Reading Entire Bible In One Year Schedule
The practice of reading through the entire Bible in a year has historical roots in Jewish tradition, particularly concerning the Torah. The common custom throughout Israel was to complete the reading of the Torah (the Pentateuch) in one year [1]. This annual cycle would begin on the Sabbath following the Sukkot festival with the reading of the sidrah (Torah portion) Bereshit (Genesis), continuing weekly until the entire Torah was completed by the next Sukkot festival [1].
This annual reading schedule is also reflected in the New Testament, where it is noted that "after the reading of the law and the prophets" occurred every Sabbath day [6]. The five books of Moses were divided into 53 sections, allowing for one section to be read each Sabbath, with two sections read on one day to complete the entire law within a year [6]. This completion was celebrated at the close of the Feast of Tabernacles, a day known as "the rejoicing of the law" [6].
While the one-year cycle was prevalent, some traditions, particularly among "the people of the West" (Eretz Yisrael or the Land of Israel), followed a three-year cycle for reading the Torah [2, 3, 4]. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, acknowledges this alternative but states that it was "not a widely accepted" practice compared to the one-year cycle [1]. The concept of dedicating the entire year to Torah study is also emphasized, with Abraham Ibn Ezra commenting on Deuteronomy 31:12 that the year was to be devoted to learning [5].
Beyond the Torah, the broader concept of annual cycles appears in various contexts. For instance, certain offerings were made only once a year [7, 9]. Augustine, in On the Holy Trinity, also notes the prevalence of the number six in the course of a year, relating it to the perfection of the senary number [8]. The division of the day into hours and the year into seasons further illustrates structured temporal approaches to religious and daily life [8, 11]. The Talmud also outlines specific Torah portions that would be read on different days of the week by non-priestly watches, indicating a systematic approach to scripture engagement beyond just the Sabbath [10].
Sources
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 13:1: The common custom throughout all Israel is to complete the [reading of] the Torah in one year. [The cycle] is begun on the Sabbath after the Sukkot festival, reading the sidrah, Bereshit . On the following Sabbath, [the sidrah, ] Eleh toldot [is read]; on the third, [the sidrah, ] Vayomer Ado-nai el Avram . We continue reading according to this order until the Torah is completed, during the Sukkot festival. There are those who finish the Torah reading in a three-year cycle. However, this is not a widely accepte”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 64b.58:20: However, according to the one who said that the portion of “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, My offering” is read as Shekalim , does that portion ever occur at that time of the year? That portion usually occurs much later in the year, in the summer. The Gemara answers: Yes, it sometimes occurs that this portion is read during the beginning of Adar, for the people of the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, who complete the cycle of reading the Torah not in one year but in three years.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 64a.58:20: However, according to the one who said that the portion of “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, My offering” is read as Shekalim , does that portion ever occur at that time of the year? That portion usually occurs much later in the year, in the summer. The Gemara answers: Yes, it sometimes occurs that this portion is read during the beginning of Adar, for the people of the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, who complete the cycle of reading the Torah not in one year but in three years.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 29b.20: However, according to the one who said that the portion of “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, My offering” is read as Shekalim , does that portion ever occur at that time of the year? That portion usually occurs much later in the year, in the summer. The Gemara answers: Yes, it sometimes occurs that this portion is read during the beginning of Adar, for the people of the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, who complete the cycle of reading the Torah not in one year but in three years.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 31:12: THAT THEY MAY LEARN. The entire year. 17 The year was to be devoted to Torah. Similarly on the Sabbath. 18 Is to be devoted to Torah study.”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 13:15: And after the reading of the law and the prophets,.... Which was done every sabbath day, Act 15:21 The five books of Moses, which are meant by the law, were divided into sections: Genesis was divided into twelve, Exodus into eleven, Leviticus into ten, Numbers into ten, and Deuteronomy into ten, which in all make fifty three sections: and so by reading one on each sabbath, and two on one day, they read through the whole law in the course of a year, and which they finished at the close of the feast of tabernacles; and that day was called "the rejoicing of the law"; it w”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Shevuot 99b.17:1: only once a year.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 4.--THE RATIO OF THE SINGLE TO THE DOUBLE COMES FROM THE PERFECTION OF THE SENARY NUMBER. THE PERFECTION OF THESENARY NUMBER IS COMMENDED IN THE SCRIPTURES. THE YEAR ABOUNDS IN THESENARY NUMBER. (part 3): month; while the quarter of a day contains six hours. For the entire day, i.e. including its night, is twenty-four hours, of which the fourth part, which is a quarter of a day, is found to he six hours. So much in the course of the year does the sixth number prevail.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Shevuot 9a.1: only once a year.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 62a.51:7: Which portions of the Torah would the members of the non-priestly watch read on each day? On Sunday they would read the portions starting with: “In the beginning” and “Let there be a firmament” (Genesis 1:1–8). On Monday they would read: “Let there be a firmament” and “Let the waters be gathered” (Genesis 1:9–13). On Tuesday they would read: “Let the waters be gathered” and “Let there be lights” (Genesis 1:14–19). On Wednesday: “Let there be lights” and “Let the waters swarm” (Genesis 1:20–23). On Thursday: “Let the waters swarm” and “Let the earth bring for”
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Sanctification of the New Month 10:4: When you know which is the first year of a [nineteen- year] cycle, [you will be able to calculate the beginning of every subsequent season] by adding 91 days, 7 hours, 519 units, and 31 moments for each and every season until the end of the [nineteen- year] cycle.”