No Bastards in The House
- Tierra Holliday
- Aug 27, 2024
- 18 min read
Black Women in Torah: Sarah and Hagar
“A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 23:2
Sumer, meaning, “ plain,” is the setting of Genesis. The Arabian Gulf, The Sahel, Iraq, Iran, The Sudan, Indus Valley, Turkey, Kuwait is the location of The Garden of Eden. The Arabian Gulf was originally inhabited by Cushitic Sabeans. Ethiopia is rendered, “ Cush,” in Hebrew and often times referred to The Ancient Sudan. Although Hamitic, Cushites are considered Afro-Arab due to their origins in Southern Arab. Nimrod, the son of Cush, founded Akkad, Shinar, Erech, Babel and Caleh. The Sahel also means, “ plain,” and is, Chad, Niger, Senegal, Mali, Gambia, Mauritania and Burkina Faso. This is Sub-Saharan Africa and in 2nd Millennium BC, Abraham went into Egypt due to famine in Mesopotamia in 2180 BC. Senseret lll was Pharaoh, he and Abram went into Sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa and The Americas were plentiful in food, 2000 BC to 3000BC.
Havilah, in The Table of Nations falls under Ham and Shem. Cousins baring the same names was not foreign. This also speaks to the fact Havilah was in The Sudan, Horn of Africa and The Arabian Peninsula. Sudan means, “ Land of The Blacks.” Ethiopia was, “Aethopia,” according to Herodotus. He described Africa as, “ African Aethiopia,” and The Indus Valley as, “ Asiatic Aethiopia.” Herodotus determined Aethiopia meant, “ burnt-faced, red-brown.” Ruddy, is the description of The Nazarites, David and Solomon, red-brown. RuddyThe purest branch of Arabs progenitor is Joktan whom inhabited The Arabian and Yucatán Peninsula, in Peru. Boats in 6000BC, The Ubaid Culture of The Levant to Ancient Egypt were found. Akkadian and Mayan languages are mutually intelligible. Assyrian pyramids and artifacts are found in Peru during The Naqada Periods of Egypt. Concluding Ancient Egyptians were not in Egypt. Adomiy - אדמוֹני is ruddy and the root is Adam אדם - person and ‘dam,’ means blood. Cooper and red are adjectives for Native Americans, Redbones of Louisiana, Creoles, Arabs and Negroes in The Diaspora. Hamitic and Hebraic people are often conflated in history.


“Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, and Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.”
Genesis 10:21-29 KJV
“And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.”
Genesis 2:10-11, 13-14 KJV
Mohar - Bride price; dowry
Virgin - Betulah; Assyrian - Batultu. Also applies to young men.
Meorasah - Betrothed- engaged, legally married before living together.
Genesis 241:14 uses damsel to mean, at the age of marriage.
“and let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.”
Genesis 24:14 KJV
The same usages are in Deuteronomy 34:3
“And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.”
Genesis 34:3-4 KJV
Genesis 24:16 refers to Rachel as a damsel, Strong’s 5591 - girl, young woman, child, damsel, servant. From the age of infancy to adolescence.
Deuteronomy 22:23 is specific to being a virgin. Verse 23 also includes the title of husband to an engaged man.
“If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;”
Deuteronomy 22:23 KJV
In Exodus 22:16-17 if a man lies with a young woman that is not engaged and lives at home, he must pay the bride price and marry her. If the father refuses the marriage a dowry for her virginity must be paid.
“And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.”
Exodus 22:16-17 KJV
“Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.”
Genesis 34:12 KJV
In Judges 19:24 - maiden is Betulah, living in her father’s house.
“Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.”
Judges 19:24 KJV
Tamar was living in her father’s house and was raped by Anmon. She was a virgin, they wore distinct garments. She asked him to request her hand first so she would not be humbled by losing her virginity first.
“And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand. So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.”
2 Samuel 13:1-6, 11-14 KJV
“And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand. So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.”
2 Samuel 13:1-6, 11-14 KJV
“And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. 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. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.”
2 Samuel 13:16-19 KJV
Laying with an engaged woman and rape is a capital punishment offense.
“But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: but unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: for he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her. If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.”
Deuteronomy 22:25-29 KJV
“And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.”
Genesis 10:6 KJV
The goddess worshipped in Egypt and The Sinani Peninsula, since the 4th millennium BC, was Hathor. This is The Naqada periods of Egypt as fore-mentioned. The Neter seen in these periods were depicted with The Ankh and Shepherd’s Staff. The Ankh is Sumerian. An/Anu/Anum is The Mesopotamia father god of the sky, On as seen in Egypt. Ki is his conaort, the threshold floor, Mother Earth and creator god with Enki, in The Garden of Eden. In some stories she is his sister. Binding together they form, The Ankh which is the key of life. Shepherds are abominable to Egyptians due to their affiliations with Hyksos and Habiru, whom were ruling Egypt. The Hkysos are Amorites from Mesopotamia whom supplanted Egypt. The Habiru are The Hebrews, children of Eber.
She is Hathor, (Pronounced HAH-tor). Hathor is the cow goddess, prayed to by infertile women, death, sky, love and beauty. “ The Eye of Ra,” whom is the sun god of creation, with an ankh, fusing with Anum and Atum. Atum was depicted as a man with an ankh, originally an egg positioning him as the firstborn of creation. The lion, snake, sun disc and cattle horns are his symbols. Heliopolis, City of The Sun was his cult center.
האתוֹר - Hei - hand - Alph - Ox - Oat ו- wav - mace,spear, hook, O.’ - ר - resh - head beginning
Abram’s wife Sarai was barren upon entering Egypt, The Land of Hathor. Hagar was the daughter of Pharaoh given to Sarai as a handmaiden in Egypt, as a repayment for attempting to go into Sarah. Hagar - gar is alien, sojourner, guest. Her name reveals she was a stranger in Egypt. Further proving this dynasty to not be native to Egypt. Sensuret lll Mother’s name was, Khenemetneferhedjet. Khan is a prefix that derives from Ham - Han. Horites are called, “ Khor,” in Ancient Egyptian transcripts. Nefer, ‘ beautiful.,’ seen in Egypt amongst women and also means, ‘individual.’ A sheep’s heart and trachea are its symbols. Khaun, Egypt was founded by Sensuret ll and papyri of his grandson, Amenenhat ll/lll rule from Egypt to Kush. Nefer refers to the base level of temple floors, threshold, Ki. Hedjet is The White Crown of Upper Egypt seen first on Narmer’s Palette in The Temple of Horus, 3100BC. Bat, the cow goddess is displayed on the palette and are absorbed into Hathor. Mud-brick homes and pyramids in Egypt, mirrors 9000BC in Jericho; 6000 BC in Mesopotamia due to the lack of wood.
“And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:”
Genesis 12:10-11 KJV
“Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.”
Genesis 16:1, 3 KJV
Tosefta Yevamot 8:6states that a man must divorce his wife is they are childless after ten years of normal marital relations. Providing context for Sarai’s willingness to take a sister wife. In Hebraic culture, the child born to Hagar would be considered Sarai’s. The disposition of Sarai’s heart rendered Hagar with a child in the desert. Today, open relationships and unrighteous polygamy are the norm. Competition amongst women creates broken families. The usury of Hagar to fulfill a desire for Sarai, keeping her marriage to Abraham together. Statistics of 60% Black Women and 80% of Black Men as parents, reflects the dynamic of men fathering multiple children. Biblically, financial, moral and social reputations determined the qualifications for polygamy and marriage. Abraham was a man of wealth and order. He harked to the voice of His wife while remembering the promises of El Shaddai. El Shaddai is not only a destroyer, He is a breasted El of multiplication, fertility. In the end, he was able to reclaim his entire family, after the mourning period of The Matriarch of The Israelites, Sarah. Some traditions say, her evil eye and beating Hagar caused a miscarriage and Ishmael was the second pregnancy. I make no assertions.






The_Many_Aspects_of_Hathor
The white stone on The Upper Kingdom Hedjet originated in Nubia, The Lower Nile. An incense burner in a cemetery was discovered in Mesopotamia and Nubia. 4000BC, The Nobatia in Akine region of The Kush Kingdom originated from The Libyan Desert. The Ancient Libyans descend from Phut as the original branch of Moors. Al-Maris is The Arabic name. An inscription from The Persian King Darius calls Arabs, “ Hgr.” The Ad via Almodad. are the original Arabs in The Arabian Peninsula, Pre-Islam. Almodad, grandson of Eber, son of Joktan is the progenitor. Salah, father of Egypt was a prophet sent to Hegra, Saudi Arabia to teach the message of, “ The Poor,” and against polytheism. Ga’ar in Hebrew means to correct, rebuke or reprove. Yeshua and James The Just, His brother, were Ebionites, ‘ The Poor.’ The church seen denoting their goods in Acts for even distribution. Islam states Salah the father of Hagar. The Arabs from her are, Haragites in scripture and, Hagarenes who conquered. Musri, Abu Dhabi near Saudi Arabia, Persian Peninsula and Mesopotamia is Hagar’s birthplace. Musri, Iraq in Ancient Babylon is possibility as well.
“And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,”
Genesis 10:26 KJV
“over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite: and over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's.”
1 Chronicles 27:30-31 KJV
“The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; Of Moab, and the Hagarenes;”
Psalm 83:6 KJV
“And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead.”
1 Chronicles 5:10 KJV
The Ebo of West Africa identify Eber as their predecessor. Eber means, “ cross over, Passover,’ referring to those whom passed over The Euphrates River. It was also the name of the region of Shemites in eferring to Abram as The Ebo - began in Egypt The Hebrew. Eboda - Abde is the region of The Nabateans, via Hagar. Abdes in Hebrew means, “ Slave.” Has a maidservants, Hagar was put away. Hagar was sold into The House of Pharaoh and entreated as a daughter, allowing her to be given to Sarah. Well ZamZam, according to Islam in where Hagar and Ishmael drank from when she was put away for the second time. Jacob is seen coming from the same place when Abraham’s servant is preparing Rebekah to marry Isaac’. The Ebo teaches if a man impregnates a woman he must marry her. If the man is found not taking care of his child, the elders will ask if he slept with the younger lady and require marriage. If marriage is not agreed upon, the bride price is paid and the child can now belong to the man. An unwed mother was considered as fertile deeming her best for marriage. Shall the child be born in the house of her father, the child will take her father’s name. In order for the children to get the inheritance of his father, the father must first bring honor to the woman.
And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.”
Genesis 10:24 KJV
“And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.”
Exodus 21:7-11 KJV
Midrash states Isaac went into Beer-lahai-roi Well, to gather Hagar and Ishmael to remarry Abraham. According to tradition, Hagar was the description of her societal role and Keturah is her name. Keturah means incense, in reference to those found in the cemeteries fore-mentioned. Ketar means, “ a joint, knot, shut-in, enclosed,” alluding to the covenant between Abraham and her remained until they remarried. Zimbran, Zambran, son of Keturah, went into Saudi Arabia, the location of ZamZam Well. Joktan originally inhabited the region. Jokshan, brother of Ishmael and Kedar, son of Ishmael, followed. Juxtaposition in scripture draws a correlation between chapters. Genesis 25:1 the word, “ again, yasaph” is rendered in the past tense for as in, the narrative previously happened. 1 Samuel 19:21 shows a repeated function of past times, using the same word. Deducing, the marriage of Keturah and Abraham was in place. Abraham was dying and had to ensure Ishmael would receive his inheritance and for more children. It is also custom for elders to marry when they have children seeking to marry.
“And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country.”
Genesis 24:62 KJV
“Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.”
Genesis 25:1-4 KJV
“ Rabbi Yudan said: The Torah teaches you that if an [unmarried] person has adult children, he should see to marrying them off first and then take a wife for himself. From whom do you learn it? From Abraham. First, “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah” and then, “Abraham took his wife again and her name was Ketura” (Genesis 25:1).
“And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.”
1 Samuel 19:20-21 KJV
“And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,”
Genesis 10:25-26 KJV
In my next blog, I will speak to the historicity of Jacob in Egypt. His wife Asenath, the meaning of her name and who she is. Providing dates and timelines to the biblical narrative is essential for prophetic accuracy.
“ WHEN SHE HAS A CHILD OUT OF WEDLOCK
(Ancient Tradition of Igbo People of Nigeria)
-- There is a deity in Awkuzu, Anambra State called Nengo. If a maiden gets pregnant and her lover denies the responsibility, the Priest of Nengo -- carrying his 'iyi': the sacred oath -- would approach the young man with a singular question: 'i laa ka ó na ilaaró?' (Did you sleep with her or didn't you?) --
It is almost impossible to find an old man in any community in Igbo land who is a bastard. The truth is that some of your relatives or even you were from a lineage of the 'Sons Born In The House' (nwa ime mkpuke) who were not claimed by their biological fathers. The ancient tradition accommodated such children. A child born in a man's compound automatically became his child - until the biological father came to claim the child.
Those children, if not claimed, lived a normal life, they joined the kindred, and lands were given to them. No one addressed them as 'Nwa ime mkpuke'. Some of them did not even know the truth for the tradition of the old forbid the stigmatization of those children. That is why there is no word for 'a Bastard' in the Igbo language, and also the reason it is impossible to find an old man in any community in Igbo land who was born out of wedlock. They are among us, and your fathers would never tell you about them - until a very serious dispute that requires the tracing of lineage comes up.
In some Igbo communities, a maiden who got pregnant outside wedlock brought shame to her family and lived with the baggage. She could still get married, but her dowry and pots of wine might not be complete; moreover, respectable prospects would not ask for her hand in marriage.
In those days, to avert the shame, the family of the girl would do everything to find out who impregnated their daughter, and if a suspect agreed, they would send the girl to him. But if he denied -- in a place like Awkuzu -- they would invite Nengo priest for oath swearing and a singular question: 'did you sleep with her or not?'.
(The Priest is not interested in your excuses, or number of other men that knew the girl, all he wants to know is if you have ever slept with the girl. Once you have ever slept with the girl, you must pay her dowry or face the wrath of the Nengo.)
But there are other parts of Igbo land where women that gave birth out of wedlock got married faster. Their reason was that if a girl gave birth in her father's house, it meant that she was productive - her husband would be rest assured that the girl is fertile. In those parts of Igbo land, such women (with a child out of wedlock) attracted the most eligible bachelors in the community.
-- It is not an abomination in Igbo land for a woman to get pregnant outside wedlock and there were records of abortions - 'ike ime' with herbs. --
Fornicators were not stoned to death, and such woman could marry according to her luck. But if the father of the child (born outside wedlock) later changed his mind and came for his child, he must perform every customary rites for marrying a woman before taking the child.
(note that the rites were performed just to take the child only - and not to take a wife also.)
Take for instance, if Obi put Ada in a family way and denied earlier being responsible, the child would become one with Ada's siblings. If Ada got married to another man, and Obi - having repented - wanted his child back, he must pay Ada's dowry, bring the pots of wine, and the tubers of yam before he could claim the child; while Ada would still be in her legal husband's house. If not, the child would remain in Ada's father's house, grow there like one of Ada's siblings.
So, the reason you do not know any of your bastard relatives is because there are no bastards in Igbo land. A child is a child. We do not reject humans or stigmatize them with a title. Children were seen - even in the past - as gifts from the gods. The term, 'Amaro Afo Ga Amu Eze' (loosely translated to 'You Do Not Know The Womb That Would Give Birth To A King') is normally used when a maiden gave birth in her father's house. It is more of a consolation or defence mechanism to accept whatever came.
The essence of this essay is not to promote promiscuity but to throw a beam on the traditions of the ancient African community using Igbo as a focal point (we - subsaharans - are somehow connected in our customs and traditions). We need to appreciate that our ancestors were conscientious humans that had laws and orders that governed them.
Permit me to share the powers of an Igbo woman tomorrow - Who decided who she married; If she would stay in a marriage or not; If she was free to have lovers.
Nwamaka is one of the oldest Igbo names meaning 'A Child Is Beautiful.' There were no bastards in Igbo land, they were sons and daughters of the soil, until the foreigners invaded. “
Ozii Baba Anieto
AJAMBELE
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