assumption of
Dr. Colenso on the other.

If we look to the context we shall find that the meaning of the whole
passage, as explained by these writers, is simple, clear, harmonious; as
explained by Dr. Colenso, it is forced and unnatural. Abraham had just
heard from God that his seed should be "a stranger in a foreign land"
four hundred years (v. 13.) Then it is added: "but the _fourth
generation_ ([Hebrew: dor]) they shall return hither".[11] That is to
say, in our view, _the men belonging to the fourth century_ shall
return. In this sense the connection will be clear; the prophecy will be
perfectly true, and the meaning easily understood. The four centuries
are to be counted from the time of Abraham, and correspond exactly with
the four hundred years of exile which had just been predicted. But,
according to Dr. Colenso, by "the fourth generation" is meant the fourth
descent in _the family of Jacob_ (who was not yet born), counting from
_the adults in the prime of life who went down with him to Egypt_. Now
there is nothing in the whole chapter about _Jacob_ or _Jacob's family_,
or _the adults in the prime of life who went down two hundred years
later into Egypt_. Under these circumstances we think few persons will
be able to persuade themselves that the prophecy was understood by
Abraham in the sense in which it is understood by Dr. Colenso.

He next appeals to the genealogies of the Bible to establish his theory
of the "Exodus in the fourth generation":

"If we examine the different genealogies of remarkable men,
which are given in various places of the Pentateuch, we
shall find that, as a rule, the contemporaries of Moses and
Aaron are descendants in the _third_, and those of Joshua
and Eleazar in the _fourth_ generation, from some one of the
_sons_, or _adult grandsons_ of Jacob, who went down with
him into Egypt. Thus we have:--

1st. Gen. 2nd. Gen. 3rd. Gen. 4th. Gen. 5th. Gen.
Levi Kohath Amram Moses ... ... E. vi, 16, 18, 20.
Levi Kohath Amram Aaron ... ... E. vi. 16, 18, 20.
Levi Kohath Uzziel Mishael ... ... L. x. 4.
Levi Kohath Uzziel Elzaphan ... ... L. x. 4.
Levi Kohath Izhar Korah ... ... N. xvi. 1.
Reuben Pallu Eliab Dathan ... ... N. xxvi. 7-9.
Reuben Pallu Eliab Abiram