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Why are Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings classified as Former Prophets in the Hebrew Bible?

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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.

In the Hebrew Bible, the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings are classified as the Former Prophets because they constitute the first division of the Nevi'im (Prophets), the second major section of the Tanakh.123

These books are categorized as prophetic because they describe the activities of early Israelite prophets—such as Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, and Elisha—who served as spokesmen for God, reminding the covenant people of their obligations to Yahweh. Furthermore, these historical works are closely linked to the Deuteronomist tradition, which emphasizes Israel’s conformity to the covenant laws and the theological interpretation of Israel's history. While Christian traditions often reclassify these texts as "Historical Books," the Hebrew canon maintains their status within the prophetic division to highlight their role in proclaiming God's purpose for Israel.45613