234 



It only now remains, that we consider the celebrated text. 

 Acts 13. 19: 20. aftbrding the supputation of St. Paul, which 

 is usually alledged against the authenticity of the contested 

 text, and insisted on by every advocate of the enlarged in- 

 terval. 



1st. On this I would remark, St. Paul either designed to 

 exclude the 3^ears of servitudes from the period be assigns to 

 the Judges, or he did not. In the former case, he must have 

 computed the numbers aiForded to us by the Book of Judges, 

 separately, and in succession; which would have given him, 

 from the conquest to the death of Samuel, above 500 years, 

 (which Josephus, who reckons all the nua)bers consecutively, 

 has noticed as the true interval,) a number which is certainly 

 better adapted either to determine the true and exact interval, 

 if that was St. Paul's object, agreeably to the first alternative, 

 or for the purposes of an orator, who usually assigns rather a 

 round and approximating period, than a precise and chrono- 

 logic one. So that it clearly follows, that St. Paul, if he 



meant 



servitudes, and seem to have a particular reference to the nature of these latter: thus, in 

 in some instances, " the Lord sold the children of Israel," seems to denote the servitude 

 to have been only of tribute, whereas " the Lord delivered them into the hands of their 

 enemies" more properlv indicates a greater severity of subjection, and the circumstances 

 of the oppressions recorded, appear at least, in some instances, to justify this, perhaps 

 hypercritical remark, (Collate Judges 3. 8. 12,) in which the term " strengthened" is 

 particularly apposite, when contrasted with the small success of the king of Jloab, 

 (noticed above)chap. 4. 2, 6. I. 10. 8. 13. 1. on c, 6. 1. we have also observed before. 



