The Old Testament & The Tanakh
A comparative guide to how different traditions compile, sequence, and interpret the ancient scriptures of Israel.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God…" — 2 Timothy 3:16
The Tanakh: Law, Prophets, and Writings
In Jewish tradition, the scriptures are referred to as the Tanakh, which is a Hebrew acronym representing the three canonical divisions: Torah (Instruction/Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). According to Jewish authorities like Sefaria, this canon consists of 24 books.
Although the texts of these 24 books contain the exact same content as the 39 books of the Protestant Old Testament, they are grouped differently — for example, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles are treated as single books rather than being split into two, and the twelve Minor Prophets are gathered into one book called Trei Asar.
"The Torah is the core of Jewish life, read aloud sequentially in the synagogue every Sabbath in a year-long cycle. Nevi'im provides the voice of moral warning and covenant call, while Ketuvim collects the liturgical, poetical, and historical reflections of the nation."
Why Chronicles is the Conclusion: Unlike the Christian Old Testament which concludes with the warning of Malachi, the Jewish Tanakh concludes with the book of Chronicles (Divrei HaYamim), ending with the decree of Cyrus the Great authorizing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple:
"Whoever there is among you of all His people… let him go up." — 2 Chronicles 36:23