KENITES, People who dwelt Westward of the Dead-Sea, and extended themselves pretty far into Arabia-Petræa; for Jethro, Moses’s Father-in-law and a Priest of MidianJudg. i. 16 and 1 Chr. xi. 55. 1 Sam. xv. 6. Gen. xv. 19., was a Kenite, and in Saul’s Time the Kenites were mingled with the Amalekites. Altho’ the Kenites were some of those People, whose Lands God had promised to the Descendants of Abraham, nevertheless, in Consideration of Jethro, the Father-in-law of Moses, all of them who submitted to the Hebrews, were suffered to live in their own Country: The rest fled, in all Probability, to the Edo mites and Amalekites. The Lands of the Kenites were in Judah’s Partition.
Balaam having been invited by Balak King of Moab, to devote and curse the IsraelitesNumb. xxiv. 21.; he stood upon a Mountain, from whence he could view the Camp of Israel, and the Land of Kain, and said these Words, addressing himself to the Kenites. Strong is thy Dwelling-Place, and thou puttest thy Nest in a Rock; nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Ashur shall carry thee away captive. The Kenites dwelt in Mountains and Rocks, which were almost inaccessible. The Word Ken signifies a Nest, a Hole, a Cave; and Kinnim, in Greek, may be translated Troglodytes. The Kenites were conquered and carried into Captivity by NebuchadnezzarJoseph. Antiq. I. 1. and c. 2. p. 345.. After Saul there is no more Mention of the Kenites; but they still subsisted, being mingled among the Edomites, and other Arabians of Arabia-Petræa. We have elsewhere spoken of Eber or Heber the Kenite.