THE BIBLICAL ORIGIN OF NATIONS

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE TABLE OF NATIONS

Many years have been spent researching the origin of the world’s tribes, peoples and races based on the mysterious Table of Nations found in Genesis chapter ten. Piecing together the many parts of the puzzle, the strands of information and the bits of data required for an exercise such as this has not been easy for this writer/researcher.

This is one of the most over-looked chapters in the entire Bible. Bible scholars from previous times, going back centuries, have had a fascination with it, but gradually with the rise of humanism and the anti-literal interpretation of scripture, interest in this chapter as the basis for the origin of nations has receded to become an almost taboo subject.

In the eighteenth century Sir William Jones and J Bryant wrote on the subject with the interest in this chapter of God’s Word peaked late last century with academics such as Rawlinson famous for his Origin of Nations (1878) and Sayce in such books as Races of the Old Testament (1891; 1925), who showed an intense interest in the subject. Famous Seventh-day Adventist scholar, Alonzo T Jones authored two works on the subject, The Peopling of the Earth (1887) and The Empires of the Bible (vol 1) (1904). He was obviously inspired by contemporary writers; in turn others this century were inspired by his writings.

This century authors such as Dr Herman L Hoeh, Arthur C Custance, Dr D J Wiseman, Dr John Pilkey, Bill Cooper, J Simon and Ross Marshall have continued the interest in this particular science. Dr Hoeh in particular has demonstrated that ancient tradition, aspects of history and king lists assist in tracing various peoples around the world.

Since my spiritual awakening in late 1972 I have had a lot of interest in the national origins of all peoples. It became apparent to me that while some have included the identity of Israel in their theology and literature, almost nothing was said or published about the other peoples and races. It was a pity that this area of identity was not taught to Christians.

(A copy of the mysterious Table of Nations is at the end of this article).

AN ESOTERIC SUBJECT

This is alas, an esoteric subject matter, yet a subject and information which will be enjoyed by thousands of readers. It is esoteric because it is a work in a subject area much neglected or maligned. Neglected due to the declining significance of race in theological circles and the lack of interest given it by those who know of its importance; out of fear in the face of political correctness; maligned because it is wrongly portrayed as ‘racist’ by those who are ignorant of the subject matter; or those who wish to see ‘racism’ everywhere.

Yet there are thousands, nay millions of people who are eagerly interested in their roots and family trees. This book endeavours to form a foundation or framework if you will, for anyone to study their family tree. What use are our family trees without knowledge of our national roots? They merely take us back two or three centuries at best. But these works will take you back to the most ancient of times.

We may peer through the mists of time and piece together the pieces of the puzzle, garnering the various historical, anthropological and Biblical details to come to some incredible conclusions as to national origins. Perhaps I should have titled the original work The Inspired Origin of the Nations (similar to the titles of some of Glengarry G Rupert’s books) or something else. A hundred different titles would suffice. But the new one I have chosen is simple and encapsulates all of what I am looking for: Lost Races of the Ancient World – discovered at last!

These works are highly focused and concentrated, my desire to present material which is not full of waffle and the proverbial ‘hot air’. Nor is there a need to repeat the detailed histories of the nations here, except, where necessary, to provide a broad swathe to their historical record. The focus is to zero in on their origins, original location, migrations and modern day locations.

A straight‑from‑the‑heart approach is utilised. The style has always been one of succinctly drawing together all available evidence and then producing a mosaic without resorting to unnecessary and time‑wasting excessive material. The facts are emphasised without attempting to create a huge work. I'm sure that most would appreciate this approach. After all, who would want to plough through, say, 800 pages of waffle to find the evidence for such matters when it may easily be found within 200 pages? Yet the way of so many authors today is simply to waffle. Not so this writer!

Padriac McGuinness, writing in The Australian early 1991, relates how back in the 1960s, Karl Popper, a famous lecturer and philosopher of science at the London School of Economics, used to harangue American students. He stated that American books give the impression that seriousness is related to weight and number of words. "No author considers himself reputable unless he has weighed in with a book of mind‑numbing length. No journalist wants to write 1000 words if he can get away with writing 10,000. But quality and content need not be related to sheer volume. As a result, the American publishing industry is beginning to wake up to this. Short books, books that are little more than polemical pamphlets, are being discovered".

Let us hope that books full of waffle will become less and less, and the contents of manuscripts are summarised into smaller works.

My works provide a summary of findings and research. The author does not have the time or resources to bring to bear every proof or inference that may be used. A style such as this is intense and concentrated, alleviating the reader of any possible painful lengthy discourse.

Further, these works, as already addressed, concentrate on the Biblical origins of races and peoples. Whilst it is rewriting world history in relation to the national origins of peoples, it is not rewriting all world history per se’. History, as covered in thousands of works, in an overall sense must be left to the experts in the field whom we should trust to do their best in interpretation and writing. They may colour and in a biased fashion on occasion, not be completely truthful. But the same might be said of any profession from minister or politician to the average worker.

Thus it is outside of the realm of these works to rewrite history. It is being rewritten all the time as more facts come to light. They took many years of research to construct by digging out the salient information and to find time to type up the material in a logical and honest way.

It should be mentioned that I would be comfortable for anyone to write to me with contrary ideas, criticisms and ideas. So please feel free to write in at any time. However, I cannot promise to answer all of the letters that will result, but I will do my best. I have some assistance, but more is required, particularly in typing and typesetting.

The best is all I can promise you. I am not perfect and nor is this work or any similar complex works by authorities. They are subject to revision and refining over time, but I am certain that the overall thrust and the modern-day identities of most of the descendants of Noah are provable. Perhaps certain details need filling out, explaining or amending and as such I am quite happy to improve my work over time.

NATIONAL RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND RIGHT TO LIFE

All nations and peoples have a right to life, to develop their culture and language and to continue their history and ethnicity without globalisation. If current trends continue, the diversity of mankind will disappear within 150 years. Bio-diversity of species, whether they be flora, fauna or human, is paramount to creative expression. Those that interfere with God’s creation declare war on the Creator Himself.

How many more reports will there be of various American Indian tribes, Maoris and Aboriginals decrying the weakening of their blood-lines? What of the tribes and ethnic groups such as the Negritos of Asia (pygmies), the Estonians and some of the peoples of Africa who are on the edge of extinction? Will they disappear from view?

God Almighty created all of the tribes, nations, peoples and races and He will see to it that all survive into the Millennium. The different nations collectively magnify God’s creative capacity and bring glory to Him. Who are we to destroy mankind’s wonderful diversity? God deplores racism - especially that which leads to the destruction of ethnic diversity.

One might only view the racism extant in the former Yugoslavia, the terrifying feud between the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda and the down treading of American Indians as just a few examples. Nations wish to wipe out other nations. At the other extreme, globalisation will lead to the end of ethnic diversity as the ‘global village’ leads to the ultimate melting pot.

Racism begets racism. We have Whites hating Blacks; Indians fighting Pakistanis and so on. Another trend which our media is refusing to report today is the ‘subtle’ (not so subtle for those with eyes to see) anti-Caucasian racism. How many more works will I read where ‘academics’ promote the passing of the White peoples as inevitable and call for the speeding-up of this process. Today Whites account for about 14% of the total world population figure. And the descendants of Abraham (Israel in NW Europe and colonies) as well as his offspring via Keturah in NE Europe account for only about 5% of the world, if that. The percentages and the overall total numbers are decreasing rapidly. Unless the Messiah intervenes, the bio-diversity of mankind will disappear.

In the meantime will we see a weakening of the Abrahamic stock in the colonies; and with a Europe feeling threatened, a German-led backlash to this steady process? Will the forthcoming Holy Roman Empire attempt to preserve the ethnic identities of its various nations? Will we see giant race wars in our time between Europe and her allies on the one hand and the Anglo-Saxon powers on the other; a European invasion of the Arabic nations; and the final showdown between the East and Europe?

GET TO KNOW YOUR ROOTS

I recall how one lady once exclaimed, “I wish I knew what my ethnic roots really were! I am able to trace my family tree back several generations and my parents are immigrants to this country. I know I am [ethnic group]! But who are we really? Where did we actually originate?” Such was the substance of comments made in my presence some years ago and which has stuck with me ever since.

Knowledge of our roots is most inadequate without the knowledge of where our ethnic groups ultimately originate. Thousands would concur. For many, a study of one's family tree is a favourite hobby. We know our parents and immediate family backgrounds. We know our ethnic identities. But how many of us are able to trace our roots back to the earliest genesis of the human family? For instance, if we are, say, Polish, what is the point of knowing or ethnic identity and our family history back several generations and perhaps some of the history of our nation which may include the migrations of tribes into our lands, if we do not know where they ultimately originate?

GENESIS TEN SCIENCE

This is where the incredible Table of Nations comes in most useful. Believe it or not, this systematic, well organised chart presents to us, in the fast-moving 1990s, the ethnic identities of all nations! Yes! YOUR ethnic roots clear back to the beginning genesis of the great variety of mankind may be traced if we use Genesis chapter ten as a basis. For it is the purpose of this work to reveal to you who your forefather was, Biblically speaking and how his descendants migrated to their modern locations and what prophecy reveals as to their - and consequently - your future, fate and destiny. The study of the modern identities of the nations of Genesis ten is a science. One may also term it Biblical human biology and physical anthropology. But it is much more than that. It actually uses literally hundreds of references to back up the argument that the nations of the modern world may all be traced back to the 70 names referred to in the mysterious Table of Nations chart.

Many years have been spent in painstaking research, reading, writing, corresponding and weaving together this exciting story of national origins. To forge a composite mosaic of this nature, I needed, at the conclusion of my investigations, to pull together the many complex threads and strands of Biblical, historical and anthropological fact and detail.

So many peoples have stories and legends regarding their origins, which cannot be simply dismissed. They oft claim to originate from a progenitor who is known well in their traditions. Is it not wonderful that the names of persons who lived over 4,200 years ago and who are listed in Genesis ten, carried on in place or tribal names to recent date? Sometimes the peoples deified their ancestors. Commenting on Newton’s book The Philosophical Origins of Gentile Theology (1678), Richard Westfall wrote the following:

“Origins started with the argument that all peoples worshiped the same twelve gods under different names. The gods were divinized ancestors - in fact Noah, his sons, and his grandchildren - though as this religion passed from people to people, each used it to its own ends by identifying the gods with its kings and heroes” [Westfall, RS (1993) The Life of Isaac Newton . Cambridge University Press]

ETERNAL VIGILANCE

We must be eternally vigilant, thus a purpose of my works is to keep alive the flickering flame of Genesis Ten truth. This magnificent truth is on the verge of dieing out. Such an enigma! In an age of growing ethnic consciousness in grassroots defiance of one world globalism, and with increasing studies into one's family tree and of the awareness of book stores and publishers for works on this type of subject, we find almost nothing in print on the subject.

Where are the Sayce's and Rawlinson's today? Who will continue Genesis Ten science? Hopefully each and every one of us. We need to by keeping alive the flame of this wonderful truth by a collaborative effort of all interested parties, regardless of affiliations. This type of work is not doctrine driven as such, but a willingness to be as accurate as possible with true history.

But how does one gain the knowledge to keep such truths alive? For none of us have perfect knowledge and understanding (Hos 4:16; Is 5:13; 27:11). God, the Creator and Sustainer of all the nations of this globe, thunders mightily that we had better go to Him in all humility to seek knowledge, understanding and wisdom:

“If thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God” (Prov 2:3-5. See also Dan 12:10; Ps 111:10; Prov 9:10).

Such should be our mainstay, and has been the mainstay for many over the years. It is a mainstay which is essential for spiritual growth and which helps one to hold fast to spiritual treasures (IThess 5:21; IIThess 2:15; Heb 3:6; 10:23). A reason for this book is my fervent hope that those reading it would be encouraged to dig deeper into the matter and attempt their own studies into their family trees or even into Genesis ten itself. Surely it is the innermost desire of most persons to know their origins. As American Poet Carl Sandburg once wrote:

“When a nation goes down [or] a society perishes, one condition may always be found. They forgot where they came from.”

In addition, this wonderful Table of Nations is the very key to unlocking the prophecies dealing with the End Time. How can you understand the prophecies dealing with Gog and Magog, Assyria, the Chaldeans, Cush, Elam and many others unless we know where they are located today? And if we do not know where the original post-flood nations are today (which, after all, became the modern nations of this century), then we reject Christ’s admonition to study prophecy and watch world events daily. Let us obey God and enjoy a richer, more meaningful life in the knowledge of who we are, where we are going and what the ultimate destiny of our ethnic groups will be (Deut 30:19). Surely, nothing can be more interesting and fulfilling than that?!

SOUND BIBLICAL WISDOM

If any reader wishes to aid in this project in any way whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact the author care of History Research Projects. ‘Aid’ would include pointing out mistakes, fine-tuning the argument, any kind of constructive comment and criticism or suggestions whatever. Also, references or points which you feel may be useful or new to me, please feel free to share them with me so that I may share them with others. If any original information which is sent to me finds its way into print in the Origins of Nations magazine, due acknowledgement would be given. Please share information with each so that we may share it with others. In particular, I would very much appreciate articles for publication in the Origin of Nations magazine.

God's Word states

“The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the foolish doeth not so” (Prov 15:7. See Matt 13:52).

If we want to gain knowledge, we must learn to give what we have, to others first:

“The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge” (Prov 15:14).

“The heart of the righteous studieth to answer” (Prov 15:28).

God help us to follow those perfect principles. In addition, Scripture adds:

“That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good” (Prov 19:2)

“Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge” (Prov 23:12).

Will we apply ourselves to those precious principles? If we do, we will be able to absorb the knowledge which God wants us to.

A NEW APPROACH

May God help in this endeavour and to give us clear understanding in this matter. For it is unique that an entire series of papers has been published on the subject in this way. To be sure, articles, chapters and sections of books and Bible Dictionaries have appeared on the subject; or booklets dealing with minor aspects of Genesis ten or which have delved into certain of the 70 figures, names or localities mentioned therein. But nothing really extensive has appeared. In addition to the usual method of name similarities or name changes, traditions or linguistics, I refer to various physical comparisons and cultural similarities. Thus ethnology, with its interest in the history of peoples, is employed.

The above, however, is not enough in detailing an all-inclusive 'data-gathered' synthesis of each tribe of Genesis 10. This work needed to bring out the issue of zootaxonomy, human biology and physical anthropology sufficient to identify and trace the descendants of Bible Nations. Physical anthropology is the study of comparative anatomy, morphological, genetic and physiological variability in recent human populations. The techniques of science are therefore heavily depended upon in this particular science.

Then we have zootaxonomy. Taxonomy is concerned with essential and specific categories within the multitude of human forms. Zootaxonomy employs the concept of race or microspecies. Anthropometry is extensively used in determining race, and in particular craniosystematics is also used.

Finally, the reader must appreciate the extreme difficulty in tracing the origins of nations. Thus speculations based on obvious outcomes to current data in some cases cannot be helped. But at least an attempt is made to trace the footsteps of the grandsons and great grandsons of Noah to the far reaches of the globe. Believe you me, more information is coming in all the time, and much more could be written. The book is not the final word on the subject, and hopefully others will publish like material.

May God bless all the races and peoples of mankind.

Following is information about a book on the origin of the nations which is expected to be released next year. Papers associated with this book may be found on the websites listed at the end of this article.

LOST RACES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD – DISCOVERED AT LAST!

CHAPTER OUTLINE OF FUTURE BOOK

1. The Incredible Diversity of the Races of Mankind

2. The Mysterious Table of Nations

PART ONE: HAM

Introduction

3. The Roots of the Turkic and Arab Peoples

4. Mediterranean, North African and Black African identity

5. The Descendants of Cush

6. The Other Descendants of Cush

PART TWO: JAPHETH

Introduction

7. Dodanim and Tarshish

8. Madai, Tubal and Meschech Today

9. The Peoples of China and South-east Asia

10. Did the descendants of Tiras and Elishah just vanish?

PART THREE: SHEM

Introduction

11. The Peoples of Northern Europe

12. The Origin of the White Russians and Balts

13. The Modern Identities of the descendants of Elam and Lud

14. The Assyrians in the Modern World!:

14.1. Mysterious Origin of the Assyrians

14.2. The Fearsome Assyrians and their Migrations into Central Europe

14.3. The Hittite Empire and the Modern Assyro-Hittites

14.4. What is Germany's Destiny?

Appendix 14.1 A List of Important Biblical References to the Assyrians

Appendix 14.2 A List of Researchers Who Believe in the Assyrian or Hittite Origins of the Germans

Appendix 14.3 The Khattie Tribe of North-West India

Appendix 14.4 A Short Commentary on the Book of Nahum

Appendix 14.5 Charts on the Chronology of Genesis and the Generations of the Patriarchs

Concluding Remarks

Appendices

Glossary

Abbreviations

Bibliography

LIST OF CHARTS

LIST OF MAPS

1. Noah’s Descendants

2. Table of Nations

3. List of different nations with similar names

4. List of Nations whose names have changed in the Bible

5. The Black Races

6. The Yellow-Brown Races

7. The White Races

8. The Descendants of Nahor and Haran

9. Abraham’s Ancestry and Descendants

10. Abraham’s north-east European Descendants

11. Chart relating to Noah’s offspring to their modern locations

12. Assur's Ancestry

13. The Royal House of Akkad

14. Kings of Nineveh

15. List of the Early Kings of Assyria

16. List of the Latter Kings of Assyria

17. Early Kings of Germany

18. The Hittite Kings

19. Chronology of Genesis

20 The Generations of Adam—the Pre-Flood Patriarchs

21. The Generations of Noah - the Post-Flood Patriarchs

1. The Original Location of the Nations after Babel

2. The Location of the Nations in Old Testament Times

3. Locations of the Hamitic Race

4. Migrations of the Hamitic Race

5. Locations of the Japhetic Race

6. Migrations of the Japhetic Race

7. Locations of the Shemitic Race

8. Migrations of the Shemitic Race

9. The Ancient Empires and Peoples of the Middle East

10. The Locations of the Nations in the Twentieth Century

AUSTRALIA & REST OF WORLD: GPO Box 864, Sydney, Australia 2001

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA: 3316 Alberta Drive, Gillette, WY 82718, USA

E-mail: originofnations@tpg.com.au

Web pages: http://home.iprimus.com.au/origin or

http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/surfer1/

Free books, papers and magazines online: http://www.coglinks.org/cw_papers/

Free Origins of Nations Discussion Forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/origin (This is a free service. Simply sign-up online and view posts or receive e-mails or digests discussing the origin of nations, world events and prophecy).

CHART 2: Noah's Sons and Grandsons

Askenaz

Gomer

Riphath

Togarmah

Magog

Madai

Elishah

Japheth

Javan

Tarshish

Kittim

Tubal

Dodanim

Seba

Havilah

Meshech

Sabtah

Sheba

Raamah

Dedan

Tiras

Sabtechah

Nimrod

Ludim

Cush

Anamim

Lehabim

Mizraim

Naphtuhim

Noah

Ham

Sidon

Pathrusim

Phut

Heth

Casluhim

Jebus

Caphtorim

Canaan

Amori

Girgashi

Hivi

Almodad

Archi

Sheleph

Elam

Sini

Hazarmaveth

Arvad

Jerah

Asshur

Zemor

Hadoram

Hamath

Uzal

Shem

Arpachshad

Peleg

Doklah

Shelah

Eber

Joktan

Obal

Lud

Abimael

Sheba

Aram

Hul

Ophir

Gether

Havilah

Mash

Jobab