a. Bible Sources (9 September 2016, 6 Elul, 5776)
Contents:
1. References to Similar Articles by us on the Same Subject
2. Environmental Influence?
3. Laban, father of Rachel and Leah, was Very White
4. Esau was "reddish" probably red of hair.
5. David was probably red-haired or golden haired.
6. Song of Solomon:
The Hero: Black Hair, Golden Hair, Grey Eyes, White Skin
The Heroine: Black Hair, Grey Eyes, Dark Skin
8. Israelites Not Black Like Cushim
9. The Problem of Hair Color and Leprosy. Is Black Hair Assumed to be the Usual Color?
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1. References to Similar Articles by us on the Same Subject
This article is an addition to, as well as including a summary of:
THE PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE HEBREW PEOPLES. Ancient Israelite Physical Types.
http://www.britam.org/anthropology.html
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/race/physique.html
Pictures of Ancient Israelites
http://www.britam.org/HebrewTypes.html
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/race/pics.html
See Also:
DNA, Heredity, Race, and Anthropology
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/race/
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a. Bible Sources:
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2. Environmental Influence?
The suggestion that physical environment influences inherited appearance and that the Israelite Tribes were of differing types, should not surprise anybody -both ideas are indicated in the Bible and in Oral Tradition.
Jacob was set to mind flocks of sheep and goats belonging to his father-in-law, Laban (Genesis 30: 31-43). The sheep were either all white or of mixed-coloring whereas the goats were all black or mixed-colored. Jacob was inspired to utilize external influences in order to activate inherent genetic potential and produce the type of (mixed) coloring he desired as explained in the Bible and discussed by us in "The Tribes".
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3. Laban, father of Rachel and Leah, was Very White
Laban (Genesis 30), the father-in-law of Jacob, has a name meaning "white." He may have tended to albinoism. White race color is in effect a form of albinoism. It is a lack of coloring, not an addition of color.
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4. Esau was "reddish" probably red of hair.
Jacob (i.e. Israel) the Fore-Father was twin-brother to Esau who was an "Admoni" i.e. red-haired. "Admoni" is sometimes translated as "ruddy" but more correctly meaning "red-haired" or golden-haired, and hairy (Genesis 25: 25) whereas Jacob was smooth-skinned (Genesis 27:11).
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5. David was probably red-haired or golden haired.
David, King of Israel, was also an "Admoni" (1-Samuel 16:22) meaning red or golden haired. On the other hand "Admoni" in the case of Esau may connote 'brownish."
Concerning David it says,
1-Samuel 16:
12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.' ....
18 Then one of the young men said, 'Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.
1-Samuel 17:
42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.
The words translated above as "ruddy" in Hebrew are "Admoni".
This usually means "red-haired" or even golden haired. It was a feature of David that is noted, repeated, and which evidently stood out. It may not have been a common phenomenon. It is what David was noted for. Red hair is immediately noticeable.
It also seems to have been a cause of prejudice.
Goliath the Philistine giant disdained David BECAUSE he had red hair.
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6. Song of Solomon:
The Hero: Black Hair, Golden Hair, Grey Eyes, White Skin
The Heroine: Black Hair, Grey Eyes, Probably Dark-black Skin
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Dark Color of the Heroine:
Song of Solomon 1:
5 I am black but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not stare at me because I am swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
My mother's sons were angry with me;
They made me caretaker of the vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.
Note:
The heroine attributes her dark appearance to the sun i.e. to environmental influences.
Elsewhere genetical factors are ascribed to as an explanation of dark color.
cf.
Jeremiah 13:
23 Can the Ethiopian [Cushi] change his skin Or the leopard his spots?
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Grey Eyes of the Hero:
Song of Solomon 1:
15 How beautiful you are, my darling,
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves.
Note: Eyes like Doves imply eyes that are greyish in color.
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Grey Eyes of the Heroine and her Black Hair:
Song of Solomon 4:
1 How beautiful you are, my darling,
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves behind your veil;
Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Mount Gilead.
Note:
Goats (unlike sheep) were usually black. cf. 6:5 where the hair of the heroine is again likened unto a flock of goats in contradictinction to the teeth that are bright white.
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The Hero black haired, grey eyed, white skinned.
Song of Solomon 5:
10 My beloved is dazzling [Hebrew: "Tsach" i.e. shining white] and ruddy,
Outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is like gold, pure gold;
His locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk,
And reposed in their setting.
Note:
The hero is described as having a golden head and black locks.
The Egyptians depicted men from the Israelite area as often having black hair, with a blond, or reddish, or light brown beard.
See:
http://www.britam.org/HebrewTypes.html
Consider the depictions in the second and third rows.
This would fit the description:
5:11 His head is like gold, pure gold; His locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven."
http://www.britam.org/HebrewTypes.html
See:
Also the 'Shasu" in the 7th row where the order is reversed and the hair is red but the beard dark and almost black.
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The heroine with black hair and white teeth:
Song of Solomon 6:
5 Turn your eyes away from me,
For they have confused me;
Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Gilead.
6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes
Which have come up from their washing,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has lost her young.
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The heroine with purple (i.e. very black) hair:
Song of Solomon 6:
7 Your head crowns you like Carmel,
And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads;
The king is captivated by your tresses.
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8. Israelites Not Black Like Cushim
Moses married a Midianite woman (Exodus 2:21) who is described as a Cushite (Numbers 12:1).
See:
The Black Woman. Color Prejudice Forbidden
http://www.britam.org/CushiteWoman.html
Extract:
[Numbers 12:10] AND THE CLOUD DEPARTED FROM OFF THE TABERNACLE; AND, BEHOLD, MIRIAM BECAME LEPROUS, WHITE AS SNOW: AND AARON LOOKED UPON MIRIAM, AND, BEHOLD, SHE WAS LEPROUS.
White as snow, shining white. Assuming that they had spoken against Moses due to color prejudice there is a kind deal of poetic justice in the nature of this affliction. She was too proud of being white so the Almighty made her even whiter.
Some Cushim were present in Israel but the Cushim were different from the Israelites and evidently distinctive.
Daivid employed a runner-messenger who was a Cushi (2-Samuel 18:21).
The Prophet Jeremiah was pulled out of his prison pit (and so rescued) by a Cushi who was in the service of the king (Jeremiah 38:10).
The word "Cushi" is often translated as "Ethiopian".
There is no color prejudice in the Bible but there may be some in other sources.
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9. The Problem of Hair Color and Leprosy. Is Black Hair Assumed to be the Usual Color?
Leviticus chapter 13 discusses cases of "leprosy". This in Biblical terms is considered to have been an affliction occasioned by spiritual short-comings that manifested itself physically.
The description of leprosy seems to assume that the natural usual hair color of an Israelite would be black. Yellow and also white would be exceptions.
When the lesion of leprosy appeared on the skin the afflicted would be brought to the Priest (i.e. the Cohen). If the surrounding hair had turned white he would be prponou8nced a leper and sequestered from the community. If the hair had not turned white he would set in quarantine for 7 days, and so on (Leviticus 13:16).
So too, if there is an infection on the head or beard and a type of yellowish hair. The subject needs to shave his head and be quarantined. he is then re-examined. If the color does not affect the skin underneath then the person is clean. The appearance of black hair is a sign of cleanness (Leviticus 13:36).
This subject NEEDS to be examined in greater depth. The relevant traditional comm3entraries may have something of value to say on it.
At all events, according to the simple meaning of the passages it appears to be taken for granted that the natural color of the hair is black.
This is contrary to some of our previous conclusions and other indications, as we will show.
Nevertheless, the source is there. It says what it says and needs to be examined in greater depth.
We do not hide from what is there even when it contradicts previous conclusions.
If we are already on a correct track we may well find that deeper examination results in confirmation rather than negation.
We hope to return to this subject.
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Continued in the article Racial Color where we explore this subject from the point of view of the Sages (Midrashim, etc), Archaeology, and other sources.
If you feel you may have something to add or wish to comment please contact us via e-mail: yair@britam.org
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