“And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, ‘Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself” (Genesis 24:64-65). They have finally done it. Scientists have finally proven the Bible wrong and not worthy of your attention. How, you might ask. Well, it is all about camels and a man by the name of Abraham, who apparently used them quite often in his many travels throughout what we would call the “holy land” and beyond. Well, at least that is what many think and no doubt will continue to think, despite the truth.
So what’s this all about? Just recently archaeologists studying the domestication of camels in the area of Palestine have determined that it was not until about the 10th century B.C. that camels arrived in the region of the Mediterranean. They studied primarily the bone density of certain camels using radioactive-carbon techniques and determined that it was impossible for camels to have existed in the regions around the Mediterranean before the 10th century in a domesticated fashion. The conclusion they then drew was that the Bible is inaccurate, and therefore, it is not trustworthy because men like Abraham are said to have used camels, though they predate the 10th century. Believe it or not, many biblical scholars actually agree that domestication of the camel did not happen until after the days of Abraham and that Abraham did actually use camels, though would disagree that the Bible makes erroneous statements concerning camel use. So, how could these agree and still leave the reputation of the Bible (and the camel for that matter) intact?
One of the things that these archaeologists are either unaware of or simply have not considered is the fact that Abraham was not from the Mediterranean area. He came from Mesopotamia, specifically a place called Ur. As a matter of fact, all of the men in the Bible that are mentioned as using camels were not originally from the Mediterranean area, but from further east (what we would call Iran and Iraq, where we find camels being used much earlier).
Furthermore, the Bible never says that Abraham used them because they were commonly used and used in abundance in Palestine. It is just not there. They are mentioned only in passing, and usage seems to be reserved to only a handful of individuals. In the entire Bible, “camels” are only referenced about 45 times in most versions. Well over half of these are found after the time of Abraham, and all of them are simply incidental, mentioned only because they are part of the context. Thus, it is not as if the Bible is or ever presents a case for the domestication of the beast during Abraham’s time or even its common usage.
So, what is the point? The point is the claim and the bias inherent in it. All too often when we want to find something, even when it doesn’t exist, then we will find it. If we are bent on being offended, then we will find offense. If we are bent on being miserable, then we will find ways to be so and, typically, sadden others with us. If we, instead, want to be positive and upbeat, then we will look for the good in all things, including those around us. Similarly, if we want to find truth, then we will certainly find it, dismissing the things that are simply unsupported, no matter what we feel about them or whether or not we have believed them in the past. Seek truth and let it be your guiding light and beacon of hope.
