And herein I shall not scrupulously bind myself unto days, or months, or seasons of the year, in any single account, but only con- sider the full and round number of years, which in such computa- tions, according to the custom of holy writ, is to be observed. And indeed, what through the silence, what through the disagreement, of ancient historians, it is utterly impossible to state exactly, as to those lesser fractions, the times that are past of old; and we seek for no more certainty in these things than the condition of them will naturally bear.
5. It is generally agreed by all historians and chronologers that Cyrus began his reign over Persia in the first year of the fifty-fifth Olympiad; probably the same year that Nabonidas or Darius Medus
336 COMPUTATION OF DANIEL’S WEEKS. [ EXERC. Xv.
began his reign over Babylon. And this was the year wherein Daniel set himself solemnly to seek the Lord for the delivery of the people out of captivity, he being now come to a kingdom who was so long before prophesied of to be their deliverer, Dan. ix. 1-3. In the twenty-seventh year of his reign, or the first of the sixty-second Olympiad, having conquered the Babylonian empire, he began the first year of his monarchical reign, from whence Daniel reckons his third, which was his last, chap. x. 1; and therein he proclaimed liberty unto the people of the Jews to return to Jerusalem, and to build the temple, Ezra i. 1. The city and temple were destroyed by Titus in the third year of the two hundred and eleventh Olym- piad. Now, from the first year of the sixty-second Olympiad unto the third of the two hundred and eleventh Olympiad, inclusive, are five hundred and ninety-nine years; and within that space of time are we to inquire after and find the four hundred and ninety years here prophesied of and foretold.
6. Of this space of time, the Persian empire, from the twenty- seventh of Cyrus, or first of the whole monarchy, and the first of the sixty-second Olympiad, continued two hundred and two years, as is generally acknowledged by all ancient historians, ending on and including in it the second year of the one hundred and twelfth Olympiad, which was the last of Darius Codomannus. For Cyrus reigned after this three years; Cambyses and Smerdis Magus, eight; Darius Hystaspes, thirty-four; Xerxes, with the months ensuing of Artabanus, twenty-one; Artaxerxes Longimanus, forty-one; Darius Nothus, nineteen; Artaxerxes Mnemon, forty-three; Ochus, twenty- three; Arses, three; Darius Codomannus, seven. In all, two hun- dred and two years.
After his death, Alexander, beginning his reign in the third year of the one hundred and twelfth Olympiad, reigned six years. From him there is a double account, by the two most famous branches of the Grecian empire. The first is by the Syrian, or era of the Se- leucidze, which takes its date from the tenth year after the death of Alexander, when, after some bloody contests, Seleucus settled his kingdom in Syria, and reigned thirty years. After him reigned Antiochus Soter, twenty-one years; Antiochus Theos, fifteen; Seleu- cus Callinicus, twenty; Seleucus Ceraunus, two; Antiochus Magnus, thirty-seven; Seleucus Philopator, twelve; Antiochus Epiphanes, twelve; Eupator, two; Demetrius Soter, ten. In the second year of this Demetrius, which was the one hundred and fifty-third of the account of the Seleucidz, was Judas Maccabzeus slain, being the one hundred and sixty-ninth year after the death of Darius Codomannus, or end of the Persian empire, allowing six years to the reign of Alexander, and ten more to the beginning of the kingdom of the Seleucid. Demetrius Soter, in the tenth year of his reign, was
SECT. 6-8. ] COMPUTATION OF DANIEL’S WEEKS. 337
expelled out of his kingdom by Alexander Vales [Balas]; in the second year of whose reign, ten years after the death of J udas, Jona- than his brother took upon him the supreme government of the people of the Jews, and began the rule or reign of the Asmonzans. So that the time of the Grecian empire in Syria, from the death of Darius Codomannus unto the liberty of the Jews and erection of a Supreme government amongst them, was one hundred and seventy- nine years; which, being added unto two hundred and two years of the Persian empire, makes up three hundred and eighty-one years.
7. To the same issue comes also the account by the other branch of the Grecian empire in Egypt: for Alexander reigned, as we said, after the death of Darius, six years; Ptolemeus Lagus, thirty-nine; Philadelphus, thirty-eight ; Euergetes, twenty-four ; Philopator, nine- teen; Epiphanes, twenty-three; Philometor, thirty, in which thirtieth year began the rule of the Asmonzans.
8. The rule of the Asmonwans, with the reign of Herod the Great, who obtained the kingdom by means of their divisions, con- tinued until the birth of Christ, one hundred and forty-eight years: for Jonathan began his rule in the second year of the one hundred and fifty-seventh Olympiad, as may be seen by adding the Seleucian era to the one hundred and fourteenth Olympiad, wherein Alex- ander died; and our Lord Christ was born in the second year of the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad, in the last year, or the last save one, of Herod the Great. This sum of one hundred and forty-eight years being added to the fore-mentioned, from the be- ginning of the empire of Cyrus, which is three hundred and eighty- one years, makes up in all five hundred and twenty-nine years, From the birth of our Lord Christ, in the second year of the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad, to the destruction of the city and temple, in the third year of the two hundred and eleventh Olympiad, are seventy years; which make up the whole sum before mentioned of five hundred and ninety-nine years, from the first of the empire of Cyrus unto the destruction of Jerusalem. Petavius and our Montague reckon from the first of Cyrus unto the eighteenth of Tiberius, wherein our Lord Christ suffered, five hundred and ninety-four years, which differs very little from the account we have insisted on; for take from them twenty-seven years of the reign of Cyrus before the first of his empire, and add unto them thirty-seven for the continuance of the city and temple after the death of Christ, and the sum remaining will exceed our account only four years, or five at the most. But the computation we have fixed on being every way consistent with itself and the stated eras of the nations, and abridging the time to the shortest size that will endure the trial, we shall abide by it. Now, the number of five hundred and