Prolegomena To The History Of Israel

Prolegomena to the History of Israel is a book written by Julius Wellhausen, a German biblical scholar, in 1878. In this book, Wellhausen provides a comprehensive analysis of the history of Israel, starting from the earliest times and continuing through to the period of the Babylonian exile. He argues that the history of Israel can only be understood by examining the religious, social, and political context in which it developed.Wellhausen's approach to the history of Israel is based on the documentary hypothesis, which suggests that the first five books of the Hebrew Bible were composed from multiple sources. He argues that the different sources reflect different historical periods and different perspectives on the history of Israel. By analyzing these sources, Wellhausen is able to construct a detailed picture of the development of Israelite religion and society.The book is divided into four parts. In the first part, Wellhausen provides an overview of the history of Israel, starting with the patriarchal period and continuing through to the Babylonian exile. In the second part, he examines the sources of the Pentateuch and discusses their historical significance. In the third part, he analyzes the development of Israelite religion, including the role of the priesthood and the development of monotheism. Finally, in the fourth part, he discusses the social and political structures of ancient Israel, including the role of the monarchy and the development of the legal system.Prolegomena to the History of Israel is considered a landmark work in the field of biblical scholarship. Wellhausen's approach to the history of Israel has been influential in shaping modern understanding of the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel.Of the offerings, it was the custom in the earlier time to dedicate a portion to the deity but to use the greater part in sacred feasts, at which a priest, if present, was of course allowed also in one way or another to participate. But he does not appear to have had a legal claim to any definite dues of flesh. ""Eli's sons were worthless persons, and cared not about Jehovah, or about the priests'right and duty with the people.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.