Bible Dictionaries
Kenizzite

Holman Bible Dictionary

(kehn' ihz zite) Clan name of uncertain meaning. Clan God promised Abraham the Israelites would dispossess (Genesis 15:19 ). The Kenizzites lived in the Negev, the southern desert region of Judah, before the conquest of the land by Joshua. The tribe of Judah absorbed some of the Kenizzites while Edom absorbed others. The Kenizzites were probably related to the Kenites from whom they would have learned the craft of metal-working (1 Chronicles 4:13-14 ). They probably derived their name from Kenaz—a descendant of Esau (Genesis 36:11 ,Genesis 36:11,36:15 )—who is listed among the Edomite chieftains (Genesis 36:42 ). Jephunneh the Kenizzite may have married a woman of the tribe of Judah. Their son was Caleb (Numbers 32:12; Joshua 14:6 ,Joshua 14:6,14:14; Joshua 15:13 ). See Kenaz; Kenites.