1. JOSIAS begat Jeconias and his brethren. The brethren of the former Jeconias have been already mentioned, Johanan, Jehoahaz, and Zedekiah, who were likewife the fons of Jofiah. Of the fecond Jeconias, the name of no brother is recorded. 2. THE times, as distinct, are properly diversified. The elder Jeconias was born about the time they were carried away to Babylon; the younger, after they were brought to Babylon, begat Salathiel *. 3. THAT Jehoiakim the fon, as alfo Jeconiah the grandson of Jofiah, were both born before the first deportation to Babylon, is evident from indubitable notations already specified :—the former in the 24th, the latter in the 42d of Jofiah's life, as above computed. This circumstance fufficiently evinces the diverfity of perfons, and prevents confusion from the identity of names. 4. DIFFERENT dates are, without the leaft femblance of ambiguity, affigned for the removal to Babylon ;-one in the fourth of Jehoiakim's reign ;—a second in the first, a third in the 11th, of Zedekiah. 5. WHO were the perfons of whom the Evangelift affirms, they were carried, and they were brought, to * 'Ezì Tās μETOIunobis, fome time before. The Lexicographers remark, that 67, implying time, and as here put in construction, denotes priority of time, like the Latin fub in the fame fignification, as fub nocem, about even tide; at the approach of night. On the other hand, era, in this notion, unequivocally expreffes time fubfequent, as mità di try festoinntían, but after the migration. Babylon} Babylon? Answer: The words before and after, characterise no particular perfons. Neither nominative nor verb is expreffed in the original text. From our English verfion, an English reader would naturally fufpect, that the elder Jeconias and his brethren are implied. But this Jeconias, (Jehoiakim), was not carried to Babylon. In the 11th of his reign indeed, “ Nebuchadnezzar came up against him, arid bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon *. But he was never transported thither. Jeremiah had foretold t, "that he fhould be buried with the burial of an afs, drawn and caft forth beyond the gates of Jerufalem." Jofephus hiftorically records the circumftantial completion of this prophecy: "Nebuchadnezzar commanded king Jehoiakim to be thrown down before the walls of the city, without any burial!" That this was done in the 11th of his reign, and no fooner, the author expressly affirms. "His fon Jehoiachin, was made king of the land, and of the city. He reigned three months and ten days ‡." This fhort term of fovereignty is taken in to complete the last of his father's disastrous reign: for he too was taken, and actually removed to Babylon, when that year was expired §. NEITHER were all the brethren of the fenior Jeconias tranfported to Babylon. Of Johanan nothing is recorded but that he was the first born of Jofiah's four fons. It may be conjectured, either that he was flain 2 Chron. xxxvi. 6. S 4 Chap. xxii. 19. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 10. with with his father in the tragical battle of Megiddo, or was prevented by a natural death. Certain it is that the youngest, Jehoahaz, or Shallum, was dethroned, (after a reign of three months, which are alfo comprehended in the 31ft of his father), by Pharaoh Necho, and put in chains at Riblah; and a prediction, of equal credit with hiftory, had been emitted, " that he should die in Egypt, the place whither he had been led captive." Zedekiah, therefore, was the only fon of Jofiah, who had been carried to Babylon. This induction of circumftances terminates in the inference, that the Evangelift referred to no particular perfons removed from Judah into Babylonia, neither to any particular term between the fourth of Jehoiakim, and the 11th of Zedekiah. His words however intimate, that both Jehoiakim and Jeconiah were born prior to the first captivity of Judah ;—that Salathiel was born some time after the transportation of his father-but the precife interval is, in neither case, defined; nor was it neceflary. The register allows a latitude of interpretation. Jehoiakim might have been near 36 years old before he was put in fetters; and Salathiel might have been born before the captivity of Zedekiah, 6. MILL and Kufter, on the paffage, quote numerous and refpc&table authorities for reading, "Jofias begat Jakeim, or Joakeim; and Jakeim, or Joakeim, begat Jeconias." Though Laud, Selden, Petau, H. Stevens, and a cloud of other witneffes, give their sanc Jerem, xxii. 11, 12. tion to this fuppofed improvement; yet the more ancient fathers, Epiphanius, Austin, Ambrofe, Irenæus, &c. cenfure the propofed change of names as an innovation; because, in their judgement, the words as anciently read and ftill extant, are fufficiently difcriminated, though the names are the fame. Zedekiah, as the brother of Jehoiakim, is excluded from the genealogy of this period; but retains his rank as the last of the kings, who fat on the throne of David. *Yardley adopts the opinion of Trapp, in applying the fame name to the fon and grandfon of Jofiah; conformably to the authority of the Christian fathers, above mentioned. This decifion fuperfedes the ufe and neceflity of the various readings collected by Mill and Kufter, which feem to bring the fufpicion of inaccuracy on the text of the Evangelift, as now read. This diverfity of fentiments among the ancient and modern critics, only shews that variations had crept into the feveral copies of this gospel, even in the fecond century of our era. In a matter where certainty is unattainable, and either clause of an alternative, unimportant, every judicious reader is left to his own discretion. Perfectly confiftent with this freedom of choice is the remark, that the correction, fupplied by our modern critics, feems much more agreeable to the form of the Catalogue, which in other instances repeats the fame name, first in the relation of a fon, and next of a father: "Jofias begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat Jeconias.” : CHAP. CHAP. V. CHRONOLOGICAL Problems folved by Genealogy. HIS fubject, being retrofpe&tive, may be pro TH nounced a deviation from ftri&t method. But it could nowhere elfe be introduced more naturally; and its fubfervience to future arrangements will, it is hoped, recommend it as an interlude, which tends rather to diverfify, than retard the profecution of the primary undertaking, or mar its final effect. OF modern chronologers Sir Ifaac Newton was the first who, with a degree of penetration, peculiar to himself, (fuccessfully applied genealogy, as a middle term, for adjusting to the courfe of nature the chronology of the Gentiles in the fabulous ages), made important difcoveries. It is to be regretted, that he did not adopt for his ftandard the Hebrew computation, as extant in the original records of the facred canon; and not as exhibited by Petau, Scaliger, Usher, and their followers. To him, however, the learned world is indebted for certain improvements in the art of hiftorical combination, no lefs ufeful than fingular. |