Page:The chronology of ancient nations (IA chronologyofanci00biru).djvu/40

were produced, and mankind commenced to reproduce their own species and to multiply; the atoms of the elements mixed, so as to give rise to growth and decay; the earth was cultivated, and the world was arranged in conformity with fixed norms.

The Jews and Christians differ widely on this subject; for, according to the doctrine of the Jews, the time between Adam and Alexander is 3,448 years, whilst, according to the Christian doctrine, it is 5,180 years. The Christians rejDroach the Jews with having diminished the number of years with the view of making the appearance of Jesus fall into the fourth millennium in the middle of the seven millennia, which are, 10 according to their view, the time of the duration of the world, so as not to coincide with that time at which, as the prophets after Moses had prophesied, the birth of Jesus from a pure virgin at the end of time, was to take place. Both parties depend, in their bringing forward of arguments, upon certain modes of interpretation derived from the Ḥisâb-al-jummal. So the Jews expect the coming of the Messiah who was promised to them at the end of 1,335 years after Alexander, expecting it like something which they know for certain. In consequence of which many of the pseudo-prophets of their sects, as e.g. Al-râ'î, 'Abû-Îsâ Al-isfahânî, and others, claimed to be his messengers to them. 20 This expectation was based on the assumption that the beginning of this era (Æra Alexandri) coincided with the time when the sacrifices were abolished, when no more divine revelation was received, and no more prophets were sent. Then they referred to the Hebrew word of God in the 5th book of the Thora (Deut. xxxi. 18), פני מהם ביום ההוא אנכי הסתר אסתיר which means: " I, God, shall conceal my being till that day." And they counted the letters of the words הסתר אסתיר, the word for "concealing," which gives the sum of 1,335. This they declared to be the time during which no inspiration from heaven was received and the sacrifices were abolished, which is meant by God's concealing himself. The word "being" ((Arabic characters) = פני) is here synonymous with "affair" (or "order, command"). In order to support what they maintain, they quote two passages in the Book of Daniel (xii. 11): (Hebrew characters) which means: "Since the time when the sacrifice was abolished until impurity comes to destruction it is 1,290." and the next following passage (Dan. xii. 12): (Hebrew characters) which means: "Therefore happy he who hopes to reach to 1,335." Some people explain the difference of forty-five years in these two passages so as to refer the former date (1,290) to the beginning of the rebuilding of Jerusalem; and the latter (1,335) to the time when the rebuilding would be finished. According to others, the first number is the date of the birth of Messiah, whilst the latter is the date of his public appearance. Further, the Jews say, when Jacob bestowed his blessing upon Judah (Gen. xlix. 10), he