Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 9 · Doctrines 1 · Question 66

Commentary on Daniel · Chapter 9 · Doctrines 1 · Question 66

p. 33366. Quest. Of the computation of yeares from the creation to the the natiuitie of our blessed Sauiour.

3. We will come now to the Iewes computation, which is either by the casting of the yeare of the world, or by the yeares of their kings and gouernours: other waies they hauehave to recken by, but these are most pertinent to this busines in hand.

1. Pererius counteth from the beginning of the world, to the birth of Christ 4022. yeares, which summe he thus collecteth by parcels.

From the creation to the flood, were yeares a 1656. as may be gathered, Gen. 5. by the age of the fathers: then he reckoneth from the flood, to the birth of Abraham, counting 30. yeares for Cainan, 322. from the birth of Abraham vntounto the Promise 75. Gen. 12. from the Promise to the giuing of the Law, 430. Gal. 3. frō thence to the building of Salomons Temple 480. 1. king. 6. 1. then to the beginning of the Olympiads in the 8. yeare of Ahaz, 283. and from the 1. Olympiad to the 4. yeare of the 194. Olympiad, wherein Christ was borne 776. yeares: all these summes laid together from the beginning of the world, to the birth of Christ, he summeth to 4022. yeares in all.

But Pererius diuersly faileth in this his reckoning. 1. for in the second summe from the flood to Abrahams birth, he committeth two great errors: for 1. he counteth 30. yeares for Caynan, which is not in the originall, but onelyonly in the Septuagint. 2. and beside, he reckoneth but 292. yeares, supposing Abraham to hauehave beene borne in the 70. yeare of his fathers age, whereas he was borne in the 130. yeare: for he was but 75. yeare old when his father was 205. so that from the flood to Abrahams birth, were 352. yeares: he then with forged Cainans 30. making but 322. yeares, wanteth yet 30. more of the iust reckoning. 3. further, he setteth the beginning of the Olympiads in the 8. yeare of Ahaz, whereas it is more probable they beganne 23. yeares before, in the 2. yeare of Iotham: here then he commeth 23. yeares too late. 4. and in his last summe of 776. he ouerreacheth aboue an 100. yeares, for from Ahaz 8. yeare to the 11. of Iehoiakim, when the captiuitie beganne, are but an 134. yeares, as may be gathered by the seuerall yeares of the raignes of the kings of Iudah: from thence to Cyrus 70. from Cyrus first to the passion of Christ 490. from which summe must be diducted 33. years from the passion of Christ to his birth; the whole summe is but 661.

2. Let vsus then further see, how these yeares from the beginning of the world, vntounto the birth of Christ, are otherwise summed. The chronologie and computation of yeares, added in the ende of the Genevean translation, counteth from Adam to Christs incarnation 4017. yeares, which they gather thus:

From the creation to the flood, 1656. from the flood to Abrahams departing from Chalde 423. from Abrahams departing thence to the departing of Israel out of Egypt, 430. from thence to the building of the Temple, 480. from thence to the captiuitie of Babylon in the 11. yeare of Zedekiah, 441. then to the building againe of Ierusalem, 143. from thence to Christs death, 478. The whole summe is 4051. from whence 33. yeares and an halfe beeing diducted, there will remaine 4017. yeares and an halfe.

But this account may be thus excepted against. 1. they count from the 4. yeare of Salomon, p. 334when the Temple beganne to be built, to the 11. yeare of Zedekiah 441. yeares, wheras from the 1. of Salomon, to the last of Zedekiah, by Iunius computation there are but 412. yeares, or thereabout: by some others, not aboue 430. Oecolampad. H. Br. Concent. 2. they count form the first destruction of Ierusalem, to the passion of Christ, 621. yeares: whereas there are at the most but thence to Cyrus first, 59. which with the 11. yeares from Ieconias captiuitie, make vp the 70. yeares, and 490. which put together, make 549. So that they doe exceed in these two last summes, almost 90. yeares: but they differ more in the whole summe from the creation to the natiuitie, as shall be shewed in the true computation.

3. But they are farre wide,In the Table before the great English B…le. which doe recken from Adam vntounto the birth of our Sauiour 5199. yeares, which summe they doe gather by these particulars: From the creation to the giuing of the Law, they account 3689. yeares, from thence to the natiuitie of Christ 1510. which make the said summe of 5199. wherein this is a great ouersight committed: for from the creation of the world, to the giuing of the Law, there are not aboue 2500. and odde yeares: which are counted thus: from the creation to the death of Ioseph, are 2368. yeares, from thence to Moses birth 60. yeares, who was 80. yeares old at their departure out of Egypt when the Law was giuen: all make but 2508. yeares: which summe wanteth of the foresaid number of 3689. a 1181. yeares.

4. There is an other account made by the yeares contained in the seuerall historicall bookes of Scripture, as Iunius hath summed them, thus:

The whole summe of these yeares put together, amounteth to 4053. from which summe if 73. years be diducted from the birth of Christ, to the destruction of the citie, (33. to his passion, and 40. thence to the ende of the citie) there will remaine from the creation of the world, to the natiuitie of our Sauiour, 3980. yeares. In which summe, two things may be excepted against: 1. in the yeares ending in the 11. of Zedekiah, which are cast to 3398. there want iust 22. yeares: for the 11. of Zedekiah was in the yeare of the world 3420. and the cause of the fayling is this: Iunius giueth but vntounto Amaziah. 17. yeares, and then immediatly to Vzziah or Azariah 52. for he thinketh, that whereas the storie saith, that Amaziah raigned 29. yeares, the last 12. he spent in a priuate life, and so those yeares are counted to his sonnes raigne: thus Iun. annot. 2. king. 14. 2. & 21. But it is more agreeable to the text, that Amaziah raigned 29. yeares, and then his sonne succeeded not immediatly, as Oecolampad. setteth him; but there was an interregnum, or intermission of the raigne, for eleuen yeares, the kingdome beeing gouerned by the States: as it may thus be gathered: Amaziah liued 15. yeares after the death of Ioash king of Israel, in whose 15. yeare beganne Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash to raigne ouer Israel, 2. king. 14. 17. 23. so then of Amaziahs 29. yeare, there remained yet 15. then in the 15. yeare of Ieroboam Amaziahs raigne endeth: afterward in the 27. yeare of Ieroboam, beganne Vzziah to raigne: then must needes the kingdome lie void eleuen yeares from the 15. of Ieroboam to the 27. H. Br. Concent. Genevens. And it can not stand, that Vzziah raigned together with his father: for he was but 16. yeare olde when he beganne to raigne, which was in the 27. of Ieroboam, 2. king. 15. 1, 2. whereas his father died in the 15. yeare of Ieroboam, when Vzziah was by this account but 4. yere old. And it is noted in direct words, that as soone as Azariah was made king in his fathers stead, he built Elath, after his father had slept with his fathers, 2. king. 14. 21, 22. So it is euident, that Iunius making Vzziah to beginne to raigne immediatly after the 17. yeare of Amaziah, commeth short of the iust summe 22. or 23. yeares: for he leaueth out 12. yeares of Amaziahs raigne, and omitteth the time of the vacancie, which was eleuen yeares more.

2. In that Iunius counteth an 106. yeares from Cyrus 1. to the 2. of Darius, when the Temple beganne to be reedified, and so extendeth the Persian Monarchie 199. yeares, therein he exceedeth (by 69. yeares) the yeares of the Persian Monarchie, which were an 130. as p. 335is before shewed, qu. 43. So that I rather approou… Iunius iudgement in his first edition, not allowing aboue an 130. yeares to the Persian Monarchie.

5. Oecolampad. thus casteth the yeares from the creation of the world, vntounto the Messiah:

But in this account there are diuers errors committed: for in the summe of yeares vntounto the first destruction of the Temple, which are summed to 3379. or thereabout, which in true account rise to 3420. yeares: he commeth short 41. yeares: which error falleth out by this occasion. 1. he misseth of 60. yeares in the summe from the flood to Abraham, placing him to be borne in the 70. yeare of Terah, whereas he was borne in the 130. yeare of his father, as is shewed further els where.H…xap. in G… c. 11. qu. 19. 2. from the death of Iacob to the departure of Israel out of Egypt, he counteth 230. yeares, which exceede not an 194. yeares: for when Iacob died at 147. Ioseph was 56. beeing 39. at Iacobs 130. yeare: so Ioseph liuing an 110. yeares, suruiued his father 54. from Iosephs death to Moses birth are counted 60. yeares: and in Moses 80. yeare departed Israel: these three summes, 54. 60. 80. make 194. here then Oecolampadius counting 230. yeares, exceedeth the iust number by 36. yet he faileth in the whole summe 41. yeares, or thereabout: for the iust summe of yeares from the creation to the departure of Israel out of Egypt, commeth to 2510. yeares, Iun. H. Br. but his two summes of a 1656. and 813. laid together, make but 2469. 3. In the yeares of the Kings, next vntounto Amaziahs 29. yeares, he placeth Vzziahs 52. yeares, whereas there came betweene, an interregnum, or vacancie of the kingdome, for the space of an 11. yeares, as is shewed before: but this number of a 11. yeares he taketh vp in adding so many in the seuerall raignes of the kings, as in giuing 8. yeares to Ioram, who raigned alone but foure, one to Ahaziah, whose time is not counted: 7. to Athaliah, who raigned but 6. and so he recompenseth by an other supplie in the addition of these and other yeares to seuerall kings, the want of the said number of a 11. yeares: so that here he agreeth in the whole summe of the yeares of the kings, which was from the beginning of Salomons raigne, vntounto the 11. yeare of Zedekiah, 430.

In the next summe from the 11. of Zedekiah, vntounto the destruction of Ierusalem, which maketh 649. these errors ar… found. 1. He counteth but 70. yeares from the first destruction of the Temple, vntounto the reedifying thereof in the 2. of Darius: whereas in the least reckoning, there remained 50. yeares of the captiuitie from the destruction of the Temple, to the first of Cyrus: and from thence 7. weekes, that is, 49. yeares more to the building and finishing of the Temple, as is shewed before, qu. 58. 2. He giueth vntounto the Persian Monarchie 160. yeares after the 32. of Darius Hystaspis, whome he thinketh to hauehave raigned 36. yeares, and to Cyrus and Cambyses he giueth betweene them 17. yeares: so he extendeth the whole Persian Monarchie to 214. yeares: which must be cut short to an 130. as is likewise declared before, qu. 43. 3. He numbreth but 292. yeares for the kingdome of the Grecians and Macchabees, which made 300▪ qu. 54. so that here he wanteth 8. yeares. 4. This whole last summe of 649. yeares, 73. beeing abated from the last destruction of the citie, to the birth of Christ, maketh 576. which ioyned to the fo…mer number of 3379. maketh 3955. whereas the iust summe to Christ birth from the creation, is 3927. or rather 3935. or thereabout: so that here is an ouerplus of 20. yeares in the whole summe, or there about.

6. Bullingers, account is this: he setteth …he 11. of Zedekiah, in the yeare of the world 3365. the ende of the Persian Monarchie in the yeare 3640. the ende of the kingdome of the Macedonians, which was in the 22. of Cleopatra, in the yeare 3940. and the birth of our blessed Sauiour in the yeare 3970.

1. But in the first summe of 3365. he commeth short by 55. yeares, the iust number beeing in Zedekiahs 11. yeare, …420. which oddes is like to arise, because Bullinger following the common account, setteth Abrahams birth in the 70. yeare of Terah, which was in the 130. yeare, and there faileth of 60. yeares … the 5. odde yeares he might make vp in adding to the yeares of the raigne of the kings.

p. 3362. In the next summe of 3640. he exceedeth, giuing vntounto the Persian Monarchie 215. yeares, (which he beginneth at Cyrus in the yeare of the world 3425.) whereas the whole exceedeth not 130. yeares.

3. In the next summe he accounteth right, numbring 300. yeares from Alexanders first, vntounto the last of Cleopatra.

4. But in the last summe, placing Christs, birth in the yeare 1970. he exceedeth about 35. yeares: it was by iust account 3927. or rather 3935. yeares, as now shall be made to appeare.

7. Thus then may the yeare of the world be found out, wherein our blessed Sauiour was borne: first we take the number before set downe by Iun. artic. 4. vntounto the destruction of Ierusalem in the 11. of Zedekiah, which is iust by true account found to be 3398. yeares, sauing that there wanteth 22. to be added, which Iunius cutteth off from the raigne of Amaziah, to whome he giueth but 17. yeares, whereas he raigned 29. and from the time of vacancie of the kingdome which was 11. yeares, as is there shewed: adde these 22. yeares to the former summe, and we shall hauehave iust 3420. yeares, from the creation to the desolation of Ierusalem in the 11. of Zedekiah: from hence to the death of our blessed Sauiour there are two accounts: Some counting the beginning of the captiuitie in the 1. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer, and the 4. of Iehoiakim, when Daniel was carried away captiue, (and Ierusalem was destroied in the 19. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer) doe make reckoning but of 50. yeares more to Cyrus 1. and thence to Christs death 490. yeares: so that the yeare of the world by this account was 3960. at the holy passion of Christ: and 33. yeares beeing abated for the age of Christ, his natiuitie shall be in the yeare of the world 3927. or thereabout, H. Br. in his Concent. But because the better opinion is and more probable, to beginne the 70. years in the captiuitie of Iechoniah in the 8. yeare of Nabuchadnezzer,See more for the beginning of the 70. yeares captiuitie, qu. 5. vponupon this chap. from whence Ieremie beginneth it, c. 29. 10. as Iosephus Scaliger sheweth, lib. 6. de emendat. tempor. we must adde 8. yeares more to the foresaid number, because we beginne the captiuitie later, and so these 8. yeares beeing added, we hauehave the 3935. yeare of the world for the birth of our blessed Sauiour.

But it will be obiected, that whereas the yeare wherein our blessed Sauiour suffered, is held to hauehave beene a yeare of Iubile, the 28. Iubile beeing cast vp to fall in the yeare of the world 3960. his birth beeing placed in the yeare 3927. we shall by adding of 8. yeares more misse of a yeare of Iubile in the yeare of Christs passion. We answer, that they which cast the 28. Iubile to be in the yeare 3960. beginne the first Iubile in the 8. yeare of Ioshuahs gouernment, H. Br. which may better take beginning 8. yeares after in the 16. of Ioshuah, when he gathered all Israel to Sechem, and made a couenant with them: for then the people had rest from their enemies, Iosh. 24. 1.

8. M. Lydyat placeth the birth of Christ in the yeare of the world 4007. and so exceedeth the former reckoning by 72. yeares: the reason of which difference is, because he giueth 204 yeares to the Persian Monarchie, beginning the same in the yeare 3471. and ending in the yeare 3675. whereas it is prooued before, that the Persian Monarchie could not exceede an 130. yeares, or thereabout, qu. 43.