Follow Up: Canaanite DNA in Jews

Question

Hi again Rabbi. Thanks for quickly answering my post. This is a followup to your answer to my question about Jews having (supposedly) 50% DNA of ancient Canaanites.

You said that that was because Canaan and Shem are very closely related (that Canaan’s father was the brother of Shem), through Noach, so they would share DNA.

But wouldn’t that mean (since everyone is related to each other through Shem, Cham, or Yafet, and has a combination of all three) that everyone would have extremely similar DNA? Most people today don’t have a lot of Canaan’s DNA even though he was everyone’s “uncle” or “brother” nation.

Please clarify.

Thanks again, and may God give you blessings.

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    Yes, I think that that is quite a possibility thousands of years ago. However, as the generations move forwards the discrepancies in people’s DNA becomes more and more pronounced.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team