Abstract
To explain some obscure ancient biblical religious customs and rituals, western scholars often resort to a comparison of the Israelites and Bedouins who have retained their traditional customs from time immemorial. This being the case, it is amazing that western scholars have not seriously considered Africa’s possible contribution to Israel’s religio- culture, given the fact that some of the African ethnic groups, who may have been in contact with Israel in ancient times, have maintained their customs and religious traditions to this day. Some biblical texts seem to suggest that Africa impacted the religion of the Israelites during their long stay in Egypt. The references to Africa (Egypt) raises these questions. “What does the biblical text imply by saying that the Israelites multiplied and became a mighty nation while living in Africa? Why does the biblical text say that Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Jacob and Jesus visited or lived in Africa for a long time?’’ Questions such as these demand a systematic study of the Egyptian ethnic groups during the long Israelite sojourn in Africa. A cursory examination of some biblical texts suggests that Africans, and not only Arabs, occupied Egypt on many occasions. Therefore, a comparison of some of the African religio-cultural practices might disclose the possibility of African influence on the religion and culture of the Israelites.