Kenites and the House of Rechab

[Mr. M]

1 Chronicles 2:55 And the families of the scribes who dwelt at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Suchathites. These were the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

There are many who dismiss the opening chapters of Chronicles as "just a bunch of genealogies,

but there is a wealth of information found there, even with this one verse.

The Kenites are one of three tribes whose territory was promised to Abram,

but were no longer in possession by the time of the Exodus.

Genesis 15:

18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying:

To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— 

19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 

20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 

21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Compared to this verse in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 7:1 When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you.

The Kadmonites are never again mentioned in the standard scriptures, if anyone is a student of other sources, perhaps they will have some information to share.

The Kenites are the family of the father-in-law of Moses, and his relationship to Moses plays a big role in the wilderness.

Judges 1:16 Now the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people. 

They are found living among the Amalekites, and were likely carried away there, for the Amalekites were marauders. They were liberated by Saul before destroying their main city.

1 Samuel 15:6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

The Kennezzites are the third tribe mentioned, and they played a major role in the early history of post-exodus Israel. They are the tribe of Caleb and Othiel, sons of Jephunneh, who settled among the tribe of Judah in the region of Hebron. This is where the genealogy becomes instructive, and very interesting. 1 Chronicles 2:42-54 lists Caleb's genealogy among Judah. He did not receive by inheritance, but by promise.

The Rabbinic commentary refers to the inclusion of Caleb's genealogy with Judah as "grafting in"! This is something that Paul was well aware of, as he informs us as Gentiles that we have been grafted into Israel, and specifically through the house of David, whose lineage is also through Caleb, although he is considered a part of Judah by proximity in Hebron, who first supported David as king, and where he abode in the first seven years of his reign.

The House of Rechab is another very interesting part of the narrative, and I will introduce them in a second post from Jeremiah 35 and the word of the Lord.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Mr. M
amend text

[Mr. M]

Jeremiah 35:

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 

2 Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, his brothers and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, 

4 and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door. 

5 Then I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, Drink wine.

6 But they said, We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons, forever. 

7 You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.

8 Thus we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 

9 nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed. 

10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 

11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and for fear of the army of the Syrians. So we dwell at Jerusalem.

12 Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying, 

13 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction to obey My words? says the Lord. 

14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, and obey their father’s commandment. But although I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, you did not obey Me. 

15 I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers. But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. 

16 Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them, but these people have not obeyed Me.

17 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.

18 And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you.

19 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.

The means by which this prophecy is fulfilled, and whether or not it is fulfilled in Christ is of particular interest. Their lifestyle is also instructive for the idea of living as "strangers and sojourners". As we have already seen by the genealogy, the house of Rechab is not of a tribe of Israel, but are Kenites!

[WilliamL]

On 6/23/2023 at 11:09 AM, Mr. M said:

As we have already seen by the genealogy, the house of Rechab is not of a tribe of Israel, but are Kenites!

My vague memory about this is that, first, the Kenites were 'grafted in' to the tribe of Judah, under the principle that proselytes to the Law of Moses became members of the Israelite tribe in whose territory they lived. So the Kenites were officially members of the tribe of Judah.

Secondly, there was the problem wherein

Deut. 23:2 “One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD."

The sons of Judah by Tamar, his daughter-in-law, were of illegitimate birth. Ten generations from their firstborn, Perez, was completed when David was born. So in the period in between, it appears the Caleb and other descendants of Moses' father-in-law were accepted as having leadership roles in Judah.

[Mr. M]

22 hours ago, WilliamL said:

The sons of Judah by Tamar, his daughter-in-law, were of illegitimate birth. Ten generations from their firstborn, Perez, was completed when David was born.

The children of Tamar were never considered illegitimate, because Judah took the iniquity upon himself.

Genesis 38:

24 And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your

daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.”

So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”

25 When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.”

26 So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because 

I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again.

Before David was born, Perez was invoked as a part of a blessing in Israel.

Ruth 4:

11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 

12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”

22 hours ago, WilliamL said:

My vague memory about this is that, first, the Kenites were 'grafted in' to the tribe of Judah, under the principle that proselytes to the Law of Moses became members of the Israelite tribe in whose territory they lived. So the Kenites were officially members of the tribe of Judah.

Your vague memory is not serving you well. You are confusing Kenites with Kennezites.

On 6/23/2023 at 10:00 AM, Mr. M said:

19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 

Caleb was a Kenezzite, and received land among Judah by promise from Moses, fulfilled by Joshua.

Joshua 14:

6 Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.

13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. 

David is a direct descendant of Caleb by his Hebrew wife Ephrath. The story of Caleb is very involved

and detailed in the scriptures, and worthy of it's own thread. Take a closer look. 

22 hours ago, WilliamL said:

it appears the Caleb and other descendants of Moses' father-in-law were accepted as having leadership roles in Judah.

The Kenites were the descendants of Moses father-in-law.

Judges 1:16 Now the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

Even more interesting is their connection to Cain!

Kenite [H7017] qeni<[H7014] qayin=Kain, which is actually the name used by Balaam in his prophecy.

Numbers 24: KJV

21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling place,

and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

NKJV

22 Nevertheless Kain shall be burned.
How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

The Kenites grafted into Judah were of one family, even as the Kennezites by the family of Caleb.

They played a role in assisting Deborah and Barak defeat Sisera.

Judges 4:

11 Now Heber the Kenite, of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, had separated himself

from the Kenites and pitched his tent near the terebinth tree at Zaanaim, which is beside Kedesh. 

12 And they reported to Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 

17 However, Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite;

for there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 

18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; do not fear.”...

21 Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him

and drove the peg into his temple...

Edited July 6, 2023 by Mr. M
cosmetic

[WilliamL]

23 hours ago, Mr. M said:

The children of Tamar were never considered illegitimate, because Judah took the iniquity upon himself.

Tribal descendency passed down through the father, not the mother.

According to Jewish law, a mamzer (Deut. 23:2) is a child of adultery or incest between Jews, which fits this case, as does the ten generations.

I didn't make these these things up, just passing them along for discussion. You can say "never" all you want, but you are wrong.

[Mr. M]

4 minutes ago, WilliamL said:

Tribal descendency passed down through the father, not the mother.

According to Jewish law, a mamzer (Deut. 23:2) is a child of adultery or incest between Jews, which fits this case, as does the ten generations.

I didn't make these these things up, just passing them along for discussion. You can say "never" all you want, but you are wrong.

Firstly, I did not use the word "never" in a broad, general sense, only in the present application to Tamar.

Secondly, I showed how there is no evidence that the descendants of Perez were under that restriction of Deuteronomy. On the contrary, the house and lineage are provided in the Chronicles, and as I pointed out, the house of Perez was invoked as a blessing in Ruth before David was born. Therefore, the only error was yours.

On 7/5/2023 at 12:27 PM, WilliamL said:

Ten generations from their firstborn, Perez, was completed when David was born.

In fact, there was not an accurate statement in your entire response, which I answered point by point, but you chose to ignore my thorough response in favor of trying to tell me I am wrong, making reference to my use of the word 'never' completely out of context. I know you didn't make up a quote from Deuteronomy, and I am aware of that 10 generation prohibition. There simply is no evidence that was ever enforced against the descendants of Tamar, some 450 years before the Exodus, much less the additional 40 years before the second law given on the steppes of Moab, when that prohibition was given as an ordinance in Israel. In short, the descendants of Tamar were never banned from the Lord's Assembly, and you were wrong to make such an assertion.

[WilliamL]

11 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Firstly, I did not use the word "never" in a broad, general sense, only in the present application to Tamar.

Which is how I used it.

11 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Secondly, I showed how there is no evidence that the descendants of Perez were under that restriction of Deuteronomy. On the contrary, the house and lineage are provided in the Chronicles, and as I pointed out, the house of Perez was invoked as a blessing in Ruth before David was born. Therefore, the only error was yours.

And you're missing the point. Judah was prophesied by Jacob to hold "the scepter" of kingship in Israel, but that never happened until 10 generations were completed. A non-Perezite was chosen by Moses to spy out Canaan. Why? The answer is most likely that the proscription called for in Deut. 23:2 was in effect, by men or by God or both. The blessing of the house of Perez referred to their fruitfulness, not their authority, which they never received until 10 generations covering over 650 years had passed. Chalk these numbers up coincidence if you will, but these are the facts.

[WilliamL]

On 7/6/2023 at 6:50 AM, Mr. M said:

On 7/5/2023 at 1:27 PM, WilliamL said:

My vague memory about this is that, first, the Kenites were 'grafted in' to the tribe of Judah, under the principle that proselytes to the Law of Moses became members of the Israelite tribe in whose territory they lived. So the Kenites were officially members of the tribe of Judah.

Your vague memory is not serving you well. You are confusing Kenites with Kennezites.

Not at all: descendants of both lineages became accepted into the tribe of Judah. See Judges 1:16 and Numbers 32:12.