How do the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim form the Tanakh?
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Judaism
The Western Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, all that remains of the retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount.
The Tanakh is an acronym that serves as the collective name for the Hebrew Bible, formed by the initial letters of its three distinct divisions: the Torah, the Nevi'im, and the Ketuvim.12
These three sections organize the sacred scriptures of Judaism as follows:
- Torah (Instruction or Law): Also known as the Pentateuch, this foundational section consists of five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.1
- Nevi'im (Prophets): This division includes eight books subdivided into the Former Prophets (historical works) and the Latter Prophets (oracular discourses), including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve minor prophets.1
- Ketuvim (Writings): The final division is a diverse collection of religious poetry, wisdom literature, history, and apocalyptic literature, including books such as Psalms, Proverbs, and Daniel.13
Unlike the Torah and Nevi'im, which were canonized as groups, the books of the Ketuvim were canonized individually over a period spanning from before the Babylonian Exile to the 2nd century CE.3