The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

The entire Scripture speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. This genealogy chronicles how the meanings of each prophet's name weaves the message of the Most High's Redemptive Plan in Christ to Israel first and then to the entire world.

The Ten Lost Tribes A Jewish Myth Pt.1!!!!!

Do you want to know the real truth about the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel



Part 2


Bonus Feature: 3 Types of Jews, Part 2


Editor's Note: I will continue to proclaim the Israelite truth. This is NOT "anti-Semitic" but pro-Biblical. The Most High is a God of truth. It is by truth, that every man's work shall be judged. As a disciple of Christ, I am admonished, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

History of Ancient Israel

EXILED ISRAELITE MUSICIANS: This relief is from Nineveh, approx. 678 b.c.e. Israelites were always noted for their musical talents. They improved on and created many of the musical instruments used today. These include wind instruments, string instruments, and all types of percussive instruments (ref. Psalm 150). Photo Source: http://sarabe3.tripod.com/israeliteimages.html

Patriarchal Period - The history of ancient Israel from Adam and Eve to the Egyptian bondage, this section covers the Patriarchs before and after the flood, the migration and population by the sons of Noah , the trip to Egypt, and the following enslavement.

Mosaic Period - This section covers Ancient Israel from Moses through Joshua, including the deliverance of the Israelites, and their Exodus out of Egypt, and the subsequent conquest of Canaan.

Period of the Judges - This covers the history of Israel contained in the books of Judges and 1 Samuel.

The Monarchy - Also called The United Kingdom. It was established under Saul, David, and Solomon, and was the Golden Era in all of ancient Israel. Israelite culture flourished like never before as they dominated the Promise Land.

The Divided Kingdom - This period in Ancient Israel follows the death of Solomon when the unified kingdom broke into 2 separate kingdoms. (Editor's insertion: These two separate kingdoms were Israel and Judah. Read 1 Kings, chapter 12, for the details.) This section of Israel history covers the break up, and the eventual Babylonian Captivity.

The Captivity - This is the first destruction of Ancient Israel and Jerusalem. Many Israelites were taken captive to Babylon.

Post Captivity - The Old Testament covers this part of the history of Israel in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and the last of the minor prophets. It was during this period that a migration back to Israel took place. It was in this period of Ancient Israel history that the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt by Nehemiah.

The Use of Genealogies

Ancient Israel preserves its traditions through the use of genealogies. The history of Israel builds these genealogies in the old testament book of Genesis.

Genesis is the first book in the Bible, and tells the story of creation, as well as unfolding the history behind the creation of Israel.

An understanding of the Bible is critical when studying it in a historical perspective. Though not a history book, the Bible is one of the most ancient sources of history, providing names of Kings and cities once thought made up. Many of the names mentioned in Jewish literature have been proven to exist through archaeological finds.

In fact, not one archaeological finding has contradicted the Bible. It is a divinely inspired book, invaluable as a resource for the examination of God's relationship with man, from ancient Israel to the present.

Source: http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/ancient-israel.html

The Ancient Hebrews

The Ancient Hebrews and the Habiru

The term "Hebrew", and its use in designating the ancient Hebrews associated with the Israelites of the Old Testament, is a term somewhat shrouded in mystery.

When the Amarna Letters were discovered, the term Habiru surfaced frequently for the first time. Bible scholars and historians were quick to determine a connection between the two, primarily based on the obvious linguistic similarity. However, this initial connection was premature.

The Habiru have widely been accepted by scholars as representing a social element only. This is one distinct difference between the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews.

Habiru held no ethnic importance. It was used to designate a new social element of displaced people forming new tribes. These people had been displaced for a number of reasons (war, famine, debt, etc.) from their native tribes and societies.

They were forced into exile, and would form up with other outcast individuals of similar fates.

These bands may include runaway slaves, overthrown kings, exiled individuals, bandits and outlaws, deserters, or migrants.

This tribes were internally composed of complex social elements from diverse backgrounds and cultures, united under the common theme of being forced from home.

Some Habiru bands became mercenary like units. Some individual Habiru became mercenaries. Habiru are found integrating themselves into their new societies at every level of society.

They ranged from domestic work, to government work, manual labor, artisans, metal workers, musicians, indentured servitude, mercenaries, farmers, etc.

They were found in every society of the ancient Middle East and Near East. The term Habiru, and related terms, were first identified around 3000 B.C., and cease to exist after 1000 B.C.

The ancient Hebrews connection to the Habiru is less easier to define. What becomes clear in the Old Testament is that there are two appellations used to denote the Israelites; with one being "Israelite", and the second being "Hebrew".

A clear understanding of the context of the word "Hebrew" and its use in ancient Hebrew culture is necessary in order to understand the difference between the two names.

The first appearance of the word "Hebrew" appears in Genesis 14:13 in association with Abraham.

"Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram."

Interestingly enough, a fugitive is mentioned in this particular passage as coming to find Abram. Fugitives are a distinct and agreed upon element found within the Habiru.

The interpretation of the Hebrew word rendered "Hebrew", has been brought into question as well. The association of Abraham with a fugitive, and the questionable interpretation of the word "Hebrew", pose interesting questions. Though "fugitive" in this passage may indicate a broad spectrum of meanings, it is generally agreed upon the word in antiquity implied someone separated from his tribe and home.



Scripture seems to imply he immediately sought out Abraham, as if he had some sort of acquaintance with him. The Habiru are known to have existed throughout the later parts of the third millennium, and all throughout the second.

It is not an illogical presumption to claim Abraham may have been viewed as a Habiru cheif. He did have soldiers in his household.

He was the head of a large household, eventually splitting into two, with Lot separating himself. He did migrate from another land. However, the use of the word "Ibriy" clearly distinguishes him from the Habiru.

This first reference to Abraham must pull into the equation a brief discussion on the linguistic similarities between the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews.

The actual word used in the Hebrew language in this passage is, "Ibriy", pronounced ib-ree.

In the Strong's Dictionary of the Biblical Hebrew and Chaldee this word derives from a family name. In other words, it is a surname, from the Hebrew word Eber, and designates an Eberite.

The Hebrew word Eber indicates "a region beyond". Eber is mentioned as a descendant of Shem, and ancestor of Abraham. Genesis 10:21 makes mention of Eber.

"Unto Shem, also the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born."

Interestingly enough, the word Eber finds its origins in the Hebrew word translated as "Abar". Abar is a primitive Hebrew root, found over 550 times in the Old Testament.

Two different meanings are taken from this root. One meaning is to pass over, through, by, or pass on. The second meaning is to violate a law, to be arrogant, become angry, or to transgress.

The significance of the above concerning the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews emerges from the languages found throughout the land of Canaan.

In short, many of the languages in Canaan are thought to have originated from one, or a group of, similar unknown language(s) of Semitic origin. This takes on significance when viewed in context with the appearance of the word Habiru.

The ancient Hebrews were a West Semitic tribe in the days of Abraham. Abraham, however, was the only one of the ancient Hebrews to dwell permanently in Canaan. As has been shown, much of his family dwelt in Haran and the surrounding villages and cities.

The ancient Hebrews, however, were not the only West Semitic people living in Canaan. The Phoenicians and Amorites are just a couple of the nations claiming West Semitic descent.

The Arameans were close relatives of Abraham and Jacob. The Edomites would become the West Semitic descendants of Esau. The ancient Hebrews would not become known as Israelites until God renamed Jacob such.

As shown in the previous sections, the earliest reference to Habiru is found in ancient Sumerian sources. The term appears at the same time large numbers of native Akkadian speaking people appear in Sumeria.

These Akkadians became a new element in Sumerian society, and the terms Habiru and Habiri begin appearing. Thus the earliest known reference of the word is Akkadian in nature.

The word Habiru stems from an Akkadian root scholars have been unable to identify with certainty.

The origin of languages remains one of the most bothersome mysteries to historians and scholars. The ancient Hebrew alphabet is the oldest language still in use today. Hebrew is a Semitic language, very different from the Indo-European based languages of today. Some scholars have suggested the word Habiru stems from the same West Semitic root as Ibriy.

This would account for the linguistic similarities between the words. Both words, as they are, seem to indicate a state of passing over, or, to cross over.

The Habiru consist of the criminal element of the word. Many of their members crossed over into a life of crime, and were forced to flee legal authorities.

Many of the references regarding the Habiru involve legal disputes. It is important to note that not all Habiru were criminals or law breakers.

The Hebrews

The Hebrews, on the other hand, crossed over from a migratory sense. Abraham and his family crossed over into the land of Canaan from Mesopotamia. They literally had to cross over the desert to achieve this, by way of Haran and Aram - Naharaim. In this sense, Abraham the Hebrew, may have also been called, Abraham the Habiru.

Along these same lines, the ancient Hebrews could have been viewed as part of the Habiru. It seems logical the ruling authorities would have cared less about the Hebrew lineage, and presumably would have grouped them in with the other "outcast" and "troublesome" elements found amongst the Habiru of the Amarna Letters.
The ancient Hebrews, however, took careful pains to clarify their ethnicity as being pure. Hebrew was an ethnic term. Habiru, as stated earlier, was purely a social term.

Thus, though the two may stem from the same West Semitic root, one was distinctly different from the other. Though in later Old Testament stories, as will be seen, Hebrew became a derogatory term, in the time of Abraham it was not so.

Something set Abraham apart as "Ibriy", as opposed to, "Habiru". Ibriy is Abraham's family name, thus consistent with Hebrew as an ethnic term.

This lineage is seen in the lines of Shem and Eber. Scripture lists five sons of Shem. One of these sons is Arphaxad. Arphaxad is said to have had a son named Salah.

Salah, in turn, gives birth to a son named Eber. Eber was one of the earliest post-flood members of this divine family. He was the great-grandson of Shem.

Eber was the last man of the Bible to live an exceptionally long, though still reduced, life. He lived to be 464 years old. Pelug, Eber's son, died at 239. Ages continued to significantly reduce from that point.

From the line of Eber emerges the ancient Hebrews, and eventually Abraham. By the time Abraham is referred to as the "Hebrew"(or Habiru ?) in Genesis, he is the sixth generation removed from Eber.

Eber (from root Abar) is recognized by many Bible scholars as the father of the ancient Hebrews (from root Eber), through the lineage described.

The distinguishable characteristic of the line of Eber, which from Shem can be traced to Adam, and extends to Abraham, was their worship of God Almighty.

Scripture makes it clear, however, that Abraham's forefathers worshiped other gods, and God Almighty may have just been one of their many gods.

The line of Eber perhaps held fast to the true God moreso than other family tribes. Scripture indicates the ancient Hebrews, such as Terah, previously had practiced idolatry from time to time.

Abraham, thus, fully established God Almighty as the Hebrew God by answering His call faithfully, and living a life dedicated to the worship of one God.

The linguistic similarities of the two words, coupled with the unknown origins of the Akkadian root for Habiru, seem to lend credence to theories supposing a fundamental connection between the two words.

Though different, perhaps, they may have stemmed from the same language at some point in time. The ancient Hebrews were distinguishable as an ethnic group.

Further connection between the ancient Hebrews and the Habiru were found in ancient Hittite documents attributing special divine powers to certain Habiru groups.

These Habiru groups were given special mention because of their god, and their divine presence. The ancient Hebrews indeed possessed a special Hebrew God, and a special Hebrew name for God.

It was this belief in God which separated the holy family from the other tribes of its day. However, any further connections are but speculation as to the linguistic and religious nature of the words.

The word translated as "Hebrew", "Ibriy", according to Scripture, was the term used to designate Abraham. It appears to be used in a similar way as Amorite is used to describe Mamre.

Hebrews, thus, predated the term Israelite. This term did not surface until Jacob, the son of Isaac. Jacob was renamed Israel by God. Thus, the sons of Israel became the foundation upon the Israelite bloodline. This bloodline obviously included the Hebrew line from Abraham.

The ancient Hebrews shared many similar traits to the Habiru. The two shared similar linguistic traits, and Abraham may have been considered as Habiru as well.

The unknown origin of the Akkadian root of Habiru indicates the two words may have been related to the same West Semitic language.

However, Hebrew was a distinctly different appellation used to designate a select ethnic group. Habiru designated a social element of society, of which the Hebrews were most likely a part of.

It was only after the Israelites appeared, that "Hebrew" began to take on a negative connotation. This only strengthened the connection between the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews.

The Hebrew Israelites became a separate designation for Israelites which found themselves in certain circumstances. The stories of David found in I and II Samuel best illustrate the differences between these two groups of Israelites.

These stories also serve to strengthen the identification of the Habiru with the ancient Hebrews in ways other than purely linguistic.

Source: http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/ancient-hebrews.html

First Photo Details: ISRAELITES GOING INTO EXILE "Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight..." (ref. Ezek.12:3) The Assyrians conquered and relocated the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom into what is now known as Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait. Those Israelites who escaped the Assyrians fled south into the lands of Judah, and into Egypt.
Source: http://sarabe3.tripod.com/israeliteimages.html

The 12 Tribes of Israel

He created Adam , He walked with Enoch , He saved Noah , and He called Abraham. In the case of Abraham, God had taken one man, uprooted him from home and family, moved him hundreds of miles away into a foreign and dangerous land, and established him in the land of Canaan.

The death of Abraham in Genesis 25:8 signaled a change in the course of direction God would take with His people.

The Bible next turns to Abraham's son, Isaac. From Isaac comes Jacob. Jacob produces twelve sons, and the 12 tribes of Israel begin to emerge and take shape. God was moving in stages, and one must keep in mind the formation of these tribes took place over the course of hundreds of years.

Modern day scholarship dismisses the notion that the 12 tribes of Israel are divisions of a larger group, the nation of Israel. They also deny the Biblical account of these tribes all developing naturally, over an extended period of time, from the patriarchal origins.

Many scholars feel the twelve tribes of Israel were joined together out of a joint historical need, whether the threat of invasion, famine, or some other happening. The Habiru formed just out of such circumstances.

Some claim the tribes were formed once they were inside of Canaan, toward the end of the Judges, and the beginning of Saul's reign. Still others claim the 12 tribes of Israel "may", in fact, have been formed in some sort of desert wandering. However, Canaan was certainly not conquered simultaneously by these twelve tribes. This school believes the conquest of Canaan took place over the course of multiple, smaller infiltrations, rather than one large invasion.

These differing schools of thought, however, cannot agree on when these tribes formed, or, when these tribes united. They are unable to provide an explanation which accounts for the formation of the 12 tribes of Israel at their earliest stages. The Torah, on the other hand, provides just that.

The root origin of the 12 tribes of Israel rests in the emphasis placed on genealogical records throughout all of the Old Testament. Scholars simply dismiss the notion of detailed family records being kept in ancient Israel when assessing the validity of Scripture. The ancient Hebrews /Israelites maintained family records with excruciating detail. It is within these genealogies the birth of the 12 tribes of Israel may be found.

The Tribe

The fundamental social and familial unit of the ancient world was the tribe. Tribes of the ancient world were composed of a number of different elements.

Tribes consisted of families, typically extended families, and individuals not of blood relation. Oftentimes tribes would intermarry, and thus larger tribes, over years, may absorb lesser tribes.

Tribes were more defined by geographical regions, and territories, than by social position, or blood. Tribes served to unite diverse families and members of society from all stratas. The tribe was the social, religious, political, and military backbone of Canaanite society.

Abraham, however, strayed from this tribal pattern. He refused to intermarry and intermingle. He obtained a wife for Isaac from their own people, maintaining the integrity and purity God demanded.

The Hebrew tribe, thus, was founded upon pure blood relation. It would maintain its own autonomy and individuality. This distinguished Abraham from his Canaanite neighbors.

However, Abraham also possessed a number of servants, perhaps slaves, and fighting men in his household. It is more than likely all of these were not of Hebrew descent, and probably some were even non-Semitic. Thus, in this aspect, the tribe, or household of Abraham was composed of many different elements as well. Isaac produces two twin boys; Esau, the oldest, and Jacob, the youngest. It is through the youngest son, Jacob, and his twelve sons, that the Bible begins to deal with twelve distinct tribes.

The birth of the 12 tribes of Israel begins with the birth of the twelve sons of Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

From Joseph would come two tribes, each descended from one of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. This will account for much of the inconsistency when dealing with the Biblical lists of the 12 tribes.

The Levites were a particular tribe, set aside for God, thus did not receive any allotment of land, only cities throughout the whole of the land.

The 12 Tribes of Israel
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Jacob and Esau : The story of Jacob and Esau has fascinated and puzzled scholars for centuries. The struggle between Jacob and Esau would later manifest itself in the struggle between their respective countries; Israel and Edom.

Jacob & The Tribes of Israel : The triumphs and tragedies of Jacob and his son's in Canaan would lay the foundation for the development of the tribes of Israel. The land of Canaan was new to them, as all but one of Jacob's sons were born in Haran.

Organization of the Twelve Tribes of Israel : The twelve tribes of Israel fled Egypt in haste. They possessed no means of settling disputes, maintaining law and order, or set chain of command. God, however, would use the time in the wilderness to establish an organized and efficient government.

The Tribe of Reuben : The tribe of Reuben descended from the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, Reuben. As the firstborn son, Reuben played a prominent role in the early accounts. However, his role as a tribe would diminish significantly as a consequence of transgressions.

The Tribe of Simeon : The tribe of Simeon was descended from the second born son of Jacob and Leah, Simeon. This tribe dwelt in relative obscurity, and had very little impact on the history of Israel.

The Tribe of Levi : The tribe of Levi was descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. Through an act of faithfulness in the wilderness, this tribe would become set apart by God.

The Tribe of Judah : The tribe of Judah became one of the most prominent tribes in all of Israel. The Davidic Dynasty emerged from this tribe, a lineage which culminated in Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

The Tribe of Dan : The tribe of Dan is perhaps the most enigmatic of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Danites failed to drive out their Philistine and Canaanite neighbors. As a result, they migrated to another land, in the northernmost limits of Canaan.

The Tribe of Naphtali : Naphtali was the sixth son of Jacob, and the second produced by Bilhah. Naphtali was blessed by Jacob on his deathbed. The tribe of Naphtali was a tribe of great warriors, and took part in some of the Old Testament's most important battles.

The Tribe of Gad : Gad was the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maiden. Gad became the Marines of the 12 tribes of Israel. They were fierce, athletic, and skillful on the battle field. They played lead roles in the conquest of Sihon and Og, then led the Israelites across the Jordan to Jericho and beyond.

The Tribe of Asher : The tribe of Asher proved to be a tribe of contradictions and vagaries. Influenced by the pagan religion of Phoenicia and chastised by Deborah, the tribe also came to the aid of Gideon, and supplied king David with one-third of his army in Hebron.

Source: http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/12-tribes-of-israel.html

EDITOR'S NOTE: The compiler(s) of this article left out the details of the following tribes:

The Tribe of Issachar: "Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: and he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute." (Genesis 49:14-15)

The Tribe of Zebulun: "Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon." (Genesis 49:13)

The Tribe of Benjamin: "Benjamin shall raven as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil." (Genesis 49:27)

The Tribe of Joseph: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel: Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren." (Genesis 49:22-26)

SUPPLEMENT:

Question: "What are the twelve tribes of Israel?"

Answer: The Bible lists the twelve tribes of Israel in several locations: (Genesis 35:23-26; Exodus 1:2-5; Numbers 1:20-43; 1 Chronicles 2:2; Revelation 7:5-8). It is interesting that there are slight differences in some places. The 12 sons of Israel (Jacob) were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher and Joseph. These were the ancestors of the original twelve tribes. However, Reuben lost his rights as firstborn by defiling Jacob’s bed (Genesis 35:22; 49:3-4). In Reuben and Joseph's place, Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, became tribes of Israel (Genesis 48:5-6). As a result, the twelve tribes became Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim and Manasseh. In some other lists of the twelve tribes of Israel, Levi is not mentioned, presumably because the Levites were assigned to serve at the temple and therefore were not apportioned land of their own in Israel (Joshua 14:3).

Naming the twelve tribes is a confusing task. Revelation 7:5-8 lists the 12 tribes as: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. This is interesting…for the first time Joseph is listed as a tribe along with his son Manasseh. Why isn’t Ephraim listed? Why is Reuben listed, but not Dan? There are no perfect answers to these questions. Technically, there were more than twelve tribes if you count both of Joseph’s sons as tribes in addition to Joseph. Revelation 7 presents a list of 144,000 witnesses from twelve different tribes. It does not say why Ephraim and Dan are not listed. The best answer is that God decided not to choose any witnesses from those two tribes. Some Bible teachers understand Dan being left off the list in Revelation 7 because of what is said in Genesis 49:17, “Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider tumbles backward.”

With all of that said, what are the twelve tribes of Israel? Every list in the Bible contains Simeon, Judah, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin. In addition to those nine tribes, there are Ephraim, Reuben, Joseph, Dan, and Levi. Most Bible teachers would view Ephraim, Dan, and Levi as the additional three to result in twelve tribes. Whatever the case, God is free to re-adjust and re-account the twelve tribes of Israel as He sees fit.

Source: http://www.gotquestions.org/twelve-tribes-Israel.html

Ashkenazi Jews are NOT descendents of the Biblical Israelites!

After discovering who the Jews were NOT, I felt compelled to find who they were and are. The true identity of the biblical Jew is "Hebrew Israelite."

THE VALUE OF HISTORY

Of all subjects worthy of research, history is by far the most beneficial. Having knowledge of one’s past not only allows you to have a framework or point of reference, but also explains why present situations exist today. In other words, the past causes the present. History then, provides the only material available to study the human condition. It explains the factors that cause changes around us today.

When we gain knowledge of our past, it leaves an impression on our minds. This is more than just mere representation, but also has the power to inspire and direct us. When we discover ourselves, it provides a social and cultural context. Without clarification in our minds, of our origin, we cannot understand our current role in the world or the problems that are particular to us as a people.

More than just a collection of names, dates and dead things, history is a living, omnipresent thing. It is part of our everyday lives.

For black people, whether conscious or unaware, educated or misled, the events of the past subliminally has an effect on our lives. Just as a tree can not grow without roots, a people will not grow, without knowledge of their past. They will stagnate in a continual cycle of mistakes, unable to learn from previous experiences.

Your history, heritage, customs, culture and language are the vital ingredients for a nation. These are the social cords that unite us as a people. Without these fundamental ingredients we can not function.

Source: http://realisraelites.webs.com/valueofhistory.htm

Photo: Moses parting the Red Sea

THE ESSENES, as recorded by Josephus

The Jewish War, Book II. Chapter 8
(8.2)

119 For three forms of philosophy are pursued among the Judeans: the members of one are Pharisees, of another Sadducees, and the third [school], who certainly are reputed to cultivate seriousness, are called Essenes; although Judeans by ancestry, they are even more mutually affectionate than the others. 120 Whereas these men shun the pleasures as vice, they consider self-control and not succumbing to the passions virtue. And although there is among them a disdain for marriage, adopting the children of outsiders while they are still malleable enough for the lessons they regard them as family and instill in them their principles of character: 121 without doing away with marriage or the succession resulting from it, they nevertheless protect themselves from the wanton ways of women, having been persuaded that none of them preserves her faithfulness to one man.

(8.3)

122 Since [they are] despisers of wealth—their communal stock is astonishing—, one cannot find a person among them who has more in terms of possessions. For by a law, those coming into the school must yield up their funds to the order, with the result that in all [their ranks] neither the humiliation of poverty nor the superiority of wealth is detectable, but the assets of each one have been mixed in together, as if they were brothers, to create one fund for all. 123 They consider olive oil a stain, and should anyone be accidentally smeared with it he scrubs his body, for they make it a point of honor to remain hard and dry, and to wear white always. Hand-elected are the curators of the communal affairs, and indivisible are they, each and every one, [in pursuing] their functions to the advantage of all.

(8.4)

124 No one city is theirs, but they settle amply in each. And for those school-members who arrive from elsewhere, all that the community has is laid out for them in the same way as if they were their own things, and they go in and stay with those they have never even seen before as if they were the most intimate friends. 125 For this reason they make trips without carrying any baggage at all—though armed on account of the bandits. In each city a steward of the order appointed specially for the visitors is designated quartermaster for clothing and the other amenities. 126 Dress and also deportment of body: like children being educated with fear. They replace neither clothes nor footwear until the old set is ripped all over or worn through with age. 127 Among themselves, they neither shop for nor sell anything; but each one, after giving the things that he has to the one in need, takes in exchange anything useful that the other has. And even without this reciprocal giving, the transfer to them [of goods] from whomever they wish is unimpeded.

(8.5)

128 Toward the Deity, at least: pious observances uniquely [expressed]. Before the sun rises, they utter nothing of the mundane things, but only certain ancestral prayers to him, as if begging him to come up. 129 After these things, they are dismissed by the curators to the various crafts that they have each come to know, and after they have worked strenuously until the fifth hour they are again assembled in one area, where they belt on linen covers and wash their bodies in frigid water. After this purification they gather in a private hall, into which none of those who hold different views may enter: now pure themselves, they approach the dining room as if it were some [kind of] sanctuary. 130 After they have seated themselves in silence, the baker serves the loaves in order, whereas the cook serves each person one dish of one food. 131 The priest offers a prayer before the food, and it is forbidden to taste anything before the prayer; when he has had his breakfast he offers another concluding prayer. While starting and also while finishing, then, they honor God as the sponsor of life. At that, laying aside their clothes as if they were holy, they apply themselves to their labors again until evening. 132 They dine in a similar way: when they have returned, they sit down with the vistors, if any happen to be present with them, and neither yelling nor disorder pollutes the house at any time, but they yield conversation to one another in order. 133 And to those from outside, the silence of those inside appears as a kind of shiver-inducing mystery. The reason for this is their continuous sobriety and the rationing of food and drink among them—to the point of fullness.

(8.6)

134 As for other areas: although there is nothing that they do without the curators’ having ordered it, these two things are matters of personal prerogative among them: [rendering] assistance and mercy. For helping those who are worthy, whenever they might need it, and also extending food to those who are in want are indeed left up to the individual; but in the case of the relatives, such distribution is not allowed to be done without [permission from] the managers. 135 Of anger, just controllers; as for temper, able to contain it; of fidelity, masters; of peace, servants. And whereas everything spoken by them is more forceful than an oath, swearing itself they avoid, considering it worse than the false oath; for they declare to be already degraded one who is unworthy of belief without God. 136 They are extraordinarily keen about the compositions of the ancients, selecting especially those [oriented] toward the benefit of soul and body. On the basis of these and for the treatment of diseases, roots, apotropaic materials, and the special properties of stones are investigated.

(8.7)

137 To those who are eager for their school, the entry-way is not a direct one, but they prescribe a regimen for the person who remains outside for a year, giving him a little hatchet as well as the aforementioned waist-covering and white clothing. 138 Whenever he should give proof of his self-control during this period, he approaches nearer to the regimen and indeed shares in the purer waters for purification, though he is not yet received into the functions of communal life. For after this demonstration of endurance, the character is tested for two further years, and after he has thus been shown worthy he is reckoned into the group. 139 Before he may touch the communal food, however, he swears dreadful oaths to them: first, that he will observe piety toward the deity; then, that he will maintain just actions toward humanity; that he will harm no one, whether by his own deliberation or under order; that he will hate the unjust and contend together with the just; 140 that he will always maintain faithfulness to all, especially to those in control, for without God it does not fall to anyone to hold office, and that, should he hold office, he will never abuse his authority—outshining his subordinates, whether by dress or by some form of extravagant appearance; 141 always to love the truth and expose the liars; that he will keep his hands pure from theft and his soul from unholy gain; that he will neither conceal anything from the school-members nor disclose anything of theirs to others, even if one should apply force to the point of death. 142 In addition to these, he swears that he will impart the precepts to no one otherwise than as he received them, that he will keep away from banditry, and that he will preserve intact their school’s books and the names of the angels. With such oaths as these they completely secure those who join them.

(8.8)

143 Those they have convicted of sufficiently serious errors they expel from the order. And the one who has been reckoned out often perishes by a most pitiable fate. For, constrained by the oaths and customs, he is unable to partake of food from others. Eating grass and in hunger, his body wastes away and perishes. 144 That is why they have actually shown mercy and taken back many in their final gasps, regarding as sufficient for their errors this ordeal to the point of death.

(8.9)

145 Now with respect to trials, [they are] just and extremely precise: they render judgment after having assembled no fewer than a hundred, and something that has been determined by them is non-negotiable. There is a great reverence among them for—next to God—the name of the lawgiver, and if anyone insults him he is punished by death. 146 They make it point of honor to submit to the elders and to a majority. So if ten were seated together, one person would not speak if the nine were unwilling. 147 They guard against spitting into [their] middles or to the right side and against applying themselves to labors on the seventh days, even more than all other Judeans: for not only do they prepare their own food one day before, so that they might not kindle a fire on that day, but they do not even dare to transport a container—or go to relieve themselves. 148 On the other days they dig a hole of a foot’s depth with a trowel—this is what that small hatchet given by them to the neophytes is for—and wrapping their cloak around them completely, so as not to outrage the rays of God, they relieve themselves into it [the hole]. 149 After that, they haul back the excavated earth into the hole. (When they do this, they pick out for themselves the more deserted spots.) Even though the secretion of excrement is certainly a natural function, it is customary to wash themselves off after it as if they have become polluted.

(8.10)

150 They are divided into four classes, according to their duration in the training, and the later-joiners are so inferior to the earlier-joiners that if they should touch them, the latter wash themselves off as if they have mingled with a foreigner. 151 [They are] long-lived, most of them passing 100 years—as a result, it seems to me at least, of the simplicity of their regimen and their orderliness. Despisers of terrors, triumphing over agonies by their wills, considering death—if it arrives with glory—better than deathlessness. 152 The war against the Romans proved their souls in every way: during it, while being twisted and also bent, burned and also broken, and passing through all the torture-chamber instruments, with the aim that they might insult the lawgiver or eat something not customary, they did not put up with suffering either one: not once gratifying those who were tormenting [them], or crying. 153 But smiling in their agonies and making fun of those who were inflicting the tortures, they would cheerfully dismiss their souls, [knowing] that they would get them back again.

(8.11)

154 For the view has become tenaciously held among them that whereas our bodies are perishable and their matter impermanent, our souls endure forever, deathless: they get entangled, having emanated from the most refined ether, as if drawn down by a certain charm into the prisons that are bodies. 155 But when they are released from the restraints of the flesh, as if freed from a long period of slavery, then they rejoice and are carried upwards in suspension. For the good, on the one hand, sharing the view of the sons of Greece they portray the lifestyle reserved beyond Oceanus and a place burdened by neither rain nor snow nor heat, but which a continually blowing mild west wind from Oceanus refreshes. For the base, on the other hand, they separate off a murky, stormy recess filled with unending retributions. 156 It was according to the same notion that the Greeks appear to me to have laid on the Islands of the Blessed for their most courageous men, whom they call heroes and demi-gods, and for the souls of the worthless the region of the impious in Hades, in which connection they tell tales about the punishments of certain men—Sisyphuses and Tantaluses, Ixions and Tityuses—establishing in the first place the [notion of] eternal souls and, on that basis, persuasion toward virtue and dissuasion from vice. 157 For the good become even better in the hope of a reward also after death, whereas the impulses of the bad are impeded by anxiety, as they expect that even if they escape detection while living, after their demise they will be subject to deathless retribution. 158 These matters, then, the Essenes theologize with respect to the soul, laying down an irresistible bait for those who have once tasted of their wisdom.

(8.12)

159 There are also among them those who profess to foretell what is to come, being thoroughly trained in holy books, various purifications, and concise sayings of prophets. Rarely if ever do they fail in their predictions.

(8.13)

160 There is also a different order of Essenes. Though agreeing with the others about regimen and customs and legal matters, it has separated in its opinion about marriage. For they hold that those who do not marry cut off the greatest part of life, the succession, and more: if all were to think the same way, the line would very quickly die out. 161 To be sure, testing the brides in a three-year interval, once they have been purified three times as a test of their being able to bear children, they take them in this manner; but they do not continue having intercourse with those who are pregnant, demonstrating that the need for marrying is not because of pleasure, but for children. Baths [are taken] by the women wrapping clothes around themselves, just as by the men in a waist-covering. Such are the customs of this order.

Editor's Note: It is believed by certain scholars that Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and his cousin John the Baptist were Essenes. This is my belief. The reader is encouraged to compare the data shared here with the Gospel accounts, the similarites, as they relate to the lives and teachings of Jesus and John are surprisingly abundant.

***This is a deliberately literal translation of the Greek by Steve Mason, Flavius Josephus: translation and commentary, vol. 1b: Judean War (Leiden: Brill, 2008).
Source: http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/josephus-essenes.asp

Photo: Qumran. This is the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. It is believed, by some scholars, that the Essenes wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. Many scholars propose that Qumran was the actual home of the Essenes, as well. Qumran is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea in the West Bank, Israel.

The Hebrew AlephBet

The Ancient Hebrews believed that the Hebrew AlephBet were the building blocks of creation. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, five of which use different forms at the end of a word. Hebrew is written from right to left. Originally, the alphabet was an abjad consisting only of consonants. Gen. 1:1 reads Beresheet Bara Elohim Eth HaShamayim VeEth HaArets. The beginning letter of Beresheet is Beth. And from this letter God speaks. Beth represents the Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And it is through the Son that the speech and mind of God is communicated. It is by wisdom that the manner of God's revelation is unveiled. To read the scripture in Hebrew is to literally step into the mind of God and the world in which the Bible was conceived. The script presented here is the "Ketab Merubba" or more commonly called the "Square script" which was adopted by the Hebrew Israelites during the Bablyonian exile, circa 6th century BC. This is the Hebrew alphabet I have learned and currently read. The Hebrew ultimately unlocks Christ. I cannot comprehend how anyone can study this awesome language and not see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah and King of Israel. As I have studied the Hebrew, going on a year now, my affection for the Most High grows and my connection to my Hebrew heritage strengthens. All Praises to the Most High in His Son Jesus Christ.


This is the Paleo-Script. The earliest written language (according to modern scholars) is the Proto-Sinaitic script, which the Biblical Hebrew language directly descends from. Over time, Proto-Sinaitic became the Phoenician Script also known as "Paleo Hebrew." The Paleo Hebrew Script is the script the Torah was originally written in, and Paleo Hebrew is the ancient language the Israelites spoke in Bible times. Here is what the Paleo Hebrew Script looked like (and the Hebrew Alphabet the ancient Hebrews would have known). Some call it the "Lahashawan Qadesh," literally, "The Holy Tongue." This is the Hebrew I also want to learn and master, as I am attempting with the Square Script.