above general amount, and this gives us 6484 + 47 = 6531. Consequently, if the numbers assigned to the seven patriarchs were originally equal, the amount belonging to each was 65317 933 = 3 × 311. Supposing, then, that the original unit of time was a lunar year of 11 months of 4 weeks each, or of 44 weeks-and the combination itself, so common among the Hebrews, would seem to imply this,-the sums of the numbers before us involve two systems of intercalation. For the seven patriarchs above mentioned give us 3 × 7 × 311, and the other two (Lâmek and Hanôk) gives 3 × 365. Now 7 years of 311 days, or 6 years of 44 weeks + 1 year of 47 weeks, are equal, within one week, to 6 years of 364 days, or of 52 weeks, for 6 x 44 + 47 = 311 and 6 x 52 = 312. Consequently the first part of our calculation gives us three of these cycles thus differing from one another by 1 week; and the second part gives us three periods of 365 days, or three complete Egyptian years, differing from the longer year of weeks by I day. And there is a symmetrical gradation in this which cannot be accidental; especially as the number of years deducted from Lâmek's age is precisely the number of weeks in the supplementary year of the septennial cycle."

"A similar explanation is applicable to the numbers attached to the names of the post diluvian patriarchs. The Hebrew text gives," for the nine from Shem to Terah, 2996. And attached to Noah, who forms the connecting link between his nine ancestors and his nine descendants, we have the number 950. Now we should expect to find, in this second group of numbers, some indications of a further cultivation of timereckoning; and we are not disappointed. For, while the former combination gave us only the year of days (365) in its relation to the year of weeks (364), and this last in its relation to the septennial cycle of the lesser years of 44 weeks + 3 days, the second set of numbers furnishes us with a sum which includes all the then known calculations of yearly periods. For the year of 52 weeks + 1 day = 335 days; the year of 52 weeks = 364 days; the year of 47 weeks + 1 day =330 days; the perfect lunar year 29 × 12 = 354 days; the imperfect lunar year = 29 x 12 348 days (Müller, Örchomenos, p. 222); and these are the only annual periods of any real consequence in ancient chronology. Now the sum of the years assigned to Noah and his descendants is 950 + 2996 = 330 + 348 + 354 + 6 × 364 + 2 × 365. And this is an obvious supplement to the former calculation, which is partly included in it."--(Vindication of Protestant Principles, pp. 144, 145.)

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PERIODIC COMBINATIONS OF THE TOTAL AGES. (GEN. v.)

138. Some other periodic combinations from the total ages shall now be adduced. First, of those in Gen. v. All these ages agree, with the exception of the two instances in which intercalations occur (Methuselah and Lamech), and of Jared in the Samaritan, whose years were necessarily cut short in that recension to suit its earlier date of the deluge. With respect to these, if we compare the Hebrew and LXX. ages, with the Samaritan, we find that the sum of the years of the first two patriarchs in each of the former exceeds that in the latter by a 364 cycle. The difference between the Hebrew and Samaritan recensions, with regard to Lamech's age is 124 years or double the LXX. intercalation in the first division. That between the LXX. and the

Samaritan is 100 years. Three times the difference between

the Hebrew and the Samaritan = the difference between the LXX. and the Samaritan, plus a millennium;-8575-8087 = 488. 488 × 3 = 1464 = 85518087 (464) + 1000.

PERIODIC COMBINATIONS OF THE TOTAL AGES. (GEN. xi.) 139. The following are the differences and combinations in the total ages given in Gen. xi., which seem worthy of notice. In no instance does the Samaritan exceed either of the other recensions. The Hebrew exceeds the LXX. in one instance, and the Samaritan in two. In each case the excess is 60 yrs. The LXX. exceeds both the Hebrew and Samaritan by the following numbers:-27, 460, 27, 100, 100, 100, 156. From these, if Cainan's 460 and the centuries (as centenary additions) be set aside, there will remain only such numbers as are found in our first division in the column of intercalations. The LXX. further exceeds the Samaritan by 60 yrs. Altogether, the sum total of the Hebrew is greater by 120 yrs. than that of the Samaritan, the LXX. than the Samaritan by 1030, and the LXX. than the Hebrew by 910 yrs.; or, putting Cainan's years out of the question, the LXX. will exceed the Samaritan by 570, and the Hebrew by 450 yrs.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TOTALS OF GEN. V. AND XI. 140. The total excess in both divisions of the LXX. over the Samaritan is 1494. If the excess in the first division of the Hebrew over the LXX were found in the Samaritan, the former would be reduced to 1460, a Sothiac Cycle. That a computation of the kind has been made, may be suspected

from the existence of the two variations (30-6), which suggest and render it possible. The sum of all the differences in excess is 3096, which is just 100 more than the sum of the 2nd division of the Hebrew, 220 more than that of the Samaritan, and 810 less than that of the LXX.

PERIODIC TOTAL AGES.

141. The following years of life have a periodic appearance :-Adam 930 (= 465 × 2). Seth 912 = 600 + 312 = 304 × 3 = 456 × 2). Jared 962 (= 481 × 2). Enoch 365. It is particularly noticed that he was "the 7th from Adam." Can there have been any connection between his place and his years of life, which 7 × 52+ 1. Methuselah 720 (= 360. x 2). Lamech 777. Shem 600. Arphaxad 465 (LXX). Cainan and Selah 460 (LXX). Heber 464 (= 232 × 2) Heb. Serug 230 (Sam. and Heb.) 330 (LXX).

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PERIODS FROM THE DELUGE.

142. In addition to the periods arising out of the Total ages which have already been adverted to, the following round or periodic numbers may be noticed : Noah died 3 centuries after the Deluge; Shem half a millennium; Reu a millennium (LXX); 770 years (Sam.), 370 years (Heb.); Arphaxad 440 (Sam. and Heb.); Selah 560 (Sam.), 470 (Heb.); Heber 671 (Sam.), 531 (Heb.), 801 (LXX), compared with Nahor 941 (Sam.), 341 (Heb.), gives differences 270 and 190 y.-Peleg 640 (Sam.), 340 (Heb.), 870 (LXX), Serug 395 (Heb.), Terah 427 (Heb.), 1307 (LXX), = Samaritan antediluvian Period. According to the Heb., from the birth of Arphaxad to the Call were 365 years, of which the life of Enoch was a measure.

COINCIDENCES CONNECTED WITH DEATHS.

143. Seth was 800 years (= 40 × 20) when his father Adam died, (Heb.). At the same time Mahalaleel was 535 years (= 107 × 5), Jared 470 years, and Lamech 56 years. The last number taken in connexion with the Hebrew intercalations, and with the traditional number of Adam's children,

See respecting Noah's age, the reasons for the longevity, and the Great Year -Ant. I., iii. 9.

is specially worthy of notice. Enoch the 7th, was the second to depart this life, his grandfather Mahalaleel being 592. Seth died (136 + 912 =) 1042 A. M., (of 4168 years, one computation of the time from Adam to the second destr). The call of Abram according to the Hebrew took place (1656 + 1 + 292 + 60 + 75 =) 2084 (= 1042 × 2). Hence the whole duration was bisected at the call. A LXX. reading gives for the period to the Deluge 2242 years, which would make 1200 years, or 2 Great Years between Seth's death and the Deluge. Mahalaleel's death (Heb) 1290 A.M. Peleg and his son died at 239. We are mistaken if this is not a cyclical number on the same principle as the "40 save one." Eber, the 5th, was 460 years old, when Abram the 10th or 11th died.

(3.) THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN AND SETH.

144. Josephus relates that God "made Cain accursed, and threatened his posterity in the 7th generation." "The posterity of Seth" he says, "continued to esteem God as the Lord of the universe, and to have an entire regard to virtue for 7 generations; but in process of time they were perverted and forsook the practices of their forefathers." (Ant. I. ii. 2 iii. 1.) It may admit of doubt whether the former statement has or has not arisen from the following passage in the Hebrew, (Gen. iv. 15); "whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." But it can scarcely be that, by Cain's "posterity in the 7th generation" is meant "the 7th after Cain," since only 6 are spoken of. The most probable interpretation is that the 7th generation from Adam is meant: and this is confirmed by the parallelism which is drawn between Lamech,-the 7th from Adam and Cain, (Gen. iv. 23, 24). Now it is remarkable that if we reckon the "7 generations of the posterity of Seth who had regard to virtue," the name which comes next after the 7, and which would be that of the first of those who "forsook the practices of their forefathers," is Lamech. Or perhaps the difference in the mode of expression may justify us in making this series as well as the other to terminate with the name of Lamech. At any rate, we find these two genealogies of 7 each bringing us to a Lamech ("the destroyer," distinguished by the same characteristic of such pre-eminent wickedness as entailed signal punishment. Of the one of these we are told that he had "77 children by his two wives, Silla and Ada," (Ant. I. ii. 2): and it is recorded of him that he said unto his wives;

I