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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 interchangeably, 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.), although this seems contrary to very many other Biblical passages (e.g. Ex. xviii. 8). 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 Karl Budde; and is accepted by H. Guthe, Gerrit Wildeboer, H. P. Smith, and Barton. This view is challenged by other Bible scholars who argue: "We nowhere hear that Moses took over the Yahweh-worship from this tribe. On the contrary, Jethro begins only at this time (Ex 18:11) to worship Yahweh, the God of Moses, and the common sacrificial meal, according to 18:12, did not take place in the presence of Yahweh, but, accommodating it to the guest, in the presence of Elohim" (from the International Standard Bible Dictionary).

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.

Exegesis

Arnold Murray 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. However, in the Bible itself the Kenites are portrayed as friendly to Israel and probably monotheistic.

According to the Bible, in 1 Chronicles chapter 2, the "Kenites" were the "Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites" in the city of Jabez (named after the guy who prayed that prayer!) who they were:

The descendants of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, and the clans of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Recab. "Salma", called the "father of Bethleham" (David's city, where Christ was born) was the father of these clans of "Kenites"! THAT IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS! It says that these scribes were descendants of Salma!

The rootword for "Tirathites"--08654 Tir`athiy {teer-aw-thee'} Tirathites = "men of the gate" if you read your Bible, Jesus said he is the Gate!

"Shimeathites"=08101 Shim`athiy {shim-aw-thee'} root=08093 Shim`ah {shim-aw'} Means = "fame"

1) brother of David, the 3rd son of Jesse

"Suchathites"=07756 Suwkathiy {soo-kaw-thee'} means "Suchathites = "bush-men"

1) a family of scribes at Jabez and descendants of Judah through Caleb; Root=07754 (fem.); adj means=1) branch, brushwood, bough; from=07753 suwk {sook} which means "1) to hedge or fence up or about"

Salma was the son of Hur:

1 chron 2:50 "These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim, Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.

So the scribes were the sons of Salma, whose father was Hur, who was the first born in the area known as "Ephrathah", named after his mother, the wife of Caleb: "Ephrath". "Bethlehem" is in this area, thus Salma is known as the "father of Bethlehem". It is all in this chapter. And in 1 Chron 4:4.

Hur was the son of Caleb:

"19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur.

Caleb was the son of Hezron:

"9 The sons born to Hezron were: Jerahmeel, Ram and Caleb.

Hezron was the son of Perez:

"5 The sons of Perez:

Hezron and Hamul."

Perez was the son of Judah through his former daughter in law, Tamar:

"The sons of Judah:

Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the Lord 's sight; so the Lord put him to death. Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all."

When it is taught that these tribes are satanic hybrids who infiltrated the tribe of Judah, the teacher is saying that the Bible is LYING! The Bible says that they are descendants of Judah! The BIBLE DOES NOT SAY THEY ARE SONS OF SATAN, BUT SONS OF JUDAH!. How dare a person say that the Bible lies!!! The Lord Rebuke all who do!

How about Recab father of Hammath, which are the Kenites in 1 Chron.2:55?

""Recab" =07394 Rekab {ray-kawb'} AV - Rechab 13; 13

Rechab = "rider"

n pr m

1) father of Jehonadab in the time of king Jehu of the northern kingdom

of Israel

2) father of Malchijah, a leader of the district of Beth Haccerem and

repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah

3) one of the 2 captains whom Ishbosheth took into his service and

who conspired to murder him

adj pr

4) descendants of Rechab

And his sons name; in the strongs means:03082 Y@hownadab {yeh-ho-naw-dawb'} AV - Jehonadab 8; 8

Jehonadab = "Jehovah is willing"

1) a son of Rechab, chief of the Rechabites, in the time of Jehu and Ahab

2) a nephew of David

Read 2 Kings 10:23-28. He helped to wipe out Baal worship in Israel! Now why would the Devils' child destroy one of the major ways that God's people stumbled and disobeyed Him? Jesus said a house divided will fall! (Matt.12:26)

Also if one continues to study these Rechabites, who are Kenites, we see that God actually tells the people of Israel to act more like them! (Jeremiah 35:1-16) And he blesses them in verses 18&19: "And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever."

Moses Father in law, and brother in law are known as "Kenites" in the Bible!

David shared plunder with them in 1 Sam.30:26-29

"When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies." He sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir; to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa and Racal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites.

Obviously, David, the King and prophet of God did not consider the Kenite an enemy, but a friend!

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)

• Midian
• Torah people