Biblical Names and Families in Ancient Israel, Greece, and Britain, by Eric (TubalCain)
We are told that Ir of Benjamin was the father-in-law of Machir, son of Manasseh. This was very early in the history of Israel when the Israelites had just arrived in Egypt at the time of Joseph. Maachah was the sister of Shupphim and Huphim 1 Chronicles 7:12,15. Another "Iri" is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:7 as a descendant of Bela or Belg. Therefore, it appears that the Manassites were relatives of the Belai or Belgi of Benjamin. When we turn to the earliest books of Genesis, Numbers, etc. it appears that Ir or Iri must be the same since we need to look at the earliest lists of Benjamin. These lists mention Shupphim and Huphim who appear to have lived at the time of Manasseh, but do not mention their father Ir (Iri?). However, they do mention a man called Achir or Echi or Ahiram. It is this man who should be identified as Ir. Otherwise, we have to assume that Ir was somehow left of the Benjamin list in spite of his importance as the father-in-law of Machir. Greek mythology mentions Belus and Achiroe. We remove the Greek -e suffix and the Graeco-Latin-Hebrew suffix -o [sometimes double suffixes occur in Greek mythology] and we obtain Achir. Amongst the tribe of Benjamin was a clan called the Acchoites. Easton identifies Ir with Achoah a descendant of Bela or Belg.Achoah is also known as Akhijah or Ahijah. If we render the "j" as "y" it becomes Akhiyah or Ahiya. This was pretty much the spelling of the name of the Achaeans of Greece who were known as Akhiya-wa or Ahhiya-wa to the Hittites. We know that Aegyptus had a son named Lynceus who ruled in Argos after Danaus,brother of Aegyptus!. Aegyptus was the Brother of Danaus and both were sons of Belus and his "wife" Achiroe [but maybe the legend was garbled and Achir-oe was actually the son of Belus]. Ehud or Aod was one of the earliest Judges of Israel who reigned 80 years and the period of his rule coincides with the rise to power of the Achaeans in Greece. The Achaeans also attacked the Hittite Empire and Cyprus. Ehud or Aod [an Irish name as well] appears to be a son of Achoah or Achijah. The Achoites were at Geba [1 Chron 8:6]. This town of Geba appears to be the same as Gibeah of King Saul and there is evidence that King Saul was of the Achijah line as well. Genesis 46:21 says "Gera, Naaman, Echi, Rosh, Muppim , Huppim and Ard" ,but if we break Rosh into Echi-R[blank] Sh-Mupphim, we recover Echir [Ir or Iri] and Sh-Mupphim is Shupphim, brother of Maachah, wife of Machir. 1 Chronicles 7:12 says that Hushim was the son of Aher in the Benjamin list-probably another reference to Achir or Ir. In lists for the Tribe of Dan, Hushim is listed as a descendant-possibly a coincidence or evidence for tribal blending. Ephraim, Dan and Benjamin were near neighbours. The Karatepe inscription seems to link the Danauna with the Akhiya. We know that Ner was an ancestor of King Saul who may have lived prior to the Trojan war. Peleus, the Achaean from Phtiotis Greece had a father in law "Ner-eus". Lynceus was the ancestor of Abas of Argos and Perseus. Ehud, so of Gera was supposed to be the father of Gera, Naaman and Ahoah. Gera appears to be associated with Geba/Gibeah, the home town of King Saul. The Ardites were descended from Gera. In Irish myth the name "Ard" occurs very often. Also, Brenton identifies the Ahohites with Iri,son of Bela or Belg. Naaman may be Nemann in Irish myth. Taralah was a city of Benjamin and Tara exists in Ireland. The name Ir appears to be rendered as Iri,Aharah, Ahiram, Huram, Achoach [Irish: Echach? Achy], Achijah or Ahijah. The meaning of the name is brother from Achi. Ahohites are mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:28,1 Chronicles 27:4. Ashbel was a son of Bela; Irish myth records "Accasbel" as founding the first Inn in Ireland. In French, the Irish are Ir-landais which preserves the name "Ir". Evidence for the Link of Geba and Gibeah [Saul's town] are Judges 20:33,34. Also, one may note how Jonathan attacks the garrison of the Philistines in Geba from Gibeah 1 Sam 13:2,3. Saul dines with Samuel in a long hall like those of the Achaeans in Greece and Samuel offers Saul a choice cut of roast-a custom of the Achaeans and Celts. Ehud started his rule as Judge of Israel around 1383 BCE. He appears to be an Ahohite-his name "Ehud" suggests this 1 Chron 8:6[the Hebrew in this passage is difficult and subject to different interpretations]. The 1300s BCE saw the rise of the Achaeans in Greece. They were sea raiders like the Vikings attacking Egypt, Hittites, Cyprus and the Levant. Ehud reigned a century before Deborah and two centuries before the end of the Trojan War. Ehud's two-edged sword is often linked to the Bronze Age leaf shaped double edged sword used by the Achaeans in Greece. These swords are found in Ireland, Denmark and southern Sweden. There was a town of Benjamin called Ataroth Addar; in Ireland there is a Ben Addar. The name Ehud becomes Ehir if daleth->resh [a common transcriptional error]. Also the list Gera Abiud Abishua is sometimes rendered as Gera Ab [father] ihud [Ehud,the judge], making Gera the father of Ehud. This seems to help resolve 1 Chron 8:6. Also, notice that Shimei, son of Gera who curses King David appears to be of the same line as Ehud son of Gera for the Hebrew is identical Judges 3:15, 1 Kings 2:8. This would make it more likely that King Saul was of the line of Gera himself since Shimei took his side in the dispute over the rulership of Israel. There were two lines of Israelites ruling Argos-Danaus is the Tribe of Dan and Lnyceus, son of Aegyptus, brother of Danaus, appears to be the Achaeans. This is why Homer mentions the two people in tandem, as if they were the same. Later, they showed up in the British Isles as Danaans and , probably, Fir Bolgs or Old Britains /Picts. Homer mentions Danaans, Achaeans and Argives [Argies] of Argos. Mycene may have been run by the Philistines. The name Lynceus is similar to Lycus-Greek for Wolf, the emblem of Benjamin. Ittai of Gibeah has a name similar to Ittaimenes in the Iliad of Homer. Ittai was of the tribe of Benjamin, but he is described as a Gittite and he is a foreigner 2 Sam 15:19. The Gittites were from Gath 2 Sam 15:18, a city of the Philistines. Britomartis was associated with Argos. The descendants of Danaus were the Tuatha de Danann who came from Achaia-Boeotia, while the Britains represent the line of Aegyptus and the rule of Lynceus in Argos-they would be the Achaeans, because the line of Aegyptus,brother of Danaus [Tribe of Dan] represented another group of Israelites. Lynceus shared the kingship of Argos with Danaus [Danaoi] like the Tanistry system of the Celts.
@tubalcain1039 - An Ancient Greece-Israel Connection?
Robert Graves believed that there was a league of Keftiu [Caphtor] of which Israel was a part. A "covenant of cutters" was established with the Gibeonites and Israel. The word for "cutter" is Crethi and this could refer to a branch of the Philistines from the island of Crete,so possibly there was a "covenant of Crete[Crethi]",i.e.,the League of Keftiu.
TubalCain
The Neimidhites who colonized Ireland and Britain sent for help to the "Nobles of Greece". At this time the nobility of Greece were the Danoi [Danaans],Achaeans,Aeolians. There is a lot of evidence these three groups may be related. The Lapiths were an important tribe of the Aeolians. The Aeolians descend from Aeolus,who is remembered in Irish myth as Eolus,ancestor of Macaar [Machir of Manasseh?]. In Hebrew language, "Ail" [consonants] means "strength,might or nobles of a state". Therefore, if the name "Aeolus" derives from "Ail" [nobles,in Hebrew]. The Nobles of Greece whose help was requested may have been the "Aeolians" at the time before the Trojan War 1193-1183bce. In Irish, "Eolus" means "wisdom" and he was supposed to be an ancestor of the Irians of Ullad or Ulster. The old Britons were Neimidhites who settled in Wales and England.
Apparently the ancient leaders of Israel where "Aooli",were "vav" combined with the "shureq" vowel gives an "oo" sound. Aooli would be the nobility of ancient Israel. Possibly the Aeolians of the Bronze Age of Greece were the Greek-Hebrew Nobility class.