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Theprophetic books are a division of theChristianBible, grouping 18 books (Catholic and Orthodox canon) or 17 books (Protestant canon, excludingBaruch) in theOld Testament.[1] In terms of theTanakh, it includes theLatter Prophets from theNevi'im, with the addition ofLamentations (which in the Tanakh is one of theFive Megillot) andDaniel, both of which are included among the books of the HebrewKetuvim.[2]
The prophetic books are named as such becauseprophets are traditionally attributed as authors.[3] However, modern scholars think that the books as they have been handed down to the present time are the work of successive generations of writers who took their inspiration from the messages of these prophets.[4] These authors were active between 750 BC and 450 BC.[5] The first six of the books are known as themajor prophets, while the last 12 are known as theminor prophets. These names do not imply that the major prophets are more important than the minor prophets, but refer to the major prophetic books being much longer than the minor ones.[3] The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel have 66, 52 and 48 chapters, respectively, while the minor prophets merely have 1 to 14 chapters per book.[6]
Incidentally, outside of the prophetic books, prophets also feature as characters in other books of the Hebrew Bible.
Themajor prophets in Christianity are:
In Judaism, only Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel are counted amongst the 'major prophets'. Baruch, aSeptuagintal book, is considered canonical in Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, andOriental Orthodox churches andapocryphal in Protestant Christianity and in Judaism.[1]
Theminor prophets are the same in Christianity as in Judaism (however, in Jewish Bibles they are grouped as one single book, titled "The Twelve"):[1]