction," or "law." This is the first five books, traditionally attributed to Moses. These books are also known as the Pentateuch in Greek or the Five Books of Moses:
* Genesis (Bereishit - בְּרֵאשִׁית)
* Exodus (Shemot - שְׁמוֹת)
* Leviticus (Vayikra - וַיִּקְרָא)
* Numbers (Bamidbar - בַּמִּדְבָּר)
* Deuteronomy (Devarim - דְּבָרִים)
2. Nevi'im (נְבִיאִים): Meaning "Prophets." This section is divided into two parts:
* Former Prophets: These books tell the historical narrative of the Israelites from their entry into the Land of Canaan to their Babylonian exile.
* Joshua (Yehoshua - יְהוֹשֻׁעַ)
* Judges (Shoftim - שֹׁפְטִים)
* Samuel (Shmuel - שְׁמוּאֵל) (I & II as one book)
* Kings (Melakhim - מְלָכִים) (I & II as one book)
* Latter Prophets: These books contain the prophecies of individual prophets, addressing moral, social, and religious issues.
* Isaiah (Yeshayahu - יְשַׁעְיָהוּ)
* Jeremiah (Yirmiyahu - יִרְמְיָהוּ)
* Ezekiel (Yehezkel - יְחֶזְקֵאל)
* The Twelve Minor Prophets (Trei Asar - תְּרֵי עָשָׂר): Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (These are considered one book in the Tanakh).
3. Ketuvim (כְּתוּבִים): Meaning "Writings." This is a diverse collection of poetry, prose, and wisdom literature.
* Psalms (Tehillim - תְּהִלִּים)
* Proverbs (Mishlei - מִשְׁלֵי)
* Job (Iyyov - אִיּוֹב)
* Song of Songs (Shir haShirim - שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים)
* Ruth (Rut - רוּת)
* Lamentations (Eikha - אֵיכָה)
* Ecclesiastes (Kohelet - קֹהֶלֶת)
* Esther (Ester - אֶסְתֵּר)
* Daniel (Daniel - דָּנִיֵּאל)
* Ezra-Nehemiah (Ezra - עֶזְרָא & Nehemiah - נְחֶמְיָה) (Considered one book)
* Chronicles (Divrei haYamim - דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים) (I & II as one book)
In summary, the Hebrew Bible is divided into three main sections: the Torah (Law), the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings). Each section contains distinct genres and styles of literature, collectively forming the foundation of Jewish belief and practice. The Christian Old Testament is largely based on the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, and includes some books not found in the Tanakh.