Ketuvim - Order of The Books

Order of The Books

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The following list presents the books of Ketuvim in the order they appear in most printed editions. It also divides them into three subgroups based on the distinctiveness of Sifrei Emet and Hamesh Megillot.

The Three Poetic Books (Sifrei Emet)

  • 1. Tehillim (Psalms) תְהִלִּים
  • 2. Mishlei (Book of Proverbs) מִשְלֵי
  • 3. Iyyôbh (Book of Job) אִיּוֹב

The Five Megillot (Hamesh Megillot)

  • 4. Shīr Hashīrīm (Song of Songs) or (Song of Solomon) שִׁיר הַשִׁירִים (Passover)
  • 5. Rūth (Book of Ruth) רוּת (Shābhû‘ôth)
  • 6. Eikhah (Lamentations) איכה (Ninth of Av)
  • 7. Qōheleth (Ecclesiastes) קהלת (Sukkôth)
  • 8. Estēr (Book of Esther) אֶסְתֵר (Pûrîm)

Other Books

  • 9. Dānî’ēl (Book of Daniel) דָּנִיֵּאל
  • 10. ‘Ezrā (Book of Ezra-Book of Nehemiah) עזרא
  • 11. Divrei ha-Yamim (Chronicles) דברי הימים

The Jewish textual tradition never finalized the order of the books in Ketuvim. The Babylonian Talmud (Bava Batra 14b-15a) gives their order as Ruth, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Daniel, Scroll of Esther, Ezra, Chronicles.

In Tiberian Masoretic codices, including the Aleppo Codex and the Leningrad Codex, and often in old Spanish manuscripts as well, the order is Chronicles, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Esther, Daniel, Ezra.

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