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of life, representing, at least, two millions of persons, of all 
ages and sexes; — that is to say, it is impossible, if wewill take 
the data to he derived from the Pentateuch itself ’ (i. 101). 
51. The argument rests on the promise made by Jehovah, to 
Abram, under circumstances of great solemnity (Gen.xv. 13— 
15) j — “ Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in 
a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them ; and they shall 
afflict them 400 years. And also that nation, whom they shall 
serve, will I judge : and afterward shall they come out with 
great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace ; 
thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth 
generation they shall come hither again : for the iniquity of 
the Amorites is not yet full. 5 5 Of this last sentence Dr. Colenso 
says, with his usual confident assertion, “ this can only mean 
in the fourth generation, reckoning from the time when they 
should leave the land of Canaan, and go down into Egypt. 
Then he adduces the recorded cases of Beuben and Levi, both 
of whom were represented by the fourth descendants in 
successive generation, reckoning in each case the son of Jacob 
as the first of the four. He arrays also Judah, another son, 
some of whose fourth descendants (in the same mode of com- 
putation) were in the Exode. # 
52. But these are all, absolutely all , the examples he is able 
to furnish, out of Holy Scripture, of the principle on which he 
so relies, and on which he builds so great an edifice. It is, 
when built, a pyramid standing on its apex. Let us see 
whether there is no counter evidence on the same matter. 
53. I have already admitted that the reasoning built on these 
premises appears at first sight forcible. Yet it does not prove 
what is sought, — that only four generations intervened between 
the Eisode into Egypt and the Exode. And if this is not 
proved, nothing is proved. For everything depends upon the 
fact that no more than four generations occurred in any line ; 
because else these may have been according to the abnormal 
and rare condition of patriarchal protraction, and rapid and 
frequent succession the rule. In some fines, four generations 
appear certainly to have reached from Jacob to the Exode, viz., 
those from Beuben, Levi, and Judah. But of no other of the 
twelve patriarchs can this be shown. On the other hand, some 
of them certainly produced more generations in the same time. 
Thus, Joseph, Manasseh, Machir, Gilead, Hepher, Zelophehad, 
— six. Again, Joseph, Ephraim, Beriah, Bephah, Telah, Tahan, 
Laadan, Ammihud, Elishama, Nun, — ten. And though Judah, 
through Hezron, reached the Exode in four protracted fives, 
yet, through the same fruitful grandson, he had more numerous 
stages of descent; for Judah, Pharez, Hezron, Bam, Ammma- 
