[46v] Well; The 430 Years take their Date, from the Dayes of Abraham. We will now see, what Year in the Life of Abraham, will be that whereon we are to fix our Epocha. It falls exactly, when Abraham was 75 Years old, and at his Departure out of Haran. It ha's its Date, from the primary Sojourning of the Progenitors of the Children of Israel in a Strange Land. The Departure of Terah and Abraham, from Ur to Haran was not into a Strange Land. It was in the same Countrey of Mesopotamia, with Ur itself. It was the Habitation of his Brother Nahor and his Posterity. Yea, Abraham himself calls it, in so many Words; [Gen. 24.4.] His own Countrey. And all along in the Scripture, it is not Mesopotamia, but Canaan, that is called, The Countrey of their Sojourning; and, A Strange Land; and where Abraham and his Posterity, were for a long Time said to be Strangers and Pilgrims. And to render all, the more incontestable; The famous Promise of the Messiah, was made unto Abraham, at this his Departure out of Haran.37
Wherefore, since Isaac was born 25 Years after Abrahams Departure out of Haran, and from thence, to the Deliverance out of Egypt, was at the utmost no more than 405 Years, tis no Wonder, if in a Place, where the Chronology is not so much concerned, that Space be stated only by the Round Number, 400 Years. Thus tis, in the Promise of a Son, unto Abraham. [Gen. 15.13.] Such a Round Number is very common with all Writers; & not to be wondred at, in the Sacred Ones.
The Subdivisions of this Period, are all found in express Texts of Scripture; except only the Interval of 64 Years, which falls between the Death of Joseph, and the Birth of Moses.38
But in this Period, we meet with Two Remarkable Difficulties.
The First is, The Number of Ten Children assign'd unto Benjamin, the Youngest of the Patriarchs, at the Descent into Egypt.
The Second is, The Grandchildren of Judah, namely Hezron and Hamul, reckon'd among them who descended into Egypt, when, according to the Circumstances of the History, as usually understood, they could not be Born at this Time.39
Now, first, it is not unreasonable to suppose, that when the Vigor of Mankind was much greater than it is at present, of which the great Length of their Lives is a sufficient Argument, the Ripeness for Procreation might commence earlier, than in our Times. Tis also plain from the Sacred History, that in those Times Men were extreamly desirous of having Children; a Numerous Offspring, especially among the Posterity of Abraham, was counted the greatest of Blessings; they had Recourse to Polygamy, and Concubinage, and Incest itself, to supply the Want of it. And yett we may add; There is nothing in either of these Instances, but what might happen in our Age.40
Benjamin might have his Ten Children by several Wives; yea, he might have them all by one Wife; since he was now, according to Dr. Usher, about 27 Years of Age.41
The Case of Judah calls for more Examination. Tis commonly taken, that at the Time of the Selling of Joseph to the Midianites, that is to say, 22 Years before the Descent into Egypt, he took Shuah to Wife; who successively bare him Three Sons, Er, and Onan, and Shelah. His eldest Son Er, is grown up; he marries Tamar; he Dies by a Divine Stroke. Onan then marries Tamar; and is killed by the Judgments of Heaven. Tamar is to stay, till Shelah come to Ripeness of Years. At this time, her Impatience of having Children putts her on a Method of Imprægnation by Judah her Father-in-Law. She bears him Pharez and Zara; and lastly, Pharez begetts Hezron and Hamul; and all this before the Descent into Egypt. Now it must be confess'd, if we can allow no more than 22 Years for these Occurrences, tis to no Purpose to seek for a Solution; and if the Time of the Selling of Joseph, be the same with the First Marriage of Judah, it is really inexplicable.42
But we must Remember, That tho' the Words, At that Time, seem to refer unto the foregoing History of Joseph, yett the Expression is of a much larger Extent in the Language of the Scripture; and includes a great Space of Time. Some have observed, the Phrase used Seventeen times in the Bible, Sine determinatâ aliquâ temporis notatione. It seems to be little more than a Particle of Transition, or a common Way of introducing a New Branch of an History, like the English Particle, Now. I may add; It is enough, that a Part of the Occurrences in this History, (the latter Part of them,) fell out, after the Selling of Joseph, and while he was in Egypt.43
Well; we will now connect Judahs Marriage, with Jacobs Return to |
