The Evidence

What Proof is there concerning Israelite Origins?

1. Introduction
2. Bible Proof.
3. Biblical Computer Codes Proof.
4. Rabbinical Proof.
5. Historical Proof.
6. Problems with the Evidence.
7. DNA
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The Evidence.
What Proof is there concerning Israelite Origins?

1. Introduction
Our movement, Brit-Am/Hebrew Nations, holds that:
The Lost Ten Tribes as recognizable coherent entities are to be found amongst Western Nations.
We are devoted entirely to this issue.
Other groups have similar beliefs but adduce less (and often outdated) evidence or no evidence at all.
On the whole their acknowledgement of Israelite Origins is an addition to their other aims.
We too have additional aims but they mostly emanate from our Lost Ten Tribes understanding.
What Proofs are there really?
The answer is:
There is Quite a lot, as explained below.
Nevertheless, some of the evidence is problematic and there are claims against it and other proofs that seem to negate the whole proposition.
This article is an attempt to honestly and impartially examine the situation as we see it.
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2. Bible Proof.
We have a
List of 122 (was 110) Brit-Am Biblical Proofs

These proofs are in part common to most groups who believe the Ten Tribes are in the west. In addition we have added points that we merited to come across in the course of our own studies. Not only that but the impression is that the Bible STILL HAS a lot more evidence confirming our conclusions. In the future we and/or others may well be enabled to show this.
The Biblical Proofs that at present exist include:

(a) Geographical indications placing the Ten Tribes in the End Times at the geographical extremities of Continental land masses; in islands and peninsulas; in several Oceans; in the most salubrious climates; concentrated in the west and in the Atlantic Ocean area; to the north and west of the Land of Israel; in Australia; in France and Britain and the surrounding regions; in an area indicated by a pathway of megalithic monuments such as the dolmens.

Taking all these together as one whole we find that only Western European Peoples especially the English-speaking ones fulfill ALL of the indications.

[ Anecdote and Three Principles of Exegesis (Commentary).
I once discussed these matters with a Christian activist of academic background. Some of the proofs he accepted and some he did not. Of those he accepted he began to shoot down one by one as being too general or not certain.
For instance the Exiles meaning Lost Ten Tribes are described as being in the West (e.g. Isaiah 24:14, Hosea 1:10).

He objected that perhaps the Exiles refer to the Jews. In addition, more than half the world may be considered as located to the west of the land of Israel. The indication is too all-encompassing and therefore not worth much. And so on with each and every point.
Our reply involved three important principles: (1) The Context. (2) Integration. (3) Rabbinical Commentary.

(1) The Context. Every verse considered should be seen in its context. If the Ten Tribes are being talked about then the verse applies to them.

(2) Integration. Each proof must be considered not only on its own merits but also as to how it complements and conforms to other proofs. For example, If one verse says the north and another the west then the answer could be a group found in both directions. We then see how other proofs fit in with this.

As an example I adduced the analogy of one searching for a particular person named John Brown. This is a common name but it is a beginning. If we have other indications such as that John Brown wears glasses, is married to Susan, is six and a half feet tall, has a son called Tom, etc, we may be more certain of making a correct identification. On each point taken separately it may be claimed that it is too general. A lot of people have spectacles; Susan is a popular name; hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of men are six and half feet tall; a lot of boys are known as Tom; etc. When however we look for someone who fulfills all of the specifics then the probability of more than one fit is remote. The more points we add the more certain we become no matter how all-encompassing some of the points may seem.
These laws of probability may seem obvious but it is surprising how often we need to mention them when answering our critics.

(3) Rabbinical Commentary. This includes primary sources such as the Talmud, Midrashim, etc, as well as Commentaries and General works of Rabbinical Thought. Frequently these sources confirm our understanding that certain verses refer to the Ten Tribes as distinct from the Jewish Diaspora which is also often referred to by the Prophets.]

Other Biblical Proofs come under the headings of:

(b). RECOGNIZABLE SYMBOLS, e.g. Israel in Exile as an assertive nationality (i.e. the Ten Tribes) is described as like a lion and unicorn (Numbers 24:7-9). This is the official symbol of Britain.

(c). HISTORICAL BEHAVIOR. The Lost Ten tribes would be a group of peoples. They would rule over other nations; the dominant world power; be seafarers; the "Police-Man of the Globe"; be Light for the Gentiles Genesis 12:2-3, 18:18-19, 22:18 24:4 Isaiah 42:1 42:6 Amos 6:15.

(d). SITUATION. The Lost Ten Tribes would be Separate from Judah; Not known to Judah; Adherents of Christianity; historically with a non-Israelite group of peoples known as Gomer.

(e). BLESSINGS. The Ten Tribes were to be extremely numerous; with Agricultural Plenty; Mineral Resources; etc. They were to possess the GATE(s) OF their ENEMIES meaning International Strategic Points. Historically they would have possessed India and Egypt and to have caused African Slaves to have been taken away over the seas.

(g). ANCESTRAL NAMES IN GENERAL. The Lost Ten Tribes will have had national names recalling their ancestors, e.g Hebrew, Isaac, Jacob, Israel, Seventy Tribal and Clan Names, etc. many of which are still in use.

(h) NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. Different Tribes had different attributes. Tribes we locate amongst certain nations show the characteristics in question, e.g. Zebulon would dwell on the shores of the Sea (Gen 49:13) and we find the Sabulingoi (People of Zebulon) in Holland who do literally dwell on the sea-shores.
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3. Biblical Computer Codes Proof.
Computer Codes confirm our findings. These are problematic since many people do not accept this as proof. Also some knowledge of Hebrew would be helpful in appreciating our findings and outside of Israel and the Jewish Community not many people know Hebrew. Nevertheless the proof exists.
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4. Rabbinical Proof.
This includes the general principles that the Ten Tribes are lost but will return; and that they are not at present obligated by the Law. The Talmud says the Ten Tribes were exiled to places where historically we find the ancestors of western people.
Rabbinical Commentators on Biblical Verses confirm our understanding that certain verses refer to the Ten Tribes as distinct from the Jewish Diaspora which is also often referred to by the Prophets.
Rashi and Nachmanides (and others) on the Book of Obadiah locate the Ten Tribes in France and its surrounding regions including (according to Abarbanel) the isle of Britain.
Rabbinical Works concerning the characteristics of Joseph and the other Tribes etc are shown to fit our Tribal Identifications of different entities amongst Western Peoples.
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5. Historical Proof.
This relies on historical writings, legends, linguistics, archaeology, names of peoples and places, etc.

Our Historical Proofs when presented to academics are either rejected or accepted as remote possibilities. This is despite the fact that many of our proofs are taken directly from accepted academic works and often correspond to the latest findings.
We need to do more work on these issues as well as publish and publicize more the findings we now have.
Even so, the proofs exist and may be affirmed by whosoever bothers to check them.Here and there progress has been made.
Our historical explanations are rational and do fit the overall picture according to the facts that are now available.
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6. Problems with the Evidence:

Not everyone believes in the Bible. Those who do also have their own religious explanations. People are wary of considering Biblical Evidence emanating from unknown or alien sources. The Bible is often misused to justify all kinds of claims that are not correct.

Our Rabbinical Proofs are accepted by those who check them but getting to them is another story.
For example,
S. is one of our strongest supporters though S. like everybody else has other interests as well.
S. is an Orthodox Jew of strong nationalist inclinations. S comes from an ideological background that has been traditionally critical of the British and Americans and that is highly suspicious of non-Jews in general. S was once imprisoned by the Israeli Government for his suspected over-enthusiastic patriotic inclinations. In the course of his incarceration he met one of my sons. Later he came across our work, Ephraim. Due to his acquaintance with my son and out of curiosity he purchased the book and read it. He came across our quotations from Rashi and the Abarbanel showing the Ten Tribes to be in Britain as well as elsewhere. He was irritated. He did not believe Abarbanel could have written such things. He had a copy of Abarbanel in his house and so rose to check the source. We were right. Other things panned out as they should.

This may sum up the whole issue.
We have proofs and have published them. We can always use more evidence as well as continuing to refine that which we now have. We need to publish more and we need to keep what we have published in print. This requires money which we usually lack so we do what we can. Sooner or later, chances are that the facts be made known and their truth shall be acknowledged.

Historically, our evidence does not dove-tail with present-day mainstream understandings.
Nevertheless we have adequate references for most of the facts we quote. The interpretation and application of the facts is the main bone of contention.
Experience shows that, if we get enough facts together and keep at it , sooner or later the possibility that we are correct may be admitted, at least in part.
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7. DNA
Our beliefs and claims do not fit DNA findings as conventionally understood.
If they did, more than half the battle would be won.
DNA does not exactly contradict us. Some points may be explained as in line with us. Nevertheless the overall picture is not in our favor.
We try to follow DNA findings. We believe that DNA is determined by a combination of environment and heredity.
We have a counter argument to conventional DNA theory. Our explanation however only answers part of the problems posed by DNA findings. We need to know more.
Also no-one seems to accepts what we say on this issue.
We think conventional DNA theory is wrong and we are right. This however is not something we know enough about.
See our DNA articles.

Is Not DNA Determined by the Environment???

#3. Conquests of the Long-Legged Hawaiian Cane Toad; A Biological Example.

Time will tell.
Conventional DNA (concerning males) implies the following:
West Europeans (R1b), East Europeans (R1a), most Asians, and Amerindians, are all related.
Three main groups may be distinguished:

(i) (A, B, D, E) Sub-Saharan Africans, North African Berbers, Southern Mediterraneans, Japanese and Tibetans belong in one group .

(ii) (F, G, H, I, J) Caucasian Mountain Peoples, European Balkan Groups, Jews (ca. 1/3 of the total) and Middle East Peoples, along with many Indians, Sardinians, Bosnians, Germans, and Scandinavians.

(iii) (K, L, M, P, N, O, Q, R) This interrelated group comprises Indonesians, South-east Asians, Chinese, Koreans, Fins, Slavs, Western Celts, Basques, and Amerindians.

There may be factors we are unaware of. One could even try and align the above "clusters" with the Bible by perhaps equating (i) with Ham, (ii) with Shem, and (iii) with Japhet.
This is however a bit difficult for us (especially in light of our Brit-Am Biblical and Historical researches) to agree with DNA "science" in accepting the above divisions. It seems unlikely that most of the Irish and inhabitants of the British Isles (R1b) are closer to the Chinese in origin than they are to the Jews, Scandinavians (haplogroup I), and Germans (haplogroup I) . We also find it a bit strange to view a majority portion of the Japanese as closer to the Zulus than they are to the Chinese and Koreans.
See:
DNA Racial Classifications Refuted!

Nevertheless one never knows. It should also be pointed out that the above scenario applies only to male YDNA. Female mtDNA has mtDNA haplogroup K as very strong amongst Ashkenazic Jews. It is also found in other Near Eastern populations. K is closly related to HV which with its offshoots (H and V) covers most of Europe. A genetic connection concerning females is therefore feasible according to this. Female mtDNA is now admitted to be changeable according to environment.

Also R1b male DNA which is predominant in Western Europe though allegedly related to East European R1A, Asians, and Amerindians is also now admitted to have probably originated in the general area of the Near East and Ancient Israel. It is also in a de facto sense acknowledged that it did not enter Europe before the Bronze Age. We understand that it did not appear until even later!
See:
Some Came Running! The Very Recent Movement of YDNA R1b to Western Europe.

Meanwhile based on our Biblical and Related Researches we keep going.
We need assistance to do so.
Our publications are worth acquiring and reading. Our projects are worthwhile and deserve to be funded.
We sincerely believe that whoever aids us will be blessed by the God of Israel.