THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF
ANCIENT ISRAEL 
                 THE HEBREWS 
                    AND 
            THE SONS OF HAM
               (CONTINUES)

As was mentioned, the ancient Egyptians were the descendants of Noah's son, Khawm, or Ham in English. Khawm means black, hot and burnt. The ancient Egyptians called their land and themselves Khemet, which in their tongue means "THE LAND OF BLACKS." The word Khemet is nothing but a variation on the word Khawm in the language of ancient Egypt.

In Psalm 78:51, Egypt is called "The House of ham (Khawm)."

"...AND SMOTE ALL THE FIRSTBORN IN EGYPT; THE TABERNACLES (HOUSE) OF HAM (KHAWM)."

Psalm 105:23,27 -- 23 "ISRAEL ALSO CAME INTO EGYPT; AND SOJOURNED IN THE LAND OF HAM (KHAWM)."

Verse 27 "THEY SHOWED HIS SIGNS AMONG THEM, AND WONDERS IN THE LAND OF HAM (KHAWM)."

The scriptures  calls Egypt the land of Khawm, and remember one of the meanings of Khawm is black,  the scriptures is calling Egypt "The Land of Black" which is what Khemet means. Egypt is called the land of Khawm because the Egyptians were descendants of Noah's son Khawm.
This is more than likely the reason they called themselves Khemet. Scripture  supports the fact that the Egyptians were a black-skinned people.

                                                   
The Two Pictures above are Pharaoh Mentuhotep II (on the left) and his Daughter Princess Aushead.  The Drawing of Aushead was taken from her fathers Tomb, the Statue of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II was also found in his tomb. Once again this is how the Egyptians of ancient times,  physically looked.

In the book of Amos chapter 9: we will now see Israel being compared to Ham (Khawm) first born son Cush / Ethiopians.

Verse 7 says "ARE YOU NOT AS CHILDREN OF THE ETHIOPIANS UNTO ME, O CHILDREN OF ISRAEL?"...

In this Verse, the Israelites are being called children of the Ethiopians by the Most High. The Ethiopians are a known black people, and the most high is calling Israel their children. How much sense would it make to call a white skinned people, CHILDREN OF THE ETHIOPIANS? The majority of Jews today are white-skin.   if ancient Israel were a white skinned people, wouldn't it make more sense to compare them to a white skin nation. This verse does not say,
"ARE YOU NOT AS CHILDREN OF THE ROMANS / GREEKS / GENTILES UNTO ME O CHILDREN OF ISRAEL?"
It clearly compares Israel with a black skinned people. The reason for this is simple. Israel was and is a black people, and the majority of them still are.

That verse also coincides with Acts 8: 26-36. When the angel of Yah spoke to the apostle, Philip saying:

"Arise go toward the south."

Verse 27: "...And he arose and went: and behold, a man of ETHIOPIA an eunuch of great authority... who had come to Jerusalem for to WORSHIP."

In verse 29, The Spirit tells Phillip to go and JOIN HIMSELF TO THE CHARIOT OF THIS ETHIOPIAN.

Verse 30, tells us that Philip heard him reading SCRIPTURE (Hebrew Scripture) about Yahshuah, (erroneously called Jesus) which he didn't understand.

In verses 34-36, Philip explains the meaning of the scripture and then preaches Yahshuah to him,

and in verse 38, Phillip baptizes him.

Lets analyze these verses.

First, this "Ethiopian" was coming to Jerusalem to worship. 

In those days only the Hebrews came to Jerusalem for worship, because this is where the Temple of Yah stood, making Jerusalem the spiritual home of all Hebrews (2nd Chronicles 6:6 - 7:16).

Hebrews continued to come to Jerusalem to worship, up until the time of the Roman destruction in 70 C.E. As a matter of fact, Many Hebrews were worshiping at the temple while the Romans were breaking down the walls of Jerusalem about to lay siege to it.

Second, this Ethiopian had Hebrew scriptures in his possession. 

In those days the scriptures were still considered sacred, and remained in the possession of the Hebrews, not everyone had access to scripture, as we do today. Hebrews, whether abroad or in the land, were the primary owners of scripture in those days.

Third, the Ethiopian was baptized by Phillip.

All these facts prove that this Ethiopian was a Hebrew, according to what Peter said in Acts 10:28:

"You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Hebrew TO KEEP COMPANY OR COME UNTO ONE OF ANOTHER NATION."

If the Hebrews thought it was unlawful to keep company with those of another nation, why would Philip go and keep company with this Ethiopian, if indeed he was from a entirely different nation? Philip didn't even try to argue with the spirit, when he was told to go and teach this Ethiopian. The reason for that is:

The Ethiopian was a Hebrew who lived in Ethiopia. Making him what we know as a Ethiopian Hebrew.

As stated previously, it is a known fact that the Ethiopians are a black-skinned people. The name Ethiopian comes from the Greek word Aethiops which means burnt face. This was a title the ancient Greeks gave to the people who lived south of Egypt because they were closer to the equator than the Egyptians. Their hue on an average was a little darker than the Egyptians.

This Hebrew was not called Ethiopian just because he lived in Ethiopian, but because he also looked like a black-skinned Ethiopian. To this very day, there are many black-skinned Hebrews who live or have lived in Ethiopia in the past. Today many of them are known as the "Falasha" or Beta Yisrael. 

So far we have not seen where scripture likens Israel to any white-skinned nations as it relates to physical appearance. This is very important to understand because many of the people who are called Jews today are white- skinned and come from Europe.

These white skinned Jews make up the majority of the Jews in Israel and in the world. This is not a racist or "anti-Semitic" statement. It's only the truth according to scripture.

                       


                                     Beta Yisrael - The house of Israel
                                     The tribe of Dan

Above are pictures of  Falasha (Ethiopian Hebrews) who were living in Ethiopia. Falasha means "immigrant", in the language of the native Agau people of Ethiopia. It also means "stranger" in Amharic. This name is considered to be a racial slur to the Ethiopian Hebrews.  They call themselves Beta Yisrael which means House of Ysrayl or Israel, and until recently lived as a community in Ethiopia. In fact they lived there for the past 3,000 years. This is probably where that Hebrew Ethiopian who Philip taught came from.  Beta Ysrayl also say they are from the tribe of Dan.  You can read more about Beta Ysrayl on the "HEBREWISM OF AFRICA PAGE".

For further proof of the color of the ancient Israelites lets look at Acts 13:1:

"Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain PROPHETS AND TEACHERS: as Barnabas, and SIMEON THAT WAS CALLED NIGER, AND LUCIUS OF CYRENE, and Manaen which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Shaul (Paul)".

The word Niger is a Latin word that means BLACK, and Cyrene is a city in Libya, which is located in North Africa. Historians and scholars both agree that the city of Cyrene was a black area, meaning it was heavily populated with black skin-people in "biblical" times. Cyrene is also the place where Simon, the man who helped Yahshuah carry the cross (stake) was from (Matt. 27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26). Many acknowledge that Simon (the cross bearer) was a "black" man.

This man who was called Niger wasn't called black because he was the only black- skinned person there. He was called black because his hue was maybe darker than the rest of the prophets and teachers.   Much like in the "African American" community, when one of our brothers or sisters have a skin tone that is darker than the rest, we sometimes give that person a nick name that describes his color. If the person's name is Michael we may refer to him as Black Mike, or we may call him Black, even though, we are all black-skinned. He's been given a FRIENDLY nick name which describes him. This is why Simeon was called Niger or black.

Scripture confirms in Acts 13:1, that there were black-skinned men who were prophets and teachers at the church in Antioch. But, we must understand that the Hebrews were not dealing with any other people or racial group at this time, other than scattered Israel. It is written in Acts 11:19:

"Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, traveled As far as Phenice and Cyprus, and Antioch, PREACHING THE WORD TO NONE BUT THE HEBREWS ONLY".

This was before the apostles ministries to the Gentiles at large started, so why were these "black" men there, if the Hebrews were a white  people? Simple, they were Hebrews, just like Paul who was also there with them in the church in Antioch. Remember Paul was mistaken for a "black" Egyptian. Niger and LUCIUS were prophets and teachers, and as scripture shows us, all the prophets and teachers were Hebrews.

Now, I will refer to a few historical sources that are also in agreement with scripture about the physical appearance of the Hebrews. The Romans who knew the Hebrews well, had this to say about their physical appearance.

A Roman historian named Tacitus who lived about C.E. 90 said, "Many assert that the Hebrews are an RACE OF ETHIOPIAN ORIGINS."  

Once again, we have the Hebrews compared to one of HAM’S black-skinned descendants. Historian and scholar, J.A. Rogers commented, "For the Romans to have considered them Ethiopians is a clear indication of their color, because the Ethiopians are a known black people". Tacitus also said that the Hebrews were Egyptians , who left Egypt during a disease outbreak.  

You can read Tacitus full comments by going to the Cornelius Tacitus page, it can be found on the right side bar toward the bottom.

The Roman Emperor, Justinian the Great, who ruled basically from 527 - 564 C.E., 500 years after the time of Yahshuah, had engraved on a coin, the image of Yahshuah with woolly / kinky hair and "BLACK" features. On the obverse side of the coin there is an image of Justinian but with straight hair.    

The Cambridge Encyclopedia has this particular listing about that image on the coin.                                                            

"Whatever the fact, this coin, with the straight haired Justinian on the obverse side, places beyond doubt the belief that "Jesus" was a Negro (black-skinned)." 

This is an actual image of the coin ------------------------------------->

Now, lets go back to the scripture for more information that proves the Hebrews were a black-skinned nation. 

Lamentations 5:10 reads:

"OUR SKIN WAS BLACK LIKE AN OVEN BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE FAMINE."

Notice, it says here that the Hebrews' skin was black like an oven or charcoal black, because of the famine. When the Jews were in concentration camps in Europe during WWII, many of them were starved or in famine. Footage of them in the camps, show that their skin turned pale white. The same is true of the people in Kosov, they were in famine and their skin turned pale white, because they are also a white-skinned people. But pictures of starving people in Africa, show that their skin turns jet black or darker than its original hue.

When brown or black skinned people don't eat for a long period of time or get sick, they get darker. When white or lighter skinned people get sick or don't eat, they turn pale. In this verse of Lamentations, the prophet, Jeremiah clearly was describing a black skinned-people.

                              JEWS IN FAMINE DURING WORLD WAR II 


NOTICE THERE SKIN IS NOT BLACK LIKE AN OVEN, BUT PALE WHITE

                                    ISRAELITE HAIR STYLES

In many places throughout scriptures it mentions that the Israelites wore their hair in locks. Locks or some call them dread locks is when the hair locks together and grows. The Jamaicans known as Rastafarians wear their hair in long locks.

numbers 6:5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto Yah, he shall be holy, and shall let the LOCKS of the hair of his head grow.

Judges 16:13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven LOCKS of my head with the web.

19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven LOCKS of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

Our hair in it's natural state is like the wool of a lamb. If a "black" person doesn't cut or comb their hair it will eventually Lock together (This is why they are called "LOCKS"). When our hair naturally lock, the hair forms giant matt's at random all over the head. Most of the time you will only get 7 or eight locks just as it says Samson had.   Samson NEVER CUT HIS HAIR, he let it grow and it was left "unkempt" and it grew into locks, just as the Jamaican brothers do their hair.

If Samson the Israelite was a white skin person with "White hair texture" his hair would have  grown straight and long, but not lock together. The scriptures says he had 7 locks, it is very rare for a white person to get locks naturally,.  The scriptures is showing us that Samson the Israelite was a "black" man.                                                                    

                            THE TRUTH -VS- THE LIE

Scripture Says Samson the Israelite had Seven locks on his head.  The Image above is what Samson would have look like.  This Jamaican Israelite has natural locks,  notice he has about 7-9 locks.  He has a long  beard which is the exact same thing Samson would have had. This brother is in good physical shape, just as Samson was. According to what is written in scripture the image of this Jamaican  is a accurate detail image of the Hebrew Israelite Samson.

This image  is another one of Hollywood Lies. It comes from a Movie entitled SAMSON Many believe this white man is an accurate image of Samson.  According to the truth it can't be.  Notice his hair, WHERE ARE THE SEVEN LOCKS?  WHERE IS HIS BEARD? Samson was not to bring a razor upon his head, this includes his face.

                                      
Songs of Songs / Songs of Solomon

5:2 I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my LOCKS with the drops of the night.

11 His head is as the most fine gold, his LOCKS are bushy, and black as a raven.

All the preceding information is sufficient proof that the ancient Israelites were a black people / nation. Now, we must go one more step, and prove that they were a black skinned people from the beginning of their history,  beginning with Abraham. Abraham is the father of the Hebrew Israelite nation.

He was the first to be called Hebrew. (Genesis 14:13) He came from Ur of the Chaldeans, (Genesis 11:31) which is in the country of Iraq today.

Godfrey Higgins, a reliable English antiquary says, "The Chaldeans were originally Negroes".

Professor Rudolph Windsor is in total agreement with this, which he states in his very noteworthy book, FROM BABYLON TO TIMBUKTU. He writes, "The Chaldeans and the other People of that region were Jet black in their complexion."

The root word of Ur which is ORR means fire oven. The average temperatures in that region is 125 degrees. this is where the ancient Sumerian civilization began. The Sumerians called themselves "Saggig", which means "black headed ones", because they shaved their heads. The ancient Chaldeans were their cousins.

Abraham father Terah, was a relative of Nimrod. He was a merchant who sold idols in the city of Ur. It's a widely known fact that Nimrod was the son of Cush. Cush is the progenitor of the Nubians / Ethiopians, and the Nubians are a black skinned people. So, this means that Nimrod was also black. Abraham came from this part of the world, which in his day was overwhelmingly populated with black skinned people. This is not surprising because in that region the average temperature was 120 degrees. This means that the people in that part of the world had to have large amounts of melanin in their skin, which means they were very dark skinned.

Dr. Charles S. Finch III, M.D. says in his book Echoes of the Old Darkland, on pgs 5, & 32,
"We know from the fate of albinos all over Africa that unprotected skin (light skin) is subject to grotesque, disfiguring cancers that are soon fatal." "Melanin, the substance that gives the skin a dark brown or black pigment, by absorbing ultra violet radiation and scattering the ions produced, protects the skin from cancer".
So, for Abraham to have come from that part of the world, he had to have very dark / black-skin.


NOTE: I've recently got a revelation about the above fact.  I have a 24 year old relative  in the United States Army. He just fought in the Iraqi war, he was in Iraq around the area where Abraham was from. I spoke with him after he arrived home, he told me about the sights of the land. The first thing he spoke about was the heat, he says it’s 125 degrees average, he mention that some of the white soldiers were being burned so badly by the sun that they could hardly walk. He said they had to have special covering sometimes. But the thing that struck me, was he said "THE NATIVES OF THE LAND WERE SO BLACK THAT THEY LOOKED LIKE US (“AFRICAN AMERICANS”)". In fact he went on to say that He "THOUGHT THEY WERE US (African Americans)."  The people from the Iraqi town of Basra are black skinned and look like "African Americans".

 SHEM OTHER BLACK SKINNED SONS FROM THE REGION OF UR 

Below are images taken from a temple in Babylon of ELAMITE WARRIORS. ELAM WAS LOCATED IN THE SAME REGION AS UR.  THESE ELAMITES ARE ALSO DESCENDANTS OF SHEM AS YOU CAN SEE THEY WERE BLACK.  

GENESIS 10:22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

It is a must that we fully identify Israel including their appearance, because so much have been written about these people, but at the same time, so little is actually known about them. I have just highlighted one particular fact about the biblical Israelites. And that fact is: THEY WERE A BLACK SKINNED PEOPLE, but this one fact alone does not fully identify who the true children of Israel are today. There are millions upon millions of black skinned people, and Many "black" nations the Hebrews were just one black skinned people among many black-skinned nations.

(NOTE: Whenever I make mention of black-skinned people I am referring to the people who are known as "Africans" and "Blacks", whose skin has the darkest pigmentation of all mankind. Their skin tones range from light brown to the darkest black hue, and this even includes some who are known as Indians.).

Some will try to make the argument that, "if the original Hebrews were "black" they didn't remain that way, because the Hebrews mixed with many different people".

True, the Hebrews did some mixing with other's, due to the many captivities they suffered. But that didn't change the racial make up of ancient Israel.

Because the Hebrews were black skinned people their Genes would have carried the dominate trait.

Black hair,+ dark eyes + dark skin = dominate traits.

Light hair,+ light eyes + light skin = recessive traits.

The recessive can come from the dominate, but the dominate cannot come from the recessive, or the Lighter one can come from the darker one, but the darker can not come from the lighter.

This is a scientific fact, so if the Hebrews mixed with other people of lighter hues, the offspring would have come out looking like Hebrews with a bit lighter hue, than the Hebrew parent. If they mixed with others of the same or darker hue, the offspring would have continue to look like the Hebrew Israelites.

This is why the Egyptians ordered the Hebrew males to be killed and not the female. Because, the Egyptian males could impregnate the Hebrew females, and produce offspring which were still black-skinned, and still possessing the physical characteristics of the Egyptians. Remember there were no physical differences between the Hebrews and the Egyptians.

"African Americans" have mixed seed with the various racial groups of the Americas for over 400 years. But we are still known as a black skinned people / race. We have mixed with various European, Indian, and Hispanic racial groups and yet, our racial make up has remained unchanged. One of the reasons for this is that our genes carry the dominate traits.

Consider, for a moment the children of mixed parents, one black parent and one white. The child will have more traits of the black skinned parent than of the white skinned one. The hair texture of the offspring, skin color and facial features, will be closer to that of the "Black" parent. Sometimes it's impossible to even tell that the offspring is of mixed parentage, because the child looks like he was conceived by two black parents.

A good example of this would be superstar golfer, TIGER WOODS. He is black and Asian (Thai). The actress HALLE BERRY is also biracial. However, they  look no different from any other "black" person you might see walking down the street. And this is how it was with ancient Israel.

Note: Israel didn't mix TOO MUCH because of their spiritual beliefs, which is evidenced in the story of Moses in Numbers 12 and also with Peter in Acts 10.

As previously shown, even the New Testament proves that Israel was a black- skinned people. The New Testament came about after Israel's first captivities, and before their last great captivity. The scriptures show without a doubt in both old and new testament times that Israel was a black-skinned people. But again, the fact that Israel was a "Black" people does not fully identify who they were and still are today. We must return to the scriptures for more information.

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