Numbers 10:29-36, The Legacy of Jethro (3)

As we have noted, the relationship of the Druze to modern-day Israel is similar to that of Jethro’s descendants and Israel in the OT.  Let’s look at passages that show how this Gentile nation that blessed Israel was blessed in return.

·       Judges 1:16: Now the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad.  We learn that they did travel with Israel, entering the land at Jericho (City of Palms), and then settling in the tribal area of Judah, in the Negev/South near Arad.  See the first map to find their location (Arad is west of the lower end of the Dead Sea.)  We also learn, they are the “Kenites.” 

·       Gen. 15:19-20: The Kenites were around in Abraham’s time, hundreds of years before the time of Jethro.  Thus, Jethro’s “people” were more than just him and his clan.  That is the case today with the Druze.  There are around 125,000 Druze in Israel, but over a million total with the Druze communities of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.  This passage, where God is speaking to Abraham, gives the land of the Kenites to Abraham as part of the “Promised Land.”  In other words, they were apparently living in Canaan at the time.  Think about this.  It means they were part of Canaan, people whom God would dispossess because of their immorality.  Yet, the list of ten people groups here in Genesis includes the Kenites; but the standard list of seven nations to be dispossessed did not include the Kenites (e.g. Deut. 7:1).  So, they were dispossessed, no longer a separate nation; but God cared for them because of their relationship with the chosen nation.  I hope this is making sense.  God gave the land to Israel, taking it from wicked nations.  But not all in the land were wicked.  In the case of the Kenites God showed His mercy.  Their blessing was bound up in Israel’s blessing.

·       Num. 10:29-32: Here is where Moses invites Jethro to go with Israel as they move on from Mt. Sinai.  The key phrase is, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same we will do to you. 

·       Num. 24:21: In the prophecies of Balaam the Kenites are mentioned.  Remember that the Midianites wanted Balaam to curse Israel, but God wouldn’t permit him to do so.  This happened shortly before they crossed the Jordan into the land.  Balaam did curse Amalek (v20).  But as for the Kenites, he blessed them.  Firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock.  It’s interesting that the history of the Druze is living in communities high up in the mountains, for security purposes.  As we noted, today in Israel their prime areas are in the Golan Heights and atop Mt. Carmel.  It fits the blessing Balaam was permitted by God to pronounce on the Kenites.

·       Judges 4:11,17; 5:24: In the time of the Judges (the story of Deborah and Barak, Judges 4-5) Hobab, a son of Jethro, relocated to the area around what later became Beit Shean.  Hobab’s wife, Jael, is the one who gave Sisera (leader of the army of Hazor who dominated Israel at the time) milk to drink, and then drove a stake through his head while he was fast asleep.  The Kenites would have been considered “neutral” in that conflict, and yet they stood with Israel.  Use the second map on this post to see this area.

·       1 Sam. 15:6: This is fascinating, given what Balaam prophesied in Num. 24:21.  Here, King Saul was told by God to annihilate the Amalekites.  But first he said to the Kenites, Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them.  For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.

·       1 Sam. 30:28: David, when he was hiding from Saul, was in Ziklag in the Philistine area around Gath.  While he was away from the city, the Amalekites (no, Saul did not annihilate them) had raided the city, burned it and taken all the people and spoil.  David caught up with them and retrieved all that was taken and more.  When he returned, he sent spoil to a lot of people, including the Kenites.  It shows their blessed position with David.

What a great story and illustration of God’s faithfulness.  He pronounced a blessing on those who bless Israel.  It was seen in the Kenites.  Today, it is seen in the Druze.  And perhaps in other nations.  Perhaps in the USA.  But for how long?

(FYI maps used in these posts are from Bible Atlas, Zane Ridling, Editor. Downloaded free from www.holybooks.com.)