| Tape Four
side one by Yair Davidiy The Destiny
of Joseph
Shalom, Yair Davidiy here, The theme of the present lecture concerns the identity of the Tribe of Joseph or rather of the two Tribes of Joseph since Joseph was split into two tribes. The two Tribes of Joseph were Ephraim and Menasseh. The descendants of Joseph are to be found mainly amongst present-day English-speaking peoples in Britain and America and related countries. Joseph was the most important tribe amongst the Lost Ten Tribes who were exiled and eventually migrated to Western Europe. This has been proven in our writings and in previous lectures. The Evidence that will be discussed in this present lecture not only shows that Joseph became dominant in Britain and North America and related areas but also further confirms the basic theme of our understanding: That the Lost Ten Tribes are now amongst peoples of West Europe and their descendants. The Twelve Tribes of Israel in Biblical times had split into two separate kingdoms. Ten Tribes were in the north in one kingdom of “Israel” and two tribes were in the south in another kingdom that is usually referred to as “Judah”. The Tribes of Joseph dominated the Ten Tribes in the north. Joseph was the most important group amongst the northern Tribes. Joseph was split into two tribes: Ephraim and Menasseh, who both became Tribes in their own right. In the Bible the figure of Joseph and the terms “Joseph” or “Ephraim” (the son of Joseph) are often used to represent the whole of the northern ten tribes altogether. GENEALOGY OF THE BLESSINGS
- JOSEPH
The Israelite Tribes descend from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Promised Blessings began with Abraham. Abraham was the first Patriarch and to him was it promised to become “A great nation and in you will all the families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12;2-3). “And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly” (Genesis 17;2); “I will make nations of you and kings shall come out of you; And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto you, and to your seed after you” (Genesis 17;6-7). Abraham begat Isaac. Isaac received the covenant and the birthright: “I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him” (Genesis 17;19). “My covenant will I establish with Isaac” (Genesis 17;21); God informed Abraham, “In Isaac shall your seed be called” (Genesis 21;21). Jacob was the son of Isaac. Jacob received the Blessings promised to Abraham and to Isaac. The Children of Jacob were to become the Chosen People. Isaac blessed Jacob, “God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people; And give you the blessing of ABRAHAM, to you and to your seed with you” (Genesis 28;2-3). Jacob was given the additional name ISRAEL, “Your name shall be called no more Jacob, But ISRAEL; for as a prince have you power with God and with men and have prevailed” (Genesis 32;28). “Your name is Jacob: your name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be your name: and He called his name ISRAEL” (Genesis 35;10).
Jacob (i.e. Israel) had Twelve Sons, “Now the sons of Jacob were twelve” (Genesis
36;22).
The TWELVE SONS OF ISRAEL were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All the sons of Israel received a Blessing from their father, “Everyone according to his blessing he blessed them” (Genesis 49;28). Each one of the sons of Israel was to become the Forefather of a Tribe named after him. In addition to the individual blessing given to each Tribe there existed the Natural Right of Leadership and the Birthright. The Natural Right of Leadership was to involve Judah. From Judah came the House of David and from him will come the future Messiah. Judah was to receive the task of Lawgiver and of keeping the Law. On the other hand, JOSEPH (and not Judah) was to receive the Birthright. The Birthright, in effect, meant reception of those same blessings given to all the Tribes but in greater quantity and intensity. As having the rights of the firstborn Joseph was to receive a portion of increased intensity and magnitude. The Birthright (which Joseph was to receive) also indicated a natural right to certain predominance. “Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him (comes) the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's” (1-Chronicles 5; 2). It is worthwhile to briefly recount the story of Joseph: [Genesis 37:1] AND JACOB DWELT IN THE LAND WHEREIN HIS FATHER WAS A STRANGER, IN THE LAND OF CANAAN. The Bible tells us that: Jacob was the father of Joseph and his brothers. Jacob altogether had four wives. He had two chief wives and two secondary wives. The secondary wives were the maidservants of his two chief wives. The wives of Jacob were Leah and Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah. Bilhah and Zilpah were the wives of Jacob but they were wives of a lesser status and also served as handmaidens to Rachel and Leah who were sisters and the two chief wives of Jacob. The sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah were the sons of the handmaidens of his two chief wives. The two chief wives were Rachel and Leah. Jacob favored Rachel more than Leah. From Rachel Jacob begat two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was therefore the son of the favorite wife of his father. This may have been one of the reasons why his father honored him more than the other sons. This provoked the other brothers to jealousy. Joseph brought an “evil report” about his brothers to his father. The words translated as “THEIR EVIL REPORT” in Hebrew are “dibatam raah”. The Hebrew word translated as “their report” (“dibatam” based on the root “dibah”) suggests that something was wrong with the report. The report was either untrue or seriously mistaken and misleading. According to the Midrash Joseph related bad things about his brothers that were not true but rather derived from a mistaken impression. It was not for nothing that his brothers resented Joseph. [Genesis 37:3] NOW ISRAEL LOVED JOSEPH MORE THAN ALL HIS CHILDREN, BECAUSE HE WAS THE SON OF HIS OLD AGE: AND HE MADE HIM A COAT OF MANY COLOURS. Jacob gave his son Joseph a “coat of many colors”. “Coat of many colors” is a translation from the Hebrew “Cotonet Pasim” or “literally “Coat (cotonet) of Stripes (Pasim)”. Some commentators say that it means a coat of various colors. One Commentary say that the stripes were intertwined squares (“Mishbetzat” in Hebrew.) Taking these commentaries together: stripes, colors, intertwined, squares (“Mishbetzat”) we get the impression that the coat must have had a design on it that was something like a Scottish tartan. Egyptian illustrations and statuettes sometimes depict individuals from the Israelite-Canaanite area of that time wearing tartan-like coats or kilts. The same Hebrew expression “cotonet pasim” (translated above, Genesis 37;3 as “Coat of Many Colors”) is found too in 2-Samuel 13;18-19 and translated as “garment of diverse colours”. There, it is referring to the garment worn by Tamar the daughter of King David who had just been raped by her brother, Amnon. [2-Samuel 13:18] AND SHE HAD A GARMENT OF DIVERS COLOURS UPON HER: FOR WITH SUCH ROBES WERE THE KING’S DAUGHTERS THAT WERE VIRGINS APPARELLED. THEN HIS SERVANT BROUGHT HER OUT, AND BOLTED THE DOOR AFTER HER. Notice the emphasis in these verses on the fact that Tamar had been wearing a “coat of diverse colors”, a “cotonet passim” in Hebrew. The verse says, “And she had a garment of diverse colours upon her; for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled”. Commenting on this verse the Jewish Commentator Ralbag (Gersonides 1288-1344 CE) opined that “cotonet pasim” (a garment of diverse colours) was a garment denoting royalty. It was a garment that the children of the King would wear. John Wall, who lives in Altona, Manitoba, Canada pointed out to me in a letter that this helps explain why the brothers of Joseph were angry at Joseph for receiving from their father a coat of many colors. It was not just jealousy over the fact that Joseph had received a nice piece of clothing and they had not. It was not just that they were angry that their father was buying new clothes for Joseph, a fancy-colored coat that they did not have. The coat of many colors also was an indication that Jacob was considering endowing Joseph with a certain authority over his brothers. He was younger than most of them. Joseph was a younger brother and he was their brother through their father but not through their mother. He was the son of another wife. He was the son the rival of their mother, and he also had been spreading bad reports about them. He had been “telling tales” that were mistaken, he had been telling stories about his brothers that were wrong and slanderous, and gave an incorrect impression of his brothers to their father. In other words the brothers hated Joseph for a reason. It may not have been entirely justified but from their point of view this hatred was not unprovoked. It may be that to some degree Joseph himself was responsible for the envy he aroused against himself. The coat of many colors that was given to Joseph was similar to a tartan cloak. It denoted some kind of rank or authority. In Scotland the tartan design also denoted rank: different tartan patterns told what rank the wearer of the design had. In Assyrian terminology the word “tartan” meant a high-ranking official. “A coat of many colours” in Hebrew is “cotonet pasim”: This meant a tartan quilt. From Joseph were to descend many of the people who settled in Britain and America including many from Scotland. Scotland is known for the Tartan designs of its highlanders, for their tartan kilts. It is interesting to note that Joseph the forefather of many of the people in Scotland and Britain from the very beginning was distinguished from his brothers because he wore a coat that had a many-colored tartan-type design on it! The Tartan design is also connected with the fortress of Masada in Israel. *In the Jewish revolt against the Romans (ca. 66-ca.70 CE) one of the last Jewish strongholds to fall was that of Masada in the Judaean Desert. Masada at present is an important national symbol. I, myself, Yair Davidiy, once served in the Israeli Army in the Armored Corps. I was eventually to become a member of a unit of Infantry Soldiers attached to the Armored Corps. We traveled around in Armored Personnel Carriers. Our job, in principle, was to work together with the tanks and to do things that the tanks could not do such as attack enemy Infantry holed up inside caves who were threatening the position of the tanks, and similar tasks. Both the soldiers who drove the tanks and the Infantry soldiers, such as myself, who were to assist them and traveled besides them in Armored Personel Carriers did the same basic training at first. We were all part of the Armored Corps in the Israeli Army. At the completion of our basic training in the Armored Corps we had a ceremony. We all traveled to the Judaean Desert at nighttime. We walked up the very steep slope of the fortress of Masada by torchlight and at the top we had a Ceremony of Acceptance into the Armor Corps. We had an Induction. Every soldier had his name called out and then he ran forward where he was congratulated and he was presented with a copy of the Hebrew Bible and he was given his rifle. It was all quite impressive. At the top of Masada you can see where archaeologists have revealed the ancient fortifications, apartments, and ritual purification baths that once existed in the fortress. The Fortress was well nigh impregnable and it took the Romans a long time and a lot of effort before they were able to capture it. The surviving Jewish defenders of Masada committed suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. One of the most famous slogans of the present State of Israel says: <<Shenit Matsada lo tipol>> i.e. “Masada will not fall again!” Archaeological findings from Masada show that amongst the Jewish rebels fighting against the Romans were those apparently wearing garments produced in Britain and bearing a tartan design. “Indeed, some of the Jewish resistance fighters may have been wearing original Scottish-style imported tartans - several fragments have been identified”. (“The Independent” 31.1.95 article by David Keys, Archaeology Correspondent, commenting on an exhibition held at the British Museum of textiles found at Masada): Approximately 5% of the garments worn by the Jewish rebels fighting against the Romans at Masada was made of British wool and had a tartan-type design upon it. OK. So, Jacob gave his son Joseph a coat of many colors that was actually the equivalent in those times of a Scottish quilt, with a tartan design on it. The Bible goes on to tell us: [Genesis 37:4] AND WHEN HIS BRETHREN SAW THAT THEIR FATHER LOVED HIM MORE THAN ALL HIS BRETHREN, THEY HATED HIM, AND COULD NOT SPEAK PEACEABLY UNTO HIM. Nowadays Joseph is found chiefly amongst the USA and Britain and in some small part also amongst the Jews (who are mainly Judah and other tribes). There is a great deal of resentment and hatred directed towards “Joseph” today. Some of it may be justified in part but a great deal is pure jealousy and spiteful inclinations. [Genesis 37:5] AND JOSEPH DREAMED A DREAM, AND HE TOLD IT HIS BRETHREN: AND THEY HATED HIM YET THE MORE. Joseph was talking about sheafs of corn. Sheafs of corn belonging to his brothers stood about his sheaf and bowed down to it. The ancestor of the Anglo-Saxons according to Anglo-Saxon tradition was Sceld [i.e. Shield] Sheafing. Sceld [i.e. Shield] Sheafing was named after a sheaf of wheat. The legends say that Sceld [i.e. Shield] Sheafing had been found as an infant, as a child, drifting in a boat without oars, sleeping on a sheaf of wheat. When he grew up Sceld [i.e. Shield] Sheafing (“Sheafing” from the word “sheaf”) taught his people agriculture and just laws. This legend of the Anglo-Saxons concerning their ancestor called Sceld [i.e. Shield] Sheafing borrows elements from the stories of both Joseph and of Moses. [Genesis 37:8] AND HIS BRETHREN SAID TO HIM, SHALT THOU INDEED REIGN OVER US? OR SHALT THOU INDEED HAVE DOMINION OVER US? AND THEY HATED HIM YET THE MORE FOR HIS DREAMS, AND FOR HIS WORDS. The dream of Joseph is also pertinent regarding the fate of his descendants in the Latter Days. The descendants of Joseph were destined very often to rule over their brother Israelites as well as over many of the peoples of the world. For a long time descendants of Joseph amongst the English-speaking peoples have been the most powerful people on earth. [Genesis 37:9] AND HE DREAMED YET ANOTHER DREAM, AND TOLD IT HIS BRETHREN, AND SAID, BEHOLD, I HAVE DREAMED A DREAM MORE; AND, BEHOLD, THE SUN AND THE MOON AND THE ELEVEN STARS MADE OBEISANCE TO ME. 11 stars plus the sun and the moon that bowed down to Joseph make up 13 celestial bodies. There are 13 stars in a circle on the US dollar bill. Perhaps these 13 stars represent the 13 celestial bodies that bowed down to Joseph? [Genesis 37:10] AND HE TOLD IT TO HIS FATHER, AND TO HIS BRETHREN: AND HIS FATHER REBUKED HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, WHAT IS THIS DREAM THAT THOU HAST DREAMED? SHALL THY MOTHER AND I AND THY BRETHREN INDEED COME TO BOW DOWN OURSELVES TO THEE TO THE EARTH?At that time the mother of Joseph was dead, as the Commentator Rashi points out. Jacob was saying that since the mother of Joseph could not bow down to him because she was dead and therefore that part of the dream was false: So too, the whole dream was false. Jacob however did feel that the dream did have something in it. It did portend something of the future. He did not however want his son Joseph to dwell upon it. He did not want his son to live in a dream world. [Genesis 37:11] AND HIS BRETHREN ENVIED HIM; BUT HIS FATHER OBSERVED THE SAYING. Jacob and his children at that time were living in Hebron. Today just outside of Hebron is the Jewish city of Kiryat Arba with about 8000 inhabitants. Kiryat Arba is comprised of high-rise apartments. Everyplace in Kiryat Arba can be reached on foot from within the city within 5 to 10 minutes. Yair Davidiy (myself) and John Hulley (a friend who is also an author and historian) used to be neighbors in Kiryat Arba. There was a whole group of similarly-minded people to ourselves living there at the same time: Aaron Menazi of Italy, Boaz Nordau of Finland, Calev Ardon of Belgium, Mordecai Lapid of Russia, Mair Horenstein of the Walloon section of Belgium, and others. All of these people were interested in the Lost Ten Tribes and some of them had done original research on the subject. We used to have very fruitful discussions. A lot of insights and revelations that have become part of the Brit-Am belief and which appear in our publications came about as a result of the discussions we held in Kiryat Arba. There is a one in a million chance that such a group of people as we were could have been in one and the same place (that was so congenial for social exchange and discussion) but we were all there and we were all interested in the same topics. This was due to Divine Providence that has been guiding us in these studies since the very beginning. God has been with Brit-Am. The account in Genesis 37 goes on: [Genesis 37:15] AND A CERTAIN MAN FOUND HIM, AND, BEHOLD, HE WAS WANDERING IN THE FIELD: AND THE MAN ASKED HIM, SAYING, WHAT SEEKEST THOU? Joseph sought his brethren. Today the task of all of us is to seek our Tribal brethren. Descendants of Joseph especially have a special task to seek their brethren from Judah and from the other Tribes of Israel. [Genesis 37:17] AND THE MAN SAID, THEY ARE DEPARTED HENCE; FOR I HEARD THEM SAY, LET US GO TO DOTHAN. AND JOSEPH WENT AFTER HIS BRETHREN, AND FOUND THEM IN DOTHAN.The brothers wanted to kill him even though they knew he was their brother. In our days most Israelites do not realize who their brothers are. Some times nations with large contingents of Lost Israelites (from the Lost Ten Tribes) amongst them are antagonistic to each other. This should be prevented as much as possible. There should not be antagonism amongst Israelite nations. They should be at peace with each other. There should be peace in the family as much as possible. [Genesis 37:21] AND REUBEN HEARD IT, AND HE DELIVERED HIM OUT OF THEIR HANDS; AND SAID, LET US NOT KILL HIM. Reuben saved Joseph.
Reuben put himself out to help his brother.
John Hulley tells me that the French people
as a whole (relatively speaking) have a very high degree of natural empathy
for the feelings of others. In the Second World War it is true that France
collapsed early and that Vichy France cooperated with the Nazis. Vichy France
was centered in the south of France and was dominated by anti-Semitic reactionary
pro-German elements. On the other hand the French Army (before it surrendered)
displayed great courage and self-sacrifice in fighting against the Germans
and in attempting to protect the British and helping the British escape across
the sea at Dunkirk. The French also under German occupation (on the whole,
despite numerous exceptions) went out of their way to save the Jews and almost
80% of French Jewry were saved. This was probably (after Denmark) the highest
percentage of Jews who were saved in Occupied Europe. The French Protestants
were very active in helping to save Jews in the 2nd World War. Whole villages
of Protestants as one body participated in this activity. French Protestants
are mainly Calvinists and these identify very strongly with Biblical themes
and often also with the Jewish people. My grandmother came from Alsace in
France. She was Jewish. Alsace is on the border between France and Germany.
It has a large and ancient Jewish community. The non-Jewish people of Alsace
speak a German dialect but on the whole they identify with the French. Anti-Semitism
however was always very strong in Alsace with notable exceptions. The Tribe of Reuben is dominant in France. France has helped the USA, Britain, and Israel in the past. Many Frenchmen helped the Jews fight the War of Independence against the Arabs and establish the State of Israel in 1948. In the 1950s and early 1960s quite a few French government ministers and officials dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the cause of the State of Israel. The French helped Israel arm and defend itself and develop a nuclear capability. The attitude of French officialdom and the French people has since changed drastically. There are still many pro-Israel elements in France today but anti-Semites have also begun to take over, a new stock has taken charge, and hatred of the Jewish people and hatred of America has become much stronger in France. [Genesis 37:22] AND REUBEN SAID UNTO THEM, SHED NO BLOOD, BUT CAST HIM INTO THIS PIT THAT IS IN THE WILDERNESS, AND LAY NO HAND UPON HIM; THAT HE MIGHT RID HIM OUT OF THEIR HANDS, TO DELIVER HIM TO HIS FATHER AGAIN. Reuben intended to come back and help Joseph. He intended to save Joseph and return Joseph to his father. [Genesis 37:23] AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN JOSEPH WAS COME UNTO HIS BRETHREN, THAT THEY [the brothers of Joseph] STRIPT JOSEPH OUT OF HIS COAT, HIS COAT OF MANY COLOURS THAT WAS ON HIM; They stripped the coat of many colors off Joseph. The coat of many colors was a symbol of authority. They stripped the coat of many colors off Joseph, that which symbolized his future authority was taken off him. We believe that the descendants of Joseph are predominant amongst the populations of Britain and America and related countries. In our works we have identified the other Tribes of Israel (apart from Joseph) as being amongst the Jews and as being in certain European countries. Amongst the present-day Jews are descendants from the Tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, Levi, and representatives of the other Tribes.
[Joseph especially Menasseh dominates the USA]. Descendants of Simeon and Levi and some from Judah are significant in Northern Italy and are also scattered throughout the rest of Italy. There are also descendants of Israelites and of Jews from Judah (who are not always aware of their ancestry) who are scattered throughout the rest of the world. All of the above nations where significant proportions of people of Israelite Tribal descent are to be found are in Europe. Some of these nations are members of the European Union and others are about to join the European Union. The European Union today is dominated to a degree by Germany. I was told by a former Italian businessman, our friend Aaron Minazzi, that one of the reasons why the European Union is so attractive to the nations of Europe is that it is seen as a means of controlling or at least of moderating Germany. It may be however that this will backfire and that Germany and the numerous pro-Germans amongst other European nations will take over the European Union and use it for their own ends. Today the European Union supports the Palestinians against the State of Israel. The European Union gives a lot of money to the Palestinians. Officials of the European Union have actually threatened the State of Israel with economic sanctions. They have also raised the possibility of armed intervention by The European Union against Israel. The European Union turns a blind eye against anti-Semitism in France and the rest of Europe. All over Europe there are attacks upon Jews. Physical and verbal attacks on Jewish people have been increasing throughout Europe. It is now dangerous to be identified as a Jew in Europe. Anti-Semitism and attacks upon Jews is a way of putting pressure on Israel. The Jewish people are being held to ransom in Europe. The European Union has also attempted and is still attempting to undermine the State of Israel from within. The European Union attacks the Jewish people, attacks the State of Israel, by funding and supporting groups that advocate co-existence with the Palestinians and also by funding and encouraging elements that want to weaken belief in the Bible. Recent attempts in Israel to force prospective religious teachers to learn Biblical Criticism have been traced to elements supported by the European Union. This has been affirmed and documented by Rabbis who have received documents on this matter. Home Back to Tape Index |