The original order of the Hebrew Bible—known in Judaism as the Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ)—is distinctly structured from the order found in most Christian Old Testaments. The Tanakh is divided into three major sections, with books arranged primarily by genre and traditional associations, not strict chronology.
I. Torah (תּוֹרָה – "Law" or "Instruction")
1. Genesis (בְּרֵאשִׁית, Bereshit)
2. Exodus (שְׁמוֹת, Shemot)
3. Leviticus (וַיִּקְרָא, Vayikra)
4. Numbers (בְּמִדְבַּר, Bamidbar)
5. Deuteronomy (דְּבָרִים, Devarim)
II. Nevi’im (נְבִיאִים – "Prophets")
A. Former Prophets
6. Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ)
7. Judges (שֹׁפְטִים)
8. Samuel (שְׁמוּאֵל) – 1 & 2 Samuel are one book
9. Kings (מְלָכִים) – 1 & 2 Kings are one book
B. Latter Prophets
10. Isaiah (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ)
11. Jeremiah (יִרְמְיָהוּ)
12. Ezekiel (יְחֶזְקֵאל)
13. The Twelve (Minor Prophets) (תְּרֵי עֲשַׂר) – Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
III. Ketuvim (כְּתוּבִים – "Writings")
A. Poetic and Wisdom Books
14. Psalms (תְּהִלִּים)
15. Proverbs (מִשְׁלֵי)
16. Job (אִיּוֹב)
B. The Five Megillot (חֲמֵשׁ מְגִלּוֹת – "Scrolls")
17. Song of Songs (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים) – Passover
18. Ruth (רוּת) – Shavuot
19. Lamentations (אֵיכָה) – Tisha B’Av
20. Ecclesiastes (קֹהֶלֶת) – Sukkot
21. Esther (אֶסְתֵּר) – Purim
C. Historical and Apocalyptic Writings
22. Daniel (דָּנִיֵּאל)
23. Ezra–Nehemiah (עֶזְרָא–נְחֶמְיָה) – one book
24. Chronicles (דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים) – 1 & 2 Chronicles are one book; placed last
| Section | Books | Themes |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 5 | Covenant law, foundations |
| Prophets | 8 (counting Twelve as one) | Historical and prophetic narratives |
| Writings | 11 | Wisdom, worship, diverse genres |
Canonical Distinctions Between Hebrew and Christian Old Testaments
- The Hebrew Bible concludes with Chronicles, ending with a retrospective theological tone (2 Chron. 36:23).
- The Christian Old Testament typically ends with Malachi, transitioning into the New Testament.
- The Twelve Minor Prophets are treated as one unified scroll in Jewish tradition.