Nevi'im

Ordering & Translation Decisions

The Nevi'im follows the ordering found in the Babylonian Talmud tractate Baba Bathra 14b — one of the oldest documented canonical sequences for the Hebrew prophetic books. The Former Prophets (Joshua through Kings) narrate the history of Israel from the conquest through the exile. The Latter Prophets (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and The Twelve) carry the prophetic voice of that same era.

Note the ordering of the major prophets — Jeremiah, then Ezekiel, then Isaiah. This is the Baba Bathra sequence, which differs from most modern Bibles that place Isaiah first. The Twelve minor prophets are treated as a single unit in the ancient tradition.