CHRONOLOGY OF THE BIBLE.

contemporaneous; but this is opposed to the language of Scripture, which describes one judge as being after another.

Judges iii. 7, 8,-"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord." "Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim 8 years."

Judges ii. 9, 11-And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz." And the land had rest 40 years."

Judges iii. 12, 14-" And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel." "So the children of Israel served Eglon, the king of Moab, 18 years."

Judges iii. 15, 30-" But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera." "So the land had rest 80 years.'

Judges iv. 1-3-" And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was

11

A. M.

8 2602.

40 2642

18 2660

80 2740

the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan." And 20 years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel."

Judges iv. 4, 14, 23-" And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time." And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand." "So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan." · v. 31, "And the land had rest 40 years."

Judges vi. 1-"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian 7 years."

Judges vi. 14-The Lord appeared unto Gideon, "and said, Go, in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites."viii. 28, "Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel. And the country was in quietness 40 years in the days of Gideon."

Judges viii. 33; ix. 6, 22, 54—" And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim." And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Milo, and went, and made When Abime

66

Abimelech king."

A. M.

20 2760

40 2800

7 2807

40 2847

lech had reigned three years over Israel, then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem." "And he died."

Judges x. 1, 2-"And after Abim. elech there arose to defend Israel, Tola." "And he judged Israel 23 years, and died."

Judges x. 3, 5-,, And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Is. rael 22 years." "And Jair died."

Judges x. 6, 7, 8" And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord." "And he sold them into the hands of the Philis. tines." "6 They vexed and oppressed the children of Israel 18 years."

NOTE. Here the Lord raised up Jepthah, who to the demand of the children of Ammon, that he should restore the land to them that Israel took from them when they came out of Egypt, replied, xi. 26. "While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns and Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, 300 years, why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?" This would imply that Israel had been firmly settled before that time. the beginning of the captivity out of which they were just delivered, from the elders and anarchy was 301 years, according to this chronology.

To

3 2850

23 2873

22 2895

18 2913

Judges xi. 32" So Jepthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hand." xii. 7"And Jepthah judged Israel 6 years."

Judges xii. 8, 9" And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem, judged Israel." "And he judged Israel 7 years."

Judges xii. 11-" And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel 10 years." Judges xii. 13, 14-" And him Abdon" "judged Israel," "and he judged Israel 8 years."

after

Judges xiii. 1--" And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines 40 years." During this captivity Sampson judged Israel 20 years, xvi.

31.

From the first captivity we have had an unbroken chain of chronology, to the death of Sampson. How long Israel served the Philistines after Sampson's death before their 40 years' servitude ended, we are not informed; but that this servitude did end before Eli arose to judge Israel, we learn from Judges xxi. 24, 25. After they had slaughtered the children of Benjamin, we read, that "The children of Israel departed thence at that

A. M.

6 2916

7 2926

10 2936

8 2944

40 2984

time every man to his tribe, and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance. In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

After this we read, 1 Sam. iv. 10, 11, 18, that "the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent, and there was a very great slaughter." "And the

ark of God was taken." When Eli heard this," he fell from off his seat backward, by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel 40 years."

Judges vii. 2-"And it came to pass while the ark abode in Kirjathjearam, that the time was long; for it was 20 years."

Judges vii. 15,-" And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life." How long he judged Israel after the ark was restored, we are not informed; but as he lived to be old, and could not have been more than 38 when Eli died, it is reasonable to suppose that he judged Israel after the ark was restored, before Saul was made king; but as we have no certain evidence, we shall add no additional time.

A. M.

40 3024

20 3044