103 



siiinmoiied the men of Ephraiin, and defeated the Moabites, 

 which victory determined the first repose, and commences the 

 second of 80 years. Usher, as we have seen, concludes the 

 first repose with the victory of Othniel, computing it from 

 the conquest of the land, which is at complete variance, both 

 with his own proper principles and the authority of the sacred 

 text; for it is plain from Scripture, (Judges, 1st passim.) that 

 the wars of Caleb and the elders, which succeeded the death 

 of Joshua, took place during these forty years, on his own 

 hypothesis, and consequently the land had not rest, during 

 that period, which objection I hold to be decisive against the 

 rece]3tion of his theory. 



The second repose, which commenced with the victory 

 over the Moabites, concludes with the next warfare in which 

 the Israelites were engaged, viz. that against Jabin, king of 

 riazor, who, having oppressed Israel 20 years, his domina- 

 tion began in the sixtieth year of this repose, for he also ap- 

 pears to have subjected the tribes, without any intervening- 

 hostility, that might have interrupted the repose; and his 

 authority, like Eglon's, was only tribute and service, which 

 does not determine the period of eighty years, agreeably to 

 our second principle of interpretation. 



But I must arrest myself to reply to an objection, that will 

 be forwardly urged against this system. Is servitude, I am 

 asked, synonimous with repose? Could the land enjoy rest, 

 when it was enslaved? I ansv/er yes ; it enjoyed rest from 



VOL. XI. ^ the 



