Tanakh
The Tanakh is a compilation of Jewish scriptures that would later be used as the source for the various Christian old testaments. The word "Tanakh" is derived from three main sources used to make the compilation: the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. While the specific books that make up the Tanakh is widely agree upon, as with all ancient manuscripts, there is no one official version of the Tanakh because various Jewish sects use different and conflicting sources for each book.
Growing up as an Evangelical Christian, I was under the impression that the old testament was just a portion of the bible, and I was never clearly taught that it was and still is Jewish scripture. From what I've learned when talking to other Christians, most of them are equally ignorant about this fact. While every Christian is encouraged to read the bible (including what they call the "old testament," the churches I attended almost exclusively read from the New Testament, and generally quote-mined the Jewish books to promote their own political and moral agendas.
After leaving Christianity, I started to read more of the books from the Tanakh, and found them to be rather revolting. They mostly promote genocide, authoritarianism, blind obedience, rape, slavery, theft, and pretty much every other immoral act you can think of. However, after trying to view the Tanakh as literature, and placing the writings in the context of when they were written, I have developed more of a respect for them. Not in the content of their writings, they're horrible, but because they preserve just how barbaric, superstitious, and backward our ancestors were. The Tanakh serves as a cautionary tale at just how bad human can be, and also as a proof of just how far we've advanced morally.
Books
Jews have never canonized an official order for the books of the Tanakh, but the one below is one of the most common orders:
Hebrew Title | English Translation | Alternate Title |
---|---|---|
Torah (תּוֹרָה) [Teaching] | ||
Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית) | In the Beginning | Book of Genesis |
Shemot (שְׁמֹות) | The Names | Book of Exodus |
Vayikra (וַיִּקְרָא) | And He Called | Book of Leviticus |
Bemidbar (בְּמִדְבַּר) | In the Desert | Book of Numbers |
Devarim (דְּבָרִים) | Things | Book of Deuteronomy |
Nevi'im (נְבִיאִים) [Prophets] | ||
Nevi'im Rishonim (נביאים ראשונים) [Former Prophets] | ||
Yĕhôshúa‘ (יְהוֹשֻעַ) | Joshua | Book of Joshua |
Shophtim (שֹׁפְטִים) | Judges | Book of Judges |
Shmû’ēl (שְׁמוּאֵל) | Samuel | Books of Samuel |
M'lakhim (מְלָכִים) | Judges | Book of Kings |
Nevi'im Aharonim (נביאים אחרונים) [Later Prophets] | ||
Yĕsha‘ăyāhû (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ) | Isaiah | Book of Isaiah |
Yirmyāhû (יִרְמְיָהוּ) | Jeremiah | Book of Jeremiah |
Yĕkhezqiēl (יְחֶזְקֵאל) | Ezekiel | Book of Ezekiel |
Trei Asar (תרי עשר) [The Twelve] (Considered one book) | ||
Hôshēa‘ (הוֹשֵׁעַ) | Hosea | Book of Hosea |
Yô’ēl (יוֹאֵל) | Joel | Book of Joel |
‘Āmôs (עָמוֹס) | Amos | Book of Amos |
‘Ōvadhyāh (עֹבַדְיָה) | Obadiah | Book of Obadiah |
Yônāh (יוֹנָה) | Jonah | Book of Jonah |
Mîkhāh (מִיכָה) | Micah | Book of Micah |
Nakḥûm (נַחוּם) | Nahum | Book of Nahum |
Khăvhakûk (חֲבַקּוּק) | Habakkuk | Book of Habakkuk |
Tsĕphanyāh (צְפַנְיָה) | Zephaniah | Book of Zephaniah |
Khaggai (חַגַּי) | Haggai | Book of Haggai |
Zkharyāh (זְכַרְיָה) | Zechariah | Book of Zechariah |
Khaggai (חַגַּי) | Haggai | Book of Haggai |
Mal’ākhî (מַלְאָכִי) | Malachi | Book of Malachi |
Ketuvim (כְּתוּבִים) [Writings] | ||
Sifrei Emet (סִפְרֵי אֶמֶת) [Documents of Truth] | ||
Tehillim (תְהִלִּים) | Psalms | Book of Psalms |
Mishlei (מִשְׁלֵי) | Proverbs | Book of Proverbs |
Iyyôbh (אִיּוֹב) | Job | Book of Job |
Hamesh Megillot (חמש מגילות) [Five Scrolls] | ||
Shīr Hashīrīm (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים) | Song of Songs | Song of Solomon |
Rūth (רוּת) | Ruth | Book of Ruth |
Eikhah (אֵיכָה) | Lamentations | Book of Lamentations |
Qōheleth (קֹהֶלֶת) | Ecclesiastes | Book of Ecclesiastes |
Estēr (אֶסְתֵר) | Esther | Book of Esther |
Other Books (no official title) | ||
Dānî'ēl (דָּנִיֵּאל) | Daniel | Book of Daniel |
‘Ezrā (עֶזְרָא) | Esther | Book of Ezra and Book of Nehemiah |
Divrei ha-Yamim (דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים) | Chronicles | Books of Chronicles |