96 



that tliey extend the period of life bej-ond the limits allotted 

 to luunanitj. Pezron and Vossius appear to make little ac- 

 count of this objection, but even Marsham himself, who ob- 

 served so many errors and inconsistencies in the scheme of 

 Usher, (which calculated the reposes in retrospect, rather than 

 in progression,) that he imagined the only means of avoiding 

 them was to account the reposes consecutively, has afforded 

 an eminent and strikina; instance of this oversight, which is 

 alone sufficient to overthrow the authority of his system. He 

 places the term of the judicature of Othniel A. J. P. 3374, 

 101 years, according to his own calculation, after the divi- 

 sion of the land.* Does he forget, that Othniel must have 

 been alive, and even come to man's estate, at that period, 

 since Caleb soon after gave him his daughter in marriage, 

 on his conquest of Kirjath Sepher .'' (Jos. 15-16. compared 

 with Jud. 1. 13.) and we know that the period of marriage 

 was later then than in after ages.-j- It follows, Othniel must 



have 



• It is remarkable, however, he does not attribute the whole repose of SO years to the 

 government of Ehud. He, indeed, allots him but twenty years, " Supponimus .labinem 

 morluo Ehudo in Israelitas impelum fecisse circa annum ab expulsis Moabitis vicesimum." 

 — (Saec.xi. p. Sort, quarto.) And if he does not expressly attribute the 40 years of the 

 first repose to the judicature of Otlmiel, he does not, as in the case of Ehud, give us 

 any reason to suppose he rejects the supposition, and, at least, he is partially subjected 

 to our censure, since he commences his jurisdiction 65 years after the passaga of the 

 Jordan, when he must have been nearly, or perhaps above, an hundred years of age. 



f Isaac and E<au married, when arrived at the age of 40. Pere Pezron has no objec- 

 tion to suppose Othni'"! lived ISO years, or even more. ' 



