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The Assyrian King Sargon II crushed a rebellion in the city of Ashdod 712-711 B.C. He called the rebel leader «lamani». One of the most popular surnames among Gor Banjaras, and a by-word used by other Indian communities for «troublemaker». That Sargon II called the rebel king of Ashdod for «lamani» is very interesting in our search for the origin of the Banjaras. For Sargon this rebellion was a «greek», a looser, an usurper of power, a captive to be enslaved. But in the Hebrew context the rebel seems to have been a Ya-mani, most likely from Aram, todays northern Syria. The ancient worshipers of God of the Hebrews called God «Ya», in English to be understood as «The great I Am». There were many Hebrew rebellion’s in the eight century B.C against the emerging powers of Assyria. The kings of Assyria demanded that all should bow before their idols and gods. The worshipers of YA would rather die.

Ashdod on the southern Israeli coast had a very mixed population. Its citizens and trading community were considered troublemakers by the kings of Judah. The people of Ashdod stole the Ark of the Covenant which included the two tablets with the Law of Moses. The Banjara sub clan of Dahlia is significant in this context. Because Delaiah Levite temple musician’s could not prove their pre-exile house in Israel, and were by many Israeli leaders considered outsiders or foreigners. In the biblical book of Nehemiah we can read more about the trouble spot Ashdod. The children of the Levite’s who had married foreign women who were to be expelled from the commonwealth of Israel, spoke the language of Ashdod.

Nehemiah 13:24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.

Feel free to watch my video «lamani of Ashdod». I have also written about this rebel in my book.

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