208 Epidemics. 



our starting the era of A.D., either before or after any fixed 

 period in our chronological systems. 



According to Usher's determination of the birth of 

 Abraham as B.C. 1996, a variation of ten years occurs, and 

 also a variation occurs in the Egyptian exodus of B.C. 1491, 

 which, by adding six to 1480, makes it 1486, or only five 

 years short of Usher's assigned date, which, in so long a 

 period, is remarkable, and a very independent corroboration 

 of the general accuracy of the early chronology of this part 

 of the world's history ; and also remarkably confirms the 

 time of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and the Jewish captivity, 

 which commenced 587. For if we add six years to 560, 

 the length of fourteen generations of forty years each, we 

 have the date of 566 years, or a deficit of twenty-one years ; 

 but it was eleven years later than 587 that the entire 

 captivity was carried into effect, which would bring 587 

 down to 576, or only ten years longer than the period of 

 566. Yet this does not entirely embrace what the passage 

 quoted omits to say, for whether carrying away into Babylon 

 signifies the very commencement of the captivity, or some 

 portion of that time in which they were placed in captivity, 

 is somewhat uncertain ; for Matthew, in his genealogy, re- 

 ferring to the time of the Babylonish captivity, expresses 

 himself in the nth and I2th verses of the first chapter 

 somewhat indefinitely, and so far indefinitely that, if we 

 were to read " from or about the time of the carrying away 

 into Babylon," it would be equally as correct as reading 

 " from the carrying away into Babylon." He remarks that 

 " Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren about the time they 

 were carried away to Babylon." Adam Clarke makes some 

 learned remarks about this passage, for which see his well- 

 known " Commentary." 



From the foregoing remarks, it is not unsafe to conclude 

 that the sacred historian signified that fourteen generations 



