Afghans, a people inhabiting Afghanistan (q.v.), aid, according to their own traditions, descended from Melic Talut, that is, from king Saul. Sir William Jones has conjectured that they are a remnant of the ten tribes of Israel carried off in the Captivity. He says, "We learn from Esdras that the ten tribes, after a wandering journey, came to a country called Arsareth, where we may suppose they settled. Now the best Persian historians affirm that the Afghans are descended from the Jews; and they have among themselves traditions of the same import. It is even asserted that their families are distinguished by the name of Jewish tribes; though, since their conversion to Islamism, they have studiously concealed their origin. The language they use has a manifest resemblance to Chaldaic; and a considerable district under their dominion is called Hagareth, which might easily have been changed from Arsareth." The Afghans still preserve a strong resemblance to the Jews in their customs and ritual observances. They contract marriages chiefly with their own tribes; they adhere to the Levitical law in the brother marrying the widow of his deceased brother whenever the' brother has died without issue; divorces are permitted among them, and a ceremony prevails among one of their tribes bearing a marked resemblance to the Feast of Tabernacles, Their language also contains a greater number of Hebrew words than any other in India.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More