how to say “scripture” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מקרא-1.m4a” /]מִקְרָא

If you’re familiar with traditional Jewish literature, you probably know the common term for the Bible – תנ”ך[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מקרא-2.m4a” /], which stands for תורה, נביאים וכתובים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מקרא-3.m4a” /] – Torah, Prophets, (Holy) Writings.

But you may not be familiar with another term that refers to the Bible… or, more literally, Scripture. The term is מקרא[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מקרא-1.m4a” /], of the root ק.ר.א[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מקרא-4.m4a” /] meaning calling or reading.

מקרא refers to Bible and Scripture alike, for example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מקרא-5.m4a” /]היא לומדת מקרא באוניברסיטה.

She studies Bible at the university.

You may have noticed that the English scripture has to do with writing (scribing), whereas the Hebrew word has to do with reading and calling out. That’s because in Judiasm’s earlier times, the Bible was read out loud to congregations who didn’t have a text in front of them – and it continues to be read aloud to this day.

מקרא also refers to the legend on a map – the instructions for reading it.