Which books are included in the Ketuvim, or Writings?
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Hebrew Bible
Portion of the Aleppo Codex, a manuscript of the Hebrew Bible written in the Hebrew language in the 10th century ce; in the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
The Ketuvim, or "Writings," constitute the third and final division of the Hebrew Bible. Unlike the Torah and the Nevi'im, which were canonized as groups, the books of the Ketuvim were canonized individually over time.1
The collection is categorized into four sections:
- Poetical Books: Psalms, Proverbs, and Job.12
- The Megillot (Scrolls): Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther. These are grouped together based on their annual cycle of public reading in the synagogue.12
- Prophecy: The book of Daniel.12
- History: Ezra, Nehemiah, and I and II Chronicles.12
This diverse collection includes liturgical and secular poetry, wisdom literature, history, and apocalyptic literature, reflecting a composition period spanning from before the Babylonian Exile to the 2nd century BCE.1