in Biblical Hebrew there are a number of ancient Egyptian words that was
borrowed In time unknown.In the very reliable and
Biblica, Jerusalem, 1962, vol. 4 (in Hebrew) there is an article “Millim
zarot” (Foreign words) by the late Prof.
Chaim Rabin, the eminent linguist of Israel. In
this article there is a list of words borrowed in Bible from other
languages. The largest portion of these words come from Semitic languages,
such as Akkadian, Ugaritic,
Phoenician, Aramaic, and both North and South
Arabian. Much less was borrowed from all other languages.Not withstanding a
short list of Egyptian words included consisting of 48 words." (H.S)*
however, clearly a Northwest Semitic language (as are Phoenician, Moabite,
Edomite and Ammonite, Ugaritic, Aramaic) very closely related to
Phoenician, to which it is better related as a sister language, rather than
a child, and assuming that they both stem from a common ancestral language
(Moabite, Edomite and Ammonite as well). Diversification is due to
geolinguistic (Phoenician territory situated further north along the
Mediterranean) political, religious, cultural, and temporal factors, not
least are those of Phoenician history marked by the migration of the culture
to North Africa, far separated from the Cananaic region, after the return of
Judeans from the Babylonian captivity, who for the most part remained in and
around the Judean area (and absorb other sister varieties of Northwestern
semitic such as neighboring Moabite, Edomite and Ammonite. In other
words, Hebrew is not pure Phoenician no more than Phoenician is Hebrew."
What are we to make of all that.
One thing for sure is that Hebrew
could not and did not develop from Egyptian. There seems to be a number of
sister languages and here are two family trees showing theories
there are gaps in those area in which we are most interested.
importantly is the area SOUTH of Canaan for which there is very little
inscription was discovered by a missionary F A Klein in 1868. It is of
course the famous Stela of Mesha of Moab celebrating his victory over the
Israelites in around 800 BC and now in the Louvre Museum.
Because of it
we know the language of the Moabites was similar to Hebrew.
However as we
proceed south from Moab into the territory of Midian and then even further
South into the territory of the Amalekites, we have found no evidence of
Yet we know
that these tribes were closely involved with each other and perhaps shared
if not a common language then one that was intimately related.
What do we know
of Midian. We quote from Encyclopaedia Judaica.
name of a people or a group of (semi-) nomadic peoples in the Bible (LXX,
Madian, or Madiam; 1QIsa 60:6,
The Midianites are among the sons of Abraham and Keturah who were sent to
"the land of the East" (Gen. 25:1–6). "Midianite traders" are mentioned in
the episode about the sale of Joseph (Gen. 37:28). Jethro, Moses'
father-in-law, was a Midianite priest living in the land of Midian (Ex.
2:15–3:1); he met Moses in the wilderness of Sinai (Ex. 18: 1–5), and the
members of his family accompanied the Israelites in their wanderings in the
desert (Num. 10:29–32). The elders of Midian displayed hostility toward the
Israelites on the plains of Moab (22:7) and the Israelites fought the
Midianites, killing many of them (31: 1–20).
In Greek-Roman and Arabic
sources Midian is mentioned in Arabia, as well as on the shore of the Red
Sea, and, according to Josephus (Ant. 2:257), this is the biblical Midian
(cf. Eusebius, Onom. 124:6). This Midian is identified, according to
the tradition of the Arabic geographers, with modern Maghayir Shuayb (=the caves near Akaba). It appears that the
Midianites' settlement in Arabia occurred in a later time, when their living
area was reduced, but it is possible that the settlement in North Arabia
during the Hellenistic-Roman period was a continuation of the biblical
settlement. Among the sons of Keturah are mentioned tribes which inhabited
North Arabia—Ephah and Dedan (Gen. 25:3–4)—and it is also possible that from
there the Midianites spread to the north, the east, and the west. In the
Bible the Midianites are also designated by the inclusive typological title
"Ishmaelites" (Judg. 8:24). Some scholars discern a connection between the
Midianites and the Kushu tribes mentioned in the Egyptian Execration Texts
from the 18th century B.C.E., who wandered in the southern deserts of Erez
Israel (cf. Cushan, Hab. 3:7). This may be hinted at in the story of
the "Cushite woman" whom Moses married (Num. 12:1).
The Midianites were
known as shepherds (Ex. 2:17) and traders (Gen. 37:28, 36). From time to
time, they, together with neighboring tribes, broke into the permanent
settlements around them. The Bible describes them as robbers (Judg. 6:5).
During the Monarchy the Midianites lived within the confines of their place
of origin, North Arabia, and they were known as middlemen in the
frankincense (levonah) and gold export from Sheba in South Arabia
(cf. Isa. 60:6). During the Hellenistic period the Nabateans mined
much gold in the land of Midian and exported it via the port of Macna
Geographica, 17:784). There has been no systematic scientific
research of Midian in North Arabia.
Below a map showing the distribution of "Midianite Pottery" also called
"Al-Qurayya ware," after a site by that name in NW Saudi Arabia,
petrographic analysis confirming this site is the source of the clays used
in the making of this ware. Professor Beno Rothenberg found this ware in
association with Egyptian votive items at the Hathor shine located at Har
Timna (Arabic: Gebel Mene'iyeh), in the southern Arabah, dating it to the
reigns of pharaohs Ramesses II through Ramesses V, Dynasties 19 and 20 based
on cartouches; For the below map cf. p. 70, Beno Rothenberg & Jonathan
Glass. "The Midianite Pottery." pp. 65-128, in John F. A. Sawyer & David J.
A. Clines, editors.
Midian, Moab and Edom, The History and Archaeology of Late Bronze and Iron
Age Jordan and North-West Arabia.
Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series No. 24.
Sheffield, England. Sheffield University Press. 1983 ISBN 0-905774-48-5)
The latter publication also has a site at
Tayma which is 300 km southeast of Al Qurayya which also contains "Midian
Ware". We can thus see what could have been the extent of the territory of
They also formed an alliance with the
the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled
themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of
ASV Judges 6:33
The Islamic historians
consider the Amalekites, to be one of the most ancient of the Arab tribes.
Abulfeda, a Arab scholar of the 13 century, wrote:
"Shem, (son of Noah), has several sons, among them, Laund, to whom was born,
Pharis, Djordjan, Tasm, and Amalek."
tribe of Ad having been for their incredulity previously chastised with a
three years’ drought, sent Kail Ebn Ithar and Morthed Ebn Saad, with seventy
other principal men, to the temple of Mecca to obtain rain. Mecca was then
in the hands of the tribe of Amalek whose prince was Moâwiyah Ebn Becr; and
he, being without the city when the ambassadors arrived, entertained them
there for a month in so hospitable a manner that they had forgotten the
business they came about had not the king reminded them of it, not as from
himself, lest they should think he wanted to be rid of them, but by some
verses which he put into the mouth of a singing woman. "
We repeat, we have absolutely no idea what languages
were spoken in Biblical times between Canaan and South Arabia. We do know
that Biblical Hebrew could NOT have emerged in Egypt but can we be as
certain that it did not emerge from the tribal structure of Arabia some
3,500 years ago.
We hope that further research in Saudi Arabia will
reveal some of the answers as hopefully will be our new expedition slated
for next year.
Michael S. Sanders
* As many of our readers know, we have always consulted
the leading experts in the world regarding our theories. Before proceeding
with our theory regarding Sodom & Gomorrah for example and the satellite
images of the Dead Sea, we contacted "The Dead Sea Research Center" at the
University of Tel Aviv. We have continued with that practice as we have seen
many brilliant people waste years of their lives on false trails because
they failed to listen to important warnings. (Velikovsky was a very good
Sometimes we would like to quote our experts directly
but as many are Professors at leading Universities we prefer to get their
uncensored views rather than the conventional line. Accordingly we prefer to
cite them by initials only to enable them to give us their unfettered ideas.
Before posting any new ideas, the reader can be sure
that they have been run by as many experts in the field that I can find.
That is not to say they all agree. What is certain is that any objections or
ideas that they contribute never directly contradicts the theses proposed.
If an objection is proposed to any of my ideas, that objection is explored
thoroughly to its logical conclusion. If it still passes muster, then it is
published. Many end up on the "waste basket"!
Without the internet, none of this research would be
possible. In the course of one week, I contacted the worlds leading
linguistics experts on Semitic languages. Many kindly gave of their time and
expertise to correct my naive errors and just sheer ignorance of the field.
But out of the literally dozens of exchanges came the paradigm of a new
Similarly literally millions of people have read or
seen my work on the internet and television around the world. Many
contribute their ideas and suggestions and criticisms. When valid, the
material on the site is immediately changed with a note to that effect. So
far not one of my major theses have been shown to be invalid and that after
years of airing.