﻿( 69 i 



ON 



THE DESCENT OF THE AFGHANS 

 FROM THE JEWS 



r "PHE Afghans, according to their own Traditions, 

 are the posterity of Melic Talut (king Said) 

 who, in the opinion of' some, was a descendant of Ju- 

 dah, the son of Jacob \ and according to others at Ben- 

 jamin, the brother of Joseph. 



In a war which raged between the children of Israel 

 and the Amalekites, the latter being victorious, plun- 

 dered the Jews, and obtained possession of the ark 

 of the covenant. Considering this the god of the 

 Jews, they threw it into the fire, which did not affect 

 it. They afterwards attempted to cleave it with axes, 

 but without success: every individual who treated.it 

 with indignity was punished for his temerity. They 

 then placed it in their temple ; but all their idols bow- 

 ed to it. At length they fastened it upon a cow, which 

 they turned loose in the wilderness. 



When the prophet Samuel arose, the children of 

 Israel said to him, " We hive been totally subdued 

 " by the Amalehtes, and have no king. Raise to us 

 <c a king, that we may be enabled to contend for the 

 " glory of God." Samuel said, " In case you are led 

 " out to battle, are you determined to fight r" They 

 answered, M What has befallen us that we should not 

 " fight against infidels ? That nation has banish d 

 " us from our country and children." At this time 

 the angel Gabriel descended, and, delivering a wand, 

 said, " It is the command of God that the person 

 " whose stature shall correspond with this wand, shall 

 be king of Israel." 



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