Bible, Division Into Chapters

Question

Rabbi Monique,

Do you know anything about the addition of the chapter divisions in the Hebrew Bible. When were they added and did they exist in the old texts? I know the Torah did not contain them. I am curious if you know when they added them or if they even waited until after the reformation to add them. I know that the Jews have accommodated the chapter and verse division to the Christian Bible. I do not know if they existed before.

Thank You,

Mark

Answer

Dear Mark,

The old Hebrew versions of the Bible did not have a division in chapters as we know it now, however there were other divisions, which were mentioned already in the Mishna and Talmud. Those divisions are indicated by a system of spacing in the text that still exists in the Hebrew Bible. But the chapter-division as we know it today was employed first in the Vulgate. Some attribute it to Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1228). It was adopted by Jewish scholars for purposes of reference, and was introduced into the printed editions of the Hebrew text, from the Bomberg Bible of 1521 onward.

I hope you got the information you needed.

All the best,

Rabbi Monique Susskind Goldberg