ISRAEL VS. SOUTHERN AFRICA

Explore a captivating comparison of the geographic and scriptural blueprint promised to Abraham’s descendants in Berĕ'shith 15:18 and Bamidbar 34, evaluating the modern state of Israel alongside a proposed region in Southern Africa, encompassing South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, and neighboring areas. Each point unfolds a meticulous analysis, inviting you to assess how these lands align with the B’rit’s features, revealing insights that challenge assumptions and spark anticipation for the evidence ahead.

Scripture: Berĕ'shith 15:18 NKJV – "On the same day YaHU'aH made a B'rit with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Mitsrayim to the great river, the River Euphrates—'"

Israel: Identifies Wadi el-Arish—a seasonal stream in the Sinai Peninsula—as this border, which contradicts the plain meaning of a major "river" in the Torah. This wadi, often dry, lacks the consistent flow and prominence implied by the covenant's description. Traditional views favor the Wadi el-Arish due to its proximity to Canaan, but its intermittent nature fails to match a perennial river like that of Mitsrayim.

Southern Africa: Aligns with the Nile River system, which is one of the world's most significant waterways. The Nile flows through eleven African countries and has been historically considered the longest river in the world, extending its influence deep into Africa's heart. Its vast drainage basin and role as Mitsrayim's lifeline—providing vital freshwater resources for millions—make it a superior match for the promised boundary. 

THE CONCLUSION:  

This undermines Israel’s claim to match the “River of Mitsrayim” mentioned in Genesis 15:18, which describes a substantial, consistently flowing boundary. Wadi el-Arish is not a true river—it is a dry seasonal stream (wadi) with little resemblance to the Nile-like characteristics described in Torah. Identifying this minor, intermittent channel as a covenant-defining border diminishes the scale and power of YaHU’aH’s promise and contradicts both the physical geography and scriptural intent.

The ancient Kingdom of Sheba—also called Saba—was a wealthy South Arabian civilization centered in present-day Yemen, with influence stretching into Ethiopia and Eritrea across the Red Sea. Known for its advanced irrigation systems like the Ma’rib Dam and grand temples to the deity Almaqah, Sheba thrived through trade in gold, spices, and incense. Biblically, it’s remembered in 

Israel: The Euphrates River lies over 400 miles northeast of the Israeli border. To include it within Israel's inheritance requires relying on temporary military campaigns (e.g., under David or Solomon) or tribute relationships (1 Kings 4:21), not covenantal possession. The territory never permanently extended to the Euphrates, and no natural geographical connection links it.

Southern Africa: Rather than forcing an ancient Near Eastern boundary to fit modern borders, Southern Africa aligns through prophetic alignment and inherited migration. The term "Euphrates" (Heb. Perat) means "fruitfulness" or "abundance" and served more as a symbolic outer limit than a fixed point in some texts. The covenant's actual dwelling was among the regions Abraham sojourned—linked prophetically to later locations in Kush, Sheba, and Pathros.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 11:11 NKJV – "It shall come to pass in that day That YaHU'aH shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Mitsrayim, From Pathros and Kush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea."

Oral traditions confirm that early Yahudyim migrated southward through Ethiopia, settling in regions now known as Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mozambique—all places rich with water, copper hills, and vast agricultural fertility, unlike the Levant.

THE CONCLUSION:   

The ancient Kingdom of Sheba—also called Saba—was a wealthy South Arabian civilization centered in present-day Yemen, with influence stretching into Ethiopia and Eritrea across the Red Sea. Known for its advanced irrigation systems like the Ma’rib Dam and grand temples to the deity Almaqah, Sheba thrived through trade in gold, spices, and incense. Biblically, it’s remembered in 1 Kings 10 for the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon, highlighting its distant yet prosperous reputation. Historical maps confirm its presence in the Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa, marking it as a key link in ancient commerce and prophecy. 

Scripture: Bamidbar 34:6 NKJV – "As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea for a border; this shall be your western border."

Israel: Located on the Mediterranean, commonly accepted as the "Great Sea" due to its supposed role in ancient Yahudyim history. Yet, the Mediterranean's size (1.14 million square miles) is dwarfed by the worldwide oceans, limiting its scope as the ultimate "Great Sea" in a covenant of vast proportions.

Southern Africa: Bordered by both the Atlantic Ocean (33 million square miles) and Indian Ocean (27 million square miles)—each vastly greater than the Mediterranean. This dual-ocean boundary aligns with the grandeur of a covenant land meant to surpass all others in scope and majesty.

THE CONCLUSION:  

This comparison proves that the traditional identification of the Mediterranean Sea as the “Great Sea” in the covenant borders may be geographically insufficient when judged by the scale and majesty described in the Torah. If the Promised Land is to be vast, fertile, and unrivaled—as described in Deuteronomy 11:11–12 and Genesis 15:18—then anchoring it to a relatively small, semi-enclosed sea like the Mediterranean calls the traditional Levant model into question.

In contrast, Southern Africa, bordered by the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, each tens of millions of square miles, offers a more fitting, expansive boundary for a land “not like Mitsrayim” but one “which drinks water from the rain of the shamayim” and is always under YaHU’aH’s care.

Scripture: Bamidbar 34:3 NKJV – "Your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom; then your southern border shall extend eastward to the end of the Salt Sea;"

Bamidbar 34:12 NKJV – "The border shall go down along the Jordan, and it shall end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its surrounding boundaries."

Israel: Possesses the Dead Sea—highly saline (33% salinity) but lifeless and agriculturally sterile, unable to support the covenant's implied fertility. Its extreme conditions make it a stark contrast to a land of abundance. Traditional views accept it due to its biblical mention, but its barrenness contradicts a fertile promise.

Southern Africa: Home to salt-rich lakes like Lake Natron, which, unlike the Dead Sea, lie near fertile, livestock-rich regions in Tanzania, fulfilling the promise of a balanced, productive land. These lakes support unique ecosystems, aligning with the covenant's vision.

THE CONCLUSION:  

This proves that the inclusion of the Dead Sea as a covenant boundary undermines the Torah’s promise of a fertile and abundant land. Deuteronomy 8:7–9 describes a land filled with water, life, and agricultural richness—not lifeless salt flats. The Dead Sea, with no aquatic life and no surrounding fertility, stands in contradiction to the land YaHU’aH described as one where "you will eat bread without scarcity" and "lack nothing." Its presence as a defining border in the traditional Levant model reveals a critical mismatch between geography and prophecy. 

Scripture: Bamidbar 34:12 NKJV – "The border shall go down along the Jordan, and it shall end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its surrounding boundaries."

Israel: Jordan River today is diminished, heavily diverted for irrigation, and polluted, with reduced flow (down 96% since the 1960s). Once a vital waterway, it no longer reflects the covenant's promise of a thriving land. Traditionalists uphold its historical role, but its degraded state undermines the vision of vitality.

Southern Africa: Rivers like the Zambezi, Orange, and Limpopo remain natural, powerful, and pristine, with the Zambezi alone flowing for 2,574 km through six nations. These rivers match the land "drinking from the rain of the shamayim" — Deuteronomy 11:10–12 NKJV:

"For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Mitsrayim from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of shamayim, a land for which YaHU'aH your AL'uah cares; the eyes of YaHU'aH your AL'uah are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year."

This evidence underscores the continuing vitality and divine alignment of Southern Africa's rivers versus the ecological decline of the Jordan River.

THE CONCLUSION:  

This proves that the Jordan River, once central to the inheritance promise, can no longer support the scriptural vision of a land “flowing with brooks, fountains, and springs” as described in Deuteronomy 8:7. A river reduced by 96%, polluted, and heavily diverted cannot fulfill the expectation of natural, life-giving abundance. Its present condition undermines the credibility of the Levant as the enduring Promised Land and raises the question: If the river no longer flows, is the covenant land truly there? 

Scripture:  Deuteronomy 8:7–9 NKJV
“For YaHU'aH your AL'uah is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper.”

Israel: Modern-day Israel produces over 90% of its freshwater through artificial desalination systems. Without manmade irrigation and chemical enhancement, its natural landscape cannot sustain the crops listed in Deuteronomy 8. The promised abundance is replaced with dependency on technology. According to Drippro’s agricultural report, the region’s agriculture would collapse without human systems.

Southern Africa: Regions such as the Western Cape, Zimbabwean highlands, and Zambia thrive through natural rainfall and soil fertility. As confirmed by the FAO, these lands support wheat, barley, figs, pomegranates, vines, honey, and natural oils without irrigation.

THE CONCLUSION:  

This proves that Israel's survival depends on manmade systems, not the natural fertility described in Torah. According to Deuteronomy 11:10–12, the land should “drink water from the rain of the shamayim,” not require desalination plants and drip irrigation to produce crops. If the land must be sustained by technology instead of rain-fed abundance, then it contradicts the divinely promised provision and fails the covenant test of being a self-sustaining inheritance. 

Israel's heavy reliance on desalination and irrigation technology, versus Southern Africa's natural agricultural fertility and sustainable water resources is a clear distinction.

Scripture:  Deuteronomy 8:9 NKJV
"A land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper."

Israel: The once-thriving Timna copper mines in Israel ceased activity in the 9th century BCE due to environmental collapse. Today, Israel lacks active copper mines and has limited mineral wealth. Its modern economy relies on imports and high-tech industry rather than natural resources. The barren hills and shallow mineral reserves no longer reflect the covenant’s promised abundance of metals.

Southern Africa: The Zambian Copperbelt, extending into the Democratic Republic of Congo, produces over 800,000 tons of copper annually, making it one of the richest copper-producing regions on Earth. South Africa, Zimbabwe, and surrounding areas also contain vast iron reserves, naturally fulfilling the Torah’s vision of hills rich with extractable copper and iron. No artificial stimulation is needed—this mineral wealth remains active and accessible today.

THE CONCLUSION:  

Israel's copper mines proves that the modern-day land fails to meet the Torah’s promise of enduring, abundant natural resources. While Deuteronomy 8:9 describes a land whose hills yield iron and copper, Israel’s once-productive Timna mines have collapsed and are no longer active. Today, the region lacks significant mineral wealth and relies instead on imports and technology, not the land itself. This stands in contrast to the ongoing, natural abundance found in Southern Africa, thereby disqualifying Israel as the land described in the covenant—if we go strictly by scripture and geography. 

Scripture: Berĕ'shith 15:19–21 NKJV – "The Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

Israel: Archaeological claims of Canaanite presence rely on stone ruins and fragments, with no living descendants to confirm the listed nations' displacement. Evidence is indirect, tied to pottery and inscriptions. Traditionalists rely on these artifacts, but their lack of direct ties to the listed nations weakens the claim.

Southern Africa: Matches post-exilic regathering regions, with awakening Qahal (e.g., Lemba people with Semitic genetic markers) fulfilling prophetic promises. These communities in Southern Africa align with Ezekiel 36:24 NKJV – "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land." and Deuteronomy 30:3 NKJV – "That YaHU'aH your AL'uah will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where YaHU'aH your AL'uah has scattered you." from captivity to the southern continent.

THE CONCLUSION: 

This proves that modern Israel lacks verifiable, living continuity with the nations named in the covenant boundaries of Genesis 15:19–21. The presence of Canaanite or Amorite artifacts like pottery or stone structures does not confirm actual possession or displacement as required by Scripture. Without identifiable descendants or a clear record of these ten nations being overtaken and replaced by the seed of Abraham, the archaeological case remains circumstantial. This weakens Israel’s claim to being the land of covenant fulfillment, as true possession requires historical and prophetic alignment—not just ruins. 

Scripture: Ezekiel 36:28 NKJV – "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your AL'uah."

Israel: Burial sites in Hebron are under intense conflict, with restricted access and competing claims, undermining the Torah's promise of peaceful stewardship. The Cave of the Patriarchs is heavily militarized, far from a divine inheritance. Traditional claims to Hebron rely on contested sites, undermining divine stewardship.

Southern Africa: Natural stone caves, untouched tomb regions (e.g., Mapungubwe's sacred sites), and cattle-based patriarchal culture reflect an ancient Yahudyim presence. Oral traditions, like those of the Lemba, support a pre-colonial heritage outside Roman influence, aligning with the covenant land.

THE CONCLUSION:

This highlights that modern Israel’s Hebron—where the patriarchs were buried—does not reflect the peace, ownership, or unhindered access promised in Ezekiel 36:28: "You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers…" Instead of peaceful inheritance, Hebron is surrounded by military checkpoints, political tension, and divided governance. This contradicts the prophetic vision of divine restoration and secure dominion over the land. If the very tombs of Abraham, Yitsḥaq, and Ya’aqob are in dispute, the promise of settled possession remains unfulfilled in the Levant.

Scripture: Isaiah 6:11 NKJV – "Then I said, 'YaHU'aH, how long?' And He answered: 'Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate,'"

Jeremiah 9:11 NKJV – "I will make Yarushalayim a heap of ruins, a den of jackals. I will make the cities of Yahudah desolate, without an inhabitant."

Israel: Was never fully desolate, with continuous occupation by Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, and British from antiquity to modernity. This unbroken habitation contradicts the Neḇiym's prophecy of total desolation before restoration. Continuous habitation contradicts the prophesied desolation.

Southern Africa: Large interior highlands and ancient dwellings, like Great Zimbabwe's ruins, remained vacant for centuries, untouched by colonial powers until recent times. This desolation preserves the land for the Yahudyim's prophesied regathering, fulfilling the Torah's vision.

NOTE: This reveals a critical contradiction: the land of Israel was never truly "utterly desolate" as prophesied in Isaiah 6:11 and Jeremiah 9:11, where YaHU’aH declares the land would be “without inhabitant” and “utterly desolate” until restoration. From the Romans to the British, historical records confirm constant occupation in the Levant, undermining the prophetic requirement that the covenant land must first be emptied before regathering. Therefore, this continuous settlement disqualifies the modern Israeli territory from fulfilling the prophetic restoration described by the prophets.

CONCLUSION: 

THE LAND TESTIFIES The Levant fails to fulfill YaHU’aH’s promise geographically, agriculturally, or prophetically without colonial aid or reinterpretation. Southern Africa is:  

• Abundant in natural rain, crops, rivers, and copper  
• Untouched in core ancestral regions  
• Hosting a true spiritual awakening among the scattered tribes
  The only land consistent with both the Torah and the Earth. Yarushalayim is not in Europe’s claim—it lives where the rivers of Kush flow.