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Which books are included among the Former Prophets in the Hebrew Bible?
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biblical literature
Two-page spread of the Book of Ecclesiastes from Johannes Gutenberg's 42-line Bible, c. 1450ā55.
In the Hebrew Bible, the section known as the Nevi'im (Prophets) is divided into two parts: the Former Prophets and the Latter Prophets.12
The Former Prophets consist of four historical books:12
While these works are categorized as "Prophets" in the Hebrew canon due to their inclusion in the Nevi'im, they are often classified as "Historical Books" within the Christian canon. Additionally, while the Hebrew canon treats Samuel and Kings as single books, other traditionsāsuch as the Protestant canonāoften divide them into two sections each (I and II Samuel, and I and II Kings).1