What does Alkebulan mean? What was Africa called in biblical times?
Short answer – While the term Alkebulan, which is believed to be an ancient name for Africa, meaning “land of the blacks,” does not appear in the Bible, there are numerous references to the continent of Africa and its people in the scriptures. Egypt, a significant location in Africa, is mentioned over 600 times in the Bible. Key biblical narratives such as the Exodus, Joseph’s rise to power, and various prophecies against Egypt are set here.
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Introduction
Alkebulan is a term that is sometimes used to refer to the continent of Africa.
The term has its roots in the ancient Egyptian language, where “alkebu-lan” roughly translates to “land of the blacks.”
It is believed to be the original name of Africa before European invasion and colonization.
According to other researchers, Alkebulan also means “mother of mankind or Garden of Eden.”
The term Alkebulan does not appear in the Bible.
The word is not of Hebrew or Greek origin and is not found in any of the original texts of the Bible.
The Bible does, however, contain many references to the continent of Africa and its people in the Old and New Testaments.
Many people, especially those of African descent, feel that Christianity is a white’s man religion due to the depiction of Jesus and other key biblical figures with white skin, blond hair, and blue eyes by old and contemporary artists.
However, it is surprising that the Bible makes many references to Africa and its people.
This article seeks to present biblical facts about Africa or Alkebulan in the Bible and some crucial roles the nation and people played in the grand salvation purpose of God for mankind.
A brief history of Alkebulan in the Bible
The Old Testament of the Bible is a collection of a large volume of information.
It is full of names of people and places that can often be missed or forgotten because they were not mentioned frequently or given much prominence.
However, a little bit of digging and research would lead to profound revelation and unexpected truths.
One of these truths is the history or origin of Alkebulan or Africa in the Bible, which can be traced to the third son of Noah, Ham.
Many people only know Ham to be the cursed son of Noah, who saw his drunk father’s nakedness shortly after God destroyed the earth with water and the ark Noah built settled. But Ham is the father of great African nations.
According to Genesis 10:6, “The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.”
The Hebrew word for Mizraim is Egypt.
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The descendant of Mizraim settled in Egypt and built the great ancient nation that remains one of the world’s wonders, attracting tourists from far and near. Some passages of the Bible referred to Egypt as the land of Ham “Israel also came into Egypt, and Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.” (Psalm 105:23)
Ham’s son, Put, settled in ancient Lybia, and Cush settled in Southern Egypt.
Most scholars identify Cush as the modern area of Sudan.
Some Bible translations and passages of the Bible translate Cush as Ethiopia.
Cush must have influenced the translation of Alkebulan as Garden of Eden because God’s Word in Genesis 2:13 confirms that the second river flowing out of Eden, the Gihon goes around the land of Cush.
This river watered the Garden (Genesis 2:10)
What did the Bible say about Alkebulan?
Here are some people and places connected to Alkebulan, mentioned in the Bible, along with the relevant Biblical references:
Egypt
Egypt is mentioned more than 600 times in the Bible.
Some significant references include the story of the Exodus (Exodus 1-15), Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt (Genesis 37-50), and the prophecies against Egypt in Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Egypt was a powerful nation and served as a safe haven for baby Jesus when King Herod sought to kill Him (Matthew 2:13-23).
It was also a prosperous nation with systems to withstand famine and harsh economic conditions.
The Bible records how Abraham when to Egypt when famine was ravishing the land he settled in (Genesis 12:10)
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is mentioned several times in the Bible.
Some significant references include the story of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, the prophecies about Ethiopia in Isaiah 18, and the mention of Ethiopia’s wealth and power in Psalm 68.
Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch who accepted Jesus and got baptized shows God’s divine plan to save every nation of the world.
It proves that Jesus came to die for people of every tribe, tongue, and skin color (Revelation 5:9)
Cush
Cush is an ancient kingdom located in what is now Sudan.
It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, often in connection with Egypt or Ethiopia.
Some significant references include the prophecies against Cush in Isaiah 18 and Zephaniah 3.
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The Bible refers to Moses’ wife as a Cushite woman (Numbers 12:1).
The term “Cushite” refers to a person from the region of Cush, an ancient kingdom located in what is now Sudan.
Some biblical scholars have interpreted this to mean that Moses’ wife was likely a woman of African descent and may have had dark skin.
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The Queen of Sheba
The Queen of Sheba is a figure who appears in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Kings 10 and 2 Chronicles 9.
She is a wealthy and powerful queen who comes to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, bringing with her gifts of gold, spices, and precious stones.
The exact location of the kingdom of Sheba is uncertain. But it is generally believed to have been located in what is now Ethiopia or Yemen.
The Queen of Sheba is a significant figure in Ethiopian history and tradition.
She is sometimes identified with the legendary queen Makeda, who is said to have founded the Ethiopian dynasty.
Simon of Cyrene
Simon of Cyrene is mentioned in the New Testament as the man who was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross on the way to his crucifixion.
Cyrene was an ancient Greek city in what is now Libya (Mark 15:21). Simon of Cyrene is an African man, and He played a crucial role in the salvation purpose of Jesus Christ.
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Hagar
Hagar was an Egyptian servant given to Abraham’s wife, Sarah as a handmaid.
When Sarah could not have children, she gave Hagar to Abraham to bear him a child.
Hagar eventually gave birth to Ishmael, who became the father of many Arab nations (Genesis 16).
Final Thoughts
Africa, or Alkebulan, was a powerful nation from Bible days.
They were civilized nations with technology, great wealth, education, a political system, and everything that made up a well-structured and prosperous nation.
Here’s how the prophet Isaiah described the people of Alkebulan, “Which sends ambassadors by sea, even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying, “Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide.” (Isaiah 18:2)
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