Page:Historical Works of Venerable Bede vol. 2.djvu/301

 CHRONICLE.] So far extends the second age of the world. St. Augustine, in the tenth chapter of his 16th book on "the City of God," concludes his review of it thus: "From the deluge, therefore, to Abraham is a period of 1072 years according to the common chronology, i. e. according to the Seventy Translators. It is said that, in the Hebrew copies, the number of years is much less; but for this no reason is given, or, at least, a very difficult reason."

THE THIRD AGE.

A.M. 2023 [3389]. The third age of the world begins with the birth of the Patriarch Abraham, who, when he was 75 years old, left the land of his fathers, and came, at the command of God, into the land of Canaan, receiving a promise that a Saviour should be born from his seed, in whom all nations should be blessed, and at the same time that himself should become a great nation. Of these promises one is a spiritual promise; the other is after the Ninus and flesh. At this time Ninus and Semiramis reign in Assyria.

A.M. 2034 [3400].

Abraham was 86 years old when he begat Ismael, from whom the Ismaelites are descended; but Ismael begat twelve leaders, and lived 136 years.

A.M. 2048 [3414].

The same Abraham, at the age of 100 years, begat Isaac, the first and only one, who is said in the Old Testament to have been circumcised on the eighth day; a great privilege not granted but in a great mystery to the son of promise.