170 



of the twenty-two of Josepbus, from the death of Samuel, 

 and the present copies of Clemens Alexandrinus, who pro- 

 fesses to have followed the system of Josephus with great 

 accuracy, concur in the amendment. (V^ide Clemens Edit 

 Sylburgii Lug. Bat. p. 238.) But both may be reconciled by 

 supposing they reigned in conjunction but a very few years, 

 and that the forty years assigned by Saint Paul include the 

 period from the commencement of Samuel till the end of 

 Saul. 



Thus, then, stands my calculus : — The building of the 

 temple commenced in the second month of the fourth year of 

 Solomon, (1 Kings, 6. 1. compared with 2. Chron. 3. 2.), so 

 that there are three years in retrospect to the end of David. 

 David reigned 40 years ; Saul and Samuel 40; Eli and Samson 

 40; Abdon, Elon, and Ibsan, 25; Jepthah, Jair, Tolah, and 

 Abimelech, 54; Gideon 40; 40 years in retrospect to the de- 

 feat of Sisera ; 80, to the conquest of Moab, after the death 

 of Eglon ; 40, from thence to the defeat of Chusan ; 8, to the 

 beginning of his domination, which affords an aggregate of 

 410 years; 70 are necessary to complete the calculus, of 

 which we have 30 to the passage of the Jordan, and 40 from 

 thence to the exod. 



The several items have been already sufficiently discussed, 

 and the authority for each supported, I trust, with the requi- 

 site evidence, to the satisfaction of the candid : the advantages 

 it possesses over the several theories already proposed, to 



solve 



