Through in-depth genetic research, it is becoming increasingly clear that many Lebanese Maronites are direct descendants of the ancient Israelite tribes. The Maronite community, deeply rooted in the mountainous regions of Lebanon for centuries, appears genetically closer to Middle Eastern Jewish populations than to their Arab or Mediterranean neighbors.
One notable and documented case is that of Harold Rhode, a Jewish researcher and former analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense. In a DNA analysis published under the title "Y‑DNA Helps Trace Our Family's Roots Back to Eretz Yisrael 2000 Years Ago" (ShulCloud, c. 2021), Rhode describes how a Y-DNA test revealed a genetic connection with a group of Maronite Christians in Lebanon.
“Y-DNA testing shows the existence of a group of Maronite Christians with whom I share a common Y-DNA ancestry about 2,000 years ago.”
This discovery confirms that at least part of the Maronite community shares a direct genetic lineage with the Jewish people of ancient Israel — dating back to Roman or pre-Roman times.
Recent genetic research conducted on the DNA of several members of a Maronite family from the Byblos region of Lebanon revealed the following results:
These percentages are significant, especially given that other Lebanese Christians in comparable datasets show a lower affinity with Jewish populations. In some cases, the genetic distance between these Maronite families and Jewish reference populations was even smaller than that between modern Jewish groups themselves.
The ancient territories of the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, and Dan spanned parts of Galilee, Southern Lebanon, and Western Syria. Historical sources and archaeological evidence show that cities like Byblos (Gebal), Sidon, and Tyre were integral to the cultural and religious life of pre-exilic Israel.
Following the Assyrian exile in 722 BCE, many Israelites remained in the land. Some assimilated, while others preserved their identity and later embraced Christianity under Roman rule — eventually forming the communities known today as the Maronites.
A significant portion of today’s Maronite population in Lebanon is genetically linked to the ancient tribes of Israel.
The case of Harold Rhode and the DNA profiles of Maronite families from Byblos provide compelling personal examples supported by broader scientific evidence. The Maronites carry not only a spiritual legacy but also a genetic heritage rooted in ancient Israel.
Sources: ShulCloud (Harold Rhode), Haber et al. (2013), Zalloua et al. (2010), Platt et al. (2021), Ancient Israelite DNA Project, Sidon Study (2017). Published by the Biblical Geographical Research Group.