The Hebrew and Christian Bibles:
A Comparative Chart
by Prof. Felix Just, S.J. - Loyola Marymount
University
Introduction:
Although the "New Testament" used by almost all Christians
contains the same twenty-seven books, there are several important
differences between the "Old Testament" used by various Jewish and
Christian groups:
- The total number of biblical
books is different (Jews count 24, Protestants 39, Catholics 46; for
example, Jews count "The Twelve" minor prophets as one book, while
Christians count these as twelve separate books).
- The names used for some of the
books are different (e.g. "Samuel" of the HB is split up into "1
Kingdoms" and "2 Kingdoms" in the LXX, but they are usually called
"1 Samuel" and "2 Samuel" by Christians).
- The categorization of some
books is different (e.g. Daniel and Ruth are considered "Writings" in
the HB, but in the other versions Daniel is one of the "Prophets" while
"Ruth" is a "Historical Book").
- The order of the books is
different (e.g. in the HB the "Latter Prophets" come before the other
"Writings", while in the other versions all the "Prophets" come after the
"Wisdom" literature).
Notes:
- HB = Hebrew Bible (books
considered scriptural/biblical by ancient and modern Hebrew-speaking
Jews)
- LXX = Septuagint (larger
version of the Bible used by ancient Greek-speaking Jews and Christian
outside of Palestine)
- Books in Italics are those
found in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles, but not in Jewish or Protestant
Bibles
- Books in CAPITALS are those found
in the Septuagint, but not considered biblical by most people.
Comparative Chart:
| HEBREW BIBLE |
Most ORTHODOX BIBLES
(similar to the SEPTUAGINT) |
CATHOLIC BIBLES |
PROTESTANT BIBLES |
| Torah / Law
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy |
Law
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy |
Law
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy |
Law
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy |
|
Former Prophets
Joshua
Judges
Samuel (1&2)
Kings (1&2) |
Historical Books
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Kingdoms (=1Sam)
2 Kingdoms (=2Sam)
3 Kingdoms (=1 Kings)
4 Kingdoms (=2 Kings)
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
1 ESDRAS
2 Esdras (=Erza + Neh.)
Esther (longer)
Judith
Tobit
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
3 Maccabees
[4 Maccabees] |
Historical Books
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Tobit
Judith
Esther (longer)
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees |
Historical Books
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther |
|
Latter Prophets
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
The Twelve:
Hosea, Joel,
Amos, Obadiah,
Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai,
Zechariah, Malachi |
| Writings
Psalms (150)
Proverbs
Job
Song of Solomon
Ruth
Lamentations
Ecclesiastes
Esther
Daniel
Ezra-Nehemiah
Chronicles (1&2) |
Wisdom Books
Psalms (151)
ODES (w/ Prayer of Manasseh)
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Job
Wisdom of Solomon
Sirach, a.k.a. Ecclesiasticus
PSALMS OF SOLOMON
|
Wisdom Books
Job
Psalms (150)
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Wisdom of Solomon
Sirach, a.k.a. Ecclesiasticus |
Wisdom Books
Job
Psalms (150)
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon |
| . |
Prophets
Hosea
Amos
Micah
Joel
Obadiah
Jonah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Baruch
Lamentations
Letter of Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Daniel (longer) |
Prophets
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch (w/ Letter of Jer.)
Ezekiel
Daniel (longer)
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi |
Prophets
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi |
For excellent resources visit:
Electronic New Testament
Educational Resources
The above chart was published with
permission of Prof. Felix Just, S.J. - Loyola Marymount University
10/20/2001
|