the descendants of
Rechab through
Jonadab or
Jehonadab. They belonged to the
Kenites, who accompanied the children of
Israel into
Palestine, and dwelt among them.
Moses married a Kenite
wife (
Judg. 1:16), and
Jael was the wife of "Heber the Kenite" (4:17).
Saul also showed kindness to the Kenites (
1 Sam. 15:6). The main body of the Kenites dwelt in cities, and adopted settled habits of
life (30:29); but Jehonadab forbade his descendants to
drink wine or to live in cities. They were commanded to lead always a nomad life. They adhered to the
law laid down by Jonadab, and were noted for their fidelity to the old-established
custom of their family in the days of
Jeremiah (35); and this feature of their character is referred to by the
prophet for the purpose of giving point to his own exhortation. They are referred to in
Neh. 3:14 and
1 Chr. 2:55. Dr. Wolff (1839) found in
Arabia, near Mecca, a
tribe claiming to be descendants of Jehonadab; and recently a Bedouin tribe has been found near the Dead Sea who also profess to be descendants of the same Kenite chief.