Old Testament Statistics Compared
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

There are many differences (some small, some larger) in the number of verses per chapter and/or the total number of verses and/or chapters in various English translations of the Bible, due to differences in the versifications of the Hebrew Bible (HB), the Septuagint (LXX), the Vulgate (Vulg), and other ancient and medieval editions. These differences can be grouped into several categories:

  1. Sometimes the division between two consecutive chapters is in a different place in the HB, LXX, and/or Vulg, causing each chapter to have a different number of verses, while the total number of verses in the two adjacent chapters is still the same in all Bibles. For example, in the HB and NAB, Exodus 7 has 29 verses and Exod 8 has 28 verses, while in the KJV and NRSV, Exodus 7 has only 25 verses but Exod 8 has 32 verses. Thus, these two chapters of Exodus have the same total of 57 verses in all Bibles, with Exod 7:26-29 (NAB) equivalent to Exod 8:1-4 (NRSV), and Exod 8:1-28 (NAB) equivalent to Exod 8:5-32 (NRSV). These differences are highlighted in YELLOW in the following tables.
  2. In other cases, a single longer verse in one version of the Bible is subdivided into two shorter verses in another version, causing the total number of verses in that chapter to differ. For example, Nehemiah 7:67, one verse in the NAB, is subdivided into verses 67+68 in the NRSV. Thus, Neh 7 has only 72 verses in the NAB, but a total of 73 verses in the NRSV. These differences are highlighted in VIOLET in the following tables.
  3. In many of the Psalms, there is a title, authorial attribution, and/or instructions for the musicians, which are usually numbered as verse 1 (or sometimes vv.1-2) in the NAB, but are unnumbered verses before v. 1 in the NRSV, causing the number of verses in these Psalms to be one (or two) less in the NRSV than in the NAB. These differences are highlighted in AQUA BLUE in the third table below.
  4. In two cases (Joel & Malachi), the number of chapters in the book is different in various Bibles. In the HB and NAB, Joel has 4 chapters while Malachi has only 3; in the KJV and NRSV, Joel has only 3 chapters, but Malachi has 4. This is because Joel 2:1-27; 3:1-5 (HB/NAB) put together as Joel 2:1-32 (KJV/NRSV); while the opposite is true in Malachi: Mal 3:1-24 (HB/NAB) is subdivided into Mal 3:1-18; 4:1-6 (KJV/NRSV). Luckily for people who like to count, these two differences cancel each other out in the totals! These differences are highlighted in RED in the fifth table below.
  5. Finally, the Old Testament in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles is longer than in Protestant Bibles not only because they include the "Deuterocanonical Books" (seven additional books not contained in the Hebrew Bible - indicated in LIME GREEN in the following tables), but also because the books of Esther and Daniel are longer, since they contain several more chapters in the ancient Greek Septuagint Bible than in the Hebrew Bible. These differences are highlighted in OLIVE GREEN in the following tables.

Thus, the tables below provide the following biblical statistics, based on the New American Bible and New Revised Standard Version translations of the Old Testament::

The Pentateuch / Torah (NAB)

# Book Name # Ch. Total Vv. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Avg. Vv/Ch
1 Genesis 50 1533 31 25 24 26 32 22 24 22 29 32 32 20 18 24 21 16 27 33 38 18 34 24 20 67 34 35 46 22 35 43 54 33 20 31 29 43 36 30 23 23 57 38 34 34 28 34 31 22 33 26 30.66
2 Exodus 40 1213 22 25 22 31 23 30 29 28 35 29 10 51 22 31 27 36 16 27 25 26 37 30 33 18 40 37 21 43 46 38 18 35 23 35 35 38 29 31 43 38 . . . . . . . . . . 30.33
3 Leviticus 27 859 17 16 17 35 26 23 38 36 24 20 47 8 59 57 33 34 16 30 37 27 24 33 44 23 55 46 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.81
4 Numbers 36 1289 54 34 51 49 31 27 89 26 23 36 35 16 33 45 41 35 28 32 22 29 35 41 30 25 19 65 23 31 39 17 54 42 56 29 34 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.81
5 Deuteronomy 34 959 46 37 29 49 33 25 26 20 29 22 32 31 19 29 23 22 20 22 21 20 23 29 26 22 19 19 26 69 28 20 30 52 29 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.21
*Note on Num 25: The NAB follows the Hebrew Bible in numbering a 19th verse, although it prints the three words of v. 19 at the beginning of Num 26; most other ancient and modern Bibles (LXX, Vulg, KJV, RSV, NRSV, etc.) have only 18 verses in Num 25, and include the three words in question as the beginning of Num 26:1.

The Pentateuch / Torah (NRSV)

# Book Name # Ch. Total Vv. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Avg. Vv/Ch
1 Genesis 50 1533 31 25 24 26 32 22 24 22 29 32 32 20 18 24 21 16 27 33 38 18 34 24 20 67 34 35 46 22 35 43 55 32 20 31 29 43 36 30 23 23 57 38 34 34 28 34 31 22 33 26 30.66
2 Exodus 40 1213 22 25 22 31 23 30 25 32 35 29 10 51 22 31 27 36 16 27 25 26 37 30 33 18 40 37 21 43 46 38 18 35 23 35 35 38 29 31 43 38 . . . . . . . . . . 30.33
3 Leviticus 27 859 17 16 17 35 19 30 38 36 24 20 47 8 59 57 33 34 16 30 37 27 24 33 44 23 55 46 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.81
4 Numbers 36 1288 54 34 51 49 31 27 89 26 23 36 35 16 33 45 41 35 28 32 22 29 35 41 30 25 18 65 23 31 39 17 54 42 56 29 34 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.78
5 Deuteronomy 34 959 46 37 29 49 33 25 26 20 29 22 32 32 18 29 23 22 20 22 21 20 23 30 25 22 19 19 26 68 29 20 30 52 29 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.21

 

The Historical Books (NAB)

# Book Name # Ch. Total Vv. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Avg. Vv/Ch
6 Joshua 24 658 18 24 17 24 15 27 26 35 27 43 23 24 33 15 63 10 18 28 51 9 45 34 16 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.42
7 Judges 21 618 36 23 31 24 31 40 25 35 57 18 40 15 25 20 20 31 13 31 30 48 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.43
8 Ruth 4 85 22 23 18 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.25
9 1 Samuel 31 810 28 36 21 22 12 21 17 22 27 27 15 25 23 52 35 23 58 30 24 42 16 23 28 23 43 25 12 25 11 31 13 . . . . . 26.13
10 2 Samuel 24 695 27 32 39 12 25 23 29 18 13 19 27 31 39 33 37 23 29 32 44 26 22 51 39 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.96
11 1 Kings 22 817 53 46 28 20 32 38 51 66 28 29 43 33 34 31 34 34 24 46 21 43* 29 54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37.14
12 2 Kings 25 719 18 25 27 44 27 33 20 29 37 36 20 22 25 29 38 20 41 37 37 21 26 20 37 20 30 . . . . . . . . . . . 28.76
13 1Chronicles 29 943 54 55 24 43 41 66 40 40 44 14 47 41 14 17 29 43 27 17 19 8 30 19 32 31 31 32 34 21 30 . . . . . . . 32.52
14 2Chronicles 36 821 18 17 17 22 14 42 22 18 31 19 23 16 23 14 19 14 19 34 11 37 20 12 21 27 28 23 9 27 36 27 21 33 25 33 26 23 22.81
15 Ezra 10 280 11 70 13 24 17 22 28 36 15 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.00
16 Nehemiah 13 405 11 20 38 17 19 19 72 18 37 40 36 47 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.15
17 Tobit 14 245 22 14 17 21 22 18 17 21 6 14 18 22 18 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.50
18 Judith 16 340 16 28 10 15 24 21 32 36 14 23 23 20 20 19 14 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.25
19 Esther 16 272 22 23 15 17* 14 14 10 17 32 3 17 8 30 16 24 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.00
20 1Maccabees 16 922 63 70 59 61 68 63 50 32 73 89 74 53 53 49 41 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57.63
21 2Maccabees 15 556 36 32 40 50 27 31 42 36 29 38 38 46 26 46 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37.07
* Note on 1 Kings 20: Most print editions of the NAB have only 42 verse numbers for this chapter, accidentally omitting the reference for v. 43, although the full text is included; this error is corrected in the NAB online edition.
* Note on Esther 4: The NAB numbers only 16 verses in this chapter, but prints what most ancient and modern Bibles call 4:17 as an unnumbered verse at the beginning of Esther C. See the NAB online edition.

The Historical Books (NRSV)

# Book Name # Ch. Total Vv. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Avg. Vv/Ch
6 Joshua 24 658 18 24 17 24 15 27 26 35 27 43 23 24 33 15 63 10 18 28 51 9 45 34 16 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.42
7 Judges 21 618 36 23 31 24 31 40 25 35 57 18 40 15 25 20 20 31 13 31 30 48 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.43
8 Ruth 4 85 22 23 18 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.25
9 1 Samuel 31 810 28 36 21 22 12 21 17 22 27 27 15 25 23 52 35 23 58 30 24 42 15 23 29 22 44 25 12 25 11 31 13 . . . . . 26.13
10 2 Samuel 24 695 27 32 39 12 25 23 29 18 13 19 27 31 39 33 37 23 29 33 43 26 22 51 39 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.96
11 1 Kings 22 816 53 46 28 34 18 38 51 66 28 29 43 33 34 31 34 34 24 46 21 43 29 53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37.09
12 2 Kings 25 719 18 25 27 44 27 33 20 29 37 36 21 21 25 29 38 20 41 37 37 21 26 20 37 20 30 . . . . . . . . . . . 28.76
13 1Chronicles 29 942 54 55 24 43 26 81 40 40 44 14 47 40 14 17 29 43 27 17 19 8 30 19 32 31 31 32 34 21 30 . . . . . . . 32.48
14 2Chronicles 36 822 17 18 17 22 14 42 22 18 31 19 23 16 22 15 19 14 19 34 11 37 20 12 21 27 28 23 9 27 36 27 21 33 25 33 27 23 22.83
15 Ezra 10 280 11 70 13 24 17 22 28 36 15 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.00
16 Nehemiah 13 406 11 20 32 23 19 19 73 18 37 40 36 47 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.23
17 Esther 10 167 22 23 15 17 14 14 10 17 32 3 x x x x x x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.70

 

The Wisdom Books (NAB)

# Book Name # Ch. Total Vv. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 Avg. Vv/Ch
22 Job 42 1068 22 13 26 21 27 30 21 22 35 22 20 25 28 22 35 22 16 21 29 29 34 30 17 25 6 14 21 28 25 31 40 22 33 37 16 33 24 41 30 32 26 17 . . . . . . . . . 25.43
23a Psalms (1-50) . . 6 11* 9 9 13 11 18 10 21 18 7 9 6 7 5 11 15 51 15 10 14 32 6 10 22 12 14 9 11 13 25 11 22 23 28 13 40 23 14 18 14 12 5 27 18 12 10 15 21 23 . .
23b Psalms (51-100) . . 21 11 7 9 24 14 12 12 18 14 9 13 12 11 14 20 8 36 37 6 24 20 28 23 11 13 21 72 13 20 17 8 19 13 14 17 7 19 53 17 16 16 5 23 11 13 12 9 9 5 . .
23c Psalms (101-150) 150 2526 8 29 22 35 45 48 43 14 31 7 10 10 9 8 18 19 2 29 176 7 8 9 4 8 5 6 5 6 8 8 3 18 3 3 21 26 9 8 24 14 10 8 12 15 21 10 20 14 9 6 . 16.83
24 Proverbs 31 915 33 22 35 27 23 35 27 36 18 32 31 28 25 35 33 33 28 24 29 30 31 29 35 34 28 28 27 28 27 33 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.52
25 Ecclesiastes 12 222 18 26 22 17 19 12 29 17 18 20 10 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.50
26 Song of Solomon 8 117 17 17 11 16 16 12 14 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.63
27 Wisdom of Solomon 19 436 16 24 19 20 23 25 30 21 18 21 26 27 19 31 19 29 21 25 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.95
28 Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 51 1372 29 18 30 31 17 37 36 19 18 30 34 18 25 27 20 28 27 33 26 30 28 27 27 31 25 20 30 26 28 25 31 24 33 26 24 27 30 34 35 30 24 25 35 23 26 20 25 25 16 29 30 26.90
* Note on Psalm 2: The 1970 edition of the NAB numbers 12 verses in this Psalm, as do most other ancient and modern Bibles; the NAB's 1986 revision of the Psalms includes the full text, but omits the reference for v. 12, possibly accidentally; note how unbalanced the longer v.11 appears in the NAB online edition.

The Wisdom Books (NRSV)

# Book Name # Ch. Total Vv. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 Avg. Vv/Ch
18 Job 42 1070 22 13 26 21 27 30 21 22 35 22 20 25 28 22 35 22 16 21 29 29 34 30 17 25 6 14 23 28 25 31 40 22 33 37 16 33 24 41 30 24 34 17 . . . . . . . . . 25.48
19a Psalms (1-50) . . 6 12 8 8 12 10 17 9 20 18 7 8 6 7 5 11 15 50 14 9 13 31 6 10 22 12 14 9 11 12 24 11 22 22 28 12 40 22 13 17 13 11 5 26 17 11 9 14 20 23 . .
19b Psalms (51-100) . . 19 9 6 7 23 13 11 11 17 12 8 12 11 10 13 20 7 35 36 5 24 20 28 23 10 12 20 72 13 19 16 8 18 12 13 17 7 18 52 17 16 15 5 23 11 13 12 9 9 5 . .
19c Psalms (101-150) 150 2461 8 28 22 35 45 48 43 13 31 7 10 10 9 8 18 19 2 29 176 7 8 9 4 8 5 6 5 6 8 8 3 18 3 3 21 26 9 8 24 13 10 7 12 15 21 10 20 14 9 6 . 16.41
20 Proverbs 31 915 33 22 35 27 23 35 27 36 18 32 31 28 25 35 33 33 28 24 29 30 31 29 35 34 28 28 27 28 27 33 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.52
21 Ecclesiastes 12 222 18 26 22 16 20 12 29 17 18 20 10 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.50
22 Song of Solomon 8 117 17 17 11 16 16 13 13 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.63

 

The Major Prophets (NAB)

# Book Name # Ch. Total Vv. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 Avg. Vv/Ch
29 Isaiah 66 1291 31 22 26 6 30 13 25 23 20 34 16 6 22 32 9 14 14 7 25 6 17 25 18 23 12 21 13 29 24 33 9 20 24 17 10 22 38 22 8 31 29 25 28 28 25 13 15 22 26 11 23 15