Prolegomena to the History of Ancient Israel

The Wellhausen hypothesis, presented in 'Prolegomena to the History of Ancient Israel', fundamentally transformed the critical study of the Hebrew Bible. Wellhausen built on Graf's earlier, overlooked theory that the Levitical Law and parts of the Pentateuch were composed after Judah's fall and only gained authority during Ezra's reforms. Through meticulous analysis and source evaluation, Wellhausen validated the Graf theory, significantly influencing modern Biblical criticism, which has evolved but remains rooted in his pioneering work.