Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-02-25

are we to come at it, if, indeed, we can
come at it at all To this l would ans
wer if we can come at it at all, as verily
believe we cap, we must come at it by a
combination OF testimony and circumstan-
ces. First of all we must consult the
most reliable chronology. Second consult
the Dominical Letters, and thirdly we
must consult the rules of astronomy.
Well, as to the first of these witnesses,
what chronology shall we select for the
most authentic? presume you will say
with one accord. the Bible. But the skep-
tic might ask, is the Bible chronology re-
liable? / answer, Not Don't be star
tied, my friends, at this expression, but
let me explain. We have three versions
of the Bible in common use, to-wit: The
Hebrew, (our common Bible,) the Samar-
itan, and the Septuagent And they diff
fer widely from each other, no two of them
agreeing on chronology. The question
might arise, then, Which Is correct?
answer none of them is correct as to the
chronology. Well, then, you might say,
| Which of them is the near ,st correct?-
| answer, the Hebrew. Then you might
ask, Wherein is it incorrect2 answer
it is incorrect because in some instances
it does not give the chronology at all; as
in the case of joshua Samuel and Saul.
1t tells us that they ruled, but does not
tell us how long. But stop, says one: In
the case of Saul, Paul tells US, (Acts 13
2D God gave them Saul * x by the
space of forty years" So he does but
Paul never learned that in the Hebrew
Bible, and that is the book now under con-
sideration
Well to proceed 1t is not to be relied
on in the account of the bondage of the
children of Israel wherein it puts down
the duration of their bondage at 43O yrs,
whereas, both the other copies Of the BIZ
bic, and Josephus puts it down at $50 yrs.
Do you ask me thon, how prove the age
of the world by chronology which seems
to be SO faulty? l will tell you In the
last instance ] correct it by the other cop
|
IN the cases of Joshua Samuel, and Saul
| supply the wanting number of years by
Josephus and Paul Says Josephus -
They left Egypt in the month Xanticus,
On the 18th day of the Moons age, 43O
years after the coming of our progenitor
Abraham, into the land of Canaan, and
2l5 years after the migration of Jacob in
to Egypt" Ant b. IL c. I5 s. So Is Jo-
sephus to be relied on in this instance p
| What does Paul say on that subject? -
| The covenant that was confirmed of God
In Christ, the law (Which was 430 years
after) cannot disannul that it should make
the promise of none effect" Gal 5: II.
| What does Dr. Hales say on this sub
ject? He renders Ex l2 40, thus: ''Now
the sojourning of the Children of Israel,
and of their fathers when they soiour-
ned in the land Of Egypt, and in the land
of Canaan, was 430 years This peri
cd of 43O yeaas, he says, 'includes the
whole time from Abraham's migration to
Canaan, during the sojourning of their fa-
theirs there, for 2l5 years; and their own
in Egypt for 2l5 more The foregoing in
sertions, therefore, in the Massorite text,
| (which DIR. Clark says are lost out of the
| Hebrew text warranted by the Samarit-
an and by the Septuagent version, areab-
| SoIuteiF HeCeSSaTy W ADJUST Tue cnrOnOR-
gy of this period" New Anal Chron.-
vol ii. p. 200 Bliss Chron p 61
By reference to the twelfth chapter
of Genesis, we learn that Abraham was
IS years old when the promise was made.
Then if the law was given but fifty days
after the departure of the children Of Is
rael out of Egypt the 430 years spoken of
| by Paul, must include 25 wears of Abra-
hams time before the birth of Isaac, and
90 years of Isaac's time before the birth
of Jacob, and 130 years of Jacobs time
before he went into bondage amounting
in all to 2l5 years; leaving only 215 years
for their bondage prior to the giving of the
law, which Paul, as before stated, says
was 430 years after the promise. Is any
thing more wanting to prove this part of
the Hebrew chronology incorrect? And
is there any farther proof wanting that
the bondage of Israel was but 2l5 years
l presume not. Then we will try to show
from the Hebrew Bible thus corrected,
how old the world was at the building of
Solomon's Temple, and in order to do that
| do not know that can do better than to
give you an extract from one Of my prin-
ted letters on the age of the world.
| Years.
From C reation to the Flood 1856