Are the Basques from the Ten Tribes? (22 October 2017, 2 Heshvan, 5778)
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. DNA, Blood Groups, and Racial Studies
3. Extracts from Some Sources
4. The Basque Language. Links to Georgia in the Caucasus
5. History. Highlights
6. The Basques Measured against Ephraimite Criteria
7. Conclusion
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1. Introduction
Basques are found in the far northwest of Spain and over the border in the far southwest of France. Among the peoples we trace back to Israel are included some of the Irish. Legends of the Irish combined with other proofs show that Israelites before moving to Ireland and Britain were present in areas of the Basque or bordering to them. Nevertheless our imrpession is that the Basque are not Israelites. Some Israelite families however may have continued among them.
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2. DNA, Blood Groups, and Racial Studies
The Basques are believed to descend from an ancient population that preceded the arrival of other Europeans.
It is said that their DNA is distinctive but NOT greatly different from that of the surrounding peoples and of Europeans in general. They are said to be a mixture of different DNA types but have a distinctiveness of their own.
A closer study of this issue could well provide further proof that at some point ALL DNA itself is derived from the environment. The use of DNA to distinguish between peoples may be valid in some cases but in others it may not.
The majority (more than 80%) of Basques have RH Negative blood. This is a phenomenon that is otherwise found in only ca. 15% of the world population. This means that usually a Basque woman of RH negative blood type who mated with a non-Basque male would be able to have only one baby. As a result of the first pregnancy her blood would produce antigenes that would attack the blood type of her other babies if this had been inherited from her husband. Ripley's Races of Europe discusses the Basques. Ripley noted that the Basquese are found in northern Spain and in southern France. Basque headshapes correspond to those of the non-Basque population among whom they live. The head shapes of the French in south France differ from those of the Spanish in Northern Spain.
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3. Extracts from Some Sources
SPECULATIVE SCIENCE
https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-4623,00.html
 the Basques showed high frequencies of blood group O, the lowest frequency in Europe of group B, and the highest in the world of Rh negative. ...they were skillful navigators and ship builders (some say taught by the Vikings) and successful entrepreneurs, who contributed to Spanish industrialization (which by the way brought in a substantial number of immigrants from the poorest regions of Spain). Interested readers are referred to the book ?The Basque History of the World? by Mark Kurlansky... It was found that Basques have the highest concentration of type O blood in the world ? more than 50% of the population, with an even higher percentage in remote areas where Basque is more widely spoken.
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Rh- blood is common on the West Europe but also other places off the Atlantic such as the Berbers and was common with the Gaunches on the Canary Islands. Susan Smith.
The Basques may not be who we think they are By Razib Khan
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/02/the-basques-may-not-be-who-we-think-they-are/#.WezWPluCy70
 There is no real difference between Basques and non-Basques. One thing to remember is that it's rather well attested that the Basque dialects were more widespread in the early historical period than they are today, so there are many Spanish speaking residents of Navarre and French Gascons who are almost certainly descendants of Basque speakers.Â
Origin of the Basques
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_Basques
Some researchers have propounded the similarities between the Basque language and the Caucasian languages, especially the Georgian language.
Developed by Esteban de Garibay and Andres Poza, this legend states that the Basque people are direct descendants of Tubal, grandson of Noah, fifth son of Japheth. According to the legend, Japheth and his tribe, the Iberians, departed to the Iberian Peninsula, settling between the Pyrenees and the river Ebro, right after the confusion of languages in the Tower of Babel.
Are the Basque peoples part of the 10 Tribes?
http://stevenmcollins.com/WordPress/are-the-basque-peoples-part-of-the-10-tribes/
by Stephen Collins
letter from Daniel:
I'm from Spain.Basques which speak Basque claim to be offspring of Tubal. Basque language is supposed to be relative to Caucasian languages since they have lot of similitudes. Pre-Roman Spain was populated by Iberians which many say were relatives or influenced by Basques.These peoples are also supposed to be offspring of Tubal (Grandson of Noah) . Caucasian Georgia was called in old times Iberia like Spain. Some say also Iberia comes from Heber which is the ancestor of Hebrews....
Daniel
Stephen Collins Replies:
Extracts:
My book, Israel's Lost Empires, discusses both the Iberia in ancient Spain and the Iberia located in the Caucasus. Other Israelite/Hebrew names were also located in ancient Spain. As a colony of the Israelites, any of the tribes of Israel could have had members who were located in its far-flung colonies so I don't think it is possible to identify which particular tribe is linked to the early Iberians. If the Basques come from the early Iberian inhabitants of Spain, it is logical that there would be blood in them that came from various Israelite tribes.Â
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4. The Basque Language. Links to Georgia in the Caucasus
Our friend and some-time contributor to Brit-Am studies, the linguist Shmuel James, opined that many words of Hebrew origin were to be found in the Basque tongue. He himself may have spend some time among them.
Numerous anecdotes exist indicating that the Georgian tongue of the Caucasus and that of the Basques are still to some degree mutually intelligible.
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5. History. Highlights
The Basques are identified with the ancient Vascones who dwelt in the region.
History of the Basques
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Basques
# During the Middle Ages, the name Vascones and its derivates (including Basque) were extended to cover the entire Basque-speaking population of the present-day Basque Country, bordering areas and farther east and north (the whole Pyrenean region and Gascony). #
Historically the Basques were part of the Aquitanian peoples of southern France. Their region was traversed by Alani, Suebi, Vandals, and Visigoths. Basques played an important role in the kingdom of Navarre. Basques were seafarers of importance. Basques traditionally gave an elevated status to women and were suspected of witchcraft. The Basque region like its neighbor, Catalonia, has been struggling for independence from Spain intermittently for centuries.
A list of famous Basques includes numerous explorers, Ignatious Loyola founder of the Jesuits, Francis Xavier (co-founder of the Jesuits and missionary to east Asia), and others.
List of Basques
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Basques
Basques in Chile
Basques were important in the Spanish settlement of Latin America. Basues were especially prominent in the ruling cliques of Chuile as well as among the population in general.
# An estimated 1.6 million (10%) to 3.2 million (20%) Chileans have a surname (one or both) of Basque origin. #
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6. The Basques Measured against Ephraimite Criteria
Ephraimite Criteria are National Qualities and Attributes we use to determine whether or not a nation or people are of Israelite descent to an Historically significant degree:
Ephraimite Criteria
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/biblical-proof/criteria.html
The Criteria are:
1. Blessings: Economic and Physical Blessings as promised to Israel in Scripture.
2. Indications of Scripture.
3. Groundwork: Historical, Archaeological, and Related Proofs showing paths of migration.
4. Judah: Affinity with the Jews.
5. Originality: Innovation and Intellect.
6. Bravery, Military Prowess.
7. Empathy: The Doing of Social Justice.
8. Israelite Self-Identification.
9. Family Connection.
10. Tribal Affiliation.
Measuring the Basques against the Criteria we find:
1. Blessings. The Basques are not known as a prosperous people. On the other hand they have often enjoyed a relative sufficiency.
2. Scripture says the LTTS will be in the west and border the Atlantic Ocean and be a seafaring people. The Basques fit this.
3. Groundwork. Peoples of Israelite descent did pass through the Basque areas.
4. Basques are not noted as anti-Semites. Jews who in the time of persecution hid among the Basques speak well of them.
An interesting article on the subject contains the following excerpts:
The Spanish-Jewish Connection: The Jews of the Basque by Myrna Katz Frommer and Harvey Frommer
http://www.travel-watch.com/twhtml3/Basque.htm
"The Basque people are immensely Catholic," Caraguegguie adds, "but they didn't agree with the Inquisition. There is a Basque saying: 'We know who the Jews are because we used to be Jews.' They know Christianity comes from Judaism. There is another Basque saying: 'The Jews will get us the money and put us to work.'They believed the shipping and ship-building industries and the fishing trades were controlled by Jews, that the Jews wrapped up the sardines."
....The story of the Jews of the Basque adds yet another layer of mystery to this starkly beautiful and also prosperous mountainous region where high-tech and automotive industries, agriculture and scenic splendors amicably co-exist. "Everything about the Basque is different," Caraguegguie maintains. "We don't know where we came from. Our language, which is one of the oldest in the world, is different from any other language. We don't look like other Spaniards. Did you notice how big and heavy the Basque people are? Bigger noses, wider faces. I can be in any part of Spain, people will see me, they'll say, 'That guy's a Basque.'
5. Originality: Innovation and Intellect. The Basques have this quality to some degree.
6. Bravery, Military Prowess. Here too the Basques have these qualities.
7. Empathy: The Doing of Social Justice. As above.
8. Israelite Self-Identification.
The Basques seem to lack this. Exceptions exist as seen in the quotation above. Nevertheless on the whole the Basques tended to identify with Tubal son of Japhet and we accept this as probably correct.
9. Family Connection. The Basques are not considered as racially linked with other Israelite groups.
10. Tribal Affiliation. The Basques are not identifiable with any Israelite Tribe as far as we know.
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7. Conclusion
 The Basques are a curiosity. They are different and unique. We would not consider them a singificantly Israelite people though there may those of Israelite decent among them.