The 13th Tribe – the Khazars
The 13th Tribe (Manasseh)“Arthur Koestler called his work "The Thirteenth Tribe" because he believed the Khazars were non-Israelites who had set themselves up to be the same as Israelites alongside the Twelve Tribes of Israel. There are in effect Thirteen Israelite Tribes. The Khazars were of Israelite descent. By making themselves Tribe 13 the Khazars became what they really had been supposed to be all along.” - The British-Israel-World Federation
http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/13trindx.htm
The information below is from the British-Israel website and shows the 13th tribe has been created: Ephraim is Great Britain and Manasseh is the United States. The British royal family claims to be from the Tribe of Benjamin.This book traces the history of the ancient Khazar Empire, a major but almost forgotten power in Eastern Europe, which in the Dark Ages became converted to Judaism. Khazaria was finally wiped out by the forces of Genghis Khan, but evidence indicates that the Khazars themselves migrated to Poland and formed the cradle of Western Jewry.
The Khazars' sway extended from the Black Sea to the Caspian, from the Caucasus to the Volga, and they were instrumental in stopping the Muslim onslaught against Byzantium, the eastern jaw of the gigantic pincer movement that in the West swept across northern Africa and into Spain.
In the second part of this book, "The Heritage," Mr. Koestler speculates about the ultimate faith of the Khazars and their impact on the racial composition and social heritage of modern Jewry. He produces a large body of meticulously detailed research in support of a theory that sounds all the more convincing for the restraint with which it is advanced. Yet should this theory be confirmed, the term "anti-Semitism" would become void of meaning, since, as Mr. Koestler writes, it is based "on a misapprehension shared by both the killers and their victims. The story of the Khazar Empire, as it slowly emerges from the past, begins to look like the most cruel hoax which history has ever perpetrated."
The Khazars - Israelite Tribes in Exile
http://britam.org/khazars.html
EPHRAIM AND MANASSEHThe Khazars were a powerful people who once ruled over portions of Russia and Eastern Europe. They (or at least many of their leaders), converted to Judaism and were eventually defeated and disappeared. Their descendants were either assimilated amongst the Jews or became Sabbath-keeping and other “divergent” Christians, many (if not most), of whom, migrated to the west and to North America. Other descendants of the Khazars may be scattered throughout the former area of the U.S.S.R. and in different parts of Europe. A knowledge of the Khazars is useful for several reasons. Evidence exists that the Khazars were descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel. There is also proof that they were related to peoples in Western Europe. It follows that evidence connecting the ancestors of some West European groups to Israel is strengthened when cognizance is taken of the Israelite ancestry of their Khazar brothers.
http://www.ensignmessage.com/archives/ephraim.html
The Khazars, Manasseh, and the USATo fully appreciate the significance of the blessing of Joseph's two sons, we need to understand some background with regard to both history and prophecy in relation to Israel. The promises to the tribes of Israel were specifically reserved for the "Last Days", or "Christian Era" - Genesis 49:1, Hebrews 1:1,2. The rebellion of the ten tribes in the North, against the Throne of David, in the time of Solomon's son, Rehoboam, is foretold in 1 Kings 11:9-13, and 29-32.
This northern ten-tribe division retained the name Israel. The tribe of Judah in the South was granted the loyal support of the tribe of Benjamin, and was collectively known as Judah.
Understanding this division of Israel and Judah is essential, in order to rightly apply prophecy. 2 Kings 17 gives a summary of how, because of sin, God took ten-tribe Israel away from the throne of Judah, and eventually caused them to go into exile in Assyria. They did not return!
The fact is, both Ezra and Nehemiah record that only 42,360 of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, returned to Judea from exile in Babylon, together with a "mixed multitude" see Ezra 2:64, Nehemiah 7:66, 13:3. From these, the Jews of Jesus' day descended.
It is clear therefore, that to identify Israel in both history and prophecy we have to distinguish Israel from the Jews. It was prophesied that Israel would lose their identity; God referred to them as "not my people", in other words, a people who would not be identified as Israel (Hosea 1:10, 2:23), yet we may identify Israel by the destiny they were to fulfill! I Chronicles 5:1 tells us the "Birthright was given unto the Sons of Joseph". This means that, through the descendants of the Sons of Joseph, God would fulfill the great promises of Israel's greatness! That greatness included the promise given to Jacob in Genesis 35:11:
"I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply: a Nation and a Company of Nations shall be of thee, and Kings shall come out of thy loins... "
Clearly Israel was to be a Nation with a Monarchy, which would expand to become a "Company of Nations"!
The account of the blessing of Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, is recorded in Genesis Chapter 48. It is staggering that Jacob chose his grandsons, the sons of Joseph to be bearers of the Birthright. That birthright was the passing on of the promises given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob himself! This included the promise given to Jacob that his seed would become a "Nation and Company of Nations"! The reason was that, though they were actually his grandsons, Jacob adopted the sons of Joseph as his own sons. It was, in fact, the highest honour he could give to Joseph, that his sons would not only be equal with the other sons of Jacob, but would have the birthright. Yet Jacob went further than this. Although Manasseh was the elder of the two lads, whilst giving both Ephraim and Manasseh a share of the birthright, Jacob gave the firstborn-portion to Ephraim! In fact, Ephraim is God's firstborn! (Jeremiah 31:9)
http://www.britam.org/khazariamanaseh.html
"The Khazars. Tribe 13" shows that the Khazars became a powerful and important people. They converted to Judaism. They had originated in Israel as Israelites but lost their Israelite Identity. By converting and identifying anew as Jews they regained the ability to express their Israelite ancestry.
The Khazars were at first to be found in places where the Lost Tribes had been exiled to. They were first noticed in Azerbaijan and in Hara to the east. These were places the Assyrians had transferred Israelite Exiles from Samaria to. They were also found to the south and north of the Caucasus, and in the regions of the Don and Dneister Rivers that were identified with the River of Sambation. According to the Sages both the Caucasus Mountains and the Sambation River were places the Ten Tribes had been taken.
In both these areas do we find the Khazars at the beginning of their history. Archaeological and historical records concerning peoples who had lived in the areas of the Khazars before the Khazars appeared are also consistent with Israelite origins. Before the Khazars there had been the Scythians, the Agathyrsi, and the Gothic forerunners of the Orenburg Culture. The Scythians had emerged from the Middle East area while the Orenburg Culture on the Volga River derived from Assyrian and Persian antecedents.
The Assyrians had exiled the Ten Tribes. The Assyrians had taken them to several areas including the "Cities of the Medes" (2-Kings 17:6). This included Azerbaijan which had once been part of Media and became a Khazar center and probable starting-point.
The areas of Khazar settlement such as the city of Tanais on the Don River had had a track-record of Judaizing tendencies. Jewish tradition supported by the Bible traced the Khazars to the Tribe of Simeon and the Princes of Manaseh (1-Chronicles 4:38-43). These had gone to Seir of Edom and settled there. The regions of Armenia and Azerbaijan fit this description. The Khazars converted to Judaism in stages. They transformed their previous values and lifestyle. Previously they had imitated Arab coinage and used coins that had praises to Mohamed inscribed on them. A Khazar coin found in Sweden is based on an Arab prototype like previous coins. This time however the inscription says, 'Moses is the Messenger of God'.
There were Thirteen Tribes of Israel but only twelve are counted at any one time. Tribe 13 is still around. Tribe 13 is Manasseh who sometimes is counted separately and at other times as part of Joseph. Some of Manasseh went to the Khazars. We had the Sabir Khazars being also named after Manasseh as well as the names Manas and Machir (first-born son of Manasseh) being taken up by non-Israelite peoples who were subservient to the Khazars and bound to them.
The sons of Israel were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin. Manasseh and Ephraim were the sons of Joseph. Manasseh was blessed after Ephraim and it was promised that he too will become great (Genesis 48:19). Manasseh was blessed to become one of the most important tribes of them all. Nevertheless, in a sense Manasseh was added on. Manasseh was number thirteen. Manasseh is the Thirteenth Tribe, Tribe 13.
The Khazars according to Jewish Tradition were in fact descendants of some Jews from Judah along with groups from the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Simeon was especially prominent but the ruling group came from Manasseh! This tradition is basically a valid one and confirmed by historical sources.
Since the Khazar rulers evidently came from Manasseh then the Khazars could be considered the Thirteenth Tribe! Not all the Tribe of Manasseh became Khazars. Most of them went westward but some stayed behind, created the Khazar Empire, and converted to Judaism. Those who went west beforehand continued onwards and their descendants played a major role in the founding and formation of the United States.
The Khazars on the steppes of Eurasia had given rise to a Kingdom that rescued Jews from their oppressors and gave them hope, respect, and equal opportunity. This is what the descendants of Manasseh along with other Israelites did then. Later it would be the offspring of that other part of Manasseh in the USA who would help refugees, including Jews, from other lands to escape from persecution and receive equal opportunity. Through helping the State of Israel the USA has enabled the Jews to withstand their enemies. The USA has helped the Jewish State of Israel survive and flourish. The USA represents Manasseh. So did the Khazars. History does repeat itself.
Groups in the British Isles who are identified as descended from Clans of Manasseh were to be found in specific areas from whom came more than 80% of the early British settlers of the USA and it was these who determined the national characteristics. The same applies for entities in Continental Europe (such as in Germany and Holland) who had always been separate from the peoples they lived amongst and who moved EN MASSE to the USA.
2. Manasseh was to become great after Ephraim!
The Bible (Genesis 48:8-17) tells us that Joseph brought his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh to receive a blessing from Jacob. Manasseh was the older and Joseph placed him to his left facing the right-hand side of Jacob. Ephraim was the younger so Joseph placed him to his right facing the left-hand side of Jacob. Jacob however crossed his hands over placing his right hand on the head of Ephraim and his left on the hand of Manasseh.
Jacob placed Ephraim before Manasseh. He did not however change the position of the boys. Manasseh remained on his right and Ephraim on his left. There are Rabbinical explanations that say the crossing over of the hands did not change the relative importance of the two but it did change the time schedule. From now on Ephraim was to receive his blessing BEFORE Manasseh.
Ephraim was to the right of Joseph facing the left side of Jacob.
Manasseh was to the left of Joseph facing the right side of Jacob.
Arthur Koestler called his work "The Thirteenth Tribe" because he believed the Khazars were non-Israelites who had set themselves up to be the same as Israelites alongside the Twelve Tribes of Israel. There are in effect Thirteen Israelite Tribes. The Khazars were of Israelite descent. By making themselves Tribe 13 the Khazars became what they really had been supposed to be all along. They really were the Thirteenth Tribe.