A DISSERTATION
ON
THE TRUE AGE OF THE WORLD,
IN WHICH IS DETERMINED
=The Chronology of the Period=
FROM
CREATION TO THE CHRISTIAN ERA.
BY PROFESSOR WALLACE.
“Mundum tradidit disputationi eorum.”
ECCLES. iii. 11. Lat. Vulg.
LONDON:
SMITH, ELDER AND CO. 65, CORNHILL.
1844.
London:
Printed by STEWART and MURRAY,
Old Bailey.
PREFACE.
The following Dissertation treats of a subject which has divided the
opinions of the learned world from the third century till the present
time; namely, the discrepancies which exist between the present Hebrew
text and the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, respecting the
generations of the Ante and Postdiluvian Patriarchs. It treats also of
the similar discrepancies, which exist between the Hebrew and the
Samaritan texts, and of the testimonies of Josephus and other ancient
historians and chronographers, in favour of the accuracy of the
Septuagint on this point. These discrepancies, with others of minor
extent, which are here also duly considered, occasion a difference
between the Hebrew and the Septuagint as to the chronology of the period
from creation to the Birth of Christ, amounting in all to nearly 1500
years,—the difference between the modern and ancient computation of the
_true age of the world_.
This question, which has never been satisfactorily settled,
notwithstanding the efforts of the ancient chronographers Theophilus,
Africanus, Eusebius and Syncellus, and the labours of the modern
chronologers, Petavius, Usher, Jackson, Hales, Russell and Clinton, has
acquired fresh importance from the late discoveries of Astronomers and
Geologists, and the recent investigations of learned writers on the
prophecies and the millennium. The startling announcements made by
Geologists regarding the antiquity of the earth, which, according to
their discoveries, amounts to millions of millions of years; and the
curious statements of Astronomers respecting the ages of time required
for the transmission of the light of the stars, the continual
development of new nebulæ in the heavens, and the gradual formation of
new suns and systems in the universe; are sufficient causes, why a new
inquiry into the chronology of the Bible has become both popular and
necessary, and why the question concerning the discrepancies between the
Hebrew text and the ancient Greek version has been revived.
The interest attached in these latter days, by pious and learned men, to
the study of the prophecies of Daniel, and of the Apocalyptic visions of
John, tends greatly to increase the popularity of chronological
inquiries respecting the Mundane Times. The late researches of writers
on this subject into the mystic numbers of days or years appointed by
the Great Creator for the fulfilment of these prophecies and visions,
naturally leads to the investigation of the _true age of the world_; and
this again, if properly conducted, conduces to the settlement of the
dates of all the great events both in sacred and profane history. The
Christian Church, having once established these epochs on a firm
chronological basis, can then look calmly forward, as from an elevated
vantage ground, to the rapid accomplishment of all the prophecies both
of the Old and New Testament; and particularly to the downfall of the
Papacy, the destruction of the Mohammedan Imposture, the overthrow of
Infidelity, the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, the battle of
Armageddon, the supervention of the Millennium, and the Second Advent of
the Messiah in the clouds of Heaven.
It is no mean and uninteresting inquiry, therefore, to attempt to
ascertain from the Sacred Scriptures, the true date of the present year
from the creation of the world; and to determine which of the modern
computations is the most correct, or whether any of them be in exact
accordance with the unerring testimony of the word of God. For,
according to the chronology of the modern Jews, we now live in the year
of the world 5604; according to that of the Church of England, founded
on the authority of Archbishop Usher’s interpretation of the Hebrew
text, in A.M. 5848; according to that of the Church of Rome, founded on
the authority of Eusebius, and the later chronographers, in A.M. 7044;
but, according to that of the most learned of all Christian churches,
and particularly the recent writers, Jackson, Hales, Russell and
Cuninghame, founded on the authority of the Septuagint, corrected
according to the best and most ancient codices of that version, and
tested by Astronomical and Jubilean Cycles of time, in A.M. 7322.
In the _First Part_ of this Dissertation, a critical analysis is given
of the construction of the different Ages of the world previous to the
Messianic age, as determined by the supreme authority of the Sacred
Scriptures, which the author places above and beyond that of the
statements and the testimonies of all human writers. The learned
chronological works of Mr. Cuninghame have been particularly brought
under his review, and have, in fact, formed the basis of his
investigations; namely, _A Synopsis of Chronology_, London, 1837; _The
Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies Tried_, London, 1838; _The Fulness of
the Times_, second edition, London, 1839; _A Chart of Sacred
Chronology_, London, 1842, &c. The following important chronological
treatises have also been specially brought under his notice; namely,
_Scripture Chronology_, being _Appendix V. to_ Vol. i. of Mr. Clinton’s
very learned work, the _Fasti Hellenici_, Oxford, 1834; and
_Chronographiæ LXX. Interpretum Defensio_, being _Treatise V. in_ Vol.
iii. of the _Cours Complets D’Ecriture Sainte et De Theologie_, a
laborious, learned and valuable work in 50 volumes, published by _M.
L’Abbé Migne_, Paris, 1841. Frequent references are likewise made to the
well-known chronological works of Usher, Jackson, Hales, and Russell.
In the _Second Part_, a critical inquiry has been instituted into the
evidence, Scriptural, Historical and Physical, for the universal
diffusion among mankind of the Great Primeval prophecy concerning the
Renovation of the world, and its bearing on the question of the true
period of the Advent of our Saviour, and the Extent of the Mundane ages.
This inquiry leads to a short discussion on the origin of Idolatry, the
Source of the Heathen names of the Deity, and the notions entertained by
the ancient mythologists and poets concerning the _Seven ages_ of the
world. This discussion brings to light some evidences of a curious and
striking nature in favour of the true Chronology. The work concludes
with an investigation of the errors of the most eminent of the ancient
Chronographers, and an elucidation of their clear and united testimony
to the authenticity of the computation of the Septuagint.
To complete the object of this Dissertation, the author intended to
review the Astronomical and Geological evidence for the antiquity of the
globe; but the Scriptural and Historical evidence for the _true age of
the world_, appeared to him of such paramount importance, and of so
overwhelming a nature, that he was compelled to devote his best
attention to its development and elucidation. If he has been successful
in this attempt, it will be to him a source of no small gratification,
and no small reward for his labour; it will also be a powerful
inducement to prosecute his intended investigations, having, in this
work, only very slightly touched on the Geological question, and not at
all on the Astronomical, except in what relates to the cyclical
character of the Mundane Times, which may be considered as only the germ
of this magnificent subject. Impressed with the idea that the _True Age
of the World_ is written in the Heavens by the finger of God, and that
the revolutions of the Solar System, if rightly investigated, must lead
to its discovery; the author made some astronomical calculations of
which at present, he can only communicate the results. Assuming that at
the Creation of the world, there was a Grand Heliocentric conjunction of
all the Planets, and that at some subsequent period of its history, the
same phenomenon would at least be partially visible from its surface, he
endeavoured to determine the period or cycle which must elapse before a
second conjunction would happen. He found by these calculations, that
this cycle was nearly 2401 years, a period which according to the
language of Scripture is a _Jubilee of Jubilees_; and, that reckoning
from the era of Creation determined in this work, the Second conjunction
took place about B. C. 3078, which is within a few years (24) of the
date generally assigned to the Hindoo epoch of the Calyougham. He found
also, that the Third conjunction took place about B. C. 677, when the
remnant of the Ten Tribes was carried away into a long captivity, and
the kingdom departed from Israel; and, that the Fourth conjunction took
place in A.D. 1725, when on the 17th of March, at Pekin in China, the
planets Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter, were all seen in the field of
the same telescope at the same instant, by the Jesuit Missionaries
Gaubil, Jacques and Kegler. In confirmation of the same epoch of
Creation, he also found that the longitude of Sirius, the largest and
brightest of all the Stars in the Heavens, and by some supposed to be
the central point of attraction to our Sun, was 0° 0′ 0″ on the 21st of
March B. C. 5478, according to the most recent determination of the
precession of the equinoxes; but the discussion of these curious results
and other topics to which he has already alluded, must form the subject
of a future volume.
_London, Sept. 2nd, 1844._
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART I.
INTRODUCTION.
1. State of the World at the Birth of Christ—Tradition
concerning his Advent—Its epoch determined from Prophecy page 1
2. Short history of the Septuagint Version of the Old
Testament—Discrepancies between the Hebrew and the
Septuagint—Their effect on Sacred Chronology 4
SECTION I.—AGES AND EPOCHS OF THE WORLD.
CHAPTER I.—EXTENT OF THE FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD.
1. Discrepancies of the Hebrew, Septuagint, and Samaritan
Texts—Solution of the difficulty by the chronographers of
the middle ages—Consistency of the Septuagint and the New
Testament—Numerical errors of the Hebrew text 9
2. Origin and effect of various readings—The immaculate purity
and miraculous preservation of the Hebrew text, a
figment—Consistency of the word of God 12
3. Tables of the Discrepancies of the three texts with regard
to the Antediluvian Patriarchs: Table I., In their
Antepaidogonian ages—Table II., In their Postpaidogonian
ages—Table III., In their whole lives—Internal evidence
afforded by the Tables in favour of the computation of the
Septuagint—The Discrepancies of the Hebrew and Samaritan the
work of design—Proof of this fact from the Scriptures 14
4. Reasons assigned for the alterations in the Hebrew and
Samaritan—Accuracy of the Septuagint demonstrated—An
objection to its chronology removed—Utility of the
publication of _fac simile_ editions of the codices—Late
origin of the _printed_ Hebrew text—Its original agreement
with the Septuagint proved 20