CHRONOLOGY.
I have been looking over your chain of chronology appended to ELPIS ISRAEL, and examining its links. I find them strong, consisting of irrefragable testimony till we come to the end of the “sojourn in the Wilderness.” Arrived there, I do not see it proved that the interval between this epoch and the commencement of the “times of the Judges” was 30 years. It may have been, but where is it demonstrated? —Then Paul says, “God gave Israel judges something like 450 years, until Samuel the prophet.” How long had his rule continued when Saul’s reign commenced? The latter, with the reigns of David, and Solomon, occupied 120 years, when Rehoboam’s reign commenced, from which period, it appears to me, the Apostasy of Israel must be dated, and not 4 years subsequently. You place this in the 4th of Rehoboam; but as he reigned only 17 years, and died in the 18th of Jeroboam—2 Chronicles 13: 1—this cannot be. Again, you make the 490 years of Daniel’s prophecy terminate with the Crucifixion; but he affirms that “in the midst of the week,” namely, the last of the Seventy, Messiah shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease; that is, virtually cease to be of practical force, I suppose. If it will not give you much trouble I should be glad to have some explanation on the points I have indicated.”
E. M. A.
England, January 1852.
“THE INTERVAL.”
We may remark by the way, that our attention was called to the Chronology of the Bible more particularly than is usual by a table published some years ago by the celebrated William Miller, in the Boston “Midnight Cry,” (it was a cry in the darkness of midnight truly,) wherein the editor states, on his behalf, that “in 1840, Mr. Miller felt that it was an argument against his view of the prophetic periods,” if it could be proved that the world was only 5,846 years old, and that all things must continue in their present state for 6000 years from the Creation. Now, in 1843, we were so thoroughly convinced that Mr. Miller, then in the full tide of his popularity, had mistaken the whole matter, that we were glad to find he had narrowed down the defence of his theory to a question of chronology; so that if proved incorrect in that, he was convicted, according to his own admission, of error in his prophetic computations, and that, consequently, the Lord would not come and burn up the world in March, 1843-4.
There was, therefore, no occasion to take up his points seriatim, but simply to address ourselves to the examination of his “Bible Chronology from Adam to Christ;” and to see if his statement were correct, that from the Creation to Christ were 4,157 years, and that the world was 6000 years old in 1843. This was his conclusion after three days spent in tracing the times of the Old Testament. But it was not ours. We found that it was only 4,086 years and 9 months, at the birth of Christ, varying 7 years and 9 months only from the computation of the Chinese Jews, who make it 4,079; 4,122 at the Crucifixion; and no more than 5,933 years and 5 months old in 1843, at Christmas time, leaving then 66 years 7 months to complete the 6000. In 1844, a few months after the article was written, we published our conclusions, with the arguments and proofs, in the first volume of the Herald of the Future Age, not now in print. We invited examination, and refutation if possible. But our Millerite friends took no notice, but continued to hold on to Mr. Miller’s errors with a tenacity truly remarkable. Mr. Hines, the editor of “The Cry,” is still just where he was, though overwhelmed with confusion by the lapse of time; and there he is likely to remain, unprogressive as he is, until the Lord come and render to him according to his deeds.
But Mr. Miller was not the only Bible Chronological at fault in his computations. Archbishop Usher, the standard authority, and all others we have seen, are more or less out of the way. We only refer to Mr. M., not as to an authority, for he was none, but as the most recent, and as the one by whose dilemma our attention was arrested to the subject.
As to the interval referred to by our correspondent, we find proof of it in the celebrated text, 1 Kings 6: 1, which reads thus:
“And it was in eighty years and four hundred years, with respect to the coming out of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt; in the fourth year, in the month of Zif, which is the second month, with respect to the reign of Solomon over Israel, he began to build the house to Jehovah.”
In this passage the chronographer indicates three periods: first, the period of the coming out of Egypt, which occupied 40 years; second, the period of 480 years; and third, the period to the 4th of Solomon’s reign. The last period was 82 years, making altogether, from the night when the transit from Egypt to Canaan commenced to the foundation of the Temple, 602 years.
Now, as the 480 years contain “the Interval,” the question is, how are they to be distributed so as to leave 30 years from the invasion of Canaan to the death of Joshua? In solving this problem we must call in Paul to give his testimony to the point. We ask him then this question, “When the army of Israel crossed the Jordan under Joshua, what occurred?” “God destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, and divided their land to Israel by lot.” True; and what then? “After that he gave them Judges.” How long did this judiciary order of rulers continue? “About the space of 450 years.” How soon after the division of the land by lot was it before these 450 years began? The apostle declines to answer this question; therefore we must put it in another form, and inquire, When did they end? They continued “until Samuel the prophet”—Acts 13: 19-20. It is then from the acknowledgment of Samuel by Israel, as the prophet of God to their nation—1 Samuel 3: 20, that the 450 years are to be reckoned upward. How shall we get at this? It is essential to the ascertaining of the interval; for the 450 years and the interval make up the 480 of Kings.
We must call the apostle into court again. As he is before us, we will now ask him this question—How long was it from Samuel’s recognition to the removal of Saul? “By the space of 40 years.” What occurred then? “God raised up unto them David to be their king.” One more question—How soon after Samuel’s recognition was it that Israel desired a king? We can get no answer from Paul to this interrogation, let us therefore bring up the writer of those books which go by Samuel’s name. We put the same question to him. Now mark his reply—
“After the capture of the Ark at the battle of Ebenezer, when Hophni and Phinehas were slain, and Eli broke his neck”—1 Samuel 8: 5; 4: 11, 13.
This is correct enough. It could not have been before; for that would be to make Saul king while Eli was judge. Who removed the Ark from Kirjathjearim, or Baale of Judah, where it was deposited seven months after its capture?
“David, after the death of Ishbosheth, two years after Saul fell on mount Gilboa”—2 Samuel 6: 2.
How long was it from the capture of the Ark to its removal by David?
“A long time, even twenty years and seven months”—1 Samuel 7: 2; 6: 1.
Ah, this is not so long a time as it ought to be according to Usher, Miller, and the rest, who give 40 years for Saul’s reign! It is clear that Saul’s reign must be compressed within the limits of these twenty years; and that “by the space of forty years,” does not signify that Saul reigned so long, but that it was the duration of the interval between Samuel’s recognition and the end of Saul’s dynasty—2 Samuel 2: 10; 3: 10. Saul reigned considerably less than twenty years; for after Eli’s death “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” until he was an old man, when he appointed his sons to assist him. It was the misconduct of these that caused the people to ask Samuel to make them a king—1 Samuel 7: 15; 8: 1-5. Saul’s age is not stated, neither how old he was at the beginning nor end of his reign, nor how long he reigned. He is styled “a choice young man”—1 Samuel 9: 2, when he first came on the stage of action; probably, however, not less than 50, for after reigning two years—1 Samuel 13: 1—we find his son Jonathan at the head of a thousand men, smiting the Philistine garrison in Geba; and at his death his son Ishbosheth was 40 years of age. Of this, however, we are certain that his reign ended two years before the removal off the Ark from Kirjathjearim, or 18 years and 7 months after the battle of Ebenezer. The probability is he did not reign more than eight or ten years at most; and was about 60 years when he died.
Now, as Eli died 20 years and 7 months before the removal of the Ark to Obededom’s, which terminates the “space of forty years” when Saul’s dynasty fell, it follows that the epoch “until Samuel the prophet,” which terminates the 450 years of the Judges, was 19 years and 5 months before the death of Eli; and that consequently the whole 40 years of his judgeship is not to be included in the 450 years, but only 20 years and 7 months thereof. Eli was high priest and 98 years old at his death. He had long been a feeble man, and of little authority in affairs of state, for his sons Hophni and Phinehas did wickedly without regard to his expostulations. Samuel was therefore raised up to take the lead, and to be in readiness for the anointing of a king, which Jehovah foresaw would be demanded. Samuel then entered upon his official duties with the consent of all Israel; and 450 years after the death of Joshua, during which time his successors, the Judges had the occasional gubernation of the Commonwealth of Israel.
Of these 450 years, tracing them up from Samuel’s recognition, the following is—
THE DISTRIBUTION.
YEARS
“Samuel established a prophet” a 00—a 1 Samuel 3: 20.
1. Eli-------------------- 7 months and 20
2. Samson b-------------------------------- 20—b Judges 16: 31.
3. Subjection to the Philistines c-------- 40—c Judges 13: 1; 14: 4; 15: 11.
4. Abdon d---------------------------------- 8—d Judges 12: 14.
5. Elon e------------------------------------10—e Judges 12: 11.
6. Ibzan f------------------------------------ 7—f Judges 12: 9.
7. Jepthah g--------------------------------- 6—g Judges 12: 7.
8. Subjection to the Philistines h-------- 18—h Judges 10: 8.
9. Jair i-------------------------------------- 22—i Judges 10: 3.
10. Tola k------------------------------------- 23—k Judges 10: 2.
11. Abimelech l------------------------------- 3—l Judges 9: 22.
12. Gideon m--------------------------------- 40—m Judges 8: 28.
13. Subjection to the Midianites n---------- 7—n Judges 6: 1.
14. Barak o----------------------------------- 40—o Judges 5: 31.
15. Subjection to Jabin p------------------- 20—p Judges 4: 3.
16. Ehud and Shamgar q------------------- 80—q Judges 3: 30.
17. Eglon r------------------------------------18—r Judges 3: 14.
18. Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother s--- 40—s Judges 3: 11.
19. Subjection to Chushan-rishathaim t--- 8—t Judges 3: 8.
20. After the Elders, who overlived
Joshua, there was no king or judge in Israel u-----u Judges 17: 6.
till Othniel delivered them from Chushan:
Phinehas grandson of Aaron was high priest;
but every one did what was right in his
own eyes. v----------------------- 5 months and 19—v Judges 20: 28; Joshua 22: 32.
21. Before the anarchy Israel serve
Jehovah all the days of the Elders who
overlived Joshua w------------------------------------w Judges 2: 7, 10.
----
Times of the Judges----------------------------- 450
Remainder of the years to the invasion
of Canaan making up “The Interval”-----------30
Whole number of years from Samuel’s
Recognition to the coming out of “the
Wilderness of the land of Egypt” x-------------480—x Ezekiel 20: 336; 1 Kings 6: 1.
The duration of the period of the Judges, or kings, periodically raised up to deliver Israel—Judges 2: 16, for 450 years, is an established fact. This will admit of no dispute in view of Paul’s testimony. It is true, he says “about (hoos) 450 years;” but we see from the table in what sense he uses the word “about.” The judges did not rule without intermission, so that as soon as one died another was appointed. This was not the case. They were men raised up for particular emergencies—emergencies that were created by the grinding oppression the nation endured from its enemies, which was brought upon them by Jehovah as a punishment for their anarchy and rebellion against His law. The Judges were military chieftains, commanders in chief of the forces, or temporary kings, whose ruling had principally to do with the foreign affairs of the people. The high priest and his associates were the ordinary constituted authorities of the nation who attended to its affairs as Jehovah’s ministers. “The space of forty years,” between Samuel’s recognition and the end of Saul’s dynasty, was a transition period in which the nation was passing from the occasional and elective, to the permanent and hereditary, monarchical constitution of things. The civil constitution of the government was amplified, and the new provisions thereof, called “the manner of the kingdom,” were written in a book by Samuel, who “laid it up before the Lord”—1 Samuel 10: 25. The hereditary principle was doubtless established in the book; for when Saul fell his son Ishbosheth, born two years before Samuel’s recognition, succeeded him; so also from the ascent of David to Jehovah’s throne over all Israel the hereditary principle prevailed, and the military judgeship off the nation descended from father to son till the kingdom of Judah was broken up by the Chaldeans.
In tracing the times from Samuel’s recognition to Chushan’s rule over Israel, we find the number of the years clearly stated. Their sum is 430 years and 7 months. But between the death of Joshua and the beginning of Chushan’s rule, there are no numbers recorded; so that specifications of the 19 years and 5 months of the 450 years which remain to be appropriated; that is to say, we cannot determine how many years should be assigned to the 20th item in the table, or how many to the 21st; but we may fairly state that the times of both items were comprehended in 19 years and 5 months, which could only be ascertained by working backwards from Samuel’s recognition to the death of Joshua.
The reader will also perceive from the foregoing table, why we regard the last five chapters of Judges as a continued and illustrative narrative off the things affirmed in Judges 2: 19, and referrable to the times before Chushan’s rule and the death of “the Elders who overlived Joshua.” The writer of the narrative tells us that the almost entire extermination of the tribe of Benjamin as a punishment for the abuse of Micah’s priest’s concubine, happened when Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson, stood before the Ark in Shiloh. The anarchy, when there was no king or judge in Israel, is not therefore to be reckoned after Samson’s death, but under the high priesthood of Phinehas, who was also some time contemporary with Joshua.
That the passage of the Red Sea was only the beginning of “the coming out from the land of Egypt,” and not the end of it, will appear from the fact, that the Wilderness is regarded in scripture as belonging to Egypt. Hence, alluding to the exodus, Jehovah says in Ezekiel,
“I will plead with you, O Israel, face to face, like as I pleaded with your fathers in the Wilderness of the land of Egypt.”
When in this wilderness Moses did not consider Israel in the brought out state until they were brought into the promised land. He urged Jehovah not to slay them as one man for their ten-fold rebellions against him, lest the nations should say he was not able to bring them into the land. They were in a transition state, passing out of Egypt into Canaan, a painful but necessary process, which consumed a whole generation and 40 years. We shall conclude these remarks, evoked by the question of the interval, by presenting the reader with the following—
TABULAR SUMMARY.
YEARS.
1. The coming out of Egypt into Canaan----------------------------------------------- 40
2. From the passage of the Jordan to the death of Joshua-------------------------------30
3. From the death of Joshua to the establishment of Samuel as prophet----------------450—480
4. From the recognition of Samuel to the fall of Saul’s dynasty “by the
space of forty years”----------------------------------------------------------40
5. David’s reign over all Israel from the death of Saul’s son Ishbosheth------------------38
6. From the death of David to the foundation of the Temple in
the 4th of Solomon---------------------------------------------------------------4------82
Whole number of years from the passage of the Red Sea to the Foundation----------------602
of the Temple
* * *
