wards lighting beacons throughout the land; though (as the mishnical rabbins tell us) after they had frequently been deceived by the Samaritans, who kindled false fires, they used to announce the appearance by sending messengers. As, however, they had no months longer than thirty days, if they did not see the new moon the night following the thirtieth day, they concluded that the appearance was obstructed by the clouds; and, without watching any longer, made the next day the first day of the following month. But, on the dispersion of the Jews throughout all nations, having no opportunities of being informed of the appearance of the new moons, they were obliged to have recourse to astronomical calculations and cycles, in order to fix the beginning of their months and years. At first, they employed a cycle of eightyfour years but this being discovered to be defective, they had recourse to the Metonic cycle of nineteen years; which was established by the authority of rabbi Hillel, prince of the Sanhedrin, about the year 360 of the Christian æra. This they still use, and say that it is to be observed until the coming of the Messiah. In the compass of this cycle there are twelve common years, consisting of twelve months, and seven intercalary years, consisting of thirteen months. Originally, the Jews had no particular names for their months, but called them the first, second, &c. Thus the Deluge began in the second month, and came to its height in the seventh month, at the end of 150 days (Gen. vii. 11-24. viii. 4.); and decreased until the tenth month, when the tops of the mountains were seen. (viii. 5.) Afterwards they acquired distinct names; thus Moses named the first month of the year Abib (Exod. xii. 2. xiii. 4.); signifying green, from the green ears of corn at that season; for it began about the vernal equinox. The second month was named Zif, signifying in Chaldee glory or splendour; in which the foundation of Solomon's temple was laid. (1 Kings vi. 1.) The seventh month was styled Ethanim, which is interpreted harvests by the Syriac version. (1 Kings viii. 2.) The eighth month Bul; from the fall of the leaf. (1 Kings vi. 38.) But concerning the origin of these appellations critics are by no means agreed: on their return from the Babylonish captivity, they introduced the names which they had found among the Chaldæans and Persians. Thus, the first month was also called Nisan, signifying flight; because in that month the Israelites were thrust out of Egypt (Exod. xii. 39.); the third month, Sivan, signifying a brumble (Esth. iii. 7. Neh. ii. 1.); and the sixth month Elul, signifying mourning, probably because it was the time of preparation for the great day of atonement, on the tenth day of the seventh month. (Neh. vi. 15.) The ninth month was called Chislu, signifying chilled; when the cold weather sets in, and fires are lighted. (Zech. vii. 1. Jer. xxxvi. 22.) The tenth month was called Tebeth, signifying miry. (Esth. ii. 16.) The eleventh, Shebet, signifying a staff or a sceptre. (Zech. i. 7.) And the twelfth Adur, signifying a magnificent mantle, probably from the profusion of flowers and plants with which the earth then begins to be clothed in warm climates. (Ezra vi. 15. Esth. iii. 7.) It is said to be a Syriac term. (2 Mac. xvi. 36.)2

V. The Jews had four sorts of YEARS,-one for plants, another for Feasts, a third for sacred purposes, and the fourth was civil and common to all the inhabitants of Palestine.

1. The year of Plants was reckoned from the month corresponding with our January; because they paid tithe-fruits of the trees which budded at that time.

2. The second year was that of Beasts; for when they tithed their lambs, the owner drove all the flock under a rod, and they marked the tenth, which was given to the Levites. They could, however, only take those which fell in the year, and this year began at the month Elul, or the beginning of our August.

But the two years which are the most known are the Civil and Ecclesiastical Years.

April and May.

May and June.

June and July.
July and August.
August and September.

Some of the preceding names are still in use in Persia. 4. The Ecclesiastical or Sacred Year began in March, or on the first day of the month Nisan, because at that time they departed out of Egypt. From that month they computed their feasts, and the prophets also occasionally dated their oracles and visions. Thus Zechariah (vii. 1.) says, that the word of the Lord came unto him in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu; which answers to our November, whence it is evident that he adopted the ecclesiastical year, which commenced in March. The month Nisan is noted in the Old Testament for the overflowings of Jordan (Josh. iii 15. 1 Chron. xii. 15.); which were common at that season, the river being swollen by the melted snows that poured in torrents from Mount Lebanon. The following table presents the months of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, compared with our months :—

The Jewish months being regulated by the phases or appearances of the moon, their years were consequently lunar years, consisting of twelve funations, or 354 days and 8 hours; but as the Jewish festivals were held not only on certain fixed days of the month, but also at certain seasons of the year, consequently great confusion would, in process of time, arise by this method of calculating; the spring month sometimes falling in the middle of winter, it became neces sary to accommodate the lunar to solar years, in order that their months, and consequently their festivals, might always fall at the same season. For this purpose, the Jews added a whole month to the year, as often as it was necessary; which occurred commonly once in three years, and sometimes once in two years. This intercalary month was added at the end of the ecclesiastical year after the month Adar, and was therefore called Ve-Adar, or the second Adar: but no vestiges of such intercalation are to be found in the Scriptures.

As agriculture constituted the principal employment of the Jews, they also divided their natural year into seasons with reference to their rural work. These, we have seen, were six in number, each of two months' duration, including one whole month and the halves of two others. See an account of them in pp. 23-25. of this volume.

To this natural division of the year there are several allusions in the Sacred Writings: as in Jer. xxxvi. 22. where king Jehoiakim is said to be sitting in the winter-house in the ninth sacred month Chisleu, the latter half of which fell in the winter or rainy season; so, in Ezra x. 13. it is said that the congregation of the people which had been convened on the twentieth day of the same month, were not able to stand

The preceding view of the sacred and civil years of the Jews is that generally adopted by the most eminent writers on Jewish antiquities, after the opinions of the Jewish rabbins, who affirm that March and September That this was the case at a late period is admitted by Jahn and Ackermann, after J. D. Michaelis. But after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, who commenced their year with the month of March, it appears that the Jews adopted the practice of their conquerors. In confirmation of this remark it may be observed that the rabinnical opinion is opposed not only by Josephus, but also by the genius of the Syriac and Arabic languages, and by the fact that the ceremonies prescribed to be observed on the three great festival days do not agree with the months of March and September. For a further investigation of this curious question, which cannot be discussed within the limits of a note, the reader is referred to Michaelis's Commentatio de Mensibus Hebræorum, in the Commentationes Regia Societatis Goettingensi per annos 1763-68, pp. 10. et seq., or to n Bowyer's translation of this disquisition in his Select Discourses" on the Hebrew months, &c pp. 1–32.

t in the open air, because it was "a time of much rain." e knowledge of this mode of dividing the year illustrates hn x. 22, 23. and accounts for our Lord's walking in the rtico of the temple at the feast of dedication, which was lebrated towards the close of the same month. Further, the Jews divided their solar year into four parts, lied by them Tekuphat (that is, revolutions of time), or arters, which they distinguished by the names of the onths with which they commenced: thus, the vernal equix is termed Tekuphat Nisan; the autumnal equinox, Tekuhat Tisri; the winter solstice, Tekuphat Tebeth; and the mmer solstice, Tekuphat Thammuz. Some critics have njectured that our Lord refers to the intervening space of ur months, from the conclusion of seed-time to the comencement of the harvest, in John iv. 35.

The following CALENDAR will present to the reader a view the entire JEWISH YEAR. It is abridged from Father amy's Apparatus Biblicus, with additions from the Calenar printed by Calmet, at the end of his Dictionary of the lible. In it are inserted the festivals and fasts celebrated y the Jews; including not only those enacted by the law of Leses, and which are described in a subsequent part of this ork, but likewise those which were not established until fter the destruction of the temple, and those which are oberved by the Jews to the present time. The lessons also re introduced which they were accustomed to read in the nagogues.-Those days, on which no festival or fast was elebrated, are designedly omitted.

1. TISRI, FORMERLY CALLED ETHANIM.

the

temple.

6. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxxii. 3. to Gen. xxxvii. 1.

and the whole book of Obadiah, or from Hos. xii. 12. to the end of the book. Jeremiah, which Baruch had written. (Jer. xxxvi. 23.) This fast Dr. Pri7. A fast, instituted because king Jehoiakim burned the prophecy of deaux places on the 29th of this month.3 But Calmet places it on the sixth of this month, and makes the seventh of this month a festival, in memory of the death of Herod the Great, the son of Antipater. Scaliger will have it that it was instituted on account of Zedekiah's having his eyes put out, after his children had been slain in his sight.

10. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxxvii. 1. to Gen. xli. 1. and

from Amos ii. 6. to Amos ii. 9.

17. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xli. 1. to Gen. xliv. 18. and from 1 Sam. ii. 15. to the end of the chapter.

25. The dedication of the temple. This feast lasted eight days. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xliv. 18. to Gen. xlvii. 27. and from Ezek. xxxvii. 15. to the end of the chapter.

4. THEBETH, OR TEBETH.

A fast. Twenty Israelites were killed: Rabbi Akiba, the son of Jo-ph, was loaded with irons, and died in prison.

A fast, appointed on account of the golden calf. (Exod. xxxii. 6, 7, 8.) The lessons for this day were from Deut. xxvi. 1. to Deut. xxix. and the th chapter of Isaiah.

19. The fast of expiation. (Lev. xxiii. 27.)

14. The lessons for this day were from Deut. xxix. 10. to Deut. xxxi. 1. when the year had most Sabbaths; and when fewest, the book was finished - this day. And from Isa. Ixi. 1. to Isa. Ixiii. 10.

15. The feast of tabernacles. (Lev. xxiii. 34, 35.) It lasted seven days, las ve of the octave or eighth day.

21. Hosanna Rabba, the seventh day of the feast of tabernacles; or the feast of branches.

The lessons for this day were from Gen. i. 1. to Gen. vi. 9. and from Isa. 5 to Isa. xliii. 11.

2 The octave of the feast of tabernacles. (Lev. xxiii. 36.)

The solemnity of the law, in memory of the covenant and death of On this day Solomon's dedication was finished. (1 Kings viii. 65.) The lessons were from Gen. vi. 9. to Gen. xii. 1. and from Isa. liv. 1. to Isa Iv. 5.

30. On this day the lessons were from Gen. xii. 1. to Gen. xviii. 1. and from Isa xi. 27. to Isa. xli. 17. (This day is the fast held in cominemoration of the murder of Gedaliah, whom Nebuchadnezzar made governor of Judæa, after he had destroyed Jerusalem, according to Dr. Prideaux. 2

2. MARCHESVAN

The SECOND month of the civil year, the EIGHTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has only twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our October and November.

1. The new moon. (Calmet observes, in the Jewish Calendar, at the end of his Dictionary of the Bible, that the Jews always made two new moons for every month; the first of which was the last day of the preceding th; and the first day of the month was the second new moon of that 6th.)

3. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xviii. 1. to Gen. xxiii. 1. and from 2 Sam. iv. 1. to 2 Sam. iv. 38.

6. A fast, appointed on account of Zedekiah's having his eyes put out by the command of Nebuchadnezzar, after he had seen his children slain before his face. (2 Kings xxv. 7. Jer. lii. 10.)

The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxiii. 1. to Gen. xxv. 19. and fm 1 Sam. i. 1. to 1 Sam. i. 32.

The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxv. 19. to Gen. xxviii. 10. 201 from Mal. i. 1. to Mal. ii. 8.

9 Fast to expiate the crines committed on account of the feast of tabernacles.

A fast in memory of the stones of the altar which the Gentiles profre 1 Mac. iv. 46.

The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxviii. 10. to Gen. xxxii. 3. and Hos. xi. 7. to Hos. xiv. 3.

A fast in memory of some places which the Cuthæans seized, and Pre recovered by the Israelites after the captivity.

Lamy's Apparatus Biblicus, vol. i. p. 155. et seq.
"Prideaux's Connection, part i. book i. under the year 588.

ecclesiastical year; it has but twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our December and January.

1. The new moon.

book, and the thirteen first verses of the second chapter of the first book 3. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xlvii. 27. to the end of the

of Samuel.

9. A fast, the reason of which is not mentioned by the Rabbins. salem. (2 Kings xxv.) 10. A fast on account of the siege which the king of Babylon laid to Jeru

11. The lessons were the first five chapters of Exodus, and with them from Isa. xxvii. 6. to Isa. xxvii. 14. or else from Jer. i. 1. to Jer. ii. 4.

from Ezek. xxviii. 25. to Ezek. xxx. 1. 17. The lessons for this day were from Exod. vi. 1. to Exod. x. 1. and

25. The lessons for this day were from Exod. x. 1. to Exod xiii. 17. and from Jer. xlvi. 13. to the end of the chapter.

28. A fast in memory of Rabbi Simeon's having driven the Sadducees out of the Sanhedrin, where they had the upper hand in the time of Alex ander Jannæus; and his having introduced the Pharisees in their room.

5. SEBAT, SHEVET, OR SHEBAT.

The FIFTH month of the civil year, the ELEVENTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our January and February.

1. The new moon. In this month the Jews began to reckon the year of the trees which they planted, whose fruit was not to be eaten till after they had been planted three years. Calmet fixes the beginning of this year of trees to the 15th day of this month.

2. A rejoicing for the death of Alexander Jannæus.

3. Now is read from Exod. xiii. 17. to Exod. xviii. 1. and from Judg. iv. 4. to Judg. vi. 1.

A fast in memory of the death of the elders who succeeded Joshua (Judg. ii. 10.)

8. A fast, because on this day died the just men who lived in the days of Joshua. (Judg. ii. 10.)

10. The lessons were from Exod. xviii. 1. to Exod. xxi. 1. and the whol sixth chapter of Isaiah.

17. The lessons for this day were from Exod. xxi. 1. to Exod. xxv. 1. and Jer. xxxiv. from ver. 8. to the end of the chapter.

23. A fast in memory of the insurrection of the other tribes against that of Benjamin, on account of the death of the Levite's wife. (Judg. xx.) 26. Now is read, from Exod. xxv. 1. to Exod. xxvii. 20. and from 1 Sam. v 12. to 1 Sam. vi. 14.

29. Now is read, from Exod. xxvii. 20. to Exod. xxx. 11. and Ezek. xliij from the 10th verse to the end of the chapter.

6. ADAR.

The SIXTH month of the civil year, the TWELFTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has only twenty-nine days, and cor responds with part of our February and March.

1. The new moon. Genebrard places the first-fruits on this day.

3. The lessons for this day were from Exod. xxx. 11. to Exod. xxxv. 1. and from 1 Sam. xviii. 1. to 1 Sam. xviii. 39.

7. A fast on account of the death of Moses, the lawgiver of the Jews. (Deut. xxxiv. 5, 6.)

Connection, part i. book 1. under the year 685.

9. A fast. The schools of Schammai and Hillel began to be divided on this day.

12. The lessons are from Exod. xxxv. 1. to Exod. xxxviii. 21. and from 1 Sam. xvii. 13. to 1 Sam. xvii. 26. (This day is also a feast in memory of the death of Hollianus and Pipus, two proselytes and brothers, who chose rather to die than violate the law.)

13. A festival on account of the death of Nicanor. (2 Macc. xv. 37.) Genebrard places the fast of Esther (Esth. iv. 16.) on this day.

14. Purim the first, or the Little Feast of Lots.

15. Purim the second, or the Great Feast of Lots. (Esth. ix. 18.) An account of these festivals is given in a subsequent part of this volume. The dedication of the temple of Zorobabel (Ezra vi. 16.) was made in this month, but the day is not known.

18. Now is read from Exod. xxxviii. 21. to the end of the book; and from 1 Sam. vii. 50. to 1 Sam. viii. 21.

20. A fast in memory of the rain obtained of God, by one Onias Hammagel, in a time of great dearth.

25. The lessons were the first five chapters of Leviticus, and from Isa. xliii. 21. to Isa. xliv. 24.

28. A feast. The Grecian edict, which forbade the Jews the use of circumcision, recalled.

The intercalary month was inserted here, when the year was to consist of thirteen lunar months; and the month so added was called Ve-Adar, that is, the second Adar.

7. ABIB, OR NISAN.

The SEVENTH month of the civil year, the FIRST month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our March and April.

1. The new moon. A fast on account of the death of the children of Aaron. (Lev. x. 1.)

3. The lessons were from Lev. vi. 1. to Lev. ix. 1. and from Jer. vii. 21. to Jer. viii. 4.

10. A fast on account of the death of Miriam. (Num. xx. 1.) On this day every one provided himself with a lamb against the 14th.

12. The lessons were from Lev. ix. 1. to Lev. xii. 1. and from 2 Sam. vi. 1. to 2 Sam. vii. 17.

10. THAMMUZ, OR TAMMUZ.

The TENTH month of the civil year, the FOURTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has only twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our June and July.

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons were from Num. xiii. 1. to Num. xvi. 1. and the 2d chap ter of Joshua.

10. The lessons were from Num. xvi. 1. to Num. xix. i. and from 1 Sam. xi. 14. to 1 Sam. xii. 23.

14. A feast for the abolition of a pernicious book of the Sadducees against the oral law and tradition.

17. The fast of the fourth month, because the tables of the law were broken, the perpetual sacrifice ceased, Epistemon burned the law, and set up an idol in the temple. (Exod. xxxii. 19.)

19. The lessons were from Num. xix. 1. to Num. xxii. 2. and the 11th chapter of Judges to the 34th verse.

26. The lessons were from Num. xxii. 2. to Num. xxv. 10. and from Mic. v. 7. to Mic. vi. 9. 29. The lessons were from Num. xxxv. 10. to Num. xx. 2. and from 1 Sam. xviii. 46 to the end of the chapter.

11. AB.

The ELEVENTH month of the civil year, the FIFTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our July and August.

1. The new moon. A fast on account of the death of Aaron the highpriest. (Num. xxxiii. 38.)

3. The lessons were from Num. xxx. 2. to Num. xxxiii. 1. and from Jer. i. 1. to Jer. ii. 4.

9. The fast of the fifth month, because the temple was first burnt by the Chaldees, and afterwards by the Romans, on this day; and because God on this day declared in the time of Moses that none of those who came out of Egypt should enter into the land of promise. (Num. xiv. 29. 31.) 12. The book of Numbers is now finished; and from Jer. ii. 4. to Jer. Ge20. Deuteronomy is begun, and read from i. 1. to iii. 23. and the 1st chap. ter of Isaiah to verse 28.

15. The feast of unleavened bread.

16. The morrow after the feast of the passover. On this second day the Jews offered up to God the Omer, that is, the sheaf of the new barley harvest, which was cut and carried into the temple with much ceremony. The fifty days of pentecost were reckoned from this day.

19. The lessons were from Lev. xii. 1. to Lev. xiv. 1. and from 2 Sam. iv. 42. to 2 Sam. v. 20.

21. The last day of the feast of unleavened bread. 26. A fast for the death of Joshua. (Josh. xxiv. 29.)

27. The lessons were from Lev. xiv. 1. to Lev. xvi. 1. and 2 Sam. vii. 3. to the end of the chapter.

29. Genebrard observes, that the Jews in this month prayed for the spring rain, or the latter rain, which was seasonable for their harvest. (Deut. xi. 14. Zech. x. 1.) This is that rain which the Hebrews call Malkosh, that is, the rain which prepares for the harvest, and makes the grain swell.

8. JYAR, OR ZIF.

The EIGHTH month of the civil year, the SECOND month of the ecclesiastical year; it has only twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our April and May.

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons were from Lev. xvi. 1. to Lev. xix. 1. and 17 verses of Ezek. xxii.

10. A fast for the death of Eli, and the taking of the ark. (1 Sam. iv. 18.) 11. The lessons were from Lev. xix. 1. to Lev. xx. 1. and from Amos ix. 7. to the end; or else from Ezek. xx. 2. to Ezek. xxi. 21.

14. The second passover (Num. ix. 10, 11.) in favour of those who could not, or were not suffered to celebrate the passover the last month. 19. The lessons were from Lev. xxi. 1. to Lev. xxv. 1. and from Ezek. iv. 15. to the end of the chapter.

23. A feast. Simon takes Gaza, according to Scaliger.

26. The lessons were from Lev. xxv. 1. to Lev. xxvi. 3. and from Jer.

xxxii. 6. to Jer. xxxii. 28.

28. A fast for the death of Samuel, who was lamented by all the people. (1 Sam. xxv. 1.)

18. A fast, because in the time of Ahaz the evening lamp went out. nebrand calls this lamp the Western Lamp.

21. Selden asserts that this was the day that all the wood which was wanted in the temple was brought into it; but others think that this was done in the next month.

24. A feast for the Maccabees having abolished that law of the Sadducees whereby sons and daughters inherited alike.

28. The lessons were from Deut. iii. 23. to Deut. vii. 12. and Isa. xl. to verse 27.

12. ELUL.

The TWELFTH month of the civil year, the SIXTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has but twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our August and September.

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons were from Deut. vii. 12. to Deut. xi. 26. and from Isa. xlix. 14. to Isa. li. 4.

7. The dedication of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah.

12. The lessons were from Deut. xi. 27. to Deut. xvi. 19. and from Is3. liv. 11. to Isa. Iv. 4.

17. A fast, because of the death of the spies who brought up the evil report of the land of promise. (Num. xiv. 36, 37.)

20. The lessons were from Deut. xvi. 18. to Deut. xxi. 10. and from Isa. li. 12. to Isa. lii. 18.

21. The festival of wood offering (rylophoria).

22. A fast in memory of the punishment of the wicked and incorrigible Israelites.

28. The lessons were from Deut. xxi. 10. to Deut. xxvi. 1. and Isa. liv. to verse 11.

29. This is the last day of the month, on which the Jews reckoned up the beasts that had been born, the tenth of which belonged to God. They chose this day on which to do it, because the first day of the month Tisri was a festival, and therefore they could not tithe a flock on that day.

VI. In common with other nations, the Jews reckoned any part of a period of time for the whole, as in Exod. xvi. 35. An attention to this circumstance will explain several apparent contradictions in the Sacred Writings: thus, a part of the day is used for the whole, and part of the year for an

entire year.

In Gen. xvii. 12. circumsion is enjoined to be performed when a child is eight days old, but in Lev. xii. 3. on the eighth day; accordingly, when Jesus Christ is said to have been circumcised when eight days were accomplished (Luke ii. the last, which was the constant usage, explains the former 21.) and John the Baptist on the eighth day (Luke i. 59.), passage. Abenezra, an eminent Jewish commentator (on Lev. xii. 3.), says, that if an infant were born in the last This observation critically reconciles the account of our hour of the day, such hour was counted for one whole day. Lord's resurrection in Matt. xxvii. 63. and Mark viii. 31. "three days after," with that of his resurrection "on the third day," according to Matt. xvi. 21. Luke ix. 22., and accordabout the sixth hour, or noon, the remainder of that day to ing to fact; for, as our Lord was crucified on Good Friday,

2 See Prideaux's Con. p. i. b. 1. under the year 588.

, according to the Jewish computation, was reckoned day. Saturday, it is universally admitted, formed the day; and as the third day began on Saturday at sunand our Saviour rose about sunrise on the following ng, that part of a day is justly reckoned for the third so that the interval was "three days and three nights,' ee calendar days current, not exceeding 42 hours, and, quently, not two entire days.1 This observation also rates 2 Chron. x. 5. 12. and the same mode of comg time obtains in the East, to this day.2 like manner, in some parts of the East, the year ending certain day, any portion of the foregoing year is taken whole year; so that, supposing a child to be born in ast week of our December, it would be reckoned one old on the first day of January, because born in the old If this mode of computation obtained among the Hes, the principle of it easily accounts for those anachronof single years, or parts of years taken for whole ones, h occur in sacred writ: it obviates the difficulties which ern the half years of several princes of Judah and Israel, hich the latter half of the deceased king's last year has erto been supposed to be added to the former half of his essor's first year.

We are told" (1 Sam. xiii. 1. marg. reading), "a son ne year was Saul in his kingdom: and two years he hed over Israel,” that is, say he was crowned in June: was consequently one year old on the first of January wing, though he had only reigned six months, the son year. But, after this so following first of January he in the second year of his reign; though, according to computation, the first year of his reign wanted some ths of being completed; in this, his second year, he chose thousand military, &c. guards.

The phrase (27 Jers) used to denote the age of the nts slaughtered at Bethlehem (Matt. ii. 16.) from two rs old and under,' is a difficulty that has been deeply felt the learned. Some infants two weeks old, some two months, ers two years, equally slain! Surely those born so long ore could not possibly be included in the order, whose pose was to destroy a child, certainly born within a few ths. This is regulated at once by the idea that they re all of nearly equal age, being recently born; some not before the close of the old year, others a little time since beginning of the new year. Now, those born before the se of the old year, though only a few months or weeks,

Dr. Hales, to whom we are partly indebted for the above remark, has d several passages from profane authors, who have used a similar seology. (Analysis of Chronology, vol. i. pp. 121, 122.) Similar illustras from rabbinical writers are collected by Bp. Beveridge (on the 39 eles, in Art. IV. Works, vol. ix. p. 159. note f), by Dr. Lightfoot (Hor. b. in Matt. xii. 40.), and by Reland. (Antiq. Heb. lib. iv. c. 1.) Shortly before the philanthropic Mr. Howard arrived at Constantinople, grand chamberlain of the city (whose province it was to supply the incants with bread) had been beheaded in a summary way, in the public eet, for having furnished, or permitted to be furnished, loaves short of ght; and his body was exposed for a day and a half, with three light tes beside it to denote his crime. "When Mr. Howard was told that busty had lain there for three days, he expressed his surprise that it not bred a contagion. He learnt, however, that in point of fact it had been left so long, as they were not entire days: for, it being the evenwhen the head was struck off, it remained the whole of the second, and as removed early in the succeeding morning, which was accounted the rd; thus" (as Mr. H.'s biographer very properly remarks) "the manner computation, in use at the time of our Saviour's crucifixion and burial, subsists among the eastern nations." (Brown's Life of John Howard, 4 pp. 437, 438. 8vo. edit.)

would be reckoned not merely one year old, but also in their second year, as the expression implies; and those born since the beginning of the year, would be well described by the phrase and under,' that is, under one year old;—some, two years old, though not born a complete twelvemonth (perhaps, in fact, barely six months); others, under one year old, yet born three, four, or five months, and, therefore, a trifle younger than those before described according to the time which Herod had diligently inquired of the wise men, IN their second year and UNDER."3

VII. Besides the computation of years, the Hebrews first and the Jews afterwards, were accustomed to reckon their time from some REMARKABLE ERAS or epochas. Thus, 1. From Gen. vii. 11. and viii. 13., it appears that they reckoned from the lives of the patriarchs or other illustrious persons: 2. From their departure out of Egypt, and the first institution of their polity (Exod. xix. 1. xl. 17. Num. i. 1. ix. 1. xxxiii. 38. 1 Kings vi. 1.): 3. Afterwards, from the building of the temple (1 Kings ix. 10. 2 Chron. viii. 1.), and from the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel: 4. Then from the commencement of the Babylonian captivity (Ezek. i. 1. xxxiii. 21. xl. 1.); and, perhaps, also from their return from captivity, and the dedication of the second temple. In process of time they adopted, 5. The Æra of the Seleucide, which in the books of Maccabees is called the Era of the Greeks, and the Alexandrian Æra: it began from the year when Seleucus Nicanor attained the sovereign power, that is, about 312 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. This æra the Jews continued to employ for upwards of thirteen hundred years. 6. They were further accustomed to reckon their years from the years when their princes began. to reign. Thus, in 1 Kings xv. 1. Isa. xxxvi. 1. and Jer. i. 2, 3., we have traces of their anciently computing according to the years of their kings; and in later times (1 Macc. xiii. 42. xiv. 27), according to the years of the Asmonæan princes. Of this mode of computation we have vestiges in Matt. ii. 1. Luke i. 5. and iii. 1. Lastly, ever since the compilation of the Talmud, the Jews have reckoned their years from the creation of the world.

Calmet's Dictionary, 4to. edit. vol. ii. Supplementary Addenda. There are in fact two dates assigned to the æra of the Seleucide in the two books of Maccabees. As Seleucus did not obtain permanent possession of the city of Babylon (which had been retaken from him by Demetrius, surnamed Poliorcetes, or the vanquisher of cities) until the spring of the year 311 before Christ, the Babylonians fixed the commencement of this era in the latter year. "The first book of Maccabees computes the years from April, B. c. 311, as Michaelis has shown in his note on 1 Macc. x 21.; while the second book dates from October, B. c. 312.; consequently, there is often the difference of a year in the chronology of these books. (Com. pare 2 Macc. xi. 21. with 1 Macc. vi. 16., and 2 Macc. xiii. 1. with 1 Mace, vi. 20.) This æra continued in general use among the orientals, with the exception of the Mohammedans, who employed it together with their own æra from the flight of Mohammed, B. c. 622. The Jews had no other epoch until A. D. 1040; when, being expelled from Asia by the caliphs, and scattered about in Spain, England, Germany, Poland, and other western countries, they began to date from the creation, though still without entirely dropping the era of the Seleucida. The orientals denominate this epoch the era of the two-horned; by which it is generally supposed they mean Alexander the Great. But perhaps the name had primary reference to Seleucus; for on some coins he is represented with two horns. See Froelich, Annales Syriæ, Tab. ii. Seleuc. Nic. 1. et Tab. iii. 29."—(Jahn's History of the Hebrew Commonwealth, vol. i. pp. 249, 250.)

Reland, Antiq. Hebr. pp. 203-215. Schulzii Compendium Archæolo gie Hebraicæ, lib. i. c. 11. pp. 94-107. Lamy's Apparatus Biblicus, book i.ch. 5. vol. i. pp. 138-154. Calmet's Dictionary, articles Day, Week, Month, Year. Jahn, et Ackermann, Archæologia Biblica, §§ 101-103. Jen. ning's Jewish Antiquities, book iii. ch. 1. See also Waehner's Antiquitates Hebræorum, part ii. p. 5. et seq. Pritii Introd. in Nov. Test. pp. 566-575.; Pareau, Antiquitas Hebraica, pp. 310-318,