The Behistun Inscription

In considering all of the evidence which would indicate that the modern European, Caucasian people are indeed the literal descendants of the Israelites of the Bible, we believe one of the most convincing pieces of evidence is to be found in the Behistun Inscription, sometimes also called Bistoon, Bisotoun or Behistan.

The inscription is found on the side of a limestone mountain which rises up out of the plain in what is today called the Kermanshah Province of Western Iran, along an ancient caravan road, which ran from Babylon to Ecbatana, the ancient capital of Median. It is a relief accompanied by several panels of text, carved about 330 feet up from the base of the mountain. It was carved by order of the Persian king Darius the Great about the year 515 BC.

The text is trilingual (in three different languages) — Persian, Elamite (Susian) and Akkadian (Babylonian) — and tells the story of King Darius. It contains his autobiography, his authority to rule by divine grace, and his triumph over all they who opposed his rise to power. But what is especially interesting to us, and we think probably to the reader as well, is that the text also provides some hidden references to the people of the Northern House of Israel, who are sometimes known as the so-called “Lost Ten Tribes of Israel.”

The dominant figure of the relief is, of course, King Darius himself, who is depicted as being a victorious king. He is shown exalted in great majesty and lording it over ten men, nine of whom are bound with their hands behind their back and tied together with a rope around their necks. The tenth man is depicted as being prostrate on the ground, with Darius’ foot on his neck. The words Kana and Armenia occur repeatedly throughout the account of these prisoners being taken captive. These were places in the area where the ten tribes had been placed by the Assyrians.

Darius was indeed a great and mighty king — and he had an ego to match. The words, “I am Darius, the king of kings, the king of Persia” are repeated several times throughout the inscription. Such boasting and braggadocio is repulsive to most people, but this great monument to one man’s ego provides us with conclusive evidence that we are Israelites.

The text panels list 23 nations whom Darius ruled over, and one of the nations named were the Sakkas. They are called Sakka in both the Persian and Elamite languages, but in the Akkadian Babylonian portion of the inscription these Sakkas were called Gimiri. Of particular interest to us is the tenth panel which speaks of Sarocus the Sakkan, who is wearing a Hebrew form of head-dress.

Because these poor prisoners were taken captive from the place where the Israelites dwelt, and because the Sakkans wore Hebrew specific adornments, we know that these Sakkans were indeed Israelites. And for this reason, some historians believe the ten men depicted as being in bondage to Darius in the relief were intended to represent the heads of the ten tribes of the Northern House of Israel.

Additional evidence is found in the tomb of this same Darius in southwestern Persia, near the ancient city of Persepolis, where there is a similar inscription to the one at Behistun, which again lists the nations over which Darius ruled. In this inscription, three separate groups of Sakkas are listed — the Amyrgian Sakkas, the Sakkas with the pointed caps, and the Sakka who are beyond the sea. In each case, Sakka is again translated Gimiri in the Babylonian text.

So, we see that the Sakka and the Gimiri were one and the same people, and that they were Israelites. History shows that these people later became known as the Scythians and Cimmerians, from whom the Caucasian people, known also as the Christian nations of the world, all descend. It is both interesting and fitting that the people who have been known as the Christian nations of the world since the time of Christ are actually Israelites, the people of the Book! Did not our Lord Jesus Christ say that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27)? The Israelites are called the sheep of His pasture throughout the Bible.

It is so clear who God’s chosen people are in the world today, yet most of His own people are so blind to the truth that they call another people — a people who not only refuse to follow Jesus, but who also call Him a bastard and Mary a whore — the chosen people! “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.” Isaiah 42:18-20

Wake up, beloved people of God! Give not your heritage to the enemies of God! Turn back to your God and follow Him!