FROM ISRAELITE TO SAXON
By
Rev. William Pascoe Goard
IN speaking of the United States and Britain as modern Israel, it is necessary to remember certain things in order to avoid confusion.
First of all, the people of Israel were no more divided into tribes, but had, centuries before, passed into the more advanced stage of national organization. It is the natural progress of any progressive people. First, it is the family, then the tribes, then the nation embracing the tribes. We must think of Israel as a nation and a company of nations, no more called Israel, for the best of reasons, but called by the name, above all others, of sons or House of Isaac, or Saxons, with many other branch names.
Secondly, we must remember that they were not the original founders of Israel in the Isles - that is to say, in Britain - but they came in very late in British history, even a thousand years after the House of David had arrived and been established there.
We shall, therefore, approach the subject of the ten-tribed House of Israel as being the consideration of a branch of the Israel people which, late in history, arrived in Britain, and added their strength to those who had preceded thern.
We begin with the separation of the House of Israel from the House of Judah. Thereafter there were two nations in Palestine of the Israel stock, and their histories are separately recorded, with their separate lines of kings, in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Read them there, and be sure to read them separately.
Thence we findIsrael carried captive to Halah, Habor, and the River Gozan. Professor Odlum says of this deportation:
"The distance to which Israel was carried from their own country in about 721 B.C. was not less than seven hundred miles in a north and east direction. The Syrian desert, the River Euphrates, the Mesopotamian region, the Tigris, and three ranges of the Kurdistan mountains intervened between Samaria and the new home of Israel in captivity. In this district were the cities and regions of Halah, Habor, and the River Gozan, which flowed into the Caspian Sea, as it does today. This new home was the high tablelands of Media and Armenia ...... "
While settled in this district, they aided the Medes and Persians to break the power oftheir captors, the Assyrians. Afterwards Babylon went down before their arms.
From this time they were on their way to their new European home. They found unoccupied territory in the neighbourhood of Ar-Sareth in southeast Europe.
Here they occupied the Crimea, and spread up the waterways, passing the watershed and down the waterways to the Baltic and the North Seas.
Sharon Turner says: "The migrating Scythians crossed the Araxes, passed out of Asia, and suddenly appeared in Europe in the sixth century B.C."
Esdras in the Apocrypha tells us that the Ten Tribes left their exile and moved away across the Euphrates to a place called Arsareth (City or Hill of Sareth) (2 Esdras 13:39-45). To the northwest of the Black Sea is a river called Sareth to this day.
Herodotus, speaking of the same date as Esdras, says: "The Scythians ernerged frorn beyond the Euphrates across the Armenian river Araxes."
Rev. W. M. H. Milner says: "The fugitive host, starting from upper Media, passed the north end of Lake Umri into the mountain valleys of the Kurds; here some dropped off, and their children became in after ages the Nestorian Church. These were for thirteen centuries the missionaries of Asia."
Herodotus says the Persians called the Scythians Sakai, and Sharon Turner identifies these very people as the ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons. The old Greek writers spoke often of the valour and the undaunted spirit of these Scythians. They say "No nation on earth can match them. They are unconquerable."
Professor Odlum continues: "From Josephus, the Jewish historian of the firstcentury, we learn that at A.D. 70 the Ten Tribes were outside the Roman Empire. By other means we learn that they were in the south of Russia in immense multitudes, and known as the Scythians of Herodotus."
The burial places of the Israel people have furnished ample inscriptions to show clearly that the Crimea was a centre of residence for this people for ages, and that from it they spread up through Europe and eastward as far as China.
Diodorus says: "The Sacae sprang from people in Media who obtained a vast and glorious empire."
Ptolerny findsthe Saxons in "a race of Scythians called Saki, who came from Media."
Pliny says: "The Sakai were among the most distinguished people of Scythia who settled in Armenia, and were called Sacae-Sani. "
Albinus says: "The Saxons were descended from the ancient Sacae in Asia."
Prideaux finds that "the Cimbrians (Kumrii) came from the Black and Caspian Seas, and that with them came the Angli. "
Sharon Turner, the rnost painstaking Saxon historian says: 'The Saxons were a Scythian nation, and were called Saca, Sachi, Sach-sen. "
Colonel Gawler, in Our Scythion Ancestors, says: "The word Sacae is fairly and without straining or imagination translated Israelites."
The Bible (Amos, chapter seven) solemnly takes cognizance of the change of the name of the nation and people from Israel to "the House of lsaac" (Saxons).
Thus we see these people settled about the Crimea, along the rivers of Europe from the sixth century B.C.
Their migrations to the Baltic and North Seas are well told by Du Chaillu, a scholar of England with a French name.
The militant progress of the Goths, Gotti, "Men of God," is well known in the history of Europe. The divisional names of Angles, Jutes, and so on, are duplicated today by the names our race now bears as English, Welsh, Scotch, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, (Anzacs), Americans, and so on.
From the sixth century B.C. to the time of thelanding of Hengist and Horsa, these people had been steadily progressing up through Europe, God's Battle Axe Brigade (see Jer. 51:20). Finally, they came in and occupied the place, which had been made for them in the British Isles by the Roman occupation. Since that time they have been not the least important part of the Israel peoples dwelling in the "appointed place" (the British Isles), and extending to the overseas dominions the strength and energy of their race.
It has been possible only to touch authorities and evidences of the identity of the Anglo-Saxons with ten-tribed Israel. But even so, the array of standard authors who make declarations regarding this matter is startling, and it is clear that the scholar who denies an historic basis to the claim of Saxon identity with Israel speaks rather out of his lack of knowledge of standard literature, than out of his knowledge of the subject.
The identity of the Saxon and Israel is proven, and we are now put in the responsible position of asking what it means in the way of responsibility under God's plan for His nation, and through them for the world. With Paul we ask, "What shall we say then? Hath God cast away His people whom He foreknew? God forbid ... God hath not cast away His people."
THE MIGRATIONS OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL (THE CAUCASIANS)
By
R.K. Hoskins
THOUGH we are supposed to be living in an enlightened world, and in many ways we are, when it comes to understanding who or where the Twelve Tribes of Israel are in the world today, we find only a limited amount of information, and much of it is conjecture. We pray that the following information, along with the Migration Map on the other side will be helpful in shedding more light and understanding on this most important and timely subject.
We will endeavour to show that the Twelve Tribes of Israel in the world today are none other than the peoples which comprise the Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Germanic, Scandinavian and kindred peoples. Since they are scattered throughout the world, it is difficult to have an accurate estimate of how many Israelites there are living at this time, but there are some who estimate that there are between six and seven hundred million. The promise which the Lord our God made (some 3800 years ago) to Abraham, Isaac and Isaac’s sons (the Sax-sons) as recorded in the book of Genesis, has come to pass. (God reiterated the promise specifically to Jacob, who was given the name “Israel”).
The first time that Abraham was told that his progeny would be a blessing to all nations of the world, and would be a great host of people, is found in Genesis 12, but for this study we will consider chapter 22 where the Lord appears the second time to Abraham to repeat and confirm what we call today the “Abrahamic Covenant.”
Let’s consider verses 15-18 which state:
“And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, Because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
It is very evident that for many centuries the peoples which comprise Anglo-Saxondom have not only taken the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every nation and people in the world, but they have also been a blessing in other ways to the “have-not” nations of the world. It is important to notice that the Lord reminds Abraham that the reason why his seed would be a blessing to the other nations was that they have obeyed God’s voice and commandments in these last days. The only nations throughout the world today which have made the Holy Bible their National Book of faith are the Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Scandinavian and kindred peoples. The peoples of Japan, China India, and Africa, etc. have their pagan Gods but, among the peoples of Anglo-Saxondom, you will always find the Bible and worship of Jesus Christ, just as the Bible states that Israel would do.
Most Christians are aware that the Israelites were carried into captivity, but many know little about the details. A short synopsis of this story is found in 2 Kings 18. There we read of this deportation of Israel and, a few years later, most of Judah. In approximately 730 B.C. Shalmaneser (king of Assyria) invaded Israel, and we read in verses 11 & 12:
"And the King of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant...”
In verse 13 we read where (seven years later) the Assyrian army came up against the remaining cities of Judah and took them. Only Jerusalem remained under King Hezekiah’s control.
Eventually the city of Jerusalem was also destroyed as the people continued to sin. In the year 596 B.C., or thereabouts, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came and besieged Jerusalem, and took the inhabitants (approx. 22,000) into what we call the Babylonian Captivity.
This is a short history in a nutshell, so to speak, of Israel’s deportation and subsequent captivity. However, the important thing that we need to remember is that, when almost the entire population of all Twelve tribes of Israel were taken captive by the armies of Assyria, they were placed in the area of the Caucasus Mountains to the North of their Homeland. There they remained for approximately one hundred years, and became known as Caucasians. The name Caucasian has remained as part of their identity ever since that time. Most people have no idea whatsoever of the connection between the Caucasians and the Israelites of Bible history and prophecy.
In fact, the great majority of the peoples of Anglo-Saxondom today have little, if any, idea as to why they happen to be called “Caucasians”. When a person seeks employment it is not unusual to find the question asked as to whether they are of Caucasian descent. Most people answer "yes" without thinking of the historic reason for this designation.
Secular history records that the Twelve Tribes were never really lost, but had just taken on a different name. The map above shows the different routes taken by the Israelites when they left the area of the Caucasus mountains and migrated over into Europe during the subsequent years. They were not known as “Israelites” during this trek Westward, but by the various names as shown on the map. Later, as they settled in various parts of Europe, they took on the names by which we know the countries today. Collectively, we call them the “Western Christian nations”. As the movement West continued, we find that a representative number of the Twelve tribes gathered here on this great North American Continent.
The prophets Isaiah and Micah prophesied that in the last days a great and mighty nation would arise. It would be a prosperous nation, and be called Jacob, i.e. ISRAEL, and this great prosperous nation and its people would honour the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are told that many nations would come there to be taught of our God. Today millions of people from other cultures and races are seeking to migrate to America and Canada to have a share in our material blessings and the freedoms enjoyed here. Many who have already come have learned to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
Micah writes of this thrilling time when we are privileged to live in this great Kingdom nation. In chapter 4:1-2 we read:
“And it shall come to pass that the mountain (i.e. Kingdom) of the house of the Lord (i.e. the Twelve Tribes of Israel ... or Anglo-Saxondom) shall be established in the top (i.e. the head, the chief or the greatest) of the mountains (Kingdoms) and people shall flow into it. And many nations, or peoples, shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of Jacob; and he shall teach us of his ways.”
The prophet Hosea also prophesies about the future restoration of Israel, which has now been fulfilled for the most part. We read of this in Hosea 1:10.
“Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, (we are called Gentiles) there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God” (i.e. Christians)
May the Lord help us to realize that the Caucasian Race (the peoples which comprise Anglo-Saxondom) are being judged by Almighty God because we have sinned against Him in not keeping His laws. The prophet Isaiah, speaking to the nations of Israel, states in chapter 42:24:
“Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the Lord., he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his laws “
Isaiah was speaking of our time, and referring to Jacob-Israel’s descendants (as we have mentioned ... the peoples of Anglo-Saxondom). Today America is being spoiled, because we have forsaken the laws of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The only answer to England and America’s many problems is for us to turn to the Lord our God, and obey His righteous laws as they relate to society. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 we read:
“IF MY PEOPLE, WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELVES, AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND”.
May the Lord Jesus Christ help us to awaken to our Divine Destiny and Birthright, so that we may be about doing the will of the Lord here upon the earth.
JEREMIAH IN IRELAND
PROOF FROM THE BIBLE AND THE IRISH ANNALS
By
John E Wall
ONE of the most beloved stories of traditional literature written by those who support the modern identity of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel is the story of the coming of the prophet Jeremiah to Ireland. According to this story shortly after c. 586 BCE when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquered Jerusalem, Jeremiah the prophet, accompanied by his scribe Baruch, and the daughters of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, fled that country and for a short time resided in Egypt. From there they took ship to Ireland, where one of the daughters married Eochaidh the high king (heremon or ard ri) of Ireland. A variation says that the marriage took place in Jerusalem. The royal couple governed the Emerald Isle from their capital at Tara in County Meath. Jeremiah, at that time an old man, was also reputed to have established a sort of ministerial training college at Tara. He became a revered figure in Irish legend.
Over the course of the centuries the royal line established at Tara was transferred from Ireland to Scotland to England where it survives today in the person of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. A wondrous stone, variously called the Stone of Destiny, Stone of Scone, or Coronation Stone, upon which Her Majesty and her predecessors on the thrones of the three kingdoms were crowned, thought to be the stone that the patriarch Jacob slept on at Bethel (Genesis 28:18-22) was also believed to have been brought to Ireland by Jeremiah.
It is claimed that the story of Jeremiah coming to Ireland can be found in the ancient annals, histories and other literature of the Irish, and indeed references to it abound in the works written by traditional Ten Tribes scholars, especially 19th- century writers. Yet rarely, if ever, do these writers point to any specific history in which this tale may be found, vague references to “Irish annals” usually being made. A few examples will suffice:
One authority states that “Irish historians are unanimous that about 580 B.C. there arrived in Ulster a notable man [Jeremiah], a patriarch or saint, accompanied by an Eastern princess, and a lesser person by the name of Simon Brach or Barech”.(I)
Further that, “Irish tradition tells us that Jeremiah married the princess Tamar Tephi to Eochaidh king of Ireland”.(2)
However, the historians are not named, nor is any particular tradition cited.
Another writer says that “The ancient records of Ireland bear ample testimony to this [Jeremiah’s coming to Ireland] as an historic fact, not only recording the event itself, but also supplying confirmatory evidence by giving the actual date or period of their arrival correctly”.(3)
Again, disappointingly, this author does not name the “ancient records” in which the Jeremiah story may be found; rather we read phrases such as, “the records conclude .. .“(4) and “The royal records state .. . “.(5)
He dates the coming of Jeremiah to Ireland at late in 583 BCE or early 582 BCE.
The closest that any writer comes to naming names is a contemporary author and archaeologist, E. Raymond Capt. In his book, Jacob’s Pillar: A Biblical Historical Study, Capt makes reference to The Chronicles of Eri, The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, The Annals of Clonmacnoise, and The Chronicles of Scotland. He quotes briefly from the latter and gives an extensive recounting of the entire Jeremiah legend in his notable book. However, like the learned writers cited above, Capt does not directly cite any passage in any ancient chronicle which explicitly mentions Jeremiah.(6)
This lack of corroboration of the Jeremiah legend has caused some to doubt the validity of the entire story.
But I will show in this article that Jeremiah is mentioned in the Irish annals and histories, albeit under another name. His Judahite ancestry and prophetic identity are clearly stated and even a brief physical description is given. His friend and amanuensis Baruch is also mentioned. Furthermore, I will name names and give the reader of this article the references by which he may corroborate the story himself.
First, however, in order to understand the proper chronological context of Jeremiah’s coming to Ireland, a brief review of Irish history prior to his arrival is necessary.
HISTORY OF IRELAND PRIOR TO JEREMIAH
Admittedly, the history of this ancient land can at times be confusing. It is said that the Irish like nothing so much as a good story, and their willingness to romanticise and embellish has led to a certain confusion. On the other hand, it is not entirely their fault. Much of the blame can be laid at the feet of Catholic monks who altered the traditional Irish histories, or invented their own, in order to deliberately hide the Israelite ancestry of the Irish people. For instance, they attempted to portray the Irish as descendants of Magog, son of Japheth!
Irish history begins, as the history of every civilisation does, after the Flood of Noah’s day. For three hundred years after that catastrophic event, Ireland was an uninhabited land. A claim to sovereignty over Ireland was made, according to historian Herman L. Hoeh who refers to Irish annals, by the Assyrian king Ninus, son of Bel, but the land was not colonised permanently.(7)
In c. 2069 BCE, again according to Hoeh who uses Geoffrey Keating’s History of Ireland as his source, a Hebrew named Parthalon with his followers settled the land and established a kingdom, the country being divided into four parts after his death. The date, however, is open to some question. If the P-r-t in the name Partholan can be equated with the b-r-t of the Hebrew brit (covenant), then it is difficult to see how this would have referred to a descendant of Abraham, who had not yet even been born. Moreover, as one authority states, “[t]he Partholanian (Parthalonian] story is clearly a variant of that of the eponymous ancestor of the British, Brutus [Greek: Peirithoos] the Trojan, with which it has been confused”.(8) Brutus arrived in Britain c. 1103 BCE, according to one scholar. (9) Others claim an earlier date, c. 1149 BCE. If this is so, then the date of 2069 BCE is impossible. The same source quoted above claims that Parthalon was a Milesian (see below).
In any event, the Parthalonians, whoever they may have been, ruled Ireland intermittently until 1709 BCE, when a tragedy befell them at the hands of Phoenician Formorians. The island was then invaded by Nemedians from Scythia who lived in Ireland until 1492 BCE, being ruled by the Formorians for much of this period. A portion of the Nemedians escaped during their sojourn in the land and returned in 1492 BCE as the Fir-Bolgs.
In 1456 BCE, a contingent of the famous Tuatha (pronounced “Too-ah”) de Danaan (“Tribe of Dan”) arrived in Ireland and ruled for 440 years until 1016 BCE. A second contingent came in 1213 BCE during the days of Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:17). Finally, in 1016 BCE, toward the end of the reign of King David of Israel, another Hebrew people, the Milesians, descendants of Eber the Hebrew according to Hoeh, conquered the Danaan (Danites), forcing them to accept their rule. The kingdom of Ireland was then divided between the two sons of Milesius, Ebher and Ghede the Ereamhon (Heremon or Erimionn, or high king) and a capital was established at Tobrad, also known as Tea-mur, Tamhair, Teamhara, and now called Tara.
Throughout all these invasions the Irish have meticulously maintained the record of their kings. Lists of these kings can be found in Geoffrey Keating’s History of Ireland, O’Flaherty’s Ogygia, and A..-M.-H.-J. Stokvis’s Manuel d’Histoire, volume II, pages 234-235.
For our purposes here, however, the royal line that most concerns us is that of Nemedh, reputed ancestor of the Hebrew people who invaded Ireland c. 1709 BCE. His royal descendants are listed in various sources, sometimes differently, yet they are important to our story, because it is in this genealogy whether always precisely accurate or not, that we find Jeremiah in Irish history, though under another name.
NEMEDIANS AND MILESIANS
Throughout this article, I have tried to pursue my objective, that of identifying Jeremiah in Irish history, in a manner that is easy for the reader to understand. The history of Ireland is confusing enough as it is without bringing in legends, fables, and tales of bravery and romance by the heroes of this “Holy Land” in the Atlantic. For this reason, I will confine myself to a discussion of Nemedh and his reputed descendants, one in particular whom I will identify with the Biblical Jeremiah.
Historian Geoffrey Keating, writing of the expedition of Nemedh to Ireland in “thirty-four ships, with a crew of thirty in each ship”(10) said that this party of colonisers was led by “Nemedh and his four sons, Stain, Larbanel the Prophet, Anind and Fergus Leth-derg (Fergus of the Red Side)”.(11) In the Annals of Clonmacnoise, the same four sons are named, in a different order (the father is called Neuie McAgamemnon): “with his foure sonns [camel Into Ireland out of Greece, his sonnes names alsoe were Sdarne, Jaruanell [Larbanel], the prophett, Fergus Leahderg, ... and Anynn [which] people Ruled Ireland 382 yeares”.(12)
Another historical source, the Leabhar Gabhala (Book of Conquests) agrees, adding that Iarbanel the Prophet was a Nemedian chief. (Though Iarbanel is called a “son” of Nemedh, this need not literally be true. It simply means he is a descendant of Nemedh.) The account reads: “Now as for Neimedh [Nemedh], he had four chiefs with him, Stain, Iarbanel the Prophet, Fergus Redside, and Ainnian. They were four sons of Neimedh”.(l 3)
Still another account names Nemedh the ancestor of the Danaans. Keating writes, “Some antiquarians say, that the nation, of whom we are now treating, were called Tuatha-De-Danaan, from Brian, Iuchar and Iucharba, the three sons of Dana, daughter of Delbaeth, son of Elathan, son of Niadh, son of Indae, son of Allae, son of Tath, son of Tabam, son of Enda or Enna, son of Beothach, son of Ibaath, son of Bathach, son of Iarbanel, son of Nemedh”.(14)
We find an echo of this in the Leabhar Gabhala, naming the same names as above (except that Elathan is called the son of Delbaeth) and also that “Larbanel the Prophet [is the], son of Neimedh [Nemedh], son of Agnoman”.(15) (Agnoman is an obvious reference to Agamemnon, king of the Greek Mycenae, who led an expedition against the Trojans to recover Helen, wife of Agamemnon’s brother Menelaus, king of Sparta. See also Neuie McAgamemnon, above.)
Two other figures from Irish history, Bres of the Danaan and Nuadh Silver-Arm claim descent from Nemedh.(16) Iarbanel is mentioned in both genealogies as a son of Nemedh. The Milesians also figure into this tale, but more on that later.
All this need not be as confusing as it looks, as there is a common thread running through all these genealogies. Whether we speak of Nemedians, Fir-Bolgs (a branch of the Nemedians), Danaans, or Milesians, all these peoples were Hebrews. As the Nemedians preceded the other peoples, it is clear that the Irish historians have attempted to trace the lineage of their kings to this island’s earliest Hebrew ancestors.
But still we have not identified Jeremiah in Irish history. Or have we? Actually, we have stumbled across his name several times already without recognising it. The next section will positively identify Jeremiah in the annals of ancient Ireland.
WHO WAS IARBANEL?
In all the genealogies of Nemedh’s descendants, one name is met with consistently: Iarbanel the Prophet. Who was he? Where did he come from? Do the annals have anything to say about him that might be germane to our argument? Astoundingly, the Irish histories have several important things to say about Iarbanel, enough to answer the above questions. They give us the land of his birth (not Ireland), a brief physical description, and a description of his character. Yet, outside of Irish history, nothing seems to be known about him. I will demonstrate, however, that once we have established the identity of Iarbanel, a great deal is known about him.
Iarbanel is clearly stated to be a descendant (“son of”) Nemedh, the Hebrew chieftain. This obviously makes Larbanel also a Hebrew. Furthermore, Iarbanel is also unique in that he is called a prophet, the only one of Nemedh’s descendants so called.
Nor is Larbanel the only name by which he is known in Irish history. He is also found in the Milesian story as well. Again, Keating, in his account of founders of a sort of school established by Fenius Farsa in Egypt after the Tower of Tahpanhes was abandoned. He writes, “The three sages that held the chief direction of this great school were Fenius Farsa from Scythia; Gaedal, son of Ethor, of the race of Gomer, from Greece; and Caei, the Eloquent (or the Just), from Judea, or Iar (Iarbanel], son of Nemha [Nemedh], as others call him ...“.(17)
Notice that Larbanel, known here by the name Caei, is called an “eloquent” and a “just” man. Also note that he comes from Judea! As for the name Tahpanhes, this should be familiar to Bible students. The name is found in the book of Jeremiah: “So they [a party of rebellious Jews, with faithful Jeremiah, his secretary Baruch, and King Zedekiah’s daughters] came into the land of Egypt: for they (the Jews) obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus they came even to Tahpanhes” (Jeremiah 43:7). The Jewish refugees lived in Tahpanhes temporarily, and, according to legend, Jeremiah, his scribe, and the king’s daughters left that place to continue their journey to Ireland.
But Irish historians have more to say about Iarbanel. Keating, quoting from the Leabhar Gabhala, gives us the following lines from a poem: “The Fair Iarbanel, a prophet true, /Was son of Nemedh, son of Ardnaman- / To this gray hero, mighty in spells / Was born Beothach of wild steeds”.(18)
Here Iarbanel is called “fair” (which may refer to lightness of skin or a mild and pacific temperament or a man of sympathy, deep feeling and justice), a “prophet true” (as opposed to a false prophet); a “gray hero”; and, “mighty of spells”, i.e., a miracle-worker.
What have we learned about Iarbanel so far? Firstly, he was a Hebrew, a true prophet, who came from Judea, during the time of Jeremiah’s stay at Tahpanhes. He was an eloquent and a just man, fair of skin and/or temperament, an old man, considered a hero and a worker of miracles.
What do we know about Jeremiah? Firstly, he was a Hebrew, a true prophet (Jeremiah 1:5) coming from a priestly family (Jeremiah 1:1); he came from Judea (Anathoth in Judah, a town northeast of Jerusalem-Jeremiah 1:1). He spoke the word of the Lord often and eloquently, rising early (Jeremiah 7:13, 25; 25:3; 35:14), speaking of justice (Jeremiah 22:15; 23:5; 31:23; 50:7). His eloquence, given to Jeremiah by God Himself (Jeremiah 1:7, 9) is revealed in his words and in this admission from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia that, “As far as the form of his poetic utterances is concerned, Jeremiah is of a poetical nature. ... He often speaks in the meter of an elegy”.(19) As for “fair” (in the temperamental sense) and just, the ISBE says that Jeremiah “was, by nature, gentle and tender in his feelings, and sympathetic”. (20)
At the time of his flight from Judea, Jeremiah would have been an old man. The ISBE says that “At that time (the time of Jeremiah’s stay at Tahpanhes] Jeremiah must have been from 70 to 80 years old”.(21) After a long life in the Lord’s service, enduring many trials, a ‘‘gray hero” indeed.
The evidence brought forth from Irish history and the Bible favours the identification of Iarbanel with Jeremiah. But a nagging question remains: the name Iarbanel itself. What is its derivation and what does it mean?
At the beginning of this article I promised to actually name Jeremiah in the Irish annals. I will now do so. The name Jeremiah in Hebrew is Yirmeyahu, abbreviated to Yirmeyah. It means “the Lord establishes”. The beginning letters in the name are yod and resh. It is possible, in fact, on the basis of the evidence presented here, more than likely that the letters “Lar” in “Larbanel” are simply an abbreviation for the name Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah), a transliteration into the Irish tongue of the yod and resh of the prophet’s name. But what does the rest of the name larbanel mean-”banel”? With an elementary knowledge of Hebrew, the meaning is easy to discover. “Ban” is simply the Hebrew ben, meaning “son of”; “el” is the Hebrew El, meaning “God”. Remembering that “Lar” is a short form of the name Jeremiah, one can easily see that Iarbanel, translated from Hebrew to English is Iar ben El, or “Jeremiah, the son of God”!
As a true prophet of God, who had God’s Holy Spirit within him, Jeremiah could legitimately be called a son of God. The Lord Himself as much said so, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou carnest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” - (Jeremiah 1:5). As a “sanctified one”, i.e., one set apart for holy use and having the Spirit of God, Jeremiah certainly qualified as a saint.
Was Iarbanel also a saint? The Irish annals do not explicitly say so, but it can be assumed that for a “just” man who was a “prophet true” and “mighty of spells”, and whose name meant “son of God”, sainthood was at least a distinct possibility. It is interesting to note that the Irish word for saint is namh (pronounced “nav”), and that Iarbanel is said to be a son of Nemedh, also spelled Nemha. Is there a philological connection between Nemedh/Nemha and namh? More light on this question will be shed later, but for now let us note the opinion of Yair Davidy, a respected Israeli Ten Tribes researcher, who points out that, “Nemha [Nemedh] (i.e. in ‘Iar son of Nemha’ above) is from the same root as Nemedian’ and means sanctified” (22) (emphasis mine). A sanctified person is a saint!
The evidence presented in this article leads to only one conclusion: that Iarbanel was Jeremiah. If one does not believe that Iarbanel was Jeremiah, then one is forced to believe that an amazing thing has happened. It has happened that a Hebrew prophet, a true prophet of the Lord in whom God’s Holy Spirit dwelt and was thus a “son of God”, who was a saint, who lived in Judea, who fled to Tahpanhes in Egypt with his secretary and friend Baruch and others, who was an eloquent speaker and a gentle man who preached justice, who was an old man and a worker of miracles, disappeared from the face of the earth.
At the same time in history there appeared in Ireland, a Hebrew prophet, whose name means “son of God”, a true prophet, who was considered a saint, who lived in Judea, who fled to Tahpanhes in Egypt, who had a “son" named Brec, (23) who was an eloquent and a just man, who was an old man and “mighty in spells”, appeared on the scene, fully formed, literally out of nowhere.
If one does not believe that Iarbanel was Jeremiah, one must believe that this is all a coincidence.
The coincidence is impossible. Iarbanel was Jeremiah. It is a fact of history.
AN HONEST OBJECTION EXAMINED
Before leaving this subject however, it is only fair to mention that an alternative identity for Iarbanel has been proposed. In the third volume of his great trilogy on the identity of the Ten Tribes, Lost Israelite Identity, esteemed Israeli researcher Yair Davidy proposes that Iarbanel was Jar (or Yair) of Judah. He writes, “ ‘Jar’ or ‘Yair’ or ‘Jair’ is recorded in the Bible as a descendant of Judah who settled in the land of Gilead of Machir in Menasseh (sic)” (24) and furthermore that, “Yair in the Bible was linked to both Judah and to Gilead of Menasseh (sic) east of the Jordan one of whose sons was Peresh (‘Separated’ or ‘Sanctified’) which name is identical with that of ‘Nemha’ in Irish”. (25)
There is no doubt that Jar (or Yair) existed and that he was also a Hebrew, and that he came from Judah or Judea. This he shares in common with Iarbanel, but that is where the similarity ends. Iar-Yair could not have been Iarbanel for the following reasons: Yair is nowhere in the Bible called a prophet as is Iarbanel in the Irish annals or Jeremiah in Scripture; he was not a saint nor was he sanctified; there is no evidence that he was eloquent of speech or particularly just as were Iarbanel and Jeremiah; he did not leave Judah to come to Egypt; he did not work miracles; he did not have a secretary/”son” named Baruch or Brec; he was not venerated in history as were both Iarbanel and Jeremiah.
Some will argue, however, that Davidy’s point concerning Yair being “linked” to both Judah and Gilead of Manasseh one of whose sons had a name meaning “separated" or “sanctified”, indicates the identity of Iar-Yair-Jair with Iarbanel. But I will show that the true link exists, in both a physical and spiritual sense, not between Yair and Judah and/or Manasseh, but between Iarbanel-Jeremiah and Aaron, brother of Moses.
Let us remember that anciently “son of” need not represent a direct father-son relationship, but only a descendancy or even a spiritual relationship of a student to his spiritual teacher. Jeremiah was the “son of [father-son relationship] of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin” (Jeremiah 1:1). Anathoth was a priestly town.
E. W. Bullinger in a note to Jeremiah 1:1 in his Companion Bible, in comparing the priestly lines of Eleazar and Ithamar says that “Anathoth belonged to that [line] of Ithamar". This is not a common name in Scripture and only one man bears it. Ithamar is the fourth son of Aaron who founded a line of priests (I Chronicles 24:3, 6). It is obvious that if Jeremiah’s father, Hilkiah, who lived in Anathoth, was of the line of Ithamar, son of Aaron, then this makes Jeremiah a descendant (“son of”) Aaron as well.
Is there any evidence from the Bible that Iarbanel-Jeremiah was the “son of” a “Nemha” (“sanctified one”) or a namh (saint)? Could such a description apply to Aaron? Certainly! The Bible confirms it. Aaron was consecrated as a priest of the Lord, separated, sanctified, and given the Holy Spirit of God. Speaking to Moses, God says that “[thou] shalt anoint them [Aaron and his Sons], and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office” (Exodus 28:41). See also Exodus 40:13, Numbers 3:3; 29:29.
Thus Iarbanel-Jeremiah was also a son of “Nemha”, namh, a “sanctified one”. Even more so, since the sanctification is a spiritual as well as a fleshly one; whereas in the case of Peresh (“separated”) only a tribal separation is implied. No spiritual or physical sanctification, both appropriate to a prophet, son of a priest, of a line of priests, can be inferred from the meaning of the name Peresh (who was not a priest in any case). Furthermore, namh has an applicability to Iarbanel-Jeremiah entirely lacking for Peresh.
CONCLUSION
The evidence is in. The conclusion is obvious. Iarbanel was Jeremiah. Contrary to the doubting opinions of some, Jeremiah is mentioned in the Irish annals, under another name.
This of course is not the total answer to all the mystery surrounding Jeremiah in Ireland. The question of Ollam Fodhla, variously called a prophet and a king in Irish history, needs to be explored. There are also questions that need to be answered concerning King Zedekiah’s daughters allegedly taken to Ireland by Jeremiah, the identity of Eochaidh the Heremon, the whereabouts of the wondrous stone, harp, and ark which were also carried to Ireland by Jeremiah according to legend. But that is for further research and/or revelation.
For now, it needs only to be said that Jeremiah came to Ireland, as proven from Irish and Biblical history. His coming was part of the purpose of God for his people of Israel, a purpose ironically revealed every day, yet seen by few. Let us pray that with further research and revelation the few will one day become many.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
(1). Haberman, Frederick. Tracing OurAncestors. Bumaby, B.C., Canada: The Association of The Covenant People, 1934, p. 153.
(2). Ibid., p. 153.
(3). Fox, John S. The World’s Greatest Throne. Burnaby, B.C., Canada: The Association of The Covenant People, n.d., p.23.
(4). Ibid.,p. 24.
(5). Ibid.,p. 24.
(6). Capt, E. Raymond, M.A.,A.I.A., F.R.S.A. (Scot.),Jacob’s Pillar: A Biblical Historical Study. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Artisan Sales, 1977.
(7). Hoeh, Herman L., Ph.D. Compendium of World History. Pasadena, Calif.: Ambassador College, 1963. See Volume I, Chapter 18. Much of my review of Ireland’s ancient history comes from Hoeh’s two-volume work on the ancient history of the world.
(8). Bible Research Handbook. London: Covenant Publishing Co. Ltd., 1946, Serial No. I 18a.
(9). Haberman, op. cit., p. 74.
(10). Keating, Geoffrey. The History of Ireland from the Earliest Period to the English Invasion. Translated by John O’Mahony, New York, 1866, p. 122.
(11). Keating, ibid., p. 122.
(12).Annals of Clonmacnoise, from the Creation to A.D. 1408. Translated by Conell MaGeoghagan, 1627. Edited by Denis Murphy. Dublin: University Press, 1896, p. 14.
(13). Leabhar Gabhala or the Book of the Conquests of Ireland. Michael O’Cleirigh (rec.). Dublin: University College, sec.44.
(14). Keating, op. cit., p. 140.
(15). Leabhar Gabhala, sec. 100.
(16). Leabhar Gabhala, secs. 106,107.
(17). Keating, pp. 155,166. The observant reader may object to my reference to the Tower of Tahpanhes in the story of Fenius Farsa, Gaedal, and Caei the Eloquent (or Caei the Just), as according to Keating the school was established after the Flood on the “plain of Shenaar”. However, it is obvious that the Tower of Babel and the “Tower” of Tahpanhes have been confused in Keating’s account. Neither Scythia nor Judea existed at the time of the Tower of Babel, nor was Caei-Iar yet even born. “Shenaar” may refer to the plain of Shinar mentioned in Genesis. Or could it be an echo of Goshen, the location of Tahpanhes
(18). Keating, op. cit., p. 138.
(19). International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdinans Publishing Co., Volume III, p. 1590.
(20). ISBE, 111:1589.
(21). ISBE, 111:1588.
(22). Davidy, Yair. Lost Israelite Identity. Jerusalem, Israel: Russell-Davis Publishers, n.d., p. 349-350.
(23). Keating, op. cit., p. 126. In Keating’s history, Simeon Brec is the son of Starn, son of Nemedh. In the Leabhar Gabhala, he is either the son of Erglan, son of Beoan, son of Starn, son of Neimedh [Nemedh] (sec. 67); or he is, significantly, son of Iarbanel, son of Neimedh [Nemedh] (sec. 53).
(24). Davidy, op. cit., p. 350.
(25). Davidy, ibid., p. 350.
ANCIENT ISRAEL IN SPAIN AND BRITAIN
By
Pastor Jory Brooks
(A Review of an important 1846 work authored by historian and theologian Dr Moses Margolioth: 'THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS IN GREAT BRITAIN' )
MOSES Margoliouth was a learned and respected minister in the Church of England of the nineteenth century. As his name might indicate, he was also of Jewish extraction. Born in Suwalki, Poland in 1818, he arrived in England in 1837 and converted to the Christian faith the following year. MCCLINTOCK AND STRONG'S CYCLOPEDIA adds the following:
"In 1840 he entered Trinity College, Dublin, and, after completing his studies, was ordained in 1844. He held various positions in the Episcopal Church, and at the time of his death, Feb. 25, 1881, he was vicar of Little Linford, near Newport Pagnell, Bucks, England. He is the author of many works: Fundamental Principles of Modern Judaism Investigated (London 1843); History of the Jews in Great Britain (ibid., 1846);A Pilgrimage to the Land of my Fathers (ibid. 1850, 2 vols.); History of the Jews in Great Britain (expanded 1851,3 vols.); Abyssinia, its Past, Present, and Future (1866); The Spirit of Prophecy (1864); Sacred Minstrelsy: A Lecture on Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Music (1863); The Oracles of God and their Vindication (1870); Vestiges of the Historic Anglo-Hebrews in East Anglia (eod.); The Poetry of the Hebrew Pentateuch (1871); The Lord's Prayer No Adaptation of Existing Jewish Petitions(1876). Besides, he left a great many works in manuscript."
A very learned churchman, he earned two doctorates (in Philosophy and Letters). The knowledge and learning he possessed shows clearly in his work, THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS IN GREAT BRITAIN. At the University of Liverpool, in England, he gave six lectures in 1845 on this subject. They were so well received that many requests came for their reprinting in book form, which appeared in 1846.A synopsis of this work follows.
ISRAEL, A MIGRATORY NATION
On page 12, he states that Israel was "trained to be a wandering nation" with "a peculiar migratory disposition" (p.13) in preparation for "their mighty dispersion" over the earth. Israel's progenitor, Abraham, was "a type of the same," or example to those who followed after. Abraham was commanded in Genesis 12:1,
"Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee."
Dr. Margoliouth adds that Abraham "and his descendants have ever and anon manifested a peculiar migratory disposition, as you always find in holy writ." Not only that, but Israel was "trained to be a maritime nation," as well, and quoting the eminent ancient Roman historian, Tacitus, "the first colonizing expeditions were performed by water, not by land." Margoliouth adds, "Not only did they possess the small Sea of Galilee, but they were placed all along the upper border of the great, or Mediterranean, Sea; and no sooner were they established in their country than they began to be engaged in maritime affairs, as we read in sacred history (I Kings 9:26-28)
"And King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber which is beside Eloth,on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon."
The Israelites, therefore, had an opportunity of traversing the known world at a very early period of their history..."
These statements have proven true in history. Other historians (such as Aylett Sammes in the 17th century), noted the Hebrew-Phoenician language of the early colonists of Britain, yet gave the Phoenicians all of the credit, saying that the Hebrews were never known to colonize! Not only is such a conception mistaken, but the word, "Hebrew," in ancient times even came to mean "a colonist." The Bible prophesied of Israel that, "his seed shall be in many waters" - (Numbers 24:7) and they were to "spread abroad" to the four corners of the earth. - (Genesis 28:14)
On pages 16 to 21, Pastor Margoliouth comments on the Hebrew-Phoenician connection with ancient Britain and Spain. The Bible in First Kings 10:22 tells us, 'For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish, with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold and silver... '
Margoliouth says, "I am led to adopt the view of the profoundly learned Bochart - viz., that the Tarshish of the Scriptures was the Tartessus of Spain, with a district around including Cadiz ... Now if Tarshish be Spain, the conclusion is inevitable, the Israelites must have visited the western countries in the days of Solomon.'
Israel and Phoenicia both spoke the same language in ancient times, but since the nation of Israel far outnumbered the Phoenicians, it is obvious that most "Phoenician" colonization was in reality Israelite. An excellent and authoritative discussion of this subject is covered in Stephen M.Collins' recent book, THE TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL...FOUND! ($20US PPD.,Box 88735, SIOUX FALLS, SD 57109-1005)
ANCIENT HEBREW INSCRIPTIONS
A very interesting discussion of monuments found in Spain begins on page 22. In the year 1480 at Saguntum, Spain, "a Hebrew epitaph" of great antiquity was discovered. It reads, 'This is the grave of Adoniram, the servant of King Solomon, who came to collect the tribute, and died on the day... ' (page 23) This Adoniram is mentioned in both I Kings 5:14 and 4:6, "and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute." From this we understand that Adoniram was sent by Solomon to the Hebrew colony in Spain, where raw materials were collected for the Temple and other building projects in Palestine. This large stone sepulchre has been called, "the stone of Solomon's collector."
A second monument discovered in Spain with ancient Hebrew lettering, reads, "Raise with a bitter voice, a lamentation for the great prince; YAH has taken him. Amaziah." An old Hebrew book, called "Darcay Noam," or "Ways of Pleasantness," gives an account of this epitaph. Pastor Margoliouth sums up this issue well in saying, "I see no reason for disbelieving that there were [Israelites] in Spain in the time of David and Solomon - startling as it may appear ... there existed colonies of Hebrews all over the world, in the reigns of David and Solomon..." (page 30)
1 Kings 9:26-28 "And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon. "
1 Kings 10:22 "For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish, with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold and silver..."
LANGUAGE EVIDENCE
A fascinating discussion of the language connection with ancient Israel appears beginning on page 32. Samuel Bochart (1599-1667), a profound Oriental language scholar, showed that the name Britain itself "is a corruption of the Hebrew words Barat Anach," or islands of tin. We read that "an eminent Cornish scholar of last century, who devoted a great deal of his time to prove the affinity between the Hebrew and Welsh languages, observes, 'It would be difficult to adduce a single article or form of construction in the Hebrew grammar, but the same is to be found in Welsh, and that there are many whole sentences in both languages exactly the same in the very words. '" Two columns of quotations follow, showing the connection between the Hebrew and Welsh languages, after which Pastor Margoliouth asks, "where could [the early Britons] have got hold of such whole Hebrew, purely Hebrew, sentences?" The only answer, of course, is that Hebrews visited and colonized the British Isles in ancient times.
Proper names are next referenced. Kings of ancient Britain often had Hebrew names, such as Solomon (three different kings!), Daniel, Abraham, Asaph, and Adam, "from which circumstance some antiquarians attempted to prove that the Welsh are descendants of the childrenof Israel." Pastor Margoliouth expresses that he is being "very moderate" in establishing that at the very least, ancient Israelites had been 'mixing with the Britons' in forming the foundation of the modern British people. On this point, we believe evidence exists that the Celtic-Britons were themselves descendants of the Biblica House of Israel, the lost ten tribes, who migrated overland from the land of their captivity in Assyria through the Caucasus and into Europe. Our tract, "THE REAL DIASPORA" discusses these points in greater detail.
BIBLE PROPHECIES
Biblical prophetic references to Britain are discussed beginning on page 37. 'The command is to declare the Lord's purpose concerning Israel iin "The isles afar off, " in Jeremiah 31:10. These "were supposed by the ancients to have been Britannia, Scotia, and Hibernia (Ireland)."Again, in Jeremiah 31:,
"For thus saith the Lord, sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations ... save thy people, the remnant of Israel."
Pastor Margoliouth avers that, 'The prophet seems to behold Britain in his vision. There can be no doubt that Britain {was long) the chief of the nations. Her monarch s territory is one upon which the sun never sets.' Yet a third Biblical term is also tied to the British isles. "The expression, 'The end of the world, ,mentioned in Isaiah 62:11 is also supposed to mean Britain, which was a common appellation for this island in remote ages."
In the year 1670, a contractor digging the basement for a house in Mark-Lane, London, came across an old underground Roman-era vault beneath the pavement. The vault was scaled with a large old Roman-style brick 'of curious red clay, and in bas-relief on the front hath the figure of Samson putting fire to the foxes' tails, and driving them into a field of corn.' An antiquarian of the time, writing about the find, asked, "How the story of Samson should be known to the Romans, much less to the Britons, so early after the propagation of the gospel, seems to be a great doubt, except, it should be said, that some Jews, after the final destruction of Jerusalem, should wander into Britain... "
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
The spread of the Gospel into Britain during the time of the Apostles, is a matter of historical record. "As to St. Paul's being one of the first heralds of salvation in this island, there can scarcely be any doubt on the subject. Indeed, if we do not believe it we must make up our minds to reject all the hitherto authentic historians." Dr Burgess, late Bishop of Sarum, has shown that St.Paul laid the foundation of Britain's national church. Clemens Romanus, 'who was an intimate friend and fellow-labourer of St. Paul, declares in his Epistle to the Corinthians, that
"St. Paul having been a herald of the Gospel both in the east and in the west, he received the noble crown of faith, after teaching righteousness to the whole world, and gone even to "the utmost bounds of the west", an expression, well-known to every scholar, that always designated, or at least included, the British Islands."
Theodoret, a learned church historian of the fourth century, 'mentions Britain among the nations which had received the Gospel.' He states in his observations on Psalm 116, that "Paul carried salvation to the islands which lie in the ocean." Jerome soon after, in his commentary on Amos chapter 5, said that "St. Paul's diligence in preaching extended as far as the earth itself.. after his imprisonment he preached the Gospel in the Westem parts [of the world]." (De Script. Eccl.) Venentius Fortunatus, fifth century Bishop of Poitiers, said, "Paul having crossed the ocean, landed and preached in the countries which the Britons inhabit."
Pastor Margoliouth observes that "I could multiply quotations on this subject almost without end; but they would be as tedious, as they are unnecessary. I may, however, observe that some of the greatest men... who spent a great part of their lives in such researches ... the learned Ussher, Parker, Stillingfleet, Cave, Camden, Gibson, Godwin, Rapin, and a great many others - have clearly shown that St. Paul was the founder of the British church ... yea, the government of the British Christian Church was established and set in proper scriptural order by [Israelites] themselves, be they who they may - Peter, Paul, Simon Zelotes, Joseph of Arimathea."
Christians owe a debt of gratitude to men like Pastor Moses Margoliouth, who so clearly show us our relationship to the ancient covenant people, that we may correctly see our responsibilities as that people.
OTHER JEWISH EXPOSITORS
Other Jewish authors have espoused the "Anglo-Israel" identity. One of the most famous scholars of the middle ages was RABBI MOSES BEN MAIMON, usually called MAIMONIDES; a philosopher, astronomer, and physician, who lived from 1135 to 1204 A.D. So famous and respected was he among the Jewish people for his learning, that they called him, "The Second Moses." He stated, "I believe the ten tribes to be in various parts of West Europe."
In the early 19th century, MOSES EDREHI was a distinguished rabbi, scholar, teacher, and firm believer in the existence of the "Lost Ten Tribes" in the lands of the West. Born in Morocco, he taught both modern and oriental languages, as well as religion, in Amsterdam and England. He also spent years in the old libraries of Europe researching the fate of the lost tribes. In his book entitled, "An Historical Account Of The Ten Tribes,"(1836) he states, "Orteleus, that great geographer, giving the description of Tartary, notices the kingdom of Arsareth, where the Ten Tribes, retiring, succeeded [other] Scythian inhabitants, and took the name Gauther [Goths], because they were very jealous for the glory of God. In another place, he found the Naphtalites, who had their hordes there. He also discovered the tribe of Dan in the north, which has preserved its name. ...They further add, that the remains of ancient Israel were more numerous here than in Muscovy and Poland - from which it was concluded, that their habitation was fixed in Tartary [ie Scythia] from whence they passed into neighbouring places ... it is no wonder to find the Ten Tribes dispersed there; since it was no great way to go from Assyria, whither they were transplanted, having only Armenia betwixt them. " (pp. 90-92) Yes, looking from Assyria northwest beyond Armenia and the Caucasus is Europe, ancient Scythia. Edrehi later finds lost Israel, among other places, in France and Spain, quoting Obadiah 17:23, "And the captivity of the host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites [i.e., Phoenicians], even unto Zarephath (France), and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad (Spain)... " (page 266)
MODERN JEWISH PROPONENTS
In 1993, Hebrew scholar YAIR DAVIDY published in Jerusalem his book, "The Tribes," which was the result of years of study on the question of the lost tribes of Israel. He states, "Descendants from the Tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) seem to have been especially concentrated in the nations who settled the British isles and, through them, amongst all Englishs peaking peoples of British origin. These peoples have played a unique role in history over and beyond that of the other Israelite nations as a whole. This historical record was appropriate to the character of their forefather, JOSEPH. " (p. 387)
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
Perhaps no greater authority exists as to the Jewish position on this subject, than 'THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA,' published in several editions beginning in the 1890's by Funk &Wagnalls, Inc. Under the subject, "TRIBES, LOST TEN," we read the following:
"The identification of the Sacae, or Scythians, with the Ten Tribes because they appear in history at the same time, and very nearly in the same place, as the Israelites removed by Shalmanesar, is one of the chief supports of the theory which identifies the English people, and indeed the whole Teutonic race, with the Ten Tribes." (Vol. 12, p. 250)
In continuing to discuss this question, they state," the Sacae, or Scythians, who, again, were the Lost Ten Tribes." (ibid.)
EVIDENCE WHICH CONFIRMS SCRIPTURE
Related information identifying Israel in the world today will be found in our companion tracts, "ANCIENT HEBREW SEA MIGRATIONS," and "THE HEBREW CELTIC CONNECTION". Evidence of ancient Hebrew sea voyages and settlement of Greece, Italy, Spain, Britain, and Denmark is confirmed by leading archaeologists. All of this is of more than passing interest for the Christian, for Bible prophecy spoke of Israel comprising "many nations," and "a company of nations." We believe that these and other prophecies have been indeed fulfilled!