Genesis 15:19

Gen 15:19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

Gen 15:20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

Gen 15:21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Ver. 19-21. The Kenites, and the Kenezzites.] R. Salomon noteth, that whereas ten nations are here reckoned up, seven only were given to the Israelites. He addeth also, that the Kenites, Kenezzites, and Cadmonims were the same with the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites, all which were at length to be possessed by the Israelites.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 19. The Kenites, c.] Here are ten nations mentioned, though afterwards reckoned but seven see De 7:1; Ac 13:19. Probably some of them which existed in Abram's time had been blended with others before the time of Moses, so that seven only out of the ten then remained; see part of these noticed Ge 10:1-31.

IN this chapter there are three subjects which must be particularly interesting to the pious reader.

1. The condescension of GOD in revealing himself to mankind in a variety of ways, so as to render it absolutely evident that he had spoken, that he loved mankind, and that he had made every provision for their eternal welfare. So unequivocal were the discoveries which God made of himself, that on the minds of those to whom they were made not one doubt was left, relative either to the truth of the subject, or that it was God himself who made the discovery. The subject of the discovery also was such as sufficiently attested its truth to all future generations, for it concerned matters yet in futurity, so distinctly marked, so positively promised, and so highly interesting, as to make them objects of attention, memory, and desire, till they did come; and of gratitude, because of the permanent blessedness they communicated through all generations after the facts had taken place.

2. The way of salvation by faith in the promised Saviour, which now began to be explicitly declared. God gives the promise of salvation, and by means in which it was impossible, humanly speaking, that it should take place; teaching us, 1. That the whole work was spiritual, supernatural, and Divine; and, 2. That no human power could suffice to produce it. This Abram believed while he was yet uncircumcised, and this faith was accounted to him for righteousness or justification; God thereby teaching that he would pardon, accept, and receive into favour all who should believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And this very case has ever since been the standard of justification by faith; and the experience of millions of men, built on this foundation, has sufficiently attested the truth and solidity of the ground on which it was built.

3. The foundation of the doctrine itself is laid in the covenant made between God and Abram in behalf of all the families of the earth, and this covenant is ratified by a sacrifice. By this covenant man is bound to God, and God graciously binds himself to man. As this covenant referred to the incarnation of Christ; and Abram, both as to himself and posterity, was to partake of the benefits of it by faith; hence faith, not works, is the only condition on which God, through Christ, forgives sins, and brings to the promised spiritual inheritance. This covenant still stands open; all the successive generations of men are parties on the one side, and Jesus is at once the sacrifice and Mediator of it. As therefore the covenant still stands open, and Jesus is still the Lamb slain before the throne, every human soul must ratify the covenant for himself; and no man does so but he who, conscious of his guilt, accepts the sacrifice which God has provided for him. Reader, hast thou done so! And with a heart unto righteousness dost thou continue to believe on the Son of God? How merciful is God, who has found out such a way of salvation by providing a Saviour every way suitable to miserable, fallen, sinful man! One who is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; and who, being higher than the heavens, raises up his faithful followers to the throne of his own eternal glory! Reader, give God the praise, and avail thyself of the sin-offering which lieth at the door.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(19) The Kenites.—An Arab race, found both among the Amalekites in the south (1Sa_15:6) and among the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon in the north (Jdg_4:11), and even in Midian, as Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, is called a Kenite (Jdg_1:16). Balaam speaks of them as being a powerful nation (Num_24:21), and this wide dispersion of them into feeble remnants seems to show that they were a race of early settlers in Canaan, who, like the Rephaim, had been overpowered and scattered by subsequent immigrants. They were uniformly friendly to Israel.

The Kenizzites.—The chief fact of importance connected with this race is that Caleb was a Kenezite (Num_32:12). Apparently with his clan he joined the Israelites at the Exodus, and was numbered with the tribe of Judah. Kenizzite and Kenezite are two ways of spelling the same Hebrew word, the former being right.

The Kadmonites.—This may mean either an eastern or an ancient people, of whom we know nothing.

For the Perizzites see Gen_13:7; for the Rephaims, Gen_14:5; and for the rest, Gen_10:15-18.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. the Kenite] Dwellers in the S. of Canaan, connected with the Amalekites and noted for their subsequent friendly relations with Israel. Cf. Num_24:20-21; Jdg_4:17; 1Sa_15:6.

the Kenizzite] Also a people on the Edomite border of Canaan; cf. Kenaz, Gen_36:11. Caleb, the head of the tribe of Judah, was a Kenizzite, Num_32:12, Jos_14:6. Hence the Kenizzites were probably a south Palestinian clan absorbed into the tribe of Judah.

the Kadmonite] Probably dwellers on the eastern desert frontier of Canaan. Compare “the children of the east” (b’nê ḳedem) in Gen_29:1.

19–21. The names of the ten peoples to be driven out by the Israelites. For other lists of these, cf. Exo_3:8; Exo_3:17; Exo_13:5; Exo_23:23; Exo_34:11; Deu_7:1; Deu_20:17. Here only, are ten names given; usually only five or six are mentioned. The Kenite, the Kenizzite, the Kadmonite, the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, seem here to be added to make up the full list.

These verses and Gen_15:18 are attributed by many scholars to a Deuteronomic editor.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the Hittites,.... Who had their name from Heth, a son of Canaan, see Gen 10:15; they dwelt about Hebron, in the south of the land of Canaan:

and the Perizzites; these dwelt in the wood country of the land, Jos 17:15; and seem to have their name from dwelling in villages, and at a distance from towns and cities, and were a boorish and uncivilized people, see Gen 13:7,

and the Rephaims; or "giants", as the Targums of Onkelos, and Jonathan; they dwelt near the Perizzites, Jos 17:15; of these see Gen 14:5.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Cineans, in Arabia, of which nation was Jethro. They were permitted to dwell in the tribe of Juda, and served the Hebrews. --- Cenezites, who probably inhabited the mountains of Juda. --- Cedmonites, or eastern people, as their name shews. Cadmus was of this nation, of the race of the Heveans, dwelling in the environs of mount Hermon, whence his wife was called Hermione. He was, perhaps, one of those who fled at the approach of Josue; and was said to have sowed dragons’ teeth, to people his city of Thebes in Beotia, from an allusion to the name of the Hevites, which signifies serpents. (Calmet) --- The eleven nations here mentioned were not all subdued; on account of the sins of the Hebrews. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The Kenites are supposed the same with the Midianites, by comparing Exo 3:1, with Jdg 1:16. See also Num 24:21; 1Sa 15:6.

The Kenizzites, thought to be the Idumeans, who sprung from Kenaz of Esau's race. But this seems not to agree with Deu 2:5, where God expressly saith to the Israelites concerning the Idumeans,

I will give you none of their lands, & c.

The Kadmonites, i.e. the eastern people, as the word signifies, elsewhere called the Hivites, Jos 9:1, who lived near the Mount Hermon, Jos 11:3, which was in the east part of Canaan. See Psa 89:12.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Kenites… Kenizzites… Kadmonites — Ten nations are now mentioned as occupying this vast territory, seven of whom (those mentioned Gen_15:20-21) have been previously noticed. The number ten, occurring in such a prophecy as this, may well be understood to have some symbolistic significance. It seems to be the symbolic number of completed development in godless worldly empire and rule, as the toes of the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, (Dan_2:42,) and the ten horns of the fourth beast. Dan_7:7; Dan_7:20; Dan_7:24. Comp. Rev_13:1; Rev_17:3; Rev_17:12. These ten heathen nations rise in prophetic vision before Abram, as representing all that long line of opposing world-forces which shall make war upon the godly seed, but in the end of the ages be overcome, so that “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” Dan_7:27. “The Kenites inhabited rocky and mountainous tracts in the south and south-west of Palestine, near the territory of the Amalekites. Num_24:21. They may have spread, in a western direction, to the land of Egypt; so that by their expulsion the frontiers of the promised land would have nearly touched the valley of the Nile.” — Kalisch. Moses’s father-in-law was of this tribe, and some of his descendants journeyed with the children of Israel, (Jdg_1:16, see note,) and settled in the north of Palestine. Jdg_4:11; Jdg_5:24. In Saul’s time a friendly feeling was still shown toward them on account of ancient kindness, 1Sa_15:6; comp. 1Sa_27:11; 1Sa_30:29. Of the Kenizzites we have no other mention, and they were probably destroyed at an early date. The name of the Kadmonites would seem to designate them as eastern, and it is plausibly conjectured that they occupied the eastern part of the territory here given to Abram’s seed. No other mention of their name occurs.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

את הקיני, this tribe gets its name from the city in which its members dwelled originally. The name of the city was קין, and the people known as חבר הקיני were descended from Kayin, as per Judges 4,11. Perhaps Kayin himself had built that city. We are told something to that effect in Genesis 4,17. [it is difficult to accept that this city survived the deluge, as it is difficult to accept that identifiable descendants of Kayin survived the deluge. Ed.] It is a fact that such cities as Gilead, or Chavot Yair, and Dan, received their names from their founders, naming them after themselves. (compare Joshua 19,46; Kings I 16,24; Chronicles I 2,55). According to Onkelos, it is clear that he did not accept this meaning of the name קיני, as in Numbers 24,21 he renders the Numbers 24,21 where Bileam prophesied about the Keyni's future as if it were one of the Canaanite tribes.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.