- Also called:
- Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament, or Tanakh
Hebrew Bible
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What is the Hebrew Bible?
The Hebrew Bible, also called the Tanakh, is the Jewish scriptures comprising three divisions: Torah (Instruction, or Law, also called the Pentateuch), Neviāim (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). Many Christians refer to the Hebrew Bible as the Old Testament.
In its general framework, the Hebrew Bible tells the story of Godās relationship with the Jews as his chosen people, collectively called Israel. The literature emphasizes faith in God, creation, covenant, and promises, and views humanity's story through God's righteousness and love. The Hebrew Bible's monotheistic interpretation provided the foundation for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
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Why is the Hebrew Bible important in Judaism?
The Hebrew Bible holds immense importance in Judaism because it has preserved the history and traditions of the Jewish people after the fall of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The Tanakh, an acronym for the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible, consists of the Torah (Instruction, or Law), NeviŹ¾im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).
Even after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 CE, the Hebrew Bible remained a vital source of nurture for the Jewish religion, preserving their identity, inspiring worship, and shaping their ideals across many lands. It is read, prayed, and taught in synagogues, arranging the calendar and permeating family lives. The Hebrew Bible's incalculable influence is essential to understanding the survival and character of the Jewish religion and its contributions to Western civilization.
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What are the main parts of the Hebrew Bible?
The Hebrew Bible, also called the Tanakh, consists of three main parts:
- Torah (Instruction, or Law) Also called the Pentateuch, the Torah includes the five books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
- Nevi'im (Prophets) Consists of eight books divided into Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and The Twelve Minor Prophets).
- Ketuvim (Writings) A collection of poetry, wisdom literature, and historical texts, including Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, and Chronicles.
These writings preserve Jewish history and traditions, forming the foundation of Jewish religious expression and cultural identity.
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What kinds of stories and laws are found in the Hebrew Bible?
The Hebrew Bible, also called the Tanakh, contains a variety of stories and laws that are foundational to Judaism.
Stories
The Hebrew Bible includes myths, legends, and historical narratives. These stories recount the creation of the world, the origins of humanity, and the relationship between God and the Israelites. They also include stories of heroes, kings, prophets, and ordinary people who faced challenges and made choices that shaped their lives and the destiny of their nation.
Laws
The Hebrew Bible contains a collection of ancient Hebrew law codes. These laws cover a wide range of topics, including worship, personal conduct, property rights, and social justice. They are presented as divine commands given to Moses and the Israelites, establishing a covenant between God and his people. The three main collections of law are the Book of the Covenant, the Deuteronomic Code, and the Priestly Code.
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How is the Hebrew Bible different from the Christian Old Testament?
The Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament share content but differ in significant ways. The Hebrew Bible consists of the Torah (also called the Pentateuch), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings), and is the compilation of sacred books of the Jewish people. Christians view the Old Testament as a prophecy of Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
The Christian Old Testament is longer because it includes texts not found in the Hebrew Bible. Also, the order of books differs. Some Christian denominations include additional books in the Old Testament that are considered apocryphal by Protestants.
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How has the Hebrew Bible influenced other religions and cultures?
The Hebrew Bible's monotheistic interpretation of life and the universe has deeply influenced other religions and cultures. It provides the basic structure for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which views Abraham as a patriarch.
The Hebrew Bible's themes of ethical and social responsibility and its challenge to existing social structures have had a pervasive effect on Western people's thinking, feeling processes, attitudes, and values. Its influence extends to Western arts, music, poetry, drama, and literature, shaping views of the human condition. The Bible has also shaped the intellectual processes of Western civilization by influencing ideas and attitudes regarding government, social institutions, and economic theories.
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Hebrew Bible, collection of writings that was first compiled and preserved as the sacred books of the Jewish people. It also constitutes a large portion of the Christian Bible, known as the Old Testament. Except for a few passages in Aramaic, appearing mainly in the apocalyptic Book of Daniel, these scriptures were written originally in Hebrew during the period from 1200 to 100 bce. The Hebrew Bible probably reached its current form about the 2nd century ce.
A brief treatment of the Hebrew Bible follows. For full treatment, see biblical literature.
General outline and major themes
In its general framework, the Hebrew Bible is the account of Godās dealing with the Jews as his chosen people, who collectively called themselves Israel. After an account of the worldās creation by God and the emergence of human civilization, the first six books narrate not only the history but the genealogy of the people of Israel to the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land under the terms of Godās covenant with Abraham, whom God promised to make the progenitor of a great nation. This covenant was subsequently renewed by Abrahamās son Isaac and grandson Jacob (whose byname Israel became the collective name of his descendants and whose sons, according to legend, fathered the 13 Israelite tribes) and centuries later by Moses (from the Israelite tribe of Levi). The following seven books continue their story in the Promised Land, describing the peopleās constant apostasy and breaking of the covenant, the establishment and development of the monarchy in order to counter this, and the warnings by the prophets both of impending divine punishment and exile and of Israelās need to repent. The last 11 books contain poetry, theology, and some additional history.
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The Hebrew Bible is the literature of faith, not of scientific observation or historical demonstration. Godās existence as a speculative problem has no interest for the biblical writers. What is problematical for them is the human condition and destiny before God. The great biblical themes are about God, his revealed works of creation, provision, judgment, deliverance, his covenant, and his promises. The Hebrew Bible sees what happens to humankind in the light of Godās nature, righteousness, faithfulness, mercy, and love. The major themes about humankind relate to humanityās rebellion, estrangement, and perversion; humankindās redemption, forgiveness, and reconciliation are all viewed as the gracious works of God.
The Hebrew Bibleās profoundly monotheistic interpretation of human life and the universe as creations of God provides the basic structure of ideas that gave rise not only to Judaism and Christianity but also to Islam, which emerged from Jewish and Christian tradition and which views Abraham as a patriarch (see also Judaism: The ancient Middle Eastern setting).