The late Biblical scholar and historian, W.H. Bennett, spent much of his lifetime researching the subject of heraldry pertaining to the tribes of Israel. (After his name appears the designation F.R.G.S. He was a long-time Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society of Great Britain.) This book originally appeared in installments on the weekly church page of the Windsor Star Newspaper in Ontario, Canada, and was finally revised, expanded and consolidated into this present book. Over 175 maps, charts and illustrations provide visual testimony for the well-researched text of nearly 250 pages (236 + xii), plus 26 pages of indexes. In addition, an accomplished artist, Ruth Lincoln, prepared beautiful original color artwork to make this a book you will treasure. We find that we refer to it often on historical or Biblical questions that arise.

       Many people who have provided feedback after reading it consider this the best book ever written on the two houses of Israel and the so-called “lost tribes” of Israel. Not only the large number of illustrations, but the tremendous amount of fascinating new research, found nowhere else in one place, are the reason for the plaudits received. Let us look at some of the book’s highlights.

       The chapter on Israel and the Exodus will strengthen your faith in the Bible and its recorded history. The author writes, “Some historians say that there is no contemporary account of the Exodus in Egyptian records. But several ancient records did report that a Semitic people called Danaan were expelled from Egypt, and sailed to Greece to establish the early Greek civilization. Could the fabled Danaan be a reference to the Biblical tribe of Dan and part of the Hebrew Exodus? William Ridgeway’s Early Age of Greece (p.220) dated the Danaan Exodus from Egypt as 1450 B.C., which is virtually identical to Adam Rutherford’s date of the Hebrew Exodus of 1453 B.C…It is clear that both events took place during the same period of Egyptian history, yet two different Egyptian Exoduses did not occur at the same time. In coming chapters, we present historic evidence indicating that the Danaan were the seafaring Biblical tribe of Dan and therefore a part of the Hebrew Exodus.” (page 31)

       The book also quotes a Greek historian who recorded that the early Greek Danaan were a Semitic people. Quotes from ancient historians such as Hecataeus of Abdera, Strabo, and Diodorus Siculus are provided to show that the Israelite sojourn in Egypt and the Exodus were historic events. It is surprising that this excellent research has not appeared together in book form before.

       In the next chapter, the author discusses the camp of Israel and its prophetic significance long ignored by mainstream writers. Israel traveled in the Wilderness in the form of a square, with three tribes on each of four sides. Mr. W.H. Bennett states, “These four standards of a lion, a man, an eagle, and an ox were called ‘the four living creatures’ in Ezekiel chapter 1…These heraldic symbols are also alluded to as the ‘four beasts’ in the Book of Revelation chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 18, and 19.” (page 38)

       In his chapter on “The Throne Of The Lord,” Mr. Bennett gives evidence from Scripture that the Davidic Covenant was “unconditional and irrevocable.” (page 43) For example, we read in Second Samuel 6:12-16, “…thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever.” Furthermore, Biblical evidence shows that Israel’s government was a constitutional theocracy.

       The chapter entitled, “Israel and Judah” points out, “Although both houses of Israel and Judah were genetic Israelites, yet the ten tribes were distinguished by their own particular distinctive terms, as shown by Amos, one of their leading prophets.” (page 45) Quoting from a leading Jewish scholar, the book shows that “the people and nation of the two tribes are variously called Judah, the house of Judah, or the kingdom of Judah, but never ‘Israel’.” (page 44) There is a great amount of Bible misunderstanding among Christians today; one of the main reasons is a failure to understand that there is a distinction between the two houses of Israel. Mr. Bennett states, “No understanding of Bible history or prophecy is possible without a clear picture of the distinction between the two sections of the Israelites, called Israel and Judah.” (page 45)

       The chapter on “The Fall Of Israel And Judah,” discusses the conquest and exile of each of the two Hebrew nations, and the entirely separate outcome to their situations. The House of Israel was conquered first at the hands of the Assyrian army and settled in three main regions across the northern border of the Assyrian Empire. Over a century later, the House of Judah was conquered by Babylon and exiled for seventy years, after which a remnant returned. Author Bennett analyzes numerous prophecies concerning the fate of each of these Houses, or branches, of the Hebrew people.

       Here is an example of the perceptive understanding of the author concerning these prophecies. He writes, “The Prophet Zechariah in chapter 10, verses 8 and 9 tells us of Ephraim, ‘I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and THEY SHALL INCREASE as they have increased. And I will sow them among the people: and THEY SHALL REMEMBER ME IN FAR COUNTRIES; and they shall live with their children and TURN AGAIN.’ Here is a prophecy of the Reformation in Europe, which did take place in ‘far countries’, where Israel did ‘increase’ in numbers greatly, and did ‘turn again’ to faith in God, all exactly as Zechariah foretold. The Scriptures tell us that in the wilderness, Ephraim-Israel would become ‘sons of the Living God’ (Hosea 1:10), ‘find grace in the wilderness’ (Jeremiah 31:2), ‘enter the bond of the covenant’ (Ezekiel 20:37), and ‘give glory unto God’ (Isaiah 42:10-12). The Speaker’s Commentary on Hosea 1:10 says, ‘This, surely, is a description of Christian blessedness.’ Truly, Bible prophecy was being fulfilled in the Wilderness when the tribes of Israel accepted the light of Christ.” (pages 51-52)

       Succeeding chapters of Mr. W.H. Bennett’s book deal with many more subjects of interesting and important value for an accurate understanding of the Bible. This review continues on the separate page listing the soft-cover edition of this book, and includes a reproduction of the index with chapter titles, and a review of Mr. Bennett’s research into the twelve early tribes that entered Europe from the Mideast and Asia in the early pre and post-Christian centuries.

       This book is available in hard cover for US$20 and a soft cover version for US$16. We believe that you will enjoy and learn much from the scholarly insights in this book!

      Over 175 maps, charts, and illustrations, as well as twelve valuable appendices, help tell the story of these lost Israelites. The information contained in this book is an important key to understanding the fulfillment of the Biblical promises and covenants in our modern world. A unique study! Almost 250 pages (236+ xii). Hard cover case bound, 6 x 9 inches, with full-color artwork printed right on the cover, no dust jacket.

     An excerpt from the chapter on the Saxons in this book may be read at http://israelite.info/bookexcerpts/storyofceltosaxonisrael.html