In the chronology of this pastor dynasty, I differ a little from the great authors aforementioned. The chief reason why, is this. They take the numbers in Josephus’s catalogue, as in the present copies; but I hold ’em erroneous, and to be corrected from Africanus, Eusebius, and Syncellus, who copied from Josephus in earlier times. Josephus’s present numbers are somewhat too short: for tho’ Africanus, Eusebius, and Syncellus differ from one another, as well as from Josephus, (such is the misfortune of negligence in transcription) yet they all agree to heighten the numbers. And Josephus himself, twice in the same books, makes the sum total to be 393 years, which is more than his particulars, by which Marsham, Usher, and Cumberland go. But take that sum total 393, and set it at the exodus, and count upwards: I apprehend then we have it in its right situation.
By this means, the head of the pastor dynasty in Egypt, which commenced with Salatis, must be placed anno mundi 1860 instead of 1920, as Usher and Cumberland have it: and during the reign of Menes, Misraim, Osiris, according to their own chronology. This, I am confident, is near the truth. And thus that dynasty is to be plac’d in the list of time.
| Manethon’s dynasties of pastor kings in lower Egypt. | |
|---|---|
| Salatis began to reign A. P. J. 2570. A.M. | 1860 |
| Beon | 1879 |
| Apachnas | 1923 |
| Apophis | 1959 |
| Janias Staan A.P.J. | 2020 |
| Assis, Archles, Melcartus 2781 | 2071 |
By this means we have an opening scene of the greatest matters of antiquity, that relate to the world in general, as well as particularly to the island of Great Britain; of which I must give some account.
In the year of the world 2083, the great patriarch Abraham came out of Chaldea into the land of Canaan. This is in the 13th year of the reign of our Melcarthus in lower Egypt. About 2087, not 2084 (as Usher sets it) Abraham, by famine constrained, goes down to Egypt, that is, into lower Egypt. So that our Melcarthus is the real Pharaoh mention’d Gen. xii. who would have taken Sarah, Abraham’s wife, ’till he learn’d the truth. Usher, at the year 2084, calls him Apophis; but ’tis an error of the pen, it means Janias, predecessor to Assis, whom he sets as regent from anno mundi 2081. Castor the chronographer, in Syncellus, writes, “that Abraham was well learn’d in the knowledge of astronomy, and the other sciences of the Chaldeans.” Berosus, author of the Chaldean history, gave him the character of “a just and great man, expert in astronomy.” Josephus adds, “that Hecateus had such a value for his memory, that he wrote his history.” Nicholas of Damascus an historian, and Trogus, make him a king. Alexander Polyhistor relates from Eupolomus, “that Abraham exceeded all men in wisdom; that astronomy was founded by him among the Chaldeans; that he came into Phœnicia, and taught the Phœnicians astronomy; that he being constrain’d by famine, went into Egypt, lived in Eliopolis among the priests, and taught them astronomy; yet he did not pretend to be the inventor of the art, but had it deliver’d to him by succession from Enoch.” Artapanus likewise, the historian, mention’d by Eusebius præp. evang. IX. 4. he speaks of “Abraham going to the king of Egypt, and teaching him astronomy, and that after twenty years he return’d into Syria.” Melo, another old heathen author, speaks much of Abraham’s wisdom. These writers, as wholly disinterested, sufficiently shew that Egypt hence learn’d astronomy, and Melcarthus their king in particular.
It seems, at this time, the major part of the world, thro’ ignorance or negligence, knew not the true length of a year, making it of 360 days only. But Abraham taught the Egyptians better; for now we may understand that remark in Syncellus, that under Assis or Hercules, the last of the pastor kings, the 5 additional days were placed in their year. And then a solar year of 365 days first began among the Egyptians. ’Tis somewhat odd, that the Egyptians should call these 5 additional days by the word Nesi, which signifies a snake. I suppose they meant by it sacred days, holy days. They were placed at the end of the year, and reckon’d birth-days of the gods, I suppose from some fore-notices they had of the birth of Messiah at that time of the year; for I find all antiquity had such notice. But Syncellus does not tell us the whole of the truth: Abraham taught Assis likewise the intercalation of the quarter-day, and the leap-day every fourth year. For, according to what I have been able to see concerning this matter, the Mosaic or patriarchal year was solar, and strictly Julian. But when the world was o’erwhelm’d with idolatry, providence judg’d proper to alter the year too, in order to dislocate their heathenish and superstitious festivals. Therefore to Moses God communicated the form of the lunæ-solar year, which the Jews use to this day. But toward the advent of Messiah, providence took care to restore the ancient patriarchal year, in the Julian form.
Hence we may account for what Herodotus tells us of the Thebans, a people in upper Egypt, who intercalate the quarter-day every fourth year: from the earliest times, no doubt from the time of Hercules.
Let us mention this remark. In the sacred account of Abraham’s sojourning here in Egypt, we meet with no distaste of the Egyptians to shepherds, which in his grandson Jacob’s time was an abomination to them. This shews that the pastor kings now reign’d here, with whom Abraham convers’d; and it shews the reason of that abomination, when they were expell’d; it confirms this history of Manethon’s dynasty, and illustrates the scriptures. Jacob’s family being Canaanites and shepherds, were taken to be of those that held the Egyptians in so long a war. They were pretended to be spies by Joseph, Gen. xlii. 9.
TAB. XXXVII.
P. 72.
