SACRED CHRONOLOGY

The Sacred Scriptures contain the most ancient Geographical, Historical, and Chronological records extant. Were it not for the light there emitted, we should be almost entirely ignorant of the period and order of events, beyond about three thousand years in the past.ASC 42.1

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. On the sixth day, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him,” and called his name Adam. v. 27. A. M. 1.ASC 42.2

“Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son, in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth.” 5:3. A. M. 131.ASC 42.3

“Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enos.” v. 6. A. M. 236.ASC 42.4

“Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan.” v. 9. A. M. 326.ASC 42.5

“Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel.” v. 12. A. M. 396.ASC 42.6

“Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared.” v. 15. A. M. 461.ASC 42.7

“Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and begat Enoch.” v. 18. A. M. 623.ASC 42.8

“Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah.” v. 21. A. M. 688.ASC 42.9

“Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.” v. 25. A. M. 875.ASC 43.1

“The days of Adam, after he had begotten Seth, were eight hundred years.... And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.” vs. 4, 5. A. M. 931.ASC 43.2

“Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years.... And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.” vs. 22-24. A. M. 988.ASC 43.3

“Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years.... And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.” vs. 7, 8. A. M. 1043.ASC 43.4

“Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son. And he called his name Noah.” vs. 28, 29. A. M. 1057.ASC 43.5

“Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years.... And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years; and he died. vs. 10, 11. A. M. 1141.ASC 43.6

“Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years.... And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died.” vs. 13, 14. A. M. 1236.ASC 43.7

“Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years.... And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years; and he died.” vs. 16, 17. A. M. 1291.ASC 43.8

“Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years.... And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years; and he died.” vs. 19, 20. A. M. 1423.ASC 44.1

“And the Lord said, my spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” 6:3. A. M. 1536.ASC 44.2

“Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” ver. 32. A. M. 1557.ASC 44.3

This is the date only of the birth of Japheth, Shem being mentioned first, as Abraham afterwards was, because of his line the Saviour was to be born. We learn, from Genesis 11:10, that Shem was one hundred years old two years after the flood, so that he was born A. M. 1559; and from Genesis 9:22, 23, that Ham was the youngest of the three sons.ASC 44.4

“Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years.... And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years; and he died.” vs. 30, 31. A. M. 1652.ASC 44.5

“Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years.... And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years; and he died.” vs. 26, 27. A. M. 1656.ASC 44.6

“Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.... In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.... And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.” Genesis 7:6, 11, 12, 24. “And the waters returned from off the earth continually; and after the end of the hundred and fifty days, the waters were abated. And the ark rested, in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually, until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.... And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth, and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.” 8:3-5, 13, 14. A. M. 1657.ASC 44.7

[The two following pages exhibit the relative ages of the early patriarchs, with their contemporary periods.]ASC 45.1

[Table from creation to 1700 A. M.] [Table from 1700 to 2600 A.M.] The Septuagint version of the Old Testament gives a hundred years more than the Hebrew, for the age of each of the first seven antediluvian, and some of the first diluvian patriarchs, at the birth of their son, and a hundred years less, for the time each lived after that event. For a consideration of the merits of that chronology, see page 183.ASC 46.1

“Shem was a hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood.” Genesis 11:10. A. M. 1659.ASC 48.1

“Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah.” v. 12. A. M. 1694.ASC 48.2

“Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber.” v. 14. A. M. 1724.ASC 48.3

The Hebrews were so called, from Eber, or Heber. “Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg.” v. 16. A. M. 1758.ASC 48.4

Peleg was so named, because “in his days was the earth divided,” (peleged.) Genesis 10:25.ASC 48.5

“Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu.” 11:18. A. M. 1788.ASC 48.6

“Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug.” v. 20. A. M. 1820.ASC 48.7

“Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor.” v. 22. A. M. 1850.ASC 48.8

“According to Abulfaragi, a celebrated Armenian annalist, on the authority of Arudha, a Canaanitish historian, the trial of Job began in the twenty-fifth year of Nahor.”-Hales, A. M. 1874. Others give him a later date-some placing him as late as the bondage of Israel in Egypt.ASC 48.9

“Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah.” v. 24. A. M. 1879.ASC 49.1

Abulfaragi says, “In the 140th year of Phaleg, [Peleg,] the earth was divided, by a second division, among the sons of Noah.”-Hist. of the Dynasties, p. 11.ASC 49.2

The 140th year of Peleg was two hundred and forty years after the Deluge. A. M. 1897.ASC 49.3

Allowing that the human race multiplied on the earth after the flood in the ratio that the Israelites did in Egypt, their numbers would double once in fourteen years, or seventeen times in two hundred and forty years. If so, they would number at this time more than a million of souls,-a number sufficiently large to begin to scatter abroad over the face of the earth. The division of the nations “in the earth after the flood” was divinely appointed; for God “made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” Acts 17:26. To this division some rebelled; for we read:ASC 49.4

“And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.... And they said, Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:2, 4.ASC 49.5

The leader in this rebellion is supposed to have been Nimrod, whose name signifies the rebellious. He was the Belus of the ancients, a great-grandson of Noah, being the youngest son of Cush, a son of Ham. “He began to be a mighty one in the earth.... And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel ...in the land of Shinar.” Genesis 10:8, 10.ASC 49.6

Because they stopped in their migration, God confounded their language, that they might not “understand one another’s speech.... So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth; and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; ...and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” Genesis 11:7-9.ASC 50.1

“Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.” ver. 26. A. M. 1949.ASC 50.2

This was the age of Terah at the birth of his first son, who was evidently Haran-Abram being mentioned before his elder brothers, as Moses always was before Aaron, Isaac before Ishmael, and Shem before Japheth, on account of his preëminence.ASC 50.3

“Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years.” Genesis 11:19. A. M. 1997.ASC 50.4

“Nahor lived after he begat Terah a hundred and nineteen years.” v. 25. A. M. 1998.ASC 50.5

“Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.” 9:28, 29. A. M. 2007.ASC 50.6

As Abram was seventy-five years old at the death of his father, who died at the age of two hundred and five, (Genesis 11:32; 12:4, and Acts 7:4,) he must have been born sixty years subsequent to the birth of Haran. A. M. 2009.ASC 51.1

“Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years.” Genesis 11:21. A. M. 2027.ASC 51.2

“Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years.” ver. 23. A. M. 2050.ASC 51.3

“Haran begat Lot; and Haran died before his father, Terah, in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.” vs. 27-29.ASC 51.4

“Sarah” is supposed to be the same as “Iscah.” Abram said to Abimelech, “She is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, [or grandfather,] but not the daughter of my mother.” Genesis 20:12.ASC 51.5

Grandchildren “are frequently, in Scripture, called the children of their grandfathers.”-Bishop Patrick’s Com. In Genesis 14:14, Lot is called Abram’s “brother.” Also, see Genesis 13:8. We may conclude that Abram was a younger son of his father, by a second wife. Sarah was only ten years younger than Abram, (Genesis 17:17,) so that Haran must have been many years older.ASC 51.6

“The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.” Acts 7:2, 3.ASC 52.1

“And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai, his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there” (Genesis 11:31) “many days.” Judith 5:8.ASC 52.2

Abulfaragi states that Abraham was sixty years old when he removed to Charran, and that he dwelt there fifteen years current.-Hales.ASC 52.3

“And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.” Genesis 11:32. A. M. 2084.ASC 52.4

“And from thence, when his father was dead, he [Abraham] removed him into this land wherein ye [the Jews] now dwell.” Acts 7:4.ASC 52.5

“Abraham was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran,” with “Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, ...to go into the land of Canaan.” Genesis 12:4. 5.ASC 52.6

“Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreb.... And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land.” vs. 6, 7.ASC 52.7

This brings us toASC 53.1

THE PROMISE, Four hundred years before the giving of the law on Sinai. (Galatians 3:17.)ASC 53.2

On account of a famine, Abraham removed to Egypt, made no long stay, returned to Bethel, and soon after Lot separated from him, and dwelt in Sodom. After this the Lord again promised Abraham that he would give all the land of Canaan “to him, for a possession, and to his seed after him.” Acts 7:5; Genesis 12:14-18. Some date the four hundred and thirty years of Galatians 3:17, from this promise; but it is evidently, with all subsequent promises, a repetition of the promise made to Abraham soon after the death of his father.ASC 53.3

About eight years subsequent to Abram’s migration to Canaan, according to the opinion of Dr. Hales, the cities of the plain of Jordan rebelled against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, whom they had served twelve years. In the thirteenth year they rebelled, and in the fourteenth year that king came against them, defeated them, and with others took Lot prisoner. Abram, on hearing of this, pursued after the conquerors, and defeated them with great slaughter. On his return, Melchisedek met Abram and blessed him. And Abram paid tithes to him of all he possessed.ASC 53.4

Who this Melchisedek was, has been a subject of much dispute. The Jews affirm that he was Shem, who was then the oldest person living. Shem was Abram’s ancestor, and as such, was Abram’s king and priest, and worthy to receive tithes from him.ASC 54.1

Again, “God said unto Abraham, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years ...and thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; and thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again.” Genesis 15:13-16.ASC 54.2

The years of the sojourn of the seed of Abraham must date from a time thirty years subsequent to the call. “These began,” says Mr. Ainsworth, “when Ishmael, son of Hagar, mocked and persecuted Isaac, (Genesis 1:9; Galatians 4:29,) which fell out thirty years after the promise.” Clark’s Com., vol. i., p. 106.ASC 54.3

“After Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan [Sarah took Hagar] and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife [A. M. 2094,] ...And Hagar bore Abram a son ...Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.” Genesis 16:3, 15, 16. A. M. 2095.ASC 54.4

“Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years.” Genesis 11:13. And died, A. M. 2097.ASC 54.5

“And Abram was ninety years old and nine when he was circumcised.... And Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old.” Genesis 17:24, 25. A. M. 2108.ASC 54.6

At this time the birth of Isaac was promised; “at this set time in the next year.” ver. 21.ASC 55.1

“Then Abram fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” Genesis 17:17.ASC 55.2

After this, and before the birth of Isaac, Sodom was destroyed. Genesis 18 and 19.ASC 55.3

“Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him.” Genesis 21:5. A. M. 2109.ASC 55.4

“Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar ...mocking.” Genesis 21:9.ASC 55.5

St. Jerome, and some others, hold that among the Jews, children were weaned at the age of five years. If so, this would be just four hundred years previous to the exode. For thus “persecuting” Isaac, (Galatians 4:29,) Hagar and her son were sent away, that he might not be heir with the son of the free-woman.ASC 55.6

“Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years.” Genesis 11:15. And died, A. M. 2127.ASC 55.7

“Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.” Genesis 21:34. “And it came to pass, after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Take now thy son Isaac into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt-offering, upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” Genesis 22:1, 2.ASC 55.8

Josephus, Ant. I., 13, 2, says that Isaac had now come to the age of twenty-five years. Bochart makes him twenty-eight, the word naar, translated lad, ver. 5, being used for one of that age.ASC 56.1

“And Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died at Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.” Genesis 23:1.ASC 56.2

Being ninety when Abram was a hundred, Abram was at the death of Sarah a hundred and thirty-seven years old. A. M. 2146.ASC 56.3

“Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife.” Genesis 25:20. A. M. 2149.ASC 56.4

“Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years.” Genesis 11:11, to A. M. 2159.ASC 56.5

“Isaac was threescore years old when Rebekah bare Jacob and Esau.” Genesis 25:26. A. M. 2169.ASC 56.6

“And these were the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived; an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years.” vs. 7, 8. A. M. 2184.ASC 56.7

“Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty-four years.” Genesis 11:17. And died, A. M. 2192.ASC 56.8

“Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith ...and Bashemath.” Genesis 26:34. A. M. 2209.ASC 57.1

“And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: an hundred and thirty and seven years.” Genesis 25:17, to A. M. 2232.ASC 57.2

“And it came to pass when Isaac was old and his eyes dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau, his eldest son, and said unto him, ...Behold, I am old; I know not the day of my death ...make me savory meat ...that my soul may bless thee before I die.” Genesis 27:1-4.ASC 57.3

The date of this is not given; but as Jacob, securing the blessing, on account of Esau fled to his uncle Laban; and as Joseph, born at the end of his fourteen years’ service, was thirty years old,nine years before his father went to Egypt at the age of a hundred and thirty, it follows that Jacob was now 130-(9+30+14) = 77; which added to 60, the age of Isaac when Jacob was born, would make Isaac at this time a hundred and thirty-seven,-the age of Ishmael at his death, which accounts for his thinking he might soon die. A. M. 2246.ASC 57.4

“Jacob, having fled to Laban, loved Rachel, and said [to Laban] I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter ...And Jacob served seven years for Rachel.” Genesis 29:18, 20.ASC 57.5

Laban gives Leah, instead of Rachel, to Jacob: he fulfils her week, and receives Rachel to wife, agreeing to serve after his marriage with them, seven years more. A. M. 2253.ASC 57.6

“And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place and to my country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go.” Genesis 30:25, 26. A. M. 2260.ASC 58.1

Laban prevails on Jacob to remain with him for wages six years longer. At the end of this time Jacob said to Laban: “I have been twenty years in thy house: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters and six years for thy cattle.” Genesis 31:41. A. M. 2266.ASC 58.2

“And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger [in Hebron, ver. 14] in the land of Canaan ...Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren.” Genesis 37:1, 2. A. M. 2277.ASC 58.3

Joseph, through envy, is sold by his brethren, and carried to Egypt.ASC 58.4

“And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died.” Genesis 35:28, 29. A. M. 2289.ASC 58.5

“And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt.” Genesis 41:46. A. M. 2290.ASC 58.6

This was “two full years” after the butler had been restored to the king’s favor, (41:1,) previous to which Joseph had been some time in prison. This was also at the commencement of the seven years of plenty.”ASC 58.7

“And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended;” Genesis 41:53; and “for two years hath the famine been in the land.” 45:6. A. M. 2299.ASC 59.1

At this time Jacob goes down into Egypt, two hundred and fifteen years after the call of Abraham, when he appeared before the king.ASC 59.2

“Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years; few and cvil have the days of the years of my life been.” Genesis 47:9.ASC 59.3

“Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.” ver. 28. He died, A. M. 2316.ASC 59.4

“Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old.” Genesis 50:26. A. M. 2370.ASC 59.5

According to the prophecy, the children of Israel were to go up out from Egypt in the fourth generation. Genesis 15:16. Moses, who led them out, was the fourth in descent from Jacob, being the son of Amram, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi. Exodus 6:16-20. Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah, (Genesis 35:23,) could not have been born prior to the third year of this marriage, or when Jacob was eighty-seven years old. ^{5Dr. Hales places the marriage of Jacob with both his wives at the commencement of his service with Laban; but the text seems to place it at the end of the first seven. (Genesis 29.) He quotes from Abulfaragi, that Levi was born when Jacob was eighty-two years old.}ASC 59.6

“The years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.” “The years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. “And the years of the life of Amram were an hundred thirty and seven years.” Exodus 6:16-20.ASC 59.7

Abulfaragi states that Kohath was born when Levi was forty-seven; and Amram, when Kohath was seventy-five. If so, to terminate the 430 years from the death of Terah, at the going forth from Egypt, when Moses was eighty years old, he must have been born when his father Amram was sixty-one. A. M. 2434.ASC 60.1

“When Moses was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel; and seeing one of them suffer wrong he defended him.... and smote the Egyptian,” and fled to the land of Midian. “And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.” Acts 7:23, 24, 30.ASC 60.2

“Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.” Exodus 7:7.ASC 60.3

“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years; and it came to pass, at the end of four hundred and thirty years, even the self-same day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:40, 41. A. M. 2514.ASC 60.4

As the Exode was when Moses was eighty years old, it could be but 215 years from the time Jacob removed thither. Says Josephus, (Ant. Jud., Lib. ii. c. 15, 52,) “They left Egypt in the month Xanthicus, on the fifteenth day of the moon’s age, four hundred and thirty years after the coming of our progenitor, Abraham, into the land of Canaan, and two hundred and fifteen years after the migration of Jacob into Egypt. Moses was then eighty years old, and his brother Aaron three years older.”ASC 60.5

Dr. Hales renders Exodus 12:40: “Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, [and of their fathers,] which they sojourned in the land of Egypt, [and in the land of Canaan,] was four hundred and thirty years.” “This period of 430 years,” he says, “included the whole time from Abraham’s migration to Canaan, during the sojourning of their fathers there, for two hundred and fifteen years; and their own in Egypt for two hundred and fifteen more. The foregoing insertions, therefore, in the Massorite text, [which Dr. Clark says are lost out of the Hebrew text,] warranted by the Samaritan, and by the Septuagint version, are absolutely necessary to adjust the chronology of this period.” New Anal. Chro., vol. ii., p. 200.ASC 61.1

That the 430 years date from the call of Abraham, and not from the descent of Jacob into Egypt, is proved by the number of generations which sojourned in Egypt, the age of each father at the birth of his son, the 400 years that the seed of Abraham were to be sojourners, the texts of the Septuagint and Samaritan versions, the uniform tradition of the Jews, and also by Paul, when he says:-ASC 61.2

“The covenant that was confirmed of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” Galatians 3:17.ASC 62.1

“In the third month, when the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, the same day, came they into the wilderness of Sinai.” Exodus 19:1.ASC 62.2

On the fifth of this month, fifty days from the fourteenth of the first month, when they went out of Egypt, the law was given from Mount Sinai. As Paul says the law was four hundred and thirty years after the promise, (Galatians 3:17,) it is probable that the promise (Genesis 12:7) was given fifty days after the removal of Abram from Haran, on the death of his father, which was four hundred and thirty years before the Exode.ASC 62.3

“The Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.” Numbers 9:1, 2. “And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the seventh month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai.” 10:11, 12. A. M. 2515.ASC 62.4

“Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor, at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month. And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in Mount Hor.” Numbers 33:38, 39. A. M. 2553.ASC 63.1

“It came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them.” Deuteronomy 1:3.ASC 63.2

Here Moses began the sayings recorded in the book of Deuteronomy. Referring to the sending of spies from Kadesh-barnea, in the second year after their leaving Egypt, he says: “And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years.” Deuteronomy 2:14.ASC 63.3

“Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died.” Deuteronomy 34:7. “Now after the death of Moses, ...the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan.” Joshua 1:12. “The children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness.” 5:6. “And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month.” Joshua 4:19. A. M. 2554.ASC 63.4

“Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed; ...divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance.” 13:1, 6.ASC 63.5

This brings us to the first division of the land, six years after the passage of Jordan, as we learn by what Caleb said to Joshua, in requesting Hebron for an inheritance: “Forty years old was I when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea, to espy out the land.... And now, behold the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.” Joshua 14:7-10.ASC 64.1

This locates the first division of the land, in the 47th year from the Exode. A. M. 2560.ASC 64.2