4. Toward a Canonical Reading of the Writings

Primer on the Canonical Approach

The final major grouping in the OT is the Writings. This major section is a diverse but coherent grouping of poetic texts, brief narratives, and lengthy histories. The sequence of the books in the Writings has a different flow than the sequence in the Prophets. For example, there is no grand “prophetic history” or tightly connected Book of the Twelve. However, within the structural framework provided by Psalms and Chronicles, the individual books of the Writings find their place. 

The Shape of the Writings

There are several textual and theological patterns in the Writings worth noting that are maintained even within the various arrangements found in the manuscripts of this collection. In relation to the Law and the Prophets, the Writings represent a shift from prophetic commentary to poetic commentary.

Many of the books in this collection contain poetic reflections on Israel’s life before, during, and after the exile. In fact, one of the features of this collection is its broad scope and far-sighted theological outlook. Toward the end of the Writings, the narratives of Esther, Daniel, Ezra–Nehemiah, and Chronicles return to the narrative storyline and collectively function as the conclusion to the Hebrew Bible. 

Within the shape of the Writings, the books of Psalms and Chronicles have a unique role. The book of Psalms usually appears at the beginning of the Writings. In most orderings, Chronicles comes last in the Writings grouping and thus concludes the entire Hebrew Bible as well.

In the one ordering of canonical books where Chronicles appears first among the Writings, it is immediately followed by the book of Psalms. In all the major canonical orderings, then, Chronicles and Psalms seem to function together as either the head of the Writings or as the bookends of this grouping. These two books therefore set the literary and theological tone for the big picture of this section of the OT. 

Carefully Collected Books & Patterns of Association

There are also two books in the Writings that are actually intentionally shaped collections of smaller texts. The book of Psalms gathers together 150 individual poetic texts (i.e., psalms) ranging from the time of Moses (Ps 90) to the ages of David (Ps 23) and Solomon (Ps 72), and then finally to the exile (Ps 137).

Similarly, the book of Proverbs contains several distinct collections of wise sayings (i.e., proverbs), many of which are attributed to Solomon. Some of these collections were gathered together later in Israel’s history (e.g., Prov. 25:1) and include adages penned by non-Solomonic sages (see Prov 30:1; 31:1). Both of these books gather together individual texts into coherent collections that possess a distinct shape and have been designed for future generations of readers. 

The books of Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra–Nehemiah, and Chronicles appear in close proximity to each other in most orderings. These books in particular revisit the setting and theological interpretation of the exile found in the closing moments of the prophetic history in the book of Kings. Since this sequence of books occurs at the end of the Writings, and therefore at the close of the OT as a whole, these books seem to continue the storyline that abruptly ends at the conclusion of the prophetic history (with king Jehoiachin imprisoned in the courts of Babylon, 2 Kgs 25:27–30). 

The Story of the Return and the Return of the Storyline

When we carefully consider this cluster of books in the Writings, the themes of exile and return from exile emerge. The authors of these biblical texts contemplate the nature of this return from exile, but also look beyond the return and evaluate the prophetic promises of a new covenant in light of this post-exilic situation. While each of these books offers their own coherent narrative, together they provide a condensed and sequenced storyline at the close of the Writings.

As I noted above, the shape of the Writings is unique as it contains a rich diversity of genres and theological themes. However, we also see how Esther, Daniel, Ezra–Nehemiah, and Chronicles together provide a narrative sequence that dramatically concludes the storyline of the OT as a whole. Each of these books reflect upon the purposes of God in redemptive history as Israel experiences judgment and then returns from exile. 

Within the Writings, the story of the Law and the Prophets provides an orienting focus. Many of the most prominent biblical-theological themes in the Writings expand upon or articulate the implications of ancient covenantal promises.

As the Law and the Prophets narrate and interpret the exodus from Egypt and the Mosaic covenant, the Writings narrate and interpret the Babylonian exile and post-exilic return to Israel. The Writings thus pick up where the prophetic history left off and continue to develop the biblical-theological themes of God’s faithfulness, the people’s unfaithfulness, the blessing of the covenant, the reality of judgment, and the hope of salvation centered on a coming messiah.

In this way, the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings as a whole and on their own terms provide a coherent story and a comprehensive witness to God’s person and work. These biblical books and canonical sub-collections also prepare readers for the continuation of the grand storyline of the Bible in the opening pages of the NT.

Annotated Walking Tour

The Shape of the Writings, edited by Julius Steinberg and Timothy Stone (Eerdmans, 2015). This collection of essays is significant for several reasons. The individual essays themselves contain substantive treatment and reflective insight into issues of book-level meaning and the effect of ordering and association among the Writings. More broadly, these essays also collectively champion an often-underrepresented emphasis. The contributors believe that the shape of the Writings collection has hermeneutical implications for the interpretation of the individual books and the theological message of the grouping as a whole. They advance arguments on both the historical formation of the Writings as a discrete corpus and also the varied contours of the collection. Consequently, this volume is a helpful entry point into the canon discussion in general as well as the Writings corpus in particular. Moreover, under the banner of this broad approach to the Hebrew canon, there is also lively dialogue (and sometimes even genuine debate) between the contributors.

The Oxford Handbook of the Writings of the Hebrew Bible, edited by Donn Morgan (Oxford, 2019). A helpful group of substantive essays on the Writings section from a variety of scholarly angles in biblical studies. A mix of methodological starting points, including history of religions, historical-criticism, and biblical studies. This collection would provide a nice scholarly dialogue partner with the Shape of the Writings volume. 

Christopher Seitz, The Goodly Fellowship of the Prophets: The Achievement of Association in Canon Formation (Baker, 2009). In this brief volume, Seitz discusses the nature of the canon formation discussion and seeks to show how recent work on the Book of the Twelve and the Book of Isaiah should inform any account of how the OT came together. Seitz focuses on the “theological grammar” of the Law & the Prophets and then reflects upon the “accomplishment of the Writings.” One of the most helpful concepts that Seitz develops is the “achievement of association,” which tracks one way in the Prophets (e.g., in a prophetic history in Josh—Kings alongside a collection of prophetic discourse in Isa—Mal) and another way in the Writings (individual works or sub-collections that relate individually to Torah or portions of the Prophets). Seitz’s strong argument for the strict coherence of the Law and the Prophets and the loose association between the books in the Writings section has sparked much of the recent discussion on the structure and internal coherence of the Writings (e.g., the Shape of the Writings volume noted above). 

Reading the Psalms Theologically, edited by Howard and Schmutzer (Lexham, 2023). The study of the shape of the Psalter is a well-established field with many contributions in the last 40 years. This collection of essays provide up-to-date assessments of areas of Psalms studies that are receptive to theological and canonical readings. The opening section is on the Psalter as a coherent collection which includes among others, “Reading the Psalter as a Unified Book: Recent Trends” and “The Macrostructural Design and Logic of the Psalter: An Unfurling of the Davidic Covenant.” 

Michael Shepherd, Daniel in the Context of the Hebrew Bible (Peter Lang, 2009). Shepherd provides a succinct commentary on the book of Daniel (chapter 4) along with an overview of Daniel’s canonical function in light of the shape of the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the rest of the Writings. He also briefly discusses the reception of Daniel in the NT. There is a lot packed into this brief volume. Regarding the message of Daniel, Shepherd asserts that “the eschatological and messianic nature of the book’s composition and its relationship to the rest of the Hebrew Bible demand the reader’s careful attention” (70).  

A few more helpful resources: 

• Erickson, Amy and Andrew R. Davis. “Recent Research on the Megilloth (Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther),” Currents in Biblical Research 14 (2016) 298-318.

• Christopher Seitz, “A Canonical Reading of Ecclesiastes,” in Acts of Interpretation, 100–115.

• Gregory Goswell, “Having the Last Say: The End of the OT,” JETS 58.1 (2015): 15–30; and “Putting the Book of Chronicles in its Place,” JETS 60.2 (2017): 283–99.

• Hendrick Koorevar, “The Exile and Return Model: A Proposal for the Original Macrostructure of the Hebrew Canon,” JETS 57.3 (2014): 501–12.

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