Israelites
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Israelites is the English name for the nation of Israel who were the dominant cultural and ethnic group living in the southern Levant in Biblical times between (1273 and 423 BCE), composing the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah after 797 BCE. According to the Tanakh, they were divided in twelve tribes, each descending from one of the twelve sons and grandsons of Jacob. Modern Jews share this common descent (see below).
The English word Israelite derives from ישראל (Standard Yisraʾel Tiberian Yiśrāʾēl), referring to the name given to Jacob (Genesis 32:28), which is traditionally translated as he struggles with God. Thus, his descendants are called the People of Israel, or Israelites. The citizens of the modern state of Israel are called Israelis.
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[edit] Israelite vs. Jew
In English the term Israelite typically denotes the ancient people of the Biblical period descended directly from Jacob (Israel) while Jew designates any person of Jewish faith or identity, regardless of historical period or ancestry.
[edit] The Twelve Tribes
| Children of Jacob by wife in order of birth (D = Daughter) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leah | Reuben (1) | Simeon (2) | Levi (3) | Judah (4) | Issachar (9) | Zebulun (10) | Dinah (D) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rachel | Joseph (11) | Benjamin (12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bilhah (Rachel's servant) | Dan (5) | Naphtali (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zilpah (Leah's servant) | Gad (7) | Asher (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Tribes of Israel |
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The Israelites were traditionally divided into family lines each called a shevet or mateh in Hebrew meaning literally a staff or rod. The term is conventionally translated as "tribe" in English although the divisions were not small isolated distinct ethnic groups in the modern sense of the term.
[edit] Development of the twelve tribes
[edit] Jacob's sons
Jacob's wives gave birth to twelve sons: Reuben (Gen. 29:32), Simeon (Gen. 29:33), Levi (Gen. 29:34), Judah (Gen. 29:35), Dan (Gen. 30:5), Naphtali (Gen. 30:7), Gad (Gen. 30:10), Asher (Gen. 30:12), Issachar (Gen. 30:17), Zebulun (Gen. 30:19), Joseph (Gen. 30:23), and Benjamin (Gen.35:18).
In Egypt the tribe of Joseph was divided into two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, by the virtue of Jacob's blessing.(Gen.48:8-21)
[edit] Camps following the exodus
Following the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites were divided into thirteen camps (machanot in Hebrew) according to importance [1] with Levi in the center of the encampment around the Tabernacle and its furnishings surrounded by other tribes arranged in four groups: Judah, Issachar and Zebulun; Reuben, Simeon and Gad; Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin; Dan, Asher and Naphtali.[2] Thus additionally Aaron and his descendants although descended from Levi were appointed as priests (kohanim) and came to be considered a separate division to the Levites.
[edit] The division of the land
The tribes were assigned territories following the conquests of land under Moses and Joshua. Moses assigned territories to Reuben, Gad and a portion of Manasseh on land east of the Jordan which they had requested (Numbers 32:5). Joshua assigned territories to Judah, Ephraim and the rest of Manasseh on land west of the Jordan which they had conquered. The tribe of Manasseh thus came to be divided into two parts by the Jordan each part referred to as a half-tribe (chatzi-shevet) of Manasseh, the part lying east of the Jordan being referred to as the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead. Following the conquest of the remainder of Canaan, Joshua assigned territories to Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Issacher, Naphtali, Simeon and Zebulun. The land of Judah was considered too large for that tribe alone and Simeon was assigned a portion within the land of Judah instead of its own territory in the newly conquered land. Because the Levites, and kohanim (descendants of Aaron) priests played a special religious role of service at the Tabernacle to the people they were not given their own territories, but were instead assigned cities to live in within the other territories. Dan was assigned territory lying between Ephraim and Manasseh but was later displaced and subsequently settled in territory to the north of Naphtali.
The Kingdom of Judah consisted of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin, and the parts of Levi within those lands, while the Kingdom of Israel contained Reuben, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Manasseh, Ephraim, and the remainder of Levi.
The Kingdom of Israel was obliterated in the 720s BC, by the Assyrians under Shalmaneser V and then under Sargon II, who, after conquering the land, destroyed Samaria, its capital, and, according to the Bible, deported most of the occupants into exile, with the southernmost tribe - Benjamin - managing to survive by joining the Kingdom of Judah; Assyrian chronicles of the time report that only a small number of people were deported. Assyrian policy was for the deportees to be scattered, and assimilated into the Assyrian empire, and, as a result this policy, the deported tribes lost their cultural identity, becoming traditionally known as the Ten Lost Tribes. The Kingdom of Judah survived until 586 BC, when it was conquered by Babylon, who ransacked Jerusalem, killed the heirs of the King of Judah before his eyes, gouged out the king's eyes ensuring that would be the last thing he saw, and then deported the population into the Babylonian Captivity.
[edit] Critical views
The Biblical account is viewed by some Bible critics as an aetiological postdiction rather than as history. They view the account as neglecting conjectured changes in the membership of the tribal confederation[3] which they infer from variation in the accounts of each tribe between various Biblical passages[4], in particular the Song of Deborah, Blessing of Jacob, and Blessing of Moses - with the Song of Deborah being the oldest and Blessing of Moses the youngest[5]. The tribes which later became the Kingdom of Judah (Judah and Simeon) are unmentioned in the oldest poem, and when Simeon does appear it is as a scattered group, rather than a clear territorial entity[6]. Israel Finkelstein and others have concluded from their findings that the territory occupied by these tribes was little more than a rural backwater compared with the remainder of Canaan, too insignificant for the remaining tribes to form a confederation with, until well after the 9th century BC [7].
[edit] Genetic evidence of common descent
Patrilineal descent can be documented by analysis of the Y-chromosome, passed from father to son. Of the many variants, or haplogroups, of the Y-chromosome, haplogroups J1 and J2, both originating from the Middle East, are the most common among Ashkenazi Jewish men.
- J2 is found in 23% of Ashkenazi Jews and 29% of Sephardi Jews. It is equally common among Muslim Kurds, Central Turks, Georgians, Iraqis and Lebanese.
- J1 is found in 19.0% of Ashkenazim and 11.9% of Sephardim. It is more common among Arab populations, especially Arab Bedouin. A variant, called the Cohen Modal Haplotype, is present in about 80% of Kohens, both Sephardi and Ashkenazi.
The Sephardim are Jews who have been living in Europe, the Mediterranean region and Middle East, were exiled from Spain and Portugal, and have returned to Israel since the independence.
While haplogroup J2 is thought to have originated in the Northern Levant, the Cohen Modal Haplotype or CMH currently associated with Y-chromosomal Aaron is found in haplogroup J1, which geneticists estimate originated in the Southern Levant (modern day Israel, Jordan; biblical Canaan) or North Africa (Egypt) approximately 10,000 - 15,000 years ago.[8] Biblical tradition holds that Abraham and his ancestors, the Semitic tribes, originated from Southern Arabia or East Africa (Beresh't[Genesis] 10); Aaron and Moses were 7th generation descendants from Abraham (V’eleh shemot[Exodus] 6). The traditional date for Abraham is circa 2200-2000 BCE. Behar, et al, found Cohenim in a variety of haplogroups (E3b, G2, H, I1b, J, K2, Q, R1a1, R1b), which included those of Levantine origin (J1, J2) and those from Southern Arabia, East Africa,[citation needed] and other geographic regions.[9]
This genetic evidence supports a common patrilineal descent for about a quarter of current Jews, regardless of their geographic origin, and confirms the historical and Biblical concept of the People of Israel. Genetics also provides an objective test to confirm historical claims, as for example with the Lemba people (see below).
[edit] Black Hebrew Israelites
Founded on the concept that the biblical Israelites were actually of a dark skin complexion commonly known as "black." The Hebrew Israelites believe themselves to be of a semitic stock originating from Jacob's twelve sons, and are the original descendants of the biblical Israelites by blood and seed, believing that modern Jews are actually descendants of the Kazars. However, DNA analysis has determined that modern Jews of the priesthood tribe -- or "Cohanim" -- share a common ancestor in Israel dating back about 3000 years, 1700 years older than the Khazar conversion to Judaism. This result is consistent for all Jewish populations around the world.[10]
The Hebrew Israelites claim that the word Jewish means merely pertaining to Judah and that the term Jew in itself was actually a mistranslation in the King James version of the Bible for Judah. Because of the mistranslation, the word Jew entered into common use. While it is correct that the Latin word Iudaeus does mean Judaean or from the land of Judaea, it should be noted that the etymology of the English word can be traced back to Middle English with evidence of use in Old English as well (see Etymology of the word Jew). The belief that the Israelites were black is based on the afro-centric view of Egyptian culture, which, coming from a pre-supposition that the ancient Egyptians were a dark skinned race, asserts that Moses and Joseph were both mistaken for Egyptians; and that, in consequences the Israelites must also have been black. It should be noted, however, that contemporary Ancient Egyptian iconography (for example, the images on the thrones of Tutankhamen and grave images) shows a people of olive brown complexions and Hameo-Semitic features. Some claim that recent historical and genetic research into the origins of the Lemba tribe might lend support to the idea that members of that African tribe may have a Semitic origin.[citation needed].
Ancient historians indicated an Ethiopian origin of the Israelites. The ancient Roman historian, Tacitus, wrote that “many, again, say that they [the Israelites] were a race of Ethiopian origin” (Histories (Tacitus), Book 5, Paragraphs 2 & 3).[11]
[edit] Mainstream Judaism (Rabbanites)
In 539 BCE, the Persians (who had recently conquered Babylon) issued an edict (as inscribed on the Cyrus cylinder) allowing deportees to return to their homeland. Later Ezra was sent there and empowered to rebuild the Temple, and enforce a form of religion, which became Judaism, as according to the book he had in his hand; many textual scholars suspect that Ezra was the individual who redacted together the differing accounts and sources of the Torah into a single text (the Torah)[12]. By the end of this era, the returned deportees were culturally of a single common identity rather than a collection of multiple tribes, though the tribe of Levi maintained a distinction in accordance with their religious role. It is important to note that only the tribes of Judah, Levi, and Benyamin were deported to Babylon.
[edit] Samaritans
Samaritans, once comparatively large, but now a very small ethnic and religious group (not more than about 700 persons[13]) living in the State of Israel and the West Bank, regard themselves as descendants of the tribes of Ephraim (named by them as Aphrime) and Manasseh (named by them as Manatch). Samaritans adhere to a version of the Torah, known as the Samaritan Pentateuch, which occasionally differs from the Masoretic text, and less so from the Septuagint, sometimes in important ways. Samaritans do not regard the Tanakh as an accurate or truthful history, regard only Moses as a prophet, have their own unique version of Hebrew, and do not regard themselves as part of Judaism. Since 539 BCE, many Jews have rejected outright the claims of the Samaritans to have descent from Ephraim and Manasseh, though some regard them as another sect of Judaism.
[edit] Karaites
Mainstream Judaism regards both the Tanakh and an Oral Law (codified and recorded in the Mishnah and Talmuds) as the foundation of their religion, morality, and other laws. the followers of Karaite Judaism are those who regard the Tanakh as scripture, but reject the Oral Law; the consequences, for example, being that Karaites do not require adherents to wear Tefillin in any form, but do require tekhelet in their Tzitzit, in contradistinction to Halacha. There are approximately 50,000 adherents of Karaite Judaism, most of whom reside in the modern state of Israel, but exact numbers are not known, as most Karaites have not participated in any religious censuses. Like the Samaritans, the division between themselves and Mainstream Judaism goes back many hundreds of years.
[edit] Rastafari
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (April 2008) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
Some Rastas believe that the black races are the lost Israelites. They interpret the Bible as implying that Haile Selassie was the returned messiah, who would lead the world's peoples of African descent into a promised land of full emancipation and divine justice. There are some Rastafarians that believe they are Jews by descent through Ras Tafari or Haile Selassie. Ras Tafari being a descendant of Solomon and Sheba via Menelik. One Rastafari order named The Twelve Tribes of Israel, imposes a metaphysical astrology whereby Aries is Reuben, Aquarius is Joseph, etc. The Twelve Tribes of Israel differ from most Rastafari Mansions (sects) because they believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior, while other Mansions claim that Haile Selassie I is the true God. Also, the Twelve Tribes of Israel promote reading the Holy Bible One Chapter A Day from Genesis to Revelation so that you can know the Truth for Yourself. With his famous early reggae song The Israelites Desmond Dekker immortalised the Rastafari concept of themselves as the Lost Children of Israel. Though, the Black Rastafari claim to be descendents of Ham, the Old Testament of the Bible clearly states that Abraham is descended from Shem(Sem /Semitic)and therefore the Israelites would not be African descended(Ham).
[edit] Messianic Judaism
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (April 2008) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
Messianic Judaism sometimes known as "Jews for Jesus" considers Jesus as the Messiah called Moshiach, but regards itself as Jewish. Messianic Judaism comes in several forms, some of which accept core doctrines of Christianity and/or Judaism, and some which do not or only in degrees. Many individuals who are not ethnically Jewish attend the synagogues and meeting places of Messianic Judaism, especially those embracing the Two House Movement. Those adherents of Messianic Judaism who are not ethnically Jewish consider themselves as grafted in to the tribes of Israel, thus regarding themselves as Jewish and/or Israelite, in a similar way to how the descendants of Caleb and those of Ruth (great grandmother of King David) are treated by the Bible as being Jewish, despite both Caleb and Ruth not originally being Jewish by ethnicity. The relationship of Messianic Judaism to other forms of Judaism is sometimes politicised; mainstream Judaism does not consider the adherents of Messianic Judaism to be Jewish at all. "Jews for Jesus" is often seen as an attempt to make Jewish people think it is possible to believe the Jesus was the Messiah and still remain Jewish. However, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Assemblies of God movement actively encourage and aid the establishment of new Messianic Judaism congregations, as part of their efforts to evangelize to and convert the Jewish people.
[edit] Latter-day Saints
- See also: Mormonism and Judaism
The Latter Day Saint movement (commonly termed Mormons), believe that through baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, they become "regathered" as Israelites, either as recovered from the scattered tribes of Israel, or as Gentiles adopted and grafted into Israel, and thus becoming part of the chosen people of God[14]. These religious denominations derive from a movement started by Joseph Smith, Jr., and almost half of all members live in the United States, while the rest live in countries around the World; the movement does not strictly believe that they are ethnic Jews as such, but rather that Israelites can refer to many different cultures, on occasion including Jews[15]. They believe that certain Old Testament passages[16] are prophecies implying that the tribe of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) will take a prominent role in the spread of the gospel to all of scattered Israelites in the last days, and that the tribe of Judah (ie. Judah) also has a prominent role in the last days and during the Millennium[17].
[edit] European Christian Identity
A number of groups claim to be the only true Israelites. These groups generally do not recognize the validity of Jews, or any other group that claims Israelite descent. (See for example, [1])
[edit] English transcription of the Tribes names
Some English speaking Jewish groups view the pronunciation, English transcription, and Hebrew spelling, of the tribal names to be extremely important; these transcriptions and spellings are as follows:
- Reuben: ראובן, Standard Rəʾuven, Tiberian Rəʾûḇēn
- Simeon: שמעון, Standard Šimʿon, Tiberian Šimʿôn
- Levi: לוי, Standard Levi, Tiberian Lēwî
- Judah: יהודה, Standard Yəhuda, Tiberian Yəhûḏāh
- Dan: דן, Standard Dan, Tiberian Dān
- Naphtali: נפתלי, Standard Naftali, Tiberian Nap̄tālî
- Gad: גד, Standard Gad, Tiberian Gāḏ
- Asher: אשר, Standard Ašer, Tiberian ʾĀšēr
- Issachar: יששכר, Standard Yissaḫar, Tiberian Yiśśâḵār
- Zebulun: זבולן, Standard Zəvúlun, Tiberian Zəḇûlun
- Joseph: יוסף, Standard Yosef, Tiberian Yôsēp̄, containing the tribes:
- Manasseh: מנשה, Samaritan Manatch, Standard Mənašše, Tiberian Mənaššeh
- Ephraim: אפרים, Samaritan Afrime, Standard Efráyim, Tiberian ʾEp̄ráyim / ʾEp̄rāyim
- Benjamin בנימין, Standard Binyamin, Tiberian Binyāmîn
[edit] See also
- Who is a Jew
- Groups claiming an affiliation with the ancient Israelites
- Shavei Israel
- Kingdom of Israel
- Kingdom of Judah
- Noahides - The "Strangers at your gate" mentioned in Torah
- History of ancient Israel and Judah
- Gentile
- British Israelism
- Bible and The Bible and history.
- Israelis
- Anusim
- Half Jewish
[edit] References and notes
- ^ http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Parasha/eng/bamidbar/coh.html "How Fair Are Your Tents, O Jacob", Dr. Gabriel H. Cohen, Bar-Ilan University
- ^ Numbers 10:12-28
- ^ Peake's commentary on the Bible
- ^ ibid
- ^ ibid
- ^ ibid
- ^ Israel Finkelstein The Bible Unearthed
- ^ https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/atlas.html; Semino, et al, “Origin, Diffusion, and Differentiation of Y-Chromosome Haplogroups E and J: Inferences on the Neolithization of Europe and Later Migratory Events in the Mediterranean Area.” Am J Hum Genet. 2004 May; 74(5).
- ^ Behar, DM; Thomas MG, Skorecki K, Hammer MF, Bulygina E, Rosengarten D, Jones AL, Held K, Moses V, Goldstein D, Bradman N, Weale ME (2003). "Multiple Origins of Ashkenazi Levites: Y Chromosome Evidence for Both Near Eastern and European Ancestries". Am. J. Hum. Genet. 73: 768–779.
- ^ Hammer, M. F.; Karl Skorecki, Sara Selig, Shraga Blazer, Bruce Rappaport, Robert Bradman, Neil Bradman, P.J. Waburton, Monic Ismajlowicz (January 2 1997). "Y Chromosomes of Jewish Priests". NATURE, Volume 385. Article may be retrieved here
- ^ Tacitus: History: Book 5 [1]
- ^ Richard Elliott Friedman, Who wrote the Bible
- ^ as of 2006
- ^ Guide to LDS scriptural references on Israel
- ^ ibid
- ^ Isaiah 2:2-4, 11:10-13
- ^ ibid
[edit] External links
- The Israelite census, of the book of numbers, in isolation, at wikisource
- PROLADES study of the Asociación Evangélica de la Misión Israelita
- The Song of Deborah-Why Some Tribes Answered the Call and Others Did Not Biblical Archaeology Review
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