Kenite

Kenite

Kenites or Cinites ( /ˈkiːnaɪt/; Hebrew: קינים, ), according to the Hebrew Bible, were a nomadic clan in the ancient Levant, sent under Jethro a priest in the land of Midian. They played an important role in the history of ancient Israel. The Kenites were coppersmiths and metalworkers. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, was a shepherd and a priest in the land of Midian. Judges 1:16 identifies that Moses had a father-in-law who was a Kenite, but it is not clear from the passage if this refers to the same Jethro who was the priest of Midian. Certain groups of Kenites settled among the Israelite population, including the descendants of Moses' brother-in-law, though the Kenites descended from Rechab, maintained a distinct, nomadic lifestyle for some time.

Moses apparently identified Jethro's concept of God, El Shaddai, with Yahweh, the Israelites' God. According to the Kenite hypothesis, Yahweh was originally the tribal god of Jethro, borrowed and adapted by the Hebrews.