Israel on Persian Monuments
The following information is taken from appendix 4 in, "The Story Of Celto-Saxon Israel", but without the many valuable illustrations found in the book. This excellent resource with over 170 maps, charts, and illustrations, is considered the best study available on the subject of the European connection with the lost House of Israel. It may be purchased from our web bookshop at www.migrations.info
INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS
ON THE ROCK OF BEHISTUN
Excerpt from Records Of The Past, Vol. 1, pages 109-132
Samuel Bagster & Sons, London, 1875
Translated by Sir Henry Rawlinson
This connects the House of Israel with early European tribes.
The editor of Records Of The Past comments, “The
great triumphal tablet of Darius Hystaspes, exhibiting the figures of
the victorious king and his attendants and of ten vanquished chiefs,
and accompanied by a record in three languages, which extends to nearly
a thousand lines of Cuneiform writing, is engraved on the face of aprecipitous
rock at Behistun near the town of Kermanshah on the Western frontiers
of Media.” (p.109)
The Bible Research Handbook, published in 1972 by the Covenant
Publishing Company (currently out of print) has this to say, “The rock
carries on its face an important cuneiform inscription of Darius Hystaspes
(Darius the Great). This inscription, which was cut circa 516 B.C., records
in three languages – Persian, Susian (Median), and Babylonian – the names
of twenty-three provinces subject to him. In the Persian and Susian versions
one of these provinces is called Scythia, the root of which is, phonetically,
Sak. In the Babylonian text this province is called “(matu) Gi-mi-ri”,
translated “land of the Cimmerians.” Sir Henry Rawlinson, who first copied
and translated the inscription – although not disposed definitely to
identify these Gimiri with the Cimmerians (Kimmerii or Cumri) – was prepared
to accept the probability of a connection between them. The Behistun
Rock inscription establishes that the Sacae lived in the land of the
Cimmerians (modern north-west Persia) and that they formed part of the
agglomeration of peoples known to the ancients as Scythians (or Skythians
or Skuths).” (Volume II, Serial 572.9355)
As discussed by Mr. W.H. Bennett in the main body of this book, we find
the House of Israel referred to in Scripture as the House of Isaac or Saka,
and known to popular history as the Scythians who
overspread Europe.They are called Sacae,
Sacan, and Sacians in the translation
of Darius’ inscription below.
The importance of the Behistun Rock is that it connects the people known
in Persian and Median as Saka or Scythians, the
House of Isaac or Israelites, with the tribes known in Babylonian as Cimmerian or Gimiri. The Bible
Research Handbook also points out that, “The name ‘Gimiri’ …is
phonetically close to ‘Khumri’, the name by
which the Ten Tribes were known to the Assyrians… According to [Assyrian
scholar] Pinches the kh was pronounced -g.”
To summarize, it is a well-proven fact (see appendix 2) that the Assyrian
word, Khumri, (which is phonetically the same
as Gimiri or Cimmerian)
were the House of Israel. The Behistun Rock further proves that these ‘Gimiri’ were
the same people as the ‘Saka’ (which is phonetically
the same as both ‘Isaac’ and ‘Scythians’).
Therefore, all five of these ancient tribal names, Saka, Scythian, Cimmerian,
Gimiri, and Khumri are identified as Israelites, as they were known in
other languages. We reprint below an important excerpt from Darius’ long
inscription.
KEY POINTS:
Assyrian name for Israel on Shalmaneser’s Black Obelisk was Khumri
Babylonian equivalent pronounced similar to Assyrian Khumri was Gimiri
Behistun Rock inscription identifies the people called Gimiri as the
Sak or Saca
Bible refers to Israel as the House of Isaac, phonetic equivalent to
Sak or Saca
Historians identify the Sak or Saca as the Scythians who overspread Europe
Historians identify the Gimiri as the Cimmerians who overspread Europe
The ancient words of Darius on the Behistun Rock
Translation of the Inscription
Column 1
I am Darius, the great King, the King of Kings, the King
of Persia, the King of the provinces, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson
of Arsames, the Achaemenian.
Says Darius the King: My father was Hystaspes; of Hystaspes the father
was Arsames; of Arsames the father was Ariyaramnes; of Ariyaramnes the
father was Teispes; of Teispes the father was Achaemenes.
Says Darius the King: On that account we are called Achaemenians; from
antiquity we have descended; from antiquity those of our race have been
Kings.
Says Darius the King: There are eight of my race who have been Kings
before me, I am the ninth; for a very long time we have been Kings.
Says Darius the King: By the grace of Ormazd I am King; Ormazd has granted
me the empire.
Says Darius the King: These are the countries which belong to me, by
the grace of Ormazd I have become King of them, Persia, Susiana, Babylonia,
Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, those which are of the sea, Sparta, Ionia, Media,
Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Zarangia, Aria, Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdiana,
Gandara, the Sacae, the Satagydes, Arachosia,
and Mecia, in all twenty-three countries.
Says Darius the King: These are the countries which belong to me; by
the grace of Ormazd they have become subject to me, they have brought
tribute to me. That which has been said unto them by me, both by night
and by day it has been performed by them.
Says Darius the King: Within these countries whoever was good, him have
I cherished and protected; whoever was evil, him have I utterly destroyed.
By the grace of Ormazd these countries have obeyed my laws. As to them
it has been said by me, thus has it been done by them.
Says Darius the King: Ormazd granted me the empire. Ormazd brought help
to me so that I gained this empire. By the grace of Ormazd I hold this
empire.
Says Darius the King: This is what was done by me, before I became King.
He who was named Cambyses the son of Cyrus of our race, he was here King
before me. There was of that Cambyses a brother named Bardes; he was
of the same father and mother as Cambyses. Afterwards Cambyses slew this
bardes. When Cambyses slew Bardes it was not known to the state that
Bardes was killed. Then Cambyses proceeded to Egypt. When Cambyses had
gone to Egypt, the state became wicked; then the lie became abounding
in the land, both in Persia and in Media, and in the other provinces.
Says Darius the King: Afterwards there was a certain man, a Magian, named
Gomates. He arose from Pissiachada, the mountain named Arakadres, from
thence; on the 14th day of the month Viyakhana then it was that he arose.
To the state he thus falsely declared: “I am Bardes the son of Cyrus,
the brother of Cambyses.” Then the whole state became rebellious; from
Cambyses it went over to him, both Persia and Media, and the other provinces.
He seized the empire; on the 9th day of the month Garmapada [the 5th
month], then it was he thus seized the empire. Afterwards Cambyses killing
himself died.
Says Darius the King: The empire, of which Gomates, the Magian, dispossessed
Cambyses, that empire had been in our family from the olden time. After
Gomates the Magian had dispossessed Cambyses of Persia and Media and
the dependent provinces, he acted with his own party, he became king.
Says Darius the King: There was not a man, neither Persian, nor Median,
nor any one of our family, who could dispossess of the empire that Gomates,
the Magian. The state feared him exceedingly. He slew many people who
had known the old Bardes; for that reason he slew the people “Lest they
should recognize me that I am not Bardes the son of Cyrus.” There was
not any one bold enough to say aught against Gomates the Magian until
I arrived. Then I prayed to Ormazd; Ormazd brought help to me. On the
10th day of the month Bagayadish [first month] then it was, with my faithful
men I slew that Gomates, the Magian and the chief men who were his followers.
The fort named Sictachotes, in the district of Media, named Nisaea, there
I slew him; I dispossessed him of the empire. By the grace of Ormazd
I became King; Ormazd granted me the scepter.
Says Darius the King: The empire that had been wrested from our race,
that I recovered, I established it in its place; as in the days of old;
thus I did . The temples which Gomates the Magian had destroyed, I rebuilt;
I reinstituted for the state the sacred chaunts and (sacrificial) worship,
and confided them to the families which Gomates the Magian had deprived
of those offices. I established the kingdom in its place, both Persia
and Media, and the other provinces; as in the days of old; thus I restored
that which had been taken away. By the grace of Ormazd I did this. I
laboured until I had established our family in its place as in the days
of old. I laboured, by the grace of Ormazd, (in order) that Gomates the
Magian might not supersede our family.
Says Darius the King: That is that which I did after that I became king.
Says Darius the King: When I had slain Gomates the Magian, then a certain
man, named Atrines, the son of Opadarmes, he arose; to the state of Susiana
he thus said: “I am King of Susiana.” Then the people of Susiana became
rebellious; they went over to that Atrines; he became King of Susiana.
And a certain man, a Babylonian, named Nadinta-belus the son of Aenares,
he arose. The state of Babylonia he thus falsely addressed: “I am Nabochodrossor
the son of Nabonidus.” Then the entire Babylonian state went over to
that Nadinta-belus. Babylon became rebellious. He seized the government
of Babylonia.
Says Darius the King: Then I sent to Susiana; that Atrines was brought
to me a prisoner. I slew him.
Says Darius the King: Then I proceeded to Babylon against that Nadinta-belus,
who was called Nabochodrossor. The forces of Nadinta-belus held the Tigris;
there they had come, and they had boats. Then I divided my army; one
portion I supplied with camels; the other I mounted on horses; Ormazd
brought help to me; by the grace of Ormazd I succeeded in passing the
Tigris. Then I entirely defeated the army of that Nadinta-belus. On the
27th day of the month of Atriyatiya [9th month] then it was that we thus
fought.
Says Darius the King: Then I marched against Babylon. When I arrived
near Babylon, the city named Zazana, upon the Euphrates, there that Nadinta-belus
who was called Nabochodrossor, came with a force before me offering battle.
Then we fought a battle. Ormazd brought help to me; by the grace of Ormazd,
I entirely defeated the force of Nadinta-belus. A part of the army was
driven into the water; the water destroyed them. On the 2nd day of the
month Anamaka [10th month], then it was that we thus fought the battle.
[End of Column No. 1, which extends to ninety-six lines, and the writing of which is generally in good preservation.]
COLUMN 2
Says Darius the King: Then Nadinta-belus with a few horsemen
fled to Babylon. Then I proceeded to Babylon; I both took Babylon and
seized that Nadinta-belus. Afterwards I slew that Nadinta-belus at Babylon.
Says Darius the King: Whilst I was at Babylon these are the countries
which revolted against me: Persis, Susiana, Media, Assyria, Armenia,
Parthia, Margiana, Sattagydia, and Sacia…
COLUMN 5
- Repetition of the first four paragraphs of Column 1 above.
- Tablet attached to the prostrate figure on which the victor King
tramples:
”This Gomates, the Magian, was an imposter; he thus declared, ‘I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus. I am the King.” - Adjoining the first standing figure:
“This Atrines was an impostor; he thus declared; ‘I am King of Susiana.’”
- Adjoining the second standing figure:
“This Nadinta-belus was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus; I am King of Babylon.’”
- Adjoining the third standing figure:
“This Phraortes was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Xathrites, of the race of Cyaxares; I am King of Media.’”
- Above the fourth standing figure:
“This Martes was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Imanes, the King of Susiana.’”
- Adjoining the fifth standing figure:
“This Sitratachmes was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am King of Sagartia, of the race of Cyaxares.’”
- Adjoining the sixth standing figure:
“This Veisdates was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus. I am the King.’”
- Adjoining the seventh standing figure:
“This Aracus was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus. I am the King of Babylon.’”
- Adjoining the eighth standing fugure:
“This Phraates was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am the King of Margiana.’”
- Above the ninth or supplemental figure with the high cap:
“This is Sakuka, the Sacan.’”
Sir Henry Rawlinson comments on the final column above as follows: “Of
the thirty-five lines which compose a supplementary half column, divided
into 6 paragraphs, it is impossible to give a complete translation, one
side of the tablet being entirely destroyed. From such portions as are
decipherable it appears to contain an account of two other revolts; one
in Susiana, conducted by a man named, …..imim; and the other by Saku’ka,
the chief of the Sacae, who dwelt upon the
Tigris.”
