Editing Rechabites (section)

==Claims of descent from the Rechabites==
The [[Mekhilta]] tells a story—presumably dating to the late [[Second Temple]] period—of Rechabites, known as "sons of water drinkers" due to their abstention from wine.<ref>[[Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael]], [https://www.sefaria.org.il/Mekhilta_d'Rabbi_Yishmael.18.24.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Yithro, Amalek 2]</ref>

Rabbi [[Halafta]] (1st–2nd centuries) was a descendant of the Rechabites.<ref>[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7073-halafta ''Jewish Encyclopedia'' "Halafta"]</ref>

The apocryphal ''[[Story of Zosimus]]'', from late antiquity, details the journey of a monk named Zosimus to the "Land of the Rechabites".

In 1839 the Reverend [[Joseph Wolff]] found in [[Yemen]], near [[Sana'a]], a tribe claiming to be descendants of Jehonadab; and in the late nineteenth century a [[Bedouin]] tribe was found near the [[Dead Sea]] who also professed to be descendants of Jehonadab.<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/easton/ebd2.html?term=Rechabites Rechabites] – ''[[Easton's Bible Dictionary]]''</ref>

Many Muslims still claim descent from Rechab, along with the nearly-universal claim of [[Arabs]] to be descended from [[Abraham]] through [[Ishmael]] (Ismail).