Benedict Welte (Ratzenried, Württemberg, 25 November 1825 – 27 May 1885, Rottenburg am Neckar) was a German Catholic exegete.
Much of the material for this work had been gathered by his predecessor, Johann Georg Herbst, who left a request that Welte should finish and edit his notes.
Welte was not in fact in sympathy with the method of Herbst; and at times found it necessary to append his own views and arguments.
Two years later, a third volume, completing the task, published as Specielle Einleitung in die deutero-canonischen Bucher des alten Testamentes came from the pen of Welte alone.
To this work Welte himself contributed 200 articles, and his literary activity closed with the completion of the encyclopedia.