1 Samuel 15:6
in 1 Samuel 15And he warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt, go on and get away from the Amalekites. Otherwise I will sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
KJV
And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 15
Commentary
9 notes on this verseSaid unto the Kenites - The Kenites were an ancient people. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was a Kenite. Hobab his son (if the same person be not meant) was guide to the Hebrews through the wilderness. They had a portion of the promised land, near to the city Arad. See Jdg 1:16; and for more particulars concerning them and the Amalekites, see the notes on Num 26:20-21 (note).
This site's exposition
numbered them at Telaim
on 1 Samuel 15:4-6
Saul musters 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah at Telaim, then warns the Kenites away before the attack. They are spared because "you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt," the kindness clause used of Rahab and later of Ruth. Saul can distinguish when mercy is the question, and his failure is to distinguish where the command left no room.
This site's exposition
you showed kindness to all the Israelites
Adam Clarke traces the kindness shown when Israel came up out of Egypt to Jethro, the Kenite father-in-law of Moses, and to Hobab, who guided Israel through the wilderness. By Judges 1:16 they held land near Arad. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that the Kenites had come to live among the Amalekites while holding no share in Amalek's guilt.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.
proposed
Who is the Kenite, who is known to dwell with Amalek, and who is compelled to depart, lest he be equally entangled with him? But perhaps this is the one about whom the Apostle says: "Let the husband render to his wife what is due, and likewise the wife to her husband" (1 Cor. 7:3). The name also fits him, because "Kenite" is said to mean "possessing." These married persons, because they are bound by marriage, are not compelled to abandon everything.
And Saul said to the Kenite, "Go, depart, etc." The holy history reports that the Kenites were the relatives of Moses, saying: "Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the rest of the Kenites, the sons of Hobab the kinsman of Moses; and had pitched …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
When destroying judgments are abroad God will take care to separate between the precious and the vile, and to hide the meek of the earth in the day of his anger. It is dangerous being found in the company of God's enemies, and it is our duty and interest to come out from among them, lest we share in their sins and plagues, Rev. xviii.
You were not guilty of that sin for which Amalek is now to be destroyed. When destroying judgments are abroad God takes care to separate the precious from the vile. It is then especially dangerous to be found in the company of God's enemies.
And Saul said unto the Kenites,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Though now intermingled with the Amalekites, they were not implicated in the offenses of that wicked race; but for the sake of their ancestors, between whom and those of Israel there had been a league of amity, a timely warning was afforded them to remove from the scene of danger.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שָׁא֣וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| אֶֽל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַקֵּינִ֡י | hakeini | the Kenite[s] | H7017 → | 12 times |
| לְכוּ֩ | lekhu | go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| סֻּ֨רוּ | suru | depart | H5493 → | 299 times |
| רְד֜וּ | redu | go down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| מִתּ֣וֹךְ | mitokh | from among | H8432 → | 418 times |
| עֲמָלֵקִ֗י | ʾamalki | [the] Amalekite[s] | H6003 → | 12 times |
| פֶּן־ | pen- | lest | H6435 → | 133 times |
| אֹֽסִפְךָ֙ | ʾosifkha | I should destroy you | H622 → | 200 times |
| עִמּ֔וֹ | imo | with it | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וְאַתָּ֞ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| עָשִׂ֤יתָה | ʾasitah | you did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חֶ֙סֶד֙ | chesed | loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בַּעֲלוֹתָ֖ם | baalotam | when came up they | H5927 → | 890 times |
| מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם | mimitzrayim | from Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וַיָּ֥סַר | vaiyasar | and it departed | H5493 → | 299 times |
| קֵינִ֖י | keini | [the] Kenite[s] | H7017 → | 12 times |
| מִתּ֥וֹךְ | mitokh | from among | H8432 → | 418 times |
| עֲמָלֵֽק׃ | ʾamalek | Amalek | H6002 → | 39 times |
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שָׁא֣וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
אֶֽל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַקֵּינִ֡יthe Kenite[s]
hakeiniH7017 →12 times
לְכוּ֩go
lekhuH1980 →1546 times
סֻּ֨רוּdepart
suruH5493 →299 times
רְד֜וּgo down
reduH3381 →381 times
מִתּ֣וֹךְfrom among
mitokhH8432 →418 times
עֲמָלֵקִ֗י[the] Amalekite[s]
ʾamalkiH6003 →12 times
פֶּן־lest
pen-H6435 →133 times
אֹֽסִפְךָ֙I should destroy you
ʾosifkhaH622 →200 times
עִמּ֔וֹwith it
imoH5973 →1050 times
וְאַתָּ֞הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
עָשִׂ֤יתָהyou did
ʾasitahH6213 →2628 times
חֶ֙סֶד֙loyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בַּעֲלוֹתָ֖םwhen came up they
baalotamH5927 →890 times
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִםfrom Egypt
mimitzrayimH4714 →641 times
וַיָּ֥סַרand it departed
vaiyasarH5493 →299 times
קֵינִ֖י[the] Kenite[s]
keiniH7017 →12 times
מִתּ֥וֹךְfrom among
mitokhH8432 →418 times
עֲמָלֵֽק׃Amalek
ʾamalekH6002 →39 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Judges 1:16Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live…
it leads to
- Numbers 10:29–32
Then Moses said to Hobab, the son of Moses’ father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said: ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us,…
- Judges 4:11
Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent by the great tree of Zaanannim, which was near Kedesh.
- Numbers 21:1
When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners.
- Deuteronomy 34:3
the Negev, and the region from the Valley of Jericho (the City of Palms) all the way to Zoar.
- Numbers 10:29–32
Through
Exodus 18:19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
it leads to
- Numbers 27:5
So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
- Numbers 27:5
Through
Judges 4:11Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent by the great tree of Zaanannim, which was near Kedesh.
it leads to
- Judges 1:16
Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live…
- Joshua 19:33
Their border started at Heleph and the great tree of Zaanannim, passing Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum and ending at the Jordan.
- Numbers 10:29
Then Moses said to Hobab, the son of Moses’ father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said: ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us,…
- Judges 1:16
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.