Kenites
“Smith, or possibly 'of Cain'”
Summary
A nomadic tribe closely associated with the Midianites who maintained friendly relations with Israel due to their ancestral connection through Moses' father-in-law Jethro.
☩Origin and Identity
The Kenites appear in Scripture as a distinct tribal group, though their exact origins remain somewhat obscure. The name may derive from the Hebrew word qeni, meaning "smith" in Aramaic, suggesting they may have been a guild of metalworkers or traveling smiths, similar to medieval tinkers or the gipsies of modern Europe. They are first mentioned among the peoples whose land was promised to Abraham, alongside the Kadmonites and Kenizzites. Some scholars suggest the name may be a religious rather than ethnic term, possibly meaning "a worshipper of the goddess Kain," a form of Ashtoreth.
☩Connection to Midian and Moses
The Kenites were closely connected with the Midianites. Jethro (also called Raguel or Hobab), the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, is explicitly called a Kenite, indicating that the Kenites were likely a branch or subdivision of the Midianite people. The Midianites themselves descended from Midian, the son of Abraham and Keturah. This ancestral connection explains the friendly relationship between the Kenites and Israel. The Kenites appear to have retained knowledge and worship of the true God, as evidenced by Jethro's role as a priest and his advice to Moses regarding Israel's judicial system.
☩Settlement in Canaan
When Israel entered Canaan, descendants of Jethro the Kenite accompanied them and settled in the land. They first settled near Jericho, the "city of palm trees," then moved to the wilderness of Judah in the region south of Arad. This nomadic lifestyle characterized the Kenites throughout their history. Heber the Kenite later separated from the main group and traveled northward, pitching his tent near Kedesh. His wife Jael famously killed Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, by driving a tent peg through his temple when he sought refuge in her tent.
☩Relations with Israel
The Kenites maintained consistently friendly relations with Israel. When Saul was commanded to destroy the Amalekites, he warned the Kenites dwelling among them to depart, "for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt." David also treated the Kenites as allies, sending them presents from his spoils and listing them among his friends in the south of Judah. The Rechabites, known for their strict adherence to nomadic customs and refusal to drink wine, were descendants of the Kenites through Hammath, father of the house of Rechab.
☩Balaam's Prophecy
Balaam pronounced an oracle concerning the Kenites when he viewed them from the heights of Moab, making a wordplay on their name which resembles the Hebrew ken, meaning "nest": "Strong is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock. Nevertheless, Kain shall be wasted until Asshur shall carry you away captive." This prophecy may refer figuratively to the security the Kenites found by joining Israel, though they would eventually be carried away when Assyria and Babylon conquered Israel and Judah. The Kenites apparently shared in the Babylonian Exile and possibly the Restoration, after which they were assimilated among the Jews.
Related Verses10 mentions
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Kenites," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.George Morrish, "Kenites," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Kenites," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 4.Don Fleming, "Kenites," in Bridgeway Bible Dictionary (Bridgeway Publications, 1990).
- 5.Charles G. Herbermann et al. (ed.), "Kenites," in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. VIII (Robert Appleton Company, 1907–1912).
- 6.John Kitto, "Kenites," in A Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, vol. II (Mark H. Newman, 1845).