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Introduction

into the Biblical Universal History and Chronology in six Periods, or divisions of time, of the Old Testament.

Preliminary Remarks.

1. For the assessment of biblical history, it is very important to recognize it correctly in its full context according to the calculation of time. Because historical events lie scattered throughout all the books of the Old Testament, and are shown only piece by piece in each individual book; it is very difficult for the reader, especially one who is somewhat busy, to grasp them together in the mind in such a way that one forms a well-connected and correct concept of them.

2. Regarding the division to be made in this historical material, I chose this order in my church history of the Old Testament written in Latin original: "Historia Ecclesiastica Veteris Testamenti", where I follow seven main periods. I place the first from the beginning of the world until the Great Flood; the second from the Flood until the calling of Abraham; the third from the calling or entry of Abraham into the land of Canaan until the departure of the Israelites from Egypt; the fourth and shortest, but most important, from the departure from Egypt until the introduction of the people of Israel into Canaan; the fifth from this introduction, or from the reign of Joshua, until the reign of Solomon and the founding of the Temple; the sixth from the first Temple until the second; the seventh from the second Temple, or the return belonging to it

from the Babylonian captivity, until Christ.

3. That I previously divided biblical history into these seven periods was motivated, besides the times themselves, especially by this: because every period, due to certain very important matters and major changes that occurred, has a very remarkable terminum a quo starting point from which it begins, and a terminum ad quem ending point to which it goes; and therefore it is very easy for the memory to note. That I have taken a special period for the Mosaic forty years and events, namely the fourth, I was moved partly by the importance of the matters themselves, and partly by the divine government. By virtue of this, Moses wrote four books about this short time, and specifically only about its first two years and the final year, or the things that happened therein. He thereby testified that much more depends on this than others, and therefore one must not pass over it so quickly with one's reflections in history. And as it is otherwise said: in medio consistit virtus virtue stands in the middle, so one can certainly say it of this short Mosaic period; as it is the middle one among the seven, having three before it and three behind it, in none of which so many and important things occurred in such a short time as in this one. This period is therefore, so to speak, the heart of the entire Jewish history, which goes back to the first patriarchal times, and of the entire Messianic religion;