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I know that the chapter divisions are a Christian invention, and therefore don't exist in very old Jewish sources (Aleppo Codex, Leningrad Codex, dead sea scrolls, etc.). However our divisions don't always agree with the Christian divisions. What are the Jewish sources for these divisions? If we rely for example on various codexes for our text and vowels, what do we rely on to know where to insert chapter breaks?

Just for the record, I have noticed that different printed chumashim differ. For example the chapter breaks in my Koren tanach do not match my Artscholl or Hertz chumash. (This last fact is what has led me to try and find out the answer to this).

msh210
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    Are you asking about Petuchot/Setumot? – Double AA Nov 14 '14 at 05:05
  • @DoubleAA No, the chapter divisions in modern chumashim and tanachim. For example when we say "Vayikra 3:5", we know that's Vayikra chapter 3. – Popular Isn't Right Nov 14 '14 at 06:00
  • But that's the Chirstian chapter? I guess I'm not sure which "Jewish chapter breaks" you are referring to – Double AA Nov 14 '14 at 06:10
  • Please reread the question. As I said the chapter breaks were invented by the Christians, but our tradition is different - we break in different places. I'm wondering what the source of our breaks is. – Popular Isn't Right Nov 14 '14 at 06:58
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    Bachrach44 (and cc @DoubleAA) I've seen only one edition of Tanach with numbered sections (not the Christian ones). It listed the Christian chapter numbers along one margin and these other things along the opposing margin. IIRC it's by Koren. It's not the parashiyos s'sumos and p'suchos. – msh210 Nov 14 '14 at 09:48
  • What are our breaks anyways? My chumashim only have the Christian ones. – Scimonster Nov 14 '14 at 09:48
  • As to what these divisions are, see Wikipedia's Seder (Bible). – Tamir Evan Nov 14 '14 at 13:34
  • @msh210 Yes, it's Koren. – Scimonster Jun 29 '15 at 12:08
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    It would be useful to add some examples of differences. Here's one: The Christian convention for where Jeremiah 31 starts, which, for some reason, is the one in place at Sefaria, is one verse earlier than the convention applied in most Jewish versions, such as the one at Mechon Mamre. – Isaac Moses Jul 07 '15 at 14:25
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    I think there's a difference in most of the psalms, too, having to do with how the introductory phrase is treated -- resulting in an off-by-one difference for the rest of the chapter. – Monica Cellio Jul 07 '15 at 15:09
  • Relevant history: http://www.bible-researcher.com/chapter-verse.html (cc: @IsaacMoses) – Yishai Jul 07 '15 at 21:44
  • Very related: http://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/11969/are-chapter-and-verse-divisions-international – Yishai Jul 07 '15 at 21:51
  • This is a great question. I suggest that you read about this in Sefer Hatoda'ah (Book of Our Heritage) in the section before Shavu'ot. He has a detailed section explaining the writing of the Sefer Torah, and near the end of that section, he explains how the chapter breaks got there. If I can, after Shabbat, I'll try to excerpt and post as an answer. – DanF Jul 10 '15 at 15:21
  • @DanF The OP is asking about the Jewish division into chapters, like the one that appears in the Koren Bibles (at least the Hebrew ones). From what I can see, The Sefer ha-Toda'ah's account is of how the Christian division got in to the Chumashim (p. 340, and in more detail in pp. 351-2). The only Jewish divisions he seems to mention there are into Parashot ha-Shavu'a (and Aliyot), and into Parashot Petuchot and Setumot. – Tamir Evan Jul 24 '15 at 14:04
  • @TamirEvan I am unaware that any "official" Jewish version of chapter breaks existed or was ever developed. Thus, perhaps, taking an import from an old Christian source, there may have been doubts in several places, which may be what appears as some differences in the various Chumash versions. I gather they are minor. The point is, that the original source is the written Torah which has no chapters whatsoever. As Book of Our Heritage explains, and according to what we can verify easily ourselves, often the chapter location is in a non-logical place, in the middle of a parsha. (Torah "par.") – DanF Jul 24 '15 at 14:16
  • @DanF If you're unaware of the Jewish division into chapters, then read Seder (Bible) in Wikipedia (which I already linked to in a comment above). For an example of it's marking, in Koren and Mossad HaRav Kook bibles, see: http://www.tanachyomi.co.il/body/Body_sample.php (where it says: "סימון סדר", as opposed to the Christian marking, where it says: "סימון פרקים ופסוקים"). Official or not, it's what the OP seems to be asking about. – Tamir Evan Jul 24 '15 at 15:58
  • @TamirEvan Thanks. B"N, will do (probably after T"B.) Have a "joyous" fast. (It IS a Mo'ed). – DanF Jul 24 '15 at 16:02
  • Since the chapters are of no inherent significance, Jewish printers probably were not particularly careful in copying or changing them. Hence, variations. – N.T. Aug 06 '20 at 10:07

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