It is straight from the Old Testament

Genesis 1:26

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

@Adam Hunt: "Dominion" connotes _righteous administration_...

"When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, people groan." ~ Proverbs 29:2

“Dominion” connotes righteous administration

Yes it does. It is al colonialism though. A very old human tradition.

@Adam Hunt: I see what you mean.

In that sense, even the "Promised Land" that was allotted to the Twelve Tribes of Israel could be perceived as colonialism—because the area was already inhabited by humans (and animals...)

The word dominion is rooted in the idea of a house or household. Hence, in biblical context it suggests learning to rightly administer the "household" of Earth.

The Lakotas of North America describe this concept as "kinship."

"Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water was a real and active principle. In the animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept the Lakota safe among them. And so close did some of the Lakotas come to their feathered and furred friends that in true brotherhood they spoke a common tongue." ~ Luther Standing Bear

even the “Promised Land” that was allotted to the Twelve Tribes of Israel could be perceived as colonialism—because the area was already inhabited by humans (and animals…)

The real irony there in that specific case is that the Old Testament is (as is often the case) wrong. Archaeological evidence proves that the Israelites were actually decedents of the original Canaanites, they are the indigenous population.

Archaeological evidence proves that the Israelites were actually decedents of the original Canaanites, they are the indigenous population.

@Adam Hunt: Abraham dwelled in Canaan but was from Ur.

Do you know if the archaeological evidence has linked the Canaanites (Israelites) to inhabitants of Ur?

• Jews and Arabs Descended from Canaanites

You have to keep in mind that the Old Testament is a work of fiction. Work in archaeology and genetics has proven that almost nothing written in the books is historically accurate. For instance the Israelites were never slaves in Egypt, they were slaves in Babylon.

Jews and Arabs Descended from Canaanites - Biblical Archaeology Society

DNA analysis of 93 bodies shows that modern Jewish and Arab-speaking groups of the region are descendants of ancient Canaanites.

^{Jonathan Laden (Biblical Archaeology Society)}

Thanks for sharing the link regarding Jews and Arabs being genetically related to Canaanites.

Interestingly, I discovered another article at the site that distinguishes Ashkenazi Jews (Europeans) from biblical Jews (Canaanites.)

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You have to keep in mind that the Old Testament is a work of fiction. Work in archaeology and genetics has proven that almost nothing written in the books is historically accurate. For instance the Israelites were never slaves in Egypt, they were slaves in Babylon.

Do you think that's why Revelation specifically references _"Babylon"_ as the world system that would have dominion over Earth and enslave her people?

Ashkenazi Jewish Ancestry Confirmed European by mtDNA Tests - Biblical Archaeology Society

A recent study on mitochondrial DNA revealed that the female line of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry closely resembles that of Southern and Western Europe, rather than

^{Noah Wiener (Biblical Archaeology Society)}