CH. XXIX.—Of the genealogy of our Saviour—the story of Rahab. THE line of the genealogy of the Saviour took its rise from Abraham, in this third age of the world. Abraham (as it has been said before) begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob, Jacob begat Judah and his brethren ; Judah begat Pharez and Zarah by Thamar, Pharez begat Eerom, Esrom begat Aram, Aram begat Aminadab, Aminadab begat Naasson. This Naasson departed from Egypt and was the prince of the tribe of Judah, and that became true which God foretold to Abraham in Genesis ; that in the fifth generation, reckoned according to the royal family, so that we mean by generations, not persons, but successions, the children of Israel depart from Egypt ; as you may see if you calculate from Judah to Naasson. For in that list the word "begot " occurs five times. But if that succession is limited to the fourth generation in the sacerdotal tribe, then those who make the calculation must proceed from Levi to Eleazar. Naasson begat Salmon, Salmon married Rahab the harlot, who received the spies in Jericho, and hid them under straw of flax, and let them down over the wall, and delivered her own house by a scarlet thread, which she placed in the window, while Jericho was being destroyed. By Rahab Salmon became the father of Boaz. In the days of Boaz, Elimelech, a man of Bethlehem, with his wife Naomi, and his sons Mahlon and Chelion, came at a time of famine into Moab, where he obtained wives for his sons, to wit, Ruth and Orpah. And when he and his sons died, Naomi returned with Ruth the Moabitese, and by her Boaz became the father of Obed, raising up seed to his dead kinsman. And Obed begat Isai or Jesse, for he had two names ; and Jesse begat David and his brethren. This David Samuel the prophet anointed to be king, when Saul had been rejected for disobedience. THE EITD or THE THIRD AGE or THE WORLD, which ends in Saul, consisting, according to the Hebrews, of 942 years ; according to the seventy translators, of 940.