The first disputed, diversely estimated, point is the _period of the Judges_; yet the proof texts and authorities cover the period from the Exodus to the temple. Usher makes the period of the Judges 339 years; Jahn and many others, 450. Usher relies on 1 K. 6: 1: “In the 480th year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel ... he began to build the house of the Lord.” His computation runs thus: YEARS. Hebrews in the wilderness. 40 Hebrews under Joshua. 17 Samuel and Saul together.[19] 40 David (2 Sam. 5: 4, 5). 41 Solomon up to the founding of the temple. 3 Judges――to fill out 480. 339 ――――― 480 The long period for the Judges rests primarily on Acts 13: 20, which states that “after having divided to them the land of Canaan by lot, God gave them judges 450 years until Samuel the prophet.” Placing 450 in the above computation in place of 339――an excess of 111 years――we find the date of the Exodus B. C. 1604 instead of Usher’s figures ♦B. C. 1491. In support of this long period for the Judges may be urged―― (1.) The authority of Paul as above (Acts 13: 20) which makes this period 450 years. (2.) Josephus makes the interval from the Exodus to the founding of the temple 592 years, and not 480. The Jews of China also make it 592――facts which favor the supposition that the Hebrew text of 1 K. 6: 1, is in error. It can not be supposed that either Josephus or the Chinese Jews adjusted their figures to harmonize with Paul. (3.) The internal dates in the Book of Judges demand the long period and can not be harmonized with the short one:――――Thus Judges 11: 26 shows that the Hebrews had then dwelt in Heshbon, Aroer and along the coast of Arnon 300 years. These years lie between the entrance into Canaan and the beginning of Jephthah’s judgeship. We have then this computation: