Ketuvim

Ketuvim, meaning “Writings” in Hebrew, is the third division of the Tanakh, the canonical Hebrew Bible, following the Torah and the Prophets (Nevi'im). It gathers a diverse collection of Hebrew writings produced over many centuries, predominantly in Hebrew with some Aramaic passages in Daniel. The compilation is literary in nature, spanning poetry, wisdom literature, philosophy, and historical narratives rather than forming a single continuous story.

The core contents typically associated with Ketuvim include Psalms, Proverbs, and Job, which constitute a center of Hebrew liturgical and wisdom literature. The Five Megillot or Scrolls—Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther—are also part of Ketuvim and are read on specific Jewish holidays. In addition, Ketuvim contains historical and later works such as Daniel, Ezra–Nehemiah, and Chronicles (Divrei Hayyamim). The exact order and grouping of these books can vary by tradition, but all are regarded as part of the Writings.

Historically, Ketuvim was the last section fixed in the Masoretic Text and reflects a broad range of genres, from liturgical poetry and proverbs to philosophical reflections on suffering and justice, to chronicles of the post-exilic period. In Jewish liturgy, the Five Megillot are read on their respective festivals, and Psalms and other Ketuvim passages appear in daily and Sabbath prayers.

In Christian Bibles, Ketuvim corresponds to the Writings and occupies a distinct later portion of the Old Testament canon, with a broadly similar set of books though the ordering and inclusion can differ among denominations.