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| ==Critical view== | ==Critical view== | ||
| According to the ], the Kenites were a ] settled on the southern border of Judah, originally more advanced in arts than the Hebrews, and from whom the latter learned much. In the time of David the Kenites were finally incorporated into the ] (I Sam. xxx. 29; comp. ib. xxvii. 10). Their eponymous ancestor may have been ] (Kain), to whose descendants the ] in Gen. iv. attributes the invention of the art of working ] and ], the use of instruments of ], etc. Sayce has inferred (in Hastings, " |
According to the ], the Kenites were a ] settled on the southern border of Judah, originally more advanced in arts than the Hebrews, and from whom the latter learned much. In the time of David the Kenites were finally incorporated into the ] (I Sam. xxx. 29; comp. ib. xxvii. 10). Their eponymous ancestor may have been ] (Kain), to whose descendants the ] in Gen. iv. attributes the invention of the art of working ] and ], the use of instruments of ], etc. Sayce has inferred (in ], "Dictionary of the Bible'', s.v.) that the Kenites were a tribe of ]—a view to which J's statements would lend support. | ||
| ], ] of Midian, and father-in-law of Moses, is said (Judges i. 16) to have been a Kenite. This indicates that the Kenites originally formed part of the Midianite tribe or tribes. The bible may even describe an initiation of Moses and ] by Jethro into the worship of ] (Ex. xviii. 12 et seq.) Several modern scholars believe, in consequence of this statement, that Yhwh was a Kenite deity, and that from the Kenites through the agency of Moses his worship passed to the Israelites. This view, first proposed by ], afterward independently by ], and more fully by ], has been more completely worked out by ]; and is accepted by ], ], ], and ]. | ], ] of Midian, and father-in-law of Moses, is said (Judges i. 16) to have been a Kenite. This indicates that the Kenites originally formed part of the Midianite tribe or tribes. The bible may even describe an initiation of Moses and ] by Jethro into the worship of ] (Ex. xviii. 12 et seq.) Several modern scholars believe, in consequence of this statement, that Yhwh was a Kenite deity, and that from the Kenites through the agency of Moses his worship passed to the Israelites. This view, first proposed by ], afterward independently by ], and more fully by ], has been more completely worked out by ]; and is accepted by ], ], ], and ]. | ||
Revision as of 09:10, 6 March 2006
The Kenites or Kainites (in Hebrew, Kainim) were a tribe of the ancient Levant, possibly a branch of the Midianite nation. According to the Bible, they played an important role in the history of ancient Israel.
In the Bible
The Kenites are mentioned as inhabiting the promised land of Canaan as early as the time of Abraham (Genesis xv.19). At the Exodus the tribe inhabited the vicinity of Mount Sinai and Horeb. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses was a Kenite (Judges i.16); elsewhere, however, Jethro is said to have been "priest of Midian" (Exodus iii.1) and a Midianite (Numbers iv. 29), leading many scholars to believe that the terms are intended (at least in parts of the Bible) to be used interchangably, or that the Kenites formed a part of the Midianite tribal grouping. The Kenites journeyed with the Israelites to Canaan (Judges i. 16); and their encampment, apart from the latter's, was noticed by Balaam (Num. xxiv.21-22).
At a later period some of the Kenites separated from their brethren in the south, and went to northern Canaan (Judges iv. 11), where they existed in the time of King Saul. The kindness which they had shown to Israel in the wilderness was gratefully remembered. "Ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt," said Saul to them (I Samuel xv.6); and so not only were they spared by him, but David allowed them to share in the spoil that he took from the Amalekites (I Sam. xxx.29).
Other well-known Kenites were Heber, the husband of Jael, and Rechab, the ancestor of the Rechabites.
Critical view
According to the critical interpretation of the Biblical data, the Kenites were a clan settled on the southern border of Judah, originally more advanced in arts than the Hebrews, and from whom the latter learned much. In the time of David the Kenites were finally incorporated into the tribe of Judah (I Sam. xxx. 29; comp. ib. xxvii. 10). Their eponymous ancestor may have been Cain (Kain), to whose descendants the Jahwist in Gen. iv. attributes the invention of the art of working bronze and iron, the use of instruments of music, etc. Sayce has inferred (in James Hastings, "Dictionary of the Bible, s.v.) that the Kenites were a tribe of smiths—a view to which J's statements would lend support.
Jethro, priest of Midian, and father-in-law of Moses, is said (Judges i. 16) to have been a Kenite. This indicates that the Kenites originally formed part of the Midianite tribe or tribes. The bible may even describe an initiation of Moses and Aaron by Jethro into the worship of YHWH (Ex. xviii. 12 et seq.) Several modern scholars believe, in consequence of this statement, that Yhwh was a Kenite deity, and that from the Kenites through the agency of Moses his worship passed to the Israelites. This view, first proposed by F. W. Ghillany, afterward independently by Cornelis Petrus Tiele, and more fully by Stade, has been more completely worked out by Budde; and is accepted by Guthe, Wildeboer, H. P. Smith, and Barton.
It has been suggested that inasmuch as the Bible describes Jethro assisting Moses in the organization of a court system, at least some of ancient Israelite jurisprudence may have derived from Kenite sources. Still other scholars have speculated that the genealogy of Cain in the Book of Genesis may contain oral Kenite traditions.
Fringe theories
The televangelist Arnold Murry teaches that the Kenites are the descendants of Cain, and that Cain is the offspring of Satan and Eve. This is called the "serpent seed" doctrine.
External links
- Judah on jewishencyclopedia.com
- Kenites on jewishencyclopedia.com
- http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=152&letter=R&search=Kenites Rechabites on jewishencyclopedia.com]
- Kenites on Columbia Encyclopedia
- The serpent seed and the Kenites
- What race are the Kennites?
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)