The Jewish Bible, also known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible, is the canonical collection of Hebrew scriptures that make up the Bible used in Judaism. It consists of 24 books divided into three parts: the Torah (Law), the Nevi’im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings).
The Torah consists of the first five books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books are said to have been revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai and tell the story of God’s covenant with the Israelites from Creation to the death of Moses. The Torah provides the foundational narrative and laws that guide Jewish life.
The Nevi’im, or Prophets, narrate the history of ancient Israel and Judah and contain messages from God through the prophets. This section includes the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel), Kings (1 Kings and 2 Kings), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets – Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. The prophets acted as God’s messengers, calling the people to repentance and faithfulness to the covenant.
Finally, the Ketuvim or Writings contain poetry, prophecy, and other writings. This section includes Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles (1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles). These diverse writings explore questions of good and evil, wisdom, God’s nature, and the history of Israel from different perspectives.
Together, these three sections form the Tanakh – the Jewish scriptures that provide the religious and ethical underpinnings of the Jewish faith. While the order of the books differs between Jewish and Christian Bibles, the content is the same. Christians refer to these same books as the “Old Testament.”
Here is an overview of some of the major books and themes in each section of the Tanakh:
Torah
Genesis
Genesis chronicles God’s creation of the world, humanity’s disobedience and fall into sin, God’s covenant with Abraham, and the beginnings of the people of Israel through Abraham’s descendants. Key stories include Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, the call of Abraham, and Joseph in Egypt.
Exodus
Exodus describes the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, including the exodus from Egypt and the guidance of Moses. Central events include the Ten Plagues, the first Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, the Ten Commandments given on Mount Sinai, and the construction of the Tabernacle.
Leviticus
Leviticus contains laws and ritual regulations for sacrifices, offerings, purity, holiness, and worship for the Israelites. Key themes include God’s holiness, atonement for sins, cleanliness and purification laws, priestly duties, feasts, and religious calendar.
Numbers
Numbers recounts the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness after fleeing Egypt. It includes laws given to Moses, a census of the tribes, stories of rebellion against Moses, and preparations to enter Canaan, the Promised Land.
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy emphasizes obeying God’s law given through Moses. It reviews the Ten Commandments and laws in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. The book ends with Moses’ death before the Israelites enter Canaan.
Nevi’im (Prophets)
Joshua
Joshua describes how Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan and the military campaigns to conquer the land. The book concludes with Joshua dividing the land among the twelve tribes.
Judges
Judges depicts a cyclical pattern of Israel rebelling against God, being oppressed by enemy peoples as judgment, and delivered by leaders God raised up to defeat their oppressors.
1 and 2 Samuel
1 Samuel covers the rise of Israel’s monarchy and Samuel’s anointing of Saul and then David as kings. 2 Samuel begins with David’s reign over a united Israel and contains key stories about David’s rule and relationship with God.
1 and 2 Kings
1 Kings begins with David’s death and Solomon’s rise as king. It tells of the building of the Temple and Solomon’s wisdom and sins. 2 Kings recounts the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, their sin and idolatry, and eventual downfall and exile by foreign powers.
Isaiah
Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of multiple Judean kings and contains messages of judgment and consolation for both Isaiah’s time and future hope. Isaiah speaks deeply of Israel’s sin and need for purification, as well as the coming Messiah.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah prophesied before and during Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians. He called God’s people to repentance and faith in God’s promises. Jeremiah includes sorrowful lamentations over Jerusalem’s fall.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel warned of Jerusalem’s coming destruction for its idolatry and prophesied hope for Israel’s future restoration. Vivid symbolic visions and dramatizations characterize Ezekiel’s style.
The Twelve Minor Prophets
These shorter prophetic books also contain messages of warning, repentance, judgment, and hope for the future redemption of Israel. Each speaks to particular situations in Israel and Judah.
Ketuvim (Writings)
Psalms
The Book of Psalms is a collection of 150 songs and poems praising God, expressing trust and gratitude, lamenting suffering, confessing sin, and more. Psalms is fundamental to both Jewish and Christian worship.
Proverbs
Proverbs contains wisdom sayings and short poems to teach about righteousness, integrity, justice, prudence, humility, and living in godly fear.
Job
The Book of Job grapples with why righteous people suffer. It tells of Job’s trials, discussions with friends about the cause of suffering, and eventually God’s speeches from the whirlwind.
Song of Songs
Song of Songs celebrates desire, passion, and love between a man and woman, likely on their wedding day. It provides a glimpse into ancient Israelite wedding traditions.
Ruth
The Book of Ruth tells the story of Ruth, a Moabite widow who remains to care for her Israelite mother-in-law Naomi. She eventually marries Boaz, ties her future to Israel, and becomes an ancestor of King David.
Lamentations
Lamentations mourns the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The poet cries out in grief, confesses the people’s sins, seeks compassion from God, and finally expresses hope of restoration.
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes reflects on the meaninglessness of life apart from God. The author (called the Teacher) explores the vanity of wisdom, pleasure, labor, and more – only finding lasting purpose in fearing God.
Esther
Esther records how a Jewish woman named Esther became queen of Persia and thwarted the genocide of the Jews living under Persian rule. The Jewish festival of Purim celebrates this deliverance.
Daniel
Daniel and his friends refuse to compromise their faith in the hostile culture of Babylon. God honors them, enabling Daniel to interpret dreams and visions for the Babylonian and Persian kings.
Ezra and Nehemiah
After the Persian conquest of Babylon, these books tell how Ezra led a group of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Nehemiah later returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
1 and 2 Chronicles
1 Chronicles retells Israel’s history beginning with genealogies from Adam. 2 Chronicles reviews the history of Judah and the Southern Kingdom, emphasizing the reigns of King David and King Solomon.
Together, the Torah, Prophets, and Writings form the Tanakh – the sacred scriptures of Judaism. These books tell the overarching story of God’s plan to redeem humanity through his chosen people Israel. For Jews, the Tanakh provides guidance for faithful living and points ahead to a coming messianic age. Christians also study the Tanakh as an essential part of God’s self-revelation through the centuries before Christ.
While the Tanakh forms a theological foundation for both Judaism and Christianity, the two faiths interpret messianic prophecies and other passages differently. Judaism does not accept the New Testament as divinely inspired scripture. However, both religions trace their roots back to the covenant God established in the Torah and expressed through the Prophets and Writings.
Within the Tanakh’s rich collection of books, we find law, history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom – literary styles that provide a glimpse into the Israelites’ journey of faith. We read of human flaws, divine judgment, mercy, redemption, ritual practices, questions of suffering, and God’s steadfast faithfulness. For Jews and Christians alike, this ancient collection of Hebrew scriptures offers enduring spiritual nourishment and insight into the nature of God.