Copyright (C) History Research Projects, Sydney 2000

The story of the peoples of Turkey originates in Genesis Chapter twenty-five with the birth of Edom (Esau), son of Isaac. Edom married Nebojoth, a daughter of Ishmael. Ishmael was himself half Egyptian, and having married an Egyptianitess, his offspring were three-quarters Egyptian. Esau also married two Canaanitesses (Gen 28:9; 36:2-3). This meant that Edom’s offspring was approximately 50% Canaanite, 32% White and 18% Egyptian - a mixed people, but one which was very Asiatic in physical appearance (‘Semitic’ as labelled by anthropologists). 

The Bible clearly shows that some of the Edomites inhabited the region of Petra and Mount Seir (Gen 32:3) and contains the first recorded history of Petra[i]. The Egyptian Execration Texts (c 1800BC) mention the Edomites as chiefs of clans and itinerant pastoralists, but overall what is recorded of them may be found in a very few texts. The pattern of tent-dwelling nomadic lifestyle appears to have continued to about the 7th century BC.  

Some of them moved westwards and became Hellenised and Judaized. As a result they became known as Idumaeans. Herod the Great was an Idumaean. Probably in the 7th century BC, the Nabataeans, a nomadic Arabic tribe appear in the land of the Edomites, replacing them or displacing in some, yet unspecified way. Historians claim that the sedentary state of the Edomites had practically ceased under the lax rule of the Persians and the Edomites must have migrated out of southern Jordan: “of these early migrations we know nothing”[ii]. 

                                         The Sons of Edom

—           Eliphaz:

                      Teman

                      Omar

                      Zepho

                      Gatam

                      Kenaz

                      Amalek

—           Reuel:

                      Nahath

                      Zerah

                      Shammah

                      Mizzah

— Jehush

— Jaalam

— Korah 

They may have either intermarried with some of the Edomites and pushed the rest of them out of their homeland and into Hebron[iii]. When Nebuchadnezzar invaded the region he took them into captivity with the result that most of them disappeared from history for hundreds of years. Others were forced by John Hyrcanus “to integrate into not only the Jewish state but also into the Jewish religion” according to Iain Browning in his marvellous work Petra[iv]. Where did they go to? What became of a whole nation of people? Did they simple ‘disappear’ from view permanently, or may they be found as a nation or nations today? 

The Descendants of Teman  

Each specific son of Edom is virtually impossible to trace, but Teman a grandson via Eliphaz (whose mother was Adah, the Hittite) became pre-eminent among his brethren, the leading tribe. The region of Persia and Turkestan became known as the “Land of Temani” after him. 

One of the kings of Temani was Husham. He is the King Hushan or Hushang of ancient history. His native land was in Persia, indicating that even at such an early date the Edomites were migrating out of Palestine and surrounding districts. Many of the Edomites dwelt in northern Persia at this time. This is the culture which historians refer to as Sialk I and Sialk II (Chashmah Aly) which is connected to Turkestan according to studies in pottery.[v] 

The Edomites named the rocky Persian and Turkestan plateaus the ‘land of Temani’. Historians pick up the story tracing the Turkic peoples. Many of them, known as the Oghuz or Uighurs, poured out of Central Asia and Turkestan and into Asia Minor in the 11th century. Their tribal ancestors, known as the Ertoghrul[viii], carved out the Seljuk and Ottoman empires. Many of their tribe remain in Turkestan or Turkmenia to this day[ix]. The indelible stamp of the name Teman was carried into modern history in the form of the Ottoman Empire[x] (note “O Teman”or O-Thman in Obadiah 9 - Ottoman). Here dwell most of Teman's descendants. Prophecy predicted that they would control the Dardanelles (Ob 14). The Khazars even called the Byzantium Emperor, “King of Edom”! It is to modern Turkey that the Central Asian Turks look to for leadership and as an example for modernisation[xi]. WOE to the West should these people ever unite under a strong leader ever again and confederate as a Gog in collusion with Meshech, Tubal and Magog! In World War One, had the Central Powers together with Turkey been successful, their intentions for Central Asia were as follows: 

Will the modern-day descendants of Edom ally themselves, at least temporarily, with the Assyrians (Germans) and their European allies? See Daniel 11:41 and Ps 83:1-8. 

Historians admit that the origins of the Turks is shrouded in mystery[xiii]. The Chinese called them T’u-chueh, apparently derived from the name Turket, which means to be strong or forceful, ie a warrior people. The Chinese annals reveal that the Turks were originally a branch of the Hsiung-nu (Huns) and indeed, the T'u-chueh claimed descent from the Huns. Their homeland was in the Altai mountains in Outer Mongolia, but whether they came circuitously via the Zagros Mountains, where a tribe was known as the Turukkaeans, cannot be ascertained at this stage[xiv].  

Many of them were known as Huns (Hsiung-nu of the Chinese annals) which included other peoples in a confederation, but were primarily Turkics. They were more mobile than earlier nomads, having given up cattle breeding and were skillful archers, mounted on horseback, slaying quickly their opponents, giving them speedy consequitive victories. Their attacks upon northern China stimulated the building of the Great Wall in the third century BC by the Ch'in (or Qin) Dynasty. They were eventually defeated and the eastern part absorbed and placed under the control of China. The western hordes invaded Europe, overcoming the Alans in 370AD, the Ostrogoths, Visigoths and extended their influence into Germany and the Balkans. Under Attila the Hun they invaded Italy and when he died and after a major defeat, they disappear from history.  In any event, the Turks were subject for many years to the Juan-Juan (possibly descendants of Javan) until 552AD when they overthrew their yoke - from this time forth they grew in stature and strength until they forged their own empire. But when they were overthrown by their Mongol neighbours in 744AD, they migrated to again the west and south coming into contact with the Islamics. The Ottoman Turks came over to Islam in the 10th century. This religion was very attractive for a number of reasons: it was intrinsically suitable to a warrior people; it had wonderful rewards, particularly for fighting-men who die in war ‘in the Path of Allah’[xv]. The Turks have remained overwhelmingly Islamic ever since. Also, all the Central Asian republics are Islamic: 

·              Kazakhstan - 17 million population - 42% Kazakhs, 38% Russian, 4.5% Ukrainian

·              Kirghizia - 4.6 million population - 52.5% Kirghiz, 21.5% Russian, 13% Uzbeks

·              Tadjikistan - 5.3 million population - 59% Tadjiks, Uzbeks 23%, 10.5% Russian

·              Turkmenia - 3.8 million population - 68.5% Turkmen, 12.5% Russian, 8.5% Uzbeks

·              Uzbekistan - 20.4 million population- 68.8% Uzbeks, 10.8% Russian, 4.2% Tatars 

Thus the vast majority of the tribes of Central Asia are Turkic by language and Islamic by religion. Still many others, though in the minority, dwell within Xinjiang province in China (the Uygur - 6 or 7 millions[xvi]), northern Afghanistan, parts of north-west Iran and are basically pastoralists (14 millions), Russia, Mongolia and even Armenia. The majority of Azerbaijanis are racial Turks. Some show a mixture with Caucasoids or Mongoloids. Others appear to have fair hair which reflects admixture with the Kurds[xvii]. Only the Tatars, alone of all the Turkic groups, is not provided with a homeland, although their numbers almost equal that of the Khirgiz[xviii]; they are scattered across all of the Central Asian republics and Russia. 

Hundreds of thousands of Turks dwell in south-east Europe to this day, remnants of the hordes which invaded Europe centuries ago. They approached Europe from the south of the Caspian Sea and crossed the Euphrates in 1063AD and occupied Asia minor 21 years later; Jerusalem itself was conquered in 1071AD. After two centuries, the Ottoman Turks advanced into Phrygia and into the Balkan Peninsula: Macedonia was overrun in 1373, Sophia in 1385, Constantinople in 1453 and Hungary from 1552 to 1687. To this day, the memories of invading Huns, Turks and Mongols have seared deeply the conscience of Europe and they have great fears of invasions from the East.  

The Kazakhs, Turkmenians and Uzbeks are Turks by race, but many of the latter group have an admixture of Mongoloid and Tadjik blood[xix]. The Uzbeks and a close relative, the Nogai tribe, descend from the ancient Kipchak and Kazak clans[xx]. The Kazaks often rebelled against authority and preferred a rover’s life to submission. Kazak is an old Turkish word which means vagabond. The white Russians who were later also applied this name, were so called as they also wished to live a similar life (ie Cossacks). The Tadzhiks or Tajiks are not Turks by race, but are culturally and religiously identified with them[xxi]. However, they claim to be of Arab descent via Persia and border on that country. Many of their ethnic group dwell across the border in Afghanistan. Historians and anthropologists classify them as Persians ethnically. Some believe that the name derives from the Arabic Taz or Taj, which was the general label given to mixed descendants of Arabs who conquered much of southern Persia. 

One should digress slightly here to briefly make mention of the ethnic diversity of Afghanistan. The country is made up of some twenty distinct ethnic peoples, the most prominent being the Pashtuns in the south, and the Turkoman, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Nuristanis, Aimaqs and Hazaras in the northern, western and central regions. The Pathans are considered to be true Afghans. Upon scientific analysis of their physical characteristics given modern anthropological and human biological methodologies, they appear to be of the Turko-Iranian type with a considerable mixture of Indian within their eastern clans. One story ascribes them to Israelitish origin, the Beni Israel, descended via Qais from King Saul. But, except for some minor aspects such as a number of Biblical names and certain facial features to substantiate such a story, there is nothing substantial to support the theory. Also, their language has not the remotest generic relationship to Hebrew or Aramaic.  

Some few Pathans reflect clear Nordic, Dinaric and even a little Mongoloid influences. Researcher Fraser-Tytler feels that the Pathans were originally descended from the Indo-Europeans, but over time mixed with other races to barely resemble the original type whatsoever. They occupy the south, inner west and a few are the ruling landed elite in the north. Many of their number dwell across the border in Pakistan. Should a civil war, based on the traditional north/south conflicts, ever tear the country apart, the various ethnic groups will probably be reunited with their relatives across the border and the Pathans with their Pashtun brothers in north-eastern Pakistan. 

The Ghilzais are of Turkish origin and descended from the Khalaj tribe, a part of the larger Qarluq or Khallak confederacy. They migrated across the Oxus, perhaps with the Ephthalites into Afghanistan Major subdivisions consist of Turan and Buran with the clans of Tokhi, Hotak, Andar and Taraki. To the north of the Hindu Kush a considerable number of the tribes are clearly Turkish, the most numerous being the Uzbeks; others are the Turkmen, Khirghiz, Kazaks, Qarluq and Chagatai. A few Mongoloids, the Hazarahs were brought into the land by Chenghiz Khan or another later Mongol ruler. Unlike the other tribes which border with relatives in other countries, the Hazarahs have ended up in the very centre of the country, cut off from their kinsmen. And, unlike most of the country, they are Shiite Moslems (ie the Islam of neighbouring Iran). Because of their Shi’a faith and Mongolian origins, they have suffered immense persecution, slavery or neglect at the hands of the Pathan/Sunni ruling class.  

Their are also some tribes in Afghanistan resembling swarthy Dravidians as we shall see in a later chapter and also a few Arabs. 

Let us return to the story flow. The Kirghiz in particular were known to be rather savage. Bordering on China, they are Mongoloid peoples (Magog) in the main. They regard themselves as the most beautiful of all races for, according to their aesthetic views, God made them with bones prominent like the horse, an animal which was the crowning work of creation, in their eyes[xxii]. Their name has an interesting origin: Kir means field and gis or gez is the root of the word gizmelt (wander); in other words their name in Turkish means that they are wanderers in the field - nomads[xxiii]. Their homeland is so vast that it is roughly one third the size of the United States. 

Other place-names which may assist in identifying Edom, Amalek, and Teman are:  

—                      Amalik city in central Asia

—                      Tarim River once called the Yumalak-Darya

—                      Town of Edomka in Siberia

—                      Toman Agha in Afghanistan

—                      Odomantes tribe in Greece and the Odomantis region of Armenia identified by Strabo[xxiv] whom Herodotus calls the Siro-Painones which may derive from Seir[xxv]. While Ptolemy refers to the province of Odomantica and town of Idomene in Macedonia and Idymus in Lydia.[xxvi] 

The Fierce Turkic Tribes 

The Turkic tribes were defeated and ruled by the Chinese for a century in the 7th century AD. In 751AD the Arabs, entering Turkestan by way of Persia defeated the Chinese and ruled until the 13th century, after which the land of Turkestan has been ruled by Turks and Mongols until the Great Russian conquests[xxvii]. The Mongol conquests beginning early 13th century under Genghiz Khan was especially cruel and bloody. For instance, in 1220 the Mongol hordes entered and sacked the major Turkic cities of Bukhara, Samarkand and Merv - the population was systematically murdered, raped and enslaved. Almost the entire populations of these cities were massacred, although the artisans were spared but horribly enslaved. Also, the famous irrigation dams were inexplicably destroyed. 

The Turkomen character was famous for its fierceness and marauding activities  

The greatest Turkic empire was established by Tamerlane (Timur i Leng or Timur the Lame which is Aksak Temur in Turkish), who was renowned and feared having conquered foreign lands and peoples from India to the Mediterranean and having built a fantastic capital at Samarkand in Uzbekistan. He was proclaimed the sovereign of Bakhara in 1370 after many a conflict with other rivals mounted the throne at Samarkand, the capital. He defeated the Golden Horde in 1395 and formed his own oppressive empire. Cruelty and ruthlessness followed his armies wherever they invaded: whole populations were slaughtered, towns razed to the ground and slaves and treasure were brought from afar to build up his capital (Samarkand) and native town (Shahr-i-Sabz).  

His terrible plundering hordes he led to the Persian Gulf, the Hellespont and even to the Ganges River! He was on his way to invade China when he was overtaken in death. We can only speculate what incredible manpower this Gog leader would have had at his disposal to eventually invade Europe should he have had marshalled the hordes of the Far East. The Elizabethan poet Christopher Marlowe is famous for the drama Tamburlaine in which Tamerlane is portrayed as an insane monster. Yet, like so many power driven and even demon-led dictators, he is less well known for the encouragement he gave to science and the arts as well as to the construction of vast public works. After his death, as is so often the case when a strong leader dies, his empire is divided. Group after group set up khanates and petty kingdoms (eg Bukhara and Khiva in Uzbekistan; perhaps the latter may be related to the Hivites whom Edom intermarried into). 

 By Peter Salemi

Dozens of prophecies concerning Turkey fill the pages of God's Word. Everywhere you read Edom, Esau, Seir, Idumea or Bozrah in the prophets, it is referring to these people, particularly to Turkey, a nation of some 55 millions. The entire prophecy of Obadiah is a blistering message of warning to the Turks!

But First let see prophecies that have already been fulfilled concerning Edom.