The Hyesos, or King Shepherds, marched from Arabia into B.C. Egypt, and founded a kingdom under their first monarch 2084 Salatis, who reigned 19 years. potent, the Impenetrable, and the Unexplored, by any arbitrary or corruptible signs. It was on this account they anciently built a temple, and dedicated it to The Unknown God, and fearful of being accused of sophism or ignorance, it was adorned with the following inscription: I am all that ever was, all that is, all that shall be, and never shall mortal raise the veil which obscures me. The mechanism of the universe, and the principle of matter, appeared to those sages as secrets of the Most High, so much the more wonderful as they were above their researches or comprehensions. Filled with veneration for the Creator, they admired his works, and regarded them as the proofs of his power and infinite intelligence. All the effects of nature, and the events that could instruct, were designated by relative and particular characters, which they deposited in their temples, or engraved upon the public monuments. They carefully delineated the course of the sun, the phases of the moon, and the regular order of the seasons and mouths; by means of various figures the productions of earth, by animals that existed at particular periods, as well as such whose signification might easily be retained in the memory. Many chiefs of the Arabian tribes and others, who established themselves in the fertile valley watered by the Nile, bore the enviable title of Shepherds of the People. This charming denomination was perfectly characteristic of the vigilance and solicitude of real kings, who strove to ensure the happiness of those whom heaven had confided to their care. It can hardly be imagined how the Egyptians, so well informed and so wise, could have adored the vegetables produced in their gardens; it is, therefore, much more probable to conjecture that it was for purposes of health, or other motives unknown to us, that the use of such plants was interdicted, and that they regarded them as sacred. If, according to Pliny, the Egyptians swore by garlic and the onion, it is perhaps for a similar reason that Rhadamanthus caused his subjects to swear by the goose, the dog, the buck, and even plants, that is to say, to prevent them from taking the name of God in vain. Egypt was long divided into the four small kingdoms of Thebes, Thin, Memphis, and Tanis, which were governed by the families of princes called dynasties. The priests subsequently collected the history of all those dynasties, and were of opinion that they had regularly succeeded one another. The greater portion of knowledge attained by ancient nations, and consequently handed down to the moderns, was derived from Egypt. The Greeks were taught by that people, who disseminated their instruction equally to the Romans, from whence the knowledge now possessed was afterwards derived. Though the chronicles of Menetho are not credited, yet the Egyptian empire beasts very remote antiquity. Egypt is represented in holy writ as having been a flourishing kingdom 430 years after the deluge; and the pyramids are supposed to have been erected 900 years prior to the Christian Era. The Egyptians were acquainted with geometry, mechanics, and astronomy; they divided the zodiac into twelve signs; calculated eclipses; and appear to have had some idea of the earth's motion. B.C. Ægialeus founded the kingdom of Sicyon, in Pelopon 2079 2065 nesus. Beon succeeded Salatis, and reigned 44 years. XXIst CENTURY BEFORE JESUS CHRIST. 2059 Ninus succeeded his father Nimrod, (the Belus of profane historians,) and was founder of the first kingdom of Assyria, which he greatly extended by his conquests, and built the city of Nineveh, on the banks of the Tigris. His widow Semiramis governed after him as guardian of their son Ninias, and she embellished Babylon with so much magnificence, that the city was subsequently ranked as one of the wonders of the world. In that celebrated place a tower was raised, wherein priests were established, called Chaldeans, whose study it was to observe the motions of the heavenly bodies. The successors of those priests proclaimed that they had pursued such occupation for seventy-two thousand years; but if we annex to them the significations of days, since the word Jom, which they employed, was used in both senses, that reduces the foundation of their observatory to have existed only 2000 years prior to the reign of Alexander the Great. Granting the truth of this hypothesis, all the assertions made by the enemies of religion are at once rendered nugatory. Haran, the son of Terah, was born in the 70th year his father's age. 2056 2040 2021 2008 2007 of Maris began to reign at Thebes, in Upper Egypt, being at the same time king of Memphis; where he caused the cele brated lake to be dug which still bears his name. A tradition now exists in the country, and is circulated among the people, which attributes that admirable undertaking to Joseph, the son of Jacob. Its circumference measures 3600 stades, which are equivalent to more than 180 miles; and it joins the canal named Bar Jousef. When this canal was navigable, it carried off the superabundant waters of the Nile to the lake at the period of its overflow; while other canals fed the stream with the superfluous waters they had received. Aphachnas succeeded Beon in Egypt, and reigned nearly 37 years. Peleg, the son of Eber, died in the 30th year of his age. XXth CENTURY BEFORE JESUS CHRIST, FROM 2000 TO 1900. B.C. Noah died in the 950th year of his age, and the 350th 1998 after the flood. In the same year Shinnong or Xinnung, king of China, succeeded Fohi, founder of that monarchy, and reigned 140 years. Abraham, the son of Terah, was born at Ur, a city of 1996 Chaldea, in the 130th year of his father's age. Ischah, daughter of Haran, (Abraham's brother,) after- 1986 wards known by the name of Sarai, or Sarah, was born. Apophis succeeded Aphachnas, in Egypt, and reigned 61 1984 years. Rehu, son of Peleg, seventh in descent from Noah, died in 1978 the 239th year of his age. 1955 Serug, son of Rehu, died in the 230th year of his age. Hermes, or Trismegistus, i.e., thrice-greatest, the Egyptian 1928 or Phenician priest or philosopher, flourished, of whose productions only one work is extant, called Pamander, and even that is esteemed doubtful. God commanded Abraham to leave the city of Ur, and 1926 repair with his father, Terah, to the city of Haran, near the Euphrates. Janias succeeded Apophis, in Egypt, and reigned 50 1923 years. Third Era. The Lord then ordered Abraham to proceed to Canaan, 1921 and he set forward accordingly, with Sarai, his wife, and Lot, Grand his brother's son: having gained Sichem, God appeared to Abraham, and promised that the land of Canaan should belong to his posterity. Abraham was the tenth grand patriarch after the deluge. B.C. 1917 As the flocks of Abraham and his nephew were too numerous to continue in one place, the patriarch established himself in the valley of Mamre, and Lot at Sodom. Bera, and the four kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, having revolted against Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites or Persians, after being tributary to him for 13 years, the latter with three other kings, his allies, declared war against the five kings of Pentapolis, and defeated them; upon which occasion Lot and his family were taken prisoners. No sooner was Abraham made acquainted with this fact, than he marched at the head of his servants and some neighbours, surprised the conquerors, seized the booty which they had carried off, and rescued his nephew from captivity. On his return from this victory, he met Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of the Most High, who offered him bread and wine, and then bestowed upon him his blessing. 1911 Sarai gave to Abram her hand-maid Hagar. 1910 1896 1878 1873 1860 Hagar brought forth a son, named Ishmael. This first son was thirteen years old, when Abraham was visited by three angels, who predicted the birth of Isaac, and the destruction of Sodom. Two of these celestial messengers also entered Sodom, and were received by Lot; and through their means he was preserved from the flames that consumed that iniquitous city. XIXth CENTURY BEFORE JESUS CHRIST, FROM 1900 To 1800. Birth of Isaac: Abraham at this period was an hundred years old, and Sarah ninety. Lot became father of Moab and Ammon. Five years after, Ishmael, not being able to sympathize with Isaac, was, with his mother, Hagar, driven from Abraham's dwelling. Ishmael inhabited the desert of Pharan, and was grand progenitor of the Ishmaelites and Agarens, or Saracens. Salah, the fourth in descent from Noah, died at the age of 433 years. years Assis succeeded Janias in Egypt, and reigned 49 and two months. Abraham received the Lord's order to sacrifice his son Isaac, then 25 years of age, on the mountain of Moriah. He prepared to execute this command; when the Almighty, satisfied with his obedience and the sincerity of his faith, pre vented the execution of this mandate by despatching an angel B.C. for that purpose. It was upon this mountain that the temple of Jerusalem was subsequently erected. Sarah, the wife of Abraham, died, aged 127 years, and was 1859 buried in the cave of Machpelah. Shinnung, monarch of the Chinese, after reigning 140 1858 years, was succeeded by Whang-ti, who continued on the throne 100 years. Abraham had just purchased a field in Hebron, and in- 1856 terred his wife Sarah, when he sent Eleazar, one of his servants, into Mesopotamia, to procure a wife for his son Isaac, who had then attained the age of 40. Eleazar in consequence procured Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel, and two years after Abraham espoused Ketturah, by whom he had six sons, who subsequently established themselves in Arabia. Shem, the son of Noah, died in the 600th year of his 1846 age. Rebekah proving barren for a period of 20 years, the 1836 Lord at length granted the prayer of Isaac, and gave him two sons, who were twins, named Esau and Jacob. Ogyges began to reign in Boeotia, in the environs of the 1831 lake Copais, now Limne. This lake only discharges itself into the sea by means of subterranean passages, first formed by the hand of nature, and subsequently perfected by the industry of man. In their original imperfect state they became choked up, and the waters of the lake in consequence inundated the surrounding territories; which overflow was denominated the Deluge of Ogyges. Inachus, born in Cappadocia, founded the kingdom of Argolis,, and gave his name to a river that waters that part of Peloponnesus, and of which he became the tutelar divinity. He reigned 50 years. Amosis al Thetmosis besieged the Hycsos, or King's Shep- 1825 herds, who had ruled 259 years in Egypt, when they agreed to abandon the country to the number of 240,000. Amonis then founded there a new country. Abraham died in his 175th year, and was buried in the 1821 cave of Machpelah, 15 years after the birth of Esau and Jacob. Eber, fifth in descent from Noah, died in his 464th year. 1817 |