Page "Tanakh" Paragraph 4

The three-part division reflected in the acronym " Tanakh " is well attested to in documents from the Second Temple period and in Rabbinic literature.

During that period, however, " Tanakh " was not used.

Instead, the proper title was Mikra ( מקרא, meaning " reading " or " that which is read ") because the biblical texts were read publicly.

Mikra continues to be used in Hebrew to this day, alongside Tanakh, to refer to the Hebrew scriptures.

In modern spoken Hebrew both are used interchangeably.