The Jewish origins of the populations of Western Cameroon in particular, and of many black populations in general
Examination in 21 points
It is not the coincidence of a single element that allows one to conclude, but the coincidence of a set of elements. The whole is strong.
Each element shows that the probability that the “Bamis” in the broad sense, including Bamoun and Banso, are a biblical Jewish people is non-zero, and reinforces the overall probability.
Many of these elements are not universal among peoples, as they are not even shared by all the peoples of Cameroon.
The first element given is among the most exclusive signs.
We are not saying that other peoples besides the Bamis are necessarily Israelites.
We simply do not have enough knowledge of their traditions to take a position regarding them.
But we know that many peoples of sub-Saharan Africa are Israelites, as we shall see.
We present these elements beginning with the signs given by God Himself.
The Sabbath: Sign of the Covenant with the Children of Israel
Exodus 31:13
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
It happens that the traditions of the Bamis recognise a sacred weekly day of rest, during which working is prohibited.
Do you reject this sign of God? Can you give me a single religion or spirituality, to your knowledge outside the Bible, which prescribes a day of rest like the Sabbath?
The Sabbath is not only particular because it comes from God, but also because, given the strict requirement of not working at all on that day every week, truly observing it requires a deep religious grounding.
No other religion, to our knowledge, has prescribed it, except those recognising the law of Moses as a foundation (Christianity, Judaism).
The Sign of the Covenant with Abraham’s Descendants: Circumcision
Genesis 17:10
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: Every male child among you shall be circumcised.
Indeed, the descendants of Abraham are not limited to Jews, but this is a sign of Abrahamic descent.
We see that this was part of Bami traditions even before Christianity.
Source
Suffering, Slavery, and Colonisation
Deuteronomy 28:45-46
45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
Careful reading of Deuteronomy 28:15–68 shows the curses mentioned, which include slavery and colonisation.
Deuteronomy 28:68
And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again; and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
Who went into slavery on ships? Who experienced colonisation?
Again, a single sign may not suffice but establishes a non-zero probability, which is reinforced by the other signs.
The Name Moses
If you are from Western Cameroon, try to say “the child of the water” in your language. Compare it to the name “Moses” or “Moshè” (the pronunciation of Moses in the language of the Israelites).
You will see it is almost the same. Why this coincidence, when in Western languages Moses means nothing?
Monotheism
Ancient Egyptians and many other peoples were reputed for polytheism. The peoples of Western Cameroon are monotheistic.
Amen
At the end of the Christian prayer we say “Amen”. If you try in your language to say “It is finished”, you will find it is almost the same. Note that slight differences in pronunciation should not mislead you.
The Bride Price Ceremony
Among biblical Jews, the man pays the bride price for the woman. Among biblical Egyptians, the woman pays the man’s bride price.
Compare the steps of customary marriage among those considered Jewish with the steps among the Bamilékés. You will see striking similarities.
Endogamous Marriage
Deuteronomy 7:3-4
3 Thou shalt not make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Normally, a Bami who marries a non-Bami disobeys the recommendations of their parents or grandparents, as their tradition is fundamentally endogamous.
Virginity of the Bride
Deuteronomy 22:13-14, 20-21
13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her,
14 And give occasions of evil reports…
20 But if this thing be true, and the damsel be not found a virgin,
21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones…
Although modernism has weakened this practice, traditionally a Bami woman was expected to be a virgin at marriage.
Levirate Marriage
Deuteronomy 25:5-6
5 When brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife.
6 And the firstborn that she beareth shall succeed in the name of her brother that is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
The Chicken Ceremony
The practice involving a chicken, common among traditional or orthodox Jews (Kapparot), has cultural similarities with certain Bamiléké rituals.
Note: In Christ, such sacrifices should not exist, and the significance among Bamis differs slightly from orthodox Jewish practice.
Genocide and Resistance Movements
Great misfortunes predicted in the Bible for Israel’s disobedience appear historically, e.g., Jewish genocide and Bami massacres.
For the Bamis, explanations may be found in ancestor worship, magic, witchcraft, fetishism… all forbidden by God (Deut 18:9-14).
The Black Race in Biblical Israel
a) Moses – Ancient Egyptians were black. How could Moses grow up in Pharaoh’s court as Pharaoh’s sister’s son if he were of another race?
b) David – Solomon’s father-in-law, Uriah, was Hittite, a descendant of Canaan, recognized as black.
c) Paul – The apostle Paul is considered Egyptian by a Roman tribune (Acts 21:37-38), Egyptians at that time were black.
d) Jesus’ parents fled with him to Egypt (land of blacks) to avoid Herod (Matthew 2:13).
Joseph’s Descendants via Ephraim
Genesis 41:50 – Joseph had two sons by Asenath, daughter of an Egyptian priest.
Genesis 48:4-5, 19-20 – Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh; Ephraim’s descendants shall become a multitude of nations.
Several Bamis could be descendants of Ephraim (not proven here).
Intellectual Ability and Business Dynamism
Joseph’s prosperity is similar to that observed among the Bamis, reflecting notable intellectual capacity.
Deportations of Israelites
The ten tribes of Israel were deported by the Assyrian king (2 Kings 17:21-28). Some who remained in Judah went to Egypt (2 Kings 25:26), with some returning later, others remaining in Africa (Jeremiah 44).
The Unknowing People
Isaiah 1:2-4 – Israel does not know its God, having abandoned Him.
The Promised Land: Milk and Honey
Exodus 3:8 – The land flowing with milk and honey. Cameroon fits this description with abundant livestock and agriculture.
Deuteronomy 11:11-12, Isaiah 18:7 – Land of mountains, valleys, and rivers. Cameroon has rivers for each departmental capital.
The Prophetic Jerusalem
Ezekiel 16:1-3 – Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites are black; Ezekiel 40-47 – Characteristics of the third temple. Such features can be found in Cameroon.
Israel in Africa
Zephaniah 3:10 – God’s worshippers from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (sub-Saharan Africa) bring offerings.
Residual Questions
Psalm 106:34-36 – Israel copied the practices of foreign lands, including ancestor worship.
Ezekiel 20:18-19, Deuteronomy 18:10-14 – God calls for abandoning idolatry, magic, and necromancy.
DNA tests cannot scientifically determine Israelite descent. An Israeli today may not be ethnically Israelite.
Conclusion
Many continue to confuse “Israeli” and “Israelite”. True Israelites are descendants of Jacob, according to the flesh, not merely citizens of modern Israel.
Through Christ, all are children of Abraham by faith, but many black Africans are indeed biblical Jews, whose suffering arose from disobedience to God, ancestor worship, and sacrifices.
Repent and accept Jesus Christ. Salvation, healing, and deliverance are still freely available today.
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