Historical Reality

Biblical Lineages

The Bible, as is the case with many holy books, contains some historical merit. Archaeology has shown that religious texts can present valuable glimpses at the past.

Fundamentalists, however, abuse this concept by attributing obviously mythological/untrue elements from religious texts to our factual historical record. One prime example of this is lineages, those boring and tedious portions of the Bible that list the family trees and descendants of historical patriarchs, which fundamentalists believe can be used to trace the origins of ancient bloodlines, and thus modern day nations.

 

Biblical fundamentalists believe that all extant people on Earth are decendants the sons of Noah:  Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These legendary figures, according to fundamentalists, account for Caucasian, African, and Asian peoples respectively.

This concept had been regarded with some level of acceptance by historians and scientists for centuries, yet modern understanding has produced DNA evidence that has traced modern humans to exclusively African ancestors rather than Mesopotamian legends. Basically, despite Mesopotamia being called the Cradle of Civilization, it was not humanity’s cradle.

Egyptian Exodus

One of the most fantastic and ill-supported stories found in the Old Testament is that of the Israelite exodus from Egypt. This story begs the question as to how such a monumental slave revolt could pass unrecorded, without a single shred of evidence to prove it ever happened?

The truth is, there are similar recorded events in Egyptian historical records, which were kept faithfully for centuries. It is likely that the Biblical Exodus was a distortion of other historical events. One such event stands-out in its similarity, both in timing and specifics: The Hyksos Invasion.

The Hyksos were an Asiatic people from the Levant who invaded the eastern Nile Delta in the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt. They first appeared in the Eleventh dynasty of Egypt, began their climb to power in the Thirteenth dynasty and came out the other side of the Second Intermediate Period in control of Avaris and the Delta. By the Fifteenth dynasty they ruled Lower Egypt, and at the end of the Seventeenth dynasty they were expelled by the native Egyptians.

In Egyptian their name means “foreign rulers,” and in Arabic, their name means “shepherd kings.” Egyptian records depict them as white Semites (above). They wore cloaks of many colors and hailed from Northern Canaan.

The Egyptian historian Manetho’s account of the appearance of the Hyksos in Egypt, as recorded by Josephus, describes an armed invasion by a horde of foreign barbarians, who met little resistance and subdued Egypt by military force. Manetho records that the Hyksos burnt their cities, destroyed temples, and led women and children into slavery.

Josephus, quoting Manetho: “By main force they easily seized it without striking a blow; and having overpowered the rulers of the land, they then burned our cities ruthlessly, razed to the ground the temples of gods… Finally, they appointed as king one of their number whose name was Salitis. He had his seat at Memphis, levying tribute from Upper and Lower Egypt and always leaving garrisons behind in the most advantageous positions.”

However, in the last decade, the idea of a simple migration with little or no violence involved, has gained support. Under this theory, the Egyptian rulers of 13th Dynasty were too weak to stop these new migrants from travelling to Egypt from Asia and were preoccupied by struggling to cope with domestic famine and plague.

Josephus identified the Israelite Exodus with the “first exodus” mentioned by Manetho, when some 480,000 Hyksos left Egypt for Jerusalem. Apion identified a “second exodus” mentioned by Manetho when a renegade Egyptian priest called Osarseph led 80,000 “lepers” to rebel against Egypt. Apion equated this with the Biblical Exodus, and contrary to Manetho, even alleged that this heretic priest changed his name to Moses. Many scholars interpret “lepers” and “leprous priests” non-literally: not as a disease but rather as a strange and unwelcome new belief system.

While it is not conclusive that the Hebrews and Hyksos were related, there are more parallels between their histories than with other known records. What is certain, is that within the Bible we see a syncretism of Babylonian and Egyptian traditions and beliefs, which makes sense for a Semetic people who would have come from Mesopotamia and swept into Egypt. The Old Testament loathing for the Egyptians also makes a great deal of sense if we view it through the eyes of a people once oppressed by the pharaohs, who then revolted and were eventually banished from Egypt.

Origins of Monotheism

Christians, especially fundamentalists, like to claim that monotheism is traceable exclusively through Judeo-Christian tradition. This is untrue, as there were several monotheistic movements predating Moses.

Zoroastrianism is the oldest monotheistic religion that still exists today, dating back to 3000 BCE.

Around 1570 BCE, Marduk was promoted to the penultimate god in Babylonian belief.

Upon the expulsion of the Hyksos from Egypt (1530 BCE), the god Amun was elevated to head a rebirth of Egyptian religion, which took on the traits of a monotheistic belief system where it was common to end their prayers by saying the Amun’s name (e.g. “Amen”).

In 1348 BCE, Atenism took hold in Egypt, one of the first established monotheistic state religions.

The Exodus, and therefore the life of Moses and the establishment of a codified monotheistic religion, at earliest, dates back to 800 BCE, if not centuries later.

The United Kingdom of Israel

Biblical historians often date the United Kingdom of Israel from 1020-930 BCE, yet there is very little evidence it ever existed. Samuel, David, Saul, and Solomon, despite lingering and lasting traditions in western culture, are relegated to mere legend if not pure mythology.

The City of David in Jerusalem shows no evidence of occupation during the 10th century BCE, and the best evidence for David’s own existence is an artifact that can be interpreted several different ways, each translation being very different from the others.

David’s son Solomon, “the wisest man to ever live, (wiser than Jesus???)” has absolutely no evidence backing his reign or his existence, much less evidence of the vastly wealthy empire the Bible describes him commanding.

The southern Kingdom of Judah (930-586 BCE) did exist, as did the northern Kingdom of Israel (930-720 BCE), yet their actual shared history seems to be lost, probably as a result of religious historical reinterpretation.

The United Kingdom of Israel, in terms of historical records and modern archaeology, is a complete myth confined to the pages of the Old Testament.

British Israelism

A movement that appeared in the United States and Britain in the 1870s, one based on the concept of Biblical lineages, was called British Israelism, a fundamental tenant Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings. The concept itself has been around since the 2nd Century BCE.

British-Israelism claims that the Celto-European people, whose descendants are found in the United States, United Kingdom, and Western Europe, are actually the decendants of the “Lost Ten Tribes of Israel.”

In the Old Testament, upon the collapse of the Kingdom of Israel, the northern 10 tribes were taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Proponents of British Israelism claim that there was a diaspora of these Israelite tribes, resulting in centuries of nomadic wanderings, which ended during the Barbarian Invasions of Ancient Rome (300-700 CE) when Celtic and Germanic tribes flooded into Western Europe. Basically, proponents believe that because one group of people “disappeared without a trace” and another “appeared out of nowhere,” they must be the same people.

Additionally, they believe that America and the British Empire’s emergence on the world scene is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy and promise made concerning the two sons of Joseph, Ephriam and Mannessah. It is believed that when Ephriam was predicted to be a “company of nations,” it was a reference to the British Empire, and Mannessah afterwards was prophecized to give birth to a “great nation” that would become the United States of America.

The “primary evidence” for British-Israelism is determined through the identification marks listed in the Bible, which proponents claim strongly apply to Britain and America:

That 12 tribes would lose all traces of their lineage (Isiah 42:19, Hosea 1:9).
Fact: This is a convenient claim, since it exonerates proponents of producing much evidence. However, we know the lineages of the British and Western Europeans, so traces have not been lost, and they contradict British Israelism.

Israel will be a great and mighty nation (Genesis 12:2, 18:18, Deuteronomy 4:7-8).
Fact: There have been countless great and mighty nations throughout history, ones that have lasted longer than the United States and Britain currently have.

Israel will be named “Great,” i.e. Great Britain (Genesis 12:2).
Fact: Searching through all of the nations of history, we are bound to find some calling themselves “great.” In Britain’s case, it was originally in reference to the island of Great Britain as Britannia major (“Greater Britain”), to distinguish it from Britannia minor (“Lesser Britain“). In this case, “great” does not mean fantastic, amazing, or wondrous as it seems the Bible meant it. It simply means “bigger.”

Israel will be a blessing to other nations (Genesis 12:2-3).
Fact: In a lot of cases, indigenous populations were glad to be rid of American, British, and French invaders. Most countries have done admirable things in their pasts, and the United States and Britain are no exception. Yet, they have also done some fairly horrible things, and continue to.

Israel will become many nations (Genesis 17:4).
Fact: Most smaller nations from the ancient past have descendants found in many nations. The initial African tribes that spread through the world have their descendants literally everywhere.

Israel’s descendants will be Kings and rulers (Genesis 35:11).
Fact: While there have been world leaders with Jewish blood, DNA examinations of bloodlines shows this claim is untrue for the most part.

Israel will keep the Sabbath (Exodus 31:13).
Fact: Aside from the Jews, what nations have kept the Old Testament, seventh day Sabbath? If anything, this verse is evidence against British Israelism, as Western Europeans have been predominantly Catholic and Protestant throughout their histories.

Israel will be a missionary nation (Isiah 49:6, 66:19).
Fact: British and American missionaries have indeed been all over the world, yet they haven’t exactly been preaching the religion of the Old Testament Bible.

Israel will rule over others (Genesis 27:29, Deuteronomy 15:6).
Fact: If anything, Israel has been dominated by other nations throughout its history.

Israel will be envied and feared (Deuteronomy 2:25, 4:8, 28:10).
Fact: Most powerful, aggressive nations throughout history have been feared and envied for their wealth and power.

Israel will lend to other nations (Deuteronomy 15:6).
Fact: The United States and Britain have loads of foreign debt they owe to other nations. Just ask the Chinese.

Israel will inhabit the isles of the sea (Isiah 24:15).
Fact: In many cases, indigenous people and other nations have gotten there first.

Israel’s new home will be northwest of Eretz Israel (Isiah 49:12), and that it would spread abroad (Gen. 49:22).
Fact: The Northern Kingdom of Israel was never lost.

The Lost Ten Tribes Were Never Lost

Sargon the Great’s record of the conquest of Samaria makes it clear that most of the Northern Israelite people were not taken to Assyria as captives: “I besieged and conquered Samaria [Sa-me-ri-na], led away as booty 27,290 inhabitants of it. I formed from among them a contingent of fifty chariots and made remaining [inhabitants] assume their [social] positions.”

“Other detractors say that “archaeological evidence indicates that the “remnant” mentioned in 2 Chron. 34:9 was not a small group. According to recent archaeological findings, as the Northern Kingdom fell, thousands of refugees fled south to Judah in order to escape the Assyrians. From the death of Solomon until the end of the eighth century BCE the city of Jerusalem grew very little. But suddenly, around the end of the eighth century, the population exploded, expanding three or four times its original size, growing from 7,500 to about 24,000. The evidence for an influx of refugees is not confined to Jerusalem. Numerous settlements in the Judean hills around Jerusalem, in the Negev, in the Judean desert and along the Dead Sea were heavily settled for the first time in the eighth century BCE Therefore the lost tribes are found where the Assyrians left them: in the land of Palestine.” (Nettlehorst)

The Scythians and Cimmerians

It is also claimed that the Behistun Inscription connects the invading Scythians with the Cimmerians, and therefore to Israel. This is important because the Assyrians referred to the Kingdom of Israel in their records as the “House of Khumri”, named after Israel’s King Omri of the 8th century BCE. Phonetically “Khumri”, “Omri”, and “Gimiri” are similar. (Capt)

“We have reasonable grounds for regarding the Gimirri, or Cimmerians, who first appeared on the confines of Assyria and Media in the seventh century BCEE, and the Sacae of the Behistun Rock, nearly two centuries later, as identical with the Beth-Khumree of Samaria, or the Ten Tribes of the House of Israel.” (Rawlinson)

Proponents assert that the Scythians migrated north and west after Cyrus the Great conquered the city of Babylon. History suggests that these Scythians were forced further north and then west by invading Sarmatians. The Sarmatians were also called “Scythians” by the Greeks. To differentiate between the two, Herodotus suggests that the former “Scythians” were called “Germain Scythians” (meaning “True Scythian”), while the Sarmatians were still merely called “Scythians.” This theory suggests the term “Germain Scythian” is synonymous with “Germanii” or in modern times “Germanic” or “German.”

The ancient scholars Bede and Tacitus both agreed that before the time of Christ, German and Teutonic tribes migrated to the British Isles, forcing the early Britons to the western portion of the isles. The earliest of these Germanic settlers were the Angles and Jutes, before the time of Christ, followed by the “Great Saxon Invasion” between 450 and 600 CE, which culminating with the “Danish Conquest” 787-1070 CE.

Historically, however, the terms ‘Cimmerian’ and ‘Scythian’ were not, in fact interchangeable. To further endanger this claim, DNA evidence shows that the Scythians were of mixed Iranian-Mongloid origin, meaning they were from Eastern Eurasia. There is no genetic similarity between Scythians and Israelites, or a relationship to the Cimmerians, who were thought to be Thracians (Greeks).

Imaginary Similarities of Traditions

Proponents claim Germanic element came to Britain from the same region where the Scythians had settled in Northern Europe, and brought with them laws, art, and customs “remarkably similar” to the ancient Israelites.

There are very few examples of ancient Israelite art, therefore comparisons to Scythian and Celtic artwork is laughable, especially since Scythian and Celtic art do not even resemble one another much less Middle Eastern artistic expression.

The customs of the ancient Israelites swayed, according to the Bible, between paganism and Jewish monotheism depending upon who was in charge. The paganism of the ancient Celts shares similarities with other ancient religions, but this was due largely to Roman interpretations of their beliefs, which they chose to view through the lens of what was familiar to them.

Proponents claim Israelite customs, laws and traditions were codified by Alfred the Great in his famous “Dooms” or the “Doom Book”, which they contained direct quotations from Exodus and Leviticus, which to proponents of British Israelism is somehow proof of something. However, the Doom Book was compiled in 5th century CE, long after Europe and the British Isles had been converted to Christianity, so Christian influence is quite apparent.

Proponents also claim the burial customs of the Scythians and Vikings show similarities to those of the ancient Israelites. Nowhere in the Bible, however, is anyone’s body set sail aboard a raft and set on fire, so this comparison is puzzling to people who actually know both the Bible and history.

Celts were Britain a LONG Time Ago

It is also important to note that Celts were in Britain (900 BCE) two centuries before the collapse of the Northern Kingdom (720 BCE), and long before the start of the Barbarian Invasions (300 CE).

“In the fourth century CE, the Angles and Saxons began raids on Britain, bothering the Romans who were already there. When the Romans finally abandoned Britain the Angles, Saxons and Jutes moved in. They soon became the masters of the island, driving out or enslaving the Celts who were already there. They remained the masters until 1066 when the Normans arrived and subjugated the Angles and Saxons. It is clear, therefore, that the people of Great Britain are not from any one stock of ancestors but are as much a mixture as their language. So far as the legends associated with Tea-Tephi and the Stone of Scone are concerned, there is no historical basis for any of the claims British Israelism attributes to them. Tea-Tephi is a composite of the names of a mythical queen of Ireland and a mythical queen of England. Despite the claims of British Israelism that the Stone of Scone or Stone of Destiny was Jacob’s pillar, the stone did not originate in Palestine at all, nor is the Stone of Scone the Lia-Fail of Ireland. It is just a piece of sandstone from Scotland.” (Nettlehorst)

Of the history of the British peoples, he adds: “The history of England, like the history of Israel, lends no support to the view that the descendants of Abraham invaded the island. Arthur Cross tells us that the Celts, one of the earliest groups that invaded Britain, first arrived 1,000 years before Christ was born and more than 200 years before the Northern Kingdom fell. Not only that, but from the history of the English language itself it is clear that there is no relation between it and Hebrew, or the English people and the Israelites.” (Nettlehorst)

London was not founded by Celts as British Israelism often claims, but by the Romans in 43 CE as Londinium, the remnants of which can still be seen today in the Covent Garden district.

Problems of Language

Proponents of British Israelism claim many links in historical linguistics and terminology between ancient Hebrew and various European place names and languages.

For instance, they claim that “British” is derived from the Hebrew words “Berit” and “Ish”, and should therefore be understood as “Covenant Man,” and they also claim that the terms “Cymry” (for Welsh) and “Cimmerian” are the same.

Both of these terms have completely different origins and mean entirely different things. The etymology of “Cymry” is now accepted by Celtic linguists as a derivative of the Brythonic word “kom-brogos” meaning “compatriots.”

It is also claimed that the legendary “Tuatha Dé Danann” people can be translated to “Tribe of Dan,” instead of the actual translation of “People of the Goddess Danu.”

They also claim that Germanic languages are derived from Hebrew, which contradicts academic linguistic research, which shows conclusively that English belongs to the Indo-European language family. Hebrew is a Semitic language inthe Afro-Asiatic language family.

There is no trace of German, English, or any other Indo-European language sharing roots with Hebrew. Proponents of British Israelism, which constantly demonstrate they are not experts in anything, much less linguistics, have fallen into the trap of believing that simply because two words appear to be similar, they must therefore be related.

Linguistics are a little more complicated than that. Roland G. Kent writes, “The English language, despite its present simplicity and grammatical structure, is of an almost unbelievable complexity in its origins, in fact of a complexity quite unrivaled by any of the better known languages of any period.”

Genetic Evidence

Something that really throws a monkey-wrench in the gears of British Israelism proponents is genetics research showing that most modern Jews share origins with other people of the Middle East, and are sharply genetically divergent from Britons and other Europeans.  This is a problem because the Jews and Levites are supposedly the tribes that were never lost, and should therefore be closely related to Celto-European tribes.

Both the Jews and the Arabs claim they originally came from Abraham 3,700 years ago. The Western Europeans never made any such claim, nor to the Jews or Arabs recognize their ancestors as having anything to do with them. The Jews today never claimed that the other 10 tribes were ever “lost.”

The Human Genome Project mapped races and traced their origins through DNA, absolutely refuting the notion that the United States, Britain and Western Europe descended through Abraham once and for all.