declare And these were the Prophetes which God of his great mercy and goodnesse sent more specially to Iudah and the kings thereof after that the ten tribes were departed from them Prophetes which the Lord sent to the tenne tribes of Israel and to the Kinges thereof after that they were departed from the tribe of Iudah VVE may not vnfitly begin this company of holy Prophetes with Ahijah the Shilonite of whom we read 1. King chap. 11. 29. c. He is that Prophet whom the Lord sent to prophesie vnto Ieroboam the son of Nebat that it was the purpose of God to rend the kingdome out of the handes of Salomon to make him king ouer ten tribes of Israell This was the iudgement of God against the sin of Salomon and of the people in his latter time for that they forsooke the Lord and worshipped the idols of the heathen as it followeth in the same eleuenth chapter vers 33. The accomplishment of which prophesie reade in the very next chapter euen shortly after the Prophesie was vttered to Ieroboam read chap. 12. ver 15. c. In the reigne of this Ieroboam in so much as he contrary to the will and commandement of God set vp idolattie to serue his owne wicked deuise and policie for the preuenting of the pebples reuolt which he suspitiously scared the Lord therefore sent a Prophere out of Iudah vnto Bethel in Israel the chiefe place of his new erected idolatrie euen at such time as he himselfe was dedicating the altar which he had made chap. 12. 26. c. 33. And the Prophete prophesying against his idolatrie telleth Ieroboam standing by his altar to offer incense that a child should be borne to the house of Dauid Iosiah by name who should breake down his altar and destroy the Priests of his high places ch 13. 1. c. The accomplishment whereof reade 2. King ch 23. 15 c. 20. This Prophesie did the Prophet giue forth about three hundreth and thirtie yeares before king Iosiah was borne This Prophet was he who harkening to the lye of that old Prophet of Bethel was for his transgressing of Gods commandement in that he eat and dranke in the place wherof God had said vnto him Thou shalt neither eat nor drink he was therefore killed in the way by a Lyon which met him Neuerthelesse as it may seeme for a monument of Gods mercie in forgiuing the sin of this Prophet he restrained the Lyon from deuouring his body as it is recorded in the same 13. chapter Reade also 2. King 23. 17. 18. In the reigne of the same Ieroboam the ancient Prophet Ahijah of Shilo who at the beginning told Ieroboam that he shold be king ouer the ten tribes of Israel he is now afterward toward the end of his wicked idolatrous reigne euen then when Ahijah could not see through the decay of his sight by reason of age the minister of God to prophesie against Ieroboam and his posteritie 1. King chap. 14. 2. 4. c. 18. This was fulfilled after that Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam had reigned two yeares For Baasha conspired against Nadab and slew him first thē also he smote all the house of Ieroboam according to the word of the Lord which he spake by his seruant Ahijah the Shilonite So we reade chap. 15. vers 27. 29. In the dayes of king Baasha who began his reigne ouer Israel in the third yeare of Asa king of Iuda Iehu the sonne of Hanani prophesied against Baasha like as the former two Prophetes had prophesied against Ieroboam 1. King 16. 1. c. In the dayes of Ahab who began his reigne ouer Israel in the 38. yeare of Asa king of Iuda prophesied Elijah that mightie Prophete of the Lord against Ahab his posteritie 1. King 17. c. He reduced the people of Israel to the acknowledgement of the true God of Israel He prophesied likewise by writing against Iehoram the son of Iehoshaphat who left the good waies wherin his father had walked followed the wicked wayes of the kings of Israel For as the holie Storie saith he had the daughter of Ahab to wife and he wrought euill in the eyes of the Lord and compelled Iudah so to do Wherfore the Lord by his Prophet Elijah sent a grieuous prophesie threatening fearefull diseases and a horrible death against him which also tooke effect as we read 2. Chron. 21. Michaiah also the sonne of Imlah prophesied against wicked king Ahab 1. King 22. And before him another Prophet whose name is not expressed chap. 20. 41 42. But verses 13. 14 22. and verses 28 29. God sent a Prophete to prophesie vnto him his double victorie ouer the great armie of the Aramites In the reigne of Iehoram the sonne of Ahab and so forth vnto the reigne of Ioash the sonne of Iehu prophesied Elisha the prophet who succeeded Elijah in Israel 2. King chap. 3. c. and ch 13. vers 14. c. But before Elisha had receiued of the Spirit of Elijah the children of the Prophetes both they of Bethel and other which were at Iericho prophesied that God would in extraordinarie maner take away Elishaes master that is Eljiah from him 2. King chap. 2. 3. 5. In the reigne of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash prophesied Ionah the sonne of Amittai who was of Gath Hepher 2. King 14. 25. This was the same Ionah whom the Lord sent about the mid dle time of the reigne of Ieroboam to prophesie against Nineueh as we shal see further anon Prophetes vvhich prophesied more iointly both cōcerning Iuda also concerning Israel after their separation yea and some of thē euen after the captiuities of either of them HOsea prophesied in the reigne of the same kings of Iudah when Isaiah prophesied to wit in the dayes of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah with whom also are mentioned the dayes of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israell chap. 1. 1. of his prophesie to the end that Israel might the rather be admonished that his Prophesie belonged to them as ◅el as it did vnto Iudah for the reproofe of their sinnes for the comfort of either of them if they would repent and lay hold of the promises of the gospel which he by the spirit of prophesie published as belonging to them both In the reigne of the same Vzziah king of Iudah and in the the reigne of Ieroboam the son of Ioash king of Israel two yeares before the earthquake which was not long after the beginning of the reigne of Vzziah the Prophet Amos prophesied concerning Iudah and Israel though chiefly and for the most part concerning Israel chap. 1. 1. c. He prophesied particularly against Amaziah that malignant and proud priest of Bethel chap. 7. He prophesied also of the destruction of Ierusalem and of the captiuitie and restoring of the people of Iudah and Israel Finally he prophesied of the calling both of the Iewes and Gentiles
was dead And thus vpon the laying together of al the aboue named numbers in this order following first 930 which was the age of Adam secondly 126 frō the death of Adam to the birth of Noah thirdly 600 to the floud fourthly 352 to the birth of Abram fiftly 75 to the promise first made to Abram sixtly 25 to the birth of Isaak seuenthly 60 to the birth of Iaakob eightly 147 the age of Iaakob ninthly 53 the time that Ioseph suruiued Iaakob we haue a full declaration that the generall summe of yeares from the creation of Adam which was the sixt day after the world began to the death of Ioseph where with the whole hrstorie of Genesis is ended they are 23 68. EXODVS 146 yeares FRom the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moses were 65 yeares From the birth of Moses to the time that God sent him to parlie treate with Pharaoh for the deliuerance of his people out of bondage were 80 yeares Exod. 7. 7. The very next yeare after this Israel departed out of Egypt euen on the 14. day of the first moneth Exod. chap. 12. and chap. 13. And in the third moneth of the same yeare the Lord did publish his Lawe from heauen descending vpō mount Sinai Exo. 19. 1. c. 11. c. and ch 20. And in the very beginning of the next yeare after this the Tabernacle of God was reared vp Exod. chap. 40. 17. 18. Thus farre reacheth the second booke of Moses called Exodus All the yeares wherof reckened together that is to say 65 from the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moses 80 to his ambassage from God to Pharaoh 1 to the giuing of the Law and vntill the rearing of the Tabernacle they grow to the number of 146. But it may here be demaunded what proofe we haue that betweene the death of Ioseph the birth of Moses were iust 65 yeares We gather that it must needs be so because that otherwise there could not be 430 yeares from the promise of the Gospell made first to Abraham vnto the giuing of the law Of which intermediant space of time we haue vndoudted testimonie Exod. 12. 40. 41. and Gal. 3. 17. And therefore the warrantise of this is a sure confirmation of that LEVITICVS only one moneth COnferre that which we reade Exod. chap. 40. verse 17. The Tabernacle was reared vp the first day of the first moneth in the second yeare with that which Moses writeth in the first verse of the first chapter of Numbers in these words The Lord spake againe vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai in the Tabernacle of the congregation the first day of the second moneth in the second yeare after that they were come out of the land of Egypt c. Here therfore is the storie of neuer a whole yeare but only of one moneth NVMBERS 38 yeares and 9 moneths COmpare that beginning of this booke of Numbers with the third verse of the first chapter of Deuteronomie where thus we read And it came to passe in the first day of the eleuenth moneth in the fortith yeare that Moses spake to the children of Israell c. Of these fortie yeares yeeld one for the giuing of the law to the rearing of the Tabernacle vnto Exodus and one moneth to Leuiticus so there shall remaine to Numbers 38 yeares and 9 moneths DEVTERONOMIE two moneths at the least which make vp the 39. yeare of the booke of Numbers and reacheth to the end of the fortith yeare that Moses spake to Israell THis is euident in that as was mentioned before out of Exod. chap. 7. vers 7. Moses was 80 yeares old when he led Israell out of Egypt but he died not til he had liued 120 yeres as we read Deut. 34. 7. Moses was one hundreth and twentie yeares old when he died his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated c. So the◅ Deuteronomie maketh vp the 39. yeare of Numbers whereunto ad one yeare borrowed from Exodus and we haue the whole fortie years that Moses spake to the children of Israel Note here that the fortie yeares wandering of Israell in the wildernesse is to be reckened from their first entrance into it Exod. 16. 35. Nehem. 9. 21. Reade also Psalme 95. For euen three dayes after their deliuerance they begin to murmure Exod. 15. 22. Neuerthelesse it is not pronounced for a curse vnto them till Numbers 14. 34. This curse ended with the death of Moses IOSHVAH 17 yeares THis is prooued in that there being 480 yeares betwixt the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt to the time wherein king Salomon layd the foundation of the Temple of Ierusalem which was in the fourth yeare of his reigne 1. King chap 6. verses 1. and 37 there are of this summe of 480 euery yeare recorded in the holy Scriptures except from the beginning of Ioshuah his gouernment to the time of his death to the number of 463 yeares as will be manifest by the acc◅unt following For as hath bene already declared from the time that Moses began to speake to Israel to the time of his death was 40 yeares The time of the Iudges as will more clearely appeare anone was 299 yeares of Eli 40 of Samuel and Saule 40 of Dauid 40 of Salomon 4 to the time wherein he began to build the Temple Wherefore onely 17 yeares are wanting to fufilll that number of 480. And the same must needes be the yeares wherein Ioshua gouerned and guided Israell after the death of Moses to the time of his owne death Iosh. 1. 1. where thus we read Nowe after the death of Moses the seruant of the Lord the Lord spake vnto Ioshua the sonne of Nun Moses minister saying Moses my seruant is dead now therefore arise thou go ouer this Iorden thou all this people vnto the land which I giue thē c. And cha 24. 29. And after these things Ioshua the sonne of Nun the seruāt of the Lord died being 110 yeares old IVDGES 299 yeares THis was the space of time wherin the thirteene Iudges chronicled and renowmed in the booke of Iudges did as heroicall most valiant Captaines of the Lord iudge auenge deliuer the people of Israell out of the hands of their enemies as the rehearsall of the seuerall distance of yeares from Iudge to Iudge will hence forth shew and confirme to be true For from the death of Ioshua to the death of Othniel the first of these Iudges were 40 yeares Iudg. 1. 1. c. After that Ioshua was dead the children of Israell asked the Lord saying Who shal go vp for vs against the Caananites to fight first against them And ch 3. ver 9. 10. 11. When the children of Israell cried vnto the Lord the Lord stirred vp a Sauior to the childrē of Israel and he saued them euen Othniel the sonne of Kenaz Calebs younger brother c. So the land had rest to the fortith
VVE haue seene already from the books of Ezra Nehemiah and Ester what was the state of the Iewes for the former part of these 490 yeares of Daniel and it may also be discerned frō Daniel himselfe Wherein though they had their troubles yet it was rather prosperous then aduerse and trouble some But as touching the middle part of the same 490 yeares that is from the time that Alexander of Macedonia had subdued the Persians vnder the Grecians the Iewes more more corrupting their wayes and the worship of God as it is euident by the prophesie of Malachie the last of the prophets whom God sent much about that time or not long before vehemently to reproue their most grieuous and enormious sinnes they are through the iust iudgement of God because of the hardnesse and impenitencie of their hearts heauily afflicted oppressed and spoyled by sundrie and diuerse heathen kings specially by the deuided successors of Alexander compared to ten hornes Dan. ch 7. 24. whom also in respect of the situation of Iuda he partly calleth Southerne kings namely those fiue Ptolomies who successiuely ruled in Egypt and partly he calleth them Northerne kings of the which three bare the name of Seleuchus and foure were called by the name of Antiochus with some difference of Sir-names who ruled in Syria according to that which we reade Dan. ch 8. and ch 10. and chap. 11. The fulfilling of which prophesie is plainely and plentifully testified by the records of verie manie heathen Historio graphers for the space of 149 yeares whose writings are extant among vs that is from the beginning of the Grecian monarchy by Alexāder to the end of the reigne of that most vile barbarous persecutor Antiochus Epiphanes with whom Daniel endeth his prophesie touching the speciall afflictions of Iuda chap. 11. verse 21. c. to the end of the chapter Reade also the first booke of Machabees chap. 1. vers 1. c. After that Alexander the Macedonian the son of Philip went forth of the land of Chittim and slewe Darius king of the Persians and Medes and reigned for him as he had before in Grecia he tooke great warres in hand c. and verses 8. 9. 10. 11. So Alexander had reigned 12 yeares when he died And his seruāts reigned euery one in his roome And they all caused themselues to be crowned after his death and so did their children after them manie yeares and much wickednesse increased in the world For out of these came the wicked roote euen Antiochus Epiphanes the son of K. Antiochus which had bene an hostage at Rome and he reigned in the 137. yeare of the kingdome of the Greekes And chap. 6. 16. King Antiochus died in the 149. yeare Now concerning the last part of the 490 yeares of Daniel that is to say frō the miserable end of Antiochus in his reigne to the death of our Sauiour Christ which was the space of 211 yeares the greater part was spent in the weakning and wasting of the Greeke monarchie partly by the ill successe of their warres against Iuda and partly by their wars among thēselues according to the prophesie of Daniel chap. 2. 41. 42. 43. 44. but chiefly by the Romanes who altogether subdued them according as Ezekiel prophesied that they should Reade ch 38. and chap. 39. These prophesies were fulfilled about threescore yeares before the seuentie seuens of Daniel were expired For so many yeares passed from the vtter suppressing of the Grecians broken Monarchie and the end of those yeares Now therefore albeit Iuda strengthened of God did frō the end of vile Antiochus his reign recouer their kingdome and gouernment and obtained the free possession of the citie of God by the mighty valour of Iudas Machabaeus read 1. Machab. chap. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. c. In his acts hee was like a Lion c. and ch 6. vers 58. 59. The heathen finding themselues to decrease dayly they consent that the Iewes should liue after their law as they did afore and they agree of peace Read also 2. Machab. chap. 10. 1. 2. 3. c. Machabaeus and his company through the help of the Lord wanne the Temple and the citie againe c. and chap. 15. 38. Thus farre concerning Nicanors matters and from that time the Hebrewes had the citie in possession And although the Romanes after they had gotten the souereigntie did nothing against the religion of the Iewes yet their estate euen at the best was full of miserie by reason of the manifold corruptions of Gods worship among themselues and because of their great wickednes in the course of their life specially among their high Priests leaders and guides For they were of diuers sects both Pharisies and Sadduces as we reade in the Gospell yea and Essaei also as other stories make mention Wherunto the Prophet Zacharie hath respect chap. 11. 8. where the Lord threateneth before hand that he would cut off three Shepheards in one moneth in so much as his soule lothed them c. Which also came to passe after they had shewed themselues obstinate and incorrigible euen to the reiecting of our Sauiour Christ. For hereby they prouoked God in the highest degree and therefore he sent the Romane armie in his wrath to take their nation vtterly away as we are herafter further to obserue concerning the proper time season thereof And thus we are come to the end of the 490 yeares comprended in the seuenty seuene of Daniel chap. 9. 24. c. Of the which the first seuen times seuen years that is 49 yeares were spent in the building of the Tēple three yeares being reckened till the foundation was layd the other 46 before it could be finished by reason of the great and often hinderances which the Iewes had as hath bene declared before Reade also Iohn 2. 20. Fortie sixe yeares was this Temple a building From thence were 67 seuens that is 434 yeares And last of all the Prophet reckeneth one seuen more of the which the latter halfe that is three yeares and a halfe were appointed by God to be the time from the Baptisme of our Sauiour Christ which was at the thirtith year of his age vnto his death which was at the 4. Passouer following after his baptisme For so we reade Luke chap. 3. verses 21. 22. 23. At his Baptisme saith the Euangelist he began to be about thirtie yeares of age But concerning the Passcouers in the times wherof our Sauiour Christ went vp to Ierusalem to the celebration of them we haue only three expresly and by name mentioned the first and third only by the Euangelist Iohn chap. 2. 13. The Iewes Passeouer was at hand therefore Iesus went vp to Ierusalem And againe chap. 6. 4. Now the Passeouer a feast of the Iewes was neare Neuerthelesse the second Passeouer is mentioned by the same Euangelist chap. 5. 1. After that there was a feast of the Iewes saith S. Iohn and Iesus went vp to
yeare when Othniel the sonne of Kenaz died From the death of this Othniel to the times wherein Ehud the second Iudge and Shamgar the third had iudged Israell there were 80 yeeres chap. 3. 30. 31. For in that account the time of Shamgar must be reckened with the time of Ehud or else comprehended in the former part of the 40 yeares next following because otherwise the time wherein he executed the iudgement of God should be altogether omited It is likely that his time was but short From those 80 yeares to the end of the gouernment of Deborah who was the fourth Iudge though a woman there passed 40 yeares chap. 5. 31. Frō this yeare to the end of Gideons iudgment who was the fift Iudge were also 40 yeares chap. 8. 28. After Gideon was Abimelech the sixt Iudge who iudged Israell 3 yeeres chap. 9. 22. Next Abimelech arose Tolah the seuenth Iudge who iudged Israell 23 yeares chap. 10. 1. 2. Then Iaire the eight Iudge hee iudged 22 yeares chap. 10. 3. Iphtah the ninth iudged 6 yeares chap. 12. 7. And after Iphtah Ipsan who was the tenth Iudge he iudged 7 yeares chap. 12. 9. Next Ibsan rose Elon the eleuenth he iudged 10 yeares chap. 12. 11. And in the same chapter verse 14. Abdon hath the place of the twelfth Iudge by the space of 8 yeares And last of all Samson the thirteenth who mightily iudged auenged Israell whole 20 yeares cha 16. 31. All these particular numbers 40 to the death of Othniel 80 to the death of Shamgar 40 to the end of Deborahs gouernment 40 to the death of Gideon 3 of Abimelech 23 of Tolah 22 of Iaire 6 of Iphtah 7 of Ibsan 10 of Elon 8 of Abdon 20 of Samson they make vp one whole summe of 299 yeares And so farre extendeth the booke of the Iudges As for that which is written in the beginning of the thirteenth chapter of this booke concerning that 40 years of Israels oppression vnder the hands of the Philistims as though it had bin betwixt the time of Abdon Samson it is not so to be vnderstood but we must reckē those yeares beginning so as they must end either at or with the gouernment of Samson In the which time of fortie yeares though Israell had Iudges yet we are thereby giuen to vnderstand that they were sundry times greatly molested by their aduersaries within the compasse of the same And concerning all that which followeth in the rest of the booke of the Iudges from the 17. chapter to the end of the booke as also touching that historie recorded in the booke of Ruth though the matters therein contained be placed after the time already accounted yet doe they belong to some of the former seasons And of the historie of Ruth it is expresly afirmed in the beginning therof that it fell out in the time that the Iudges ruled at such time as there was a dearth in the land of Israell c. 1. Booke of SAMVEL 80 yeares THis space of 80 years was partly the time of Elies gouernement which continued 40 yeares 1. Sam. chap. 4. vers 18. And partly it was the time both of Samuels gouernment and also of the reigne of Saul the which reckened together were likewise 40 yeers So is that to be vnderstood which we reade Act. 13. 20. 21. God gaue to Israell Iudges about 450 yeares vnto the time of Samuel the Prophet The Apostle in that number reckening the time of Elie his gouernment among the Iudges and also vulgarly reckeneth the times as they are dated as well for the oppressions of Israell by their aduersaries such as were Chusan by the space of eight yeares Eglon 18. Sisera 20. The Madianites 7 The Amonites 18. The Philistims 40 as for their deliuerances by their Iudges and Sauiours 299 besides the 40. yeares of Elie. And then it followeth in the former place of the Acts. So after that they desired a King God gaue vnto them Saul the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin by the space of forty yeares The Apostle here also reckoning the gouerument of Samuell with the reigne of Saule vnder the couert whereof it is as it were shadowed or concealed 2. Booke of SAMVEL 40 yeares THe reigne of king Dauid was also the space of 40 yeares 2. Sam. 5. 4. 5. In Hebron saith the Text he reigned 7 yeares and sixe moneths ouer Iuda and in Ierusalem he reigned 33 yeares ouer all Israell and Iuda Thus with the end of king Dauids reigne which was at the end of his life this second booke of Samuel endeth 1. Booke of KINGS 117 yeares THis 117 yeares is the time of the raigne of fiue Kings of Iuda First of Salomon who raigned 40 yeares 1. King chap. 11. 42. Then Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon 17 yeares chap. 14. 21. The third Abijam whose reigne was three yeares chap. 15. 2. but not compleate so that the third yeare of Abijam was also the first of Asa For Ieroboam beginning his reigne ouer Israel when Rehoboam began to reigne ouer Iuda it is expresly sayd that Abijam beganne his reigne in the eighteenth yeare of Ieroboam chap. 15. 1. And it is likewise said that Asa began his reigne in the twentith yeare of the same Ieroboam We haue therefore only two whole yeares betwixt Rehoboam and Asa. This Asa the fourth king of Iuda to wit of those mentioned in this first booke of Kings he reigned 41 yeares as we reade further in the 15. verse of the same 15. chap. In the fift place the reigne of Iehoshaphat is numbred to be 25 yeares and his death is chronicled in this booke Neuerthelesse the storie of this first booke of the Kings reacheth but to the 17 yeare of his reigne chap. 22. ver 51. 52. So that the historie of this booke is but 117 yeares For so many and no more are the particular summes 40 of Salomon 17 of Rehoboam 2 of Abijam 41 of Asa 17 of Iehoshaphat if we number them altogether 2. Booke of KINGS 345 yeares IN this second Booke of the Kings the holie Storie is continued from the 18. yeare of Iehoshaphat chap. 3. 1. to the last that is to say vnto the 25. yeare of his reigne Yet so as the storie runneth vnder the name of Iehoram his sonne because from the former seuenteenth yeare of Iehoshaphat Iehoram ruled as Viceroy in stead of his father chap. 1. 17. And again yet more specially from the 22 yeare of his fathers reigne chap. 8. 16. For Ioram the sonne of Ahab beginning his reigne in the eighteenth yeare of Iehoshapat the fift yeare of this Ioram must be the 22. yeare of Iehoshaphat And from this time that is from the fift yeare of Ioram doth Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat euen foure yeares before the death of his father begin his reigne of that 8 yeares which is mentioned in the
17. verse of the eight chapter last alleadged For otherwise how should Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat reigne to the twelfth yeare of Ioram the sonne of Ahab whose first yeare was the eighteenth of Iehoshaphat the second of Iehorams viceroyship as hath bene noted before So then we haue beside the remnant of Iehoshaphats reigne which was foure years from the end of his 17. while Iehoram his sonne was first viceroy we haue I say in the entrance of this second booke of Kings Iehorams more full reigne for the space of 8 yeares beginning at the 22. yeare of Iehoshaphat that is to say the first foure yeares by speciall commission and thence forth other foure in his sole regencie to wit so long as he suruiued his father And after this we haue in the rest of this book the reigne of 14 kings of Iuda beside Queene Athaliah who maketh vp the number of 16 as is noted before Of the which kings Ahaziah the first reigned one yeare chap. 8. 26. Next after him Athalia a woman vsurper by the space of sixe yeares chap. 11. 3. And after her Iehoash the second king who reigned 40 yeares chap. 12. 1. Yet so as from his 38. yeare Amaziah his sonne rule as Viceroy in his roome as may appeare by this that Ioash king of Israell beginning his reigne ouer Israel at the 37. yeare of Ioash king of Iuda cha 13. 10. Amaziah is afterward said to haue begunne his reigne in the second yeare of the same Ioash chap. 14. 1. which must be the 38. yeare of Ioash king of Iuda And the same also two yeares before Iehoahaz the father of Ioash king of Israel died in so much as the seuenteenth yeare which was the last of Iehoahaz touched the last yeare of the reigne of Ioash king of Iuda seeing he began his reigne in the 23. yeare of the same Ioash of Iuda and reigned 17 yeares in Israell chap. 13. 1. So then the sonne of Iehoahaz was viceroy in Israel as Amaziah was in Iudah Three yeares therefore are to be abated either of the 40 yeares of Iehoash or of the 29 yeares of Amaziah vnlesse we could see sufficient reason to say that Amaziah reigned 29 yeares beside that time wherein he was viceroy Next vnto Amaziah was Azariah otherwise called Vzziah 2. Chron. chap. 26. whose reigne continued 52 yeeres But the beginning of Azariahes reigne is not to be reckoned till the twelfth yeere after the death of his father because Amaziah as the Storie testifieth liued but 15. yeeres after the death of Iehoash king of Israel ch 14. verse 17. The which his 15 yeeres could reach but to the 15. yeere of the reigne of Ieroboam who began not his raigne till the 15. yeere of Amaziah as we reade in the same 14. ch the 23. verse And hereunto adde that it is further expreslie set downe ch 15. 1. as hath beene alleadged before that Azariah began not his reigne till the 27. yeere of Ieroboam which was 11 yeeres after the death of Amaziah We are therfore in this place for the perfecting of our computation to interpose eleuen yeeres betwixt the death of Amaziah and the beginning of the reigne of Azariah who was but foure yeere olde when his father Amaziah dyed Neither did he begin his reigne till he was 16 yeeres of age as it followeth in the 2. verse of the same 15. chapter Whence also it will fall out that as Iuda was eleuen yeeres without a king by reason of the nonage of Azariah or for what other cause soeuer so was Israel fifteene yeeres after that vacancie or interregnum of Iuda for the space of 22 yeeres likewise without a king That is to say from the end of Ieroboams reigne which was at the 15. yeere of the reigne of Azariah So that Zachariah the next king which succeeded Ieroboam and was the fourth from Iehu 2. King chap. 10. 30. he began not his reigne till the 38. yeere of Azariah as we reade ch 15. 8. 12. Some in their Chronologie admit not these yeers of vacācie either in Iuda or in Israel and therefore begin the reigne of Azariah 15 yeeres before the death of his father yea and for the same cause also doo make Zachariah immediately to succeede Ieroboam in Israel without anie interruption of the royall gouernment But the former account is to be followed the rather because without the former addition wee shall not finde that number of Ezekiels 390 yeeres figured by so manie daies from the time that Israel fell to idolatrie vnder Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat to the desolation of Ierusalem at the burning of the Temple Read Ezek. ch 4. verses 4. 5. 6. c. But let vs hast forward Ater Azariah Iotham reigned 16 yeares 2. King 15. 32. 33. Next to Iotham was Ahaz who likewise reigned 16 yeares chap. 16. 1. 2. After Ahaz reigned Hezekiah 29 yeares chap. 18. 1. 2. Manasses succeeded Hezekiah and reigned 55 yeares ch 21. 1. The longest reigne of anie king either in Iuda or Israel Then Amon reigned two yeares cha 21. 19. And after Amon Iosiah whose reigne was 31 yeares chap. 22. 1. Next to Iosiah was Iehoahaz but he reigned onely three moneths chap. 23. 31. After Iehoahaz Iehoiakim reigned eleuen yeeres chap. 23. 36. Then Iehoiachin whose reigne was but three moneths and ten dayes For so soone after he began to reigne did the king of Babylon subdue him and carie him away captiue to Babel 2. King chap. 24. 8. c. and 2. Chron. chap. 36. 9. c. Instead of this Iehoiachin the same king of Babylon placed Zedekiah who reigned eleuen yeares 2. King 24. 18. Finally from thence to the time that Euilmerodach the next king of Babylon succeeding Nebuchadnezzar restored Iehoiachin to a princely dignitie there passed 26 yeares For he was aduanced in the 37. yeare after that he was caried away captiue 2. King chap. 25. vers 27. From the which if we subtract those 11 yeares of Zedekiah the remainder is 26. So all the years of the Story of this second book of Kings containing these seuerall numbers 4 of Iehoshaphat 8 of Iehoram 1 of Ahaziah 6 of Athaliah 40 of Iehoash or Ioash 26 of Amaziah abating the three yeeres of his viceroyship 11 yeers of the vacancie 52 of Azariah 16 of Iothā 16 of Ahaz 29 of Hezekiah 55 of Manasses 2 of Amon 31 of Iosiah 11 of Iehoiakim 11 of Zedekiah and from thence 26 to the aduancement of Iehoiachin in Babell they are in the totall summe 345. THis captiuity of Iuda began in the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim Ier. 25. 1. For Nebuchadnezzer laying siege against Ierusalem in the third yeare of Iehoiakim Dan. chap. 1. 1. he subdued the same Iehoiakim and caried him away captiue the next yeare 2. King 24. 1. and 2. Chron. 36. 5. 6. 7. At the which time also Daniel and some other of the children of the Nobles and such as were of the bloud royall of Iuda