THE BEDOUINS IN THE BIBLE AND TODAY

In May 2023, I met the Bedouins of the Sinai Desert. The contact was superficial, but it only served to corroborate my studies on this ethnic group from the Middle East and North Africa. The Bedouins are to the Middle East, roughly speaking, what the Indians are to Brazil, what the Gypsies are to Europe, and what the Aborigines are to Australia. They are cultures governed by their own laws and customs and resist the influence of globalization. Understanding Bedouin culture is vital for those who love the Bible, the Word of God, and wish to understand certain very strange customs we read about, especially in the Old Testament. The Bedouins are very faithful to their traditions, so much so that when you visit Egypt and Israel and come into contact with them, it feels like you're going back thousands of years, to the Old Testament period. Don't think it's easy to assimilate the Bedouins into your culture and traditions. But it's still possible to maintain a very good relationship with the desert Bedouins if you respect the internal rules that govern Bedouin society. There are Christian Bedouin tribes in Jordan who still live in the ancient style. But the majority are Muslim, and some still cling to pagan rites. This book is a guide to Bedouin ethnology and an aid in the study of biblical theology.