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Biblical Figure
Moses and the Israelites Were African
Original Creator/Source
Ancient Israelites / Egyptians
Time Period
Biblical Era (c. 1500-1200 BCE)
Region
Northeast Africa (Egypt/Kemet)
The Full Story
Historical and biblical evidence suggests that Moses and many ancient Israelites had African heritage. Moses was raised as an Egyptian prince and was able to pass as Egyptian (Exodus 2:19). The land of Egypt (Kemet) is in Africa. The Bible describes Moses's wife Zipporah as a Cushite/Ethiopian (Numbers 12:1). Ancient Egyptian art and hieroglyphics depict Egyptians with dark skin and African features. The systematic 'whitewashing' of biblical figures began during European colonization and the Atlantic slave trade to justify the dehumanization of African peoples.
Evidence & Sources
- Numbers 12:1 - Miriam's criticism of Moses's Cushite wife
- Exodus 2:19 - Zipporah tells her father Moses is Egyptian
- Acts 21:38 - Paul mistaken for an Egyptian
- Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan - 'African Origins of Major Western Religions'
- Ancient Egyptian art and tomb paintings in the Valley of Kings