וּבְנֵ֣י קֵינִי֩ חֹתֵ֨ן מֹשֶׁ֜ה עָל֨וּ מֵעִ֤יר הַתְּמָרִים֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִדְבַּ֣ר יְהוּדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּנֶ֣גֶב עֲרָ֑ד וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אֶת־הָעָֽם׃
Os descendentes de Keini, sogro de Moshe, subiram da Cidade das Palmeiras com os filhos de Yehudá para o deserto de Yehudá, que está ao sul de Arad; e foram, e habitaram entre o povo.
Jerusalem Talmud Bikkurim
HALAKHAH: 70The different interpretations of this Halakhah are discussed in Tosefta ki-Fshutah Zeraïm pp. 823–825.: “The following bring but do not make the declaration”. Rebbi Jonah and Rebbi Yose, both in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: The Mishnah speaks of a proselyte of the descendants of the Qenite, the relative of Moses by marriage, since the descendants of the Qenite, the relative of Moses by marriage, bring and make the declaration, as it is written (Num. 10:29): “Go with us and we shall treat you well.71In Tosephta 1:2: “Rebbi Jehudah said, all proselytes bring but do not make the declaration, except that a Qenite proselyte brings and makes the declaration.” This contradicts the opinion given here that a Qenite proselyte can make the declaration only if he is the son of a Jewish mother.
The problem is, why should the proselyte, son of a Jewish mother (Note 68), be able to make the declaration? He would not be able to declare “that the Eternal had sworn to our forefathers to give us” since the Land was distributed to males only. The daughters of Ẓelofḥad could inherit only as sole heirs of their father who was of those counted at the Exodus; the Land was never promised to the females. But since the family of Jithro were invited by Moses to join the Israelites and received part of the Land (Jud. 1:16), a Qenite can declare “that the Eternal had sworn to give us” from his father’s side and “to our forefathers’ from the mother’s. {The hypothesis that the Qenites were not considered as Israelites at the conquest is difficult to accept.}” Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of Rebbi Eleazar did not say so72They do not disagree with the statement of R. Samuel ben Rav Isaac but with context and meaning. In the first version, only the sentence about the proselyte, son of a Jewish mother, refers to Qenites. but: Why did they say73Mishnah 5. The first three are not owners, the last three are not male. “the guardians, the slave, the agent, the woman, the sexless and the hermaphrodite can bring but do not make the declaration,” is not the proselyte mentioned here74Since the proselyte cannot say “that the Eternal had sworn to our forefathers to give us” but can make the declaration if his mother is Jewish, why cannot the persons mentioned in Mishnah 5 (with the exception of the slave) make the declaration since presumably they are children of a Jewish mother?? Rebbi Samuel ben Rav Isaac said, explain it by the proselyte mentioned here75Mishnah 5 in its entirety only deals with Qenites. This is difficult to accept since then the Mishnah would have become meaningless with the Babylonian exile., by the descendants of the Qenite, the relative of Moses by marriage, since the descendants of the Qenite, the relative of Moses by marriage, bring and make the declaration.
The problem is, why should the proselyte, son of a Jewish mother (Note 68), be able to make the declaration? He would not be able to declare “that the Eternal had sworn to our forefathers to give us” since the Land was distributed to males only. The daughters of Ẓelofḥad could inherit only as sole heirs of their father who was of those counted at the Exodus; the Land was never promised to the females. But since the family of Jithro were invited by Moses to join the Israelites and received part of the Land (Jud. 1:16), a Qenite can declare “that the Eternal had sworn to give us” from his father’s side and “to our forefathers’ from the mother’s. {The hypothesis that the Qenites were not considered as Israelites at the conquest is difficult to accept.}” Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of Rebbi Eleazar did not say so72They do not disagree with the statement of R. Samuel ben Rav Isaac but with context and meaning. In the first version, only the sentence about the proselyte, son of a Jewish mother, refers to Qenites. but: Why did they say73Mishnah 5. The first three are not owners, the last three are not male. “the guardians, the slave, the agent, the woman, the sexless and the hermaphrodite can bring but do not make the declaration,” is not the proselyte mentioned here74Since the proselyte cannot say “that the Eternal had sworn to our forefathers to give us” but can make the declaration if his mother is Jewish, why cannot the persons mentioned in Mishnah 5 (with the exception of the slave) make the declaration since presumably they are children of a Jewish mother?? Rebbi Samuel ben Rav Isaac said, explain it by the proselyte mentioned here75Mishnah 5 in its entirety only deals with Qenites. This is difficult to accept since then the Mishnah would have become meaningless with the Babylonian exile., by the descendants of the Qenite, the relative of Moses by marriage, since the descendants of the Qenite, the relative of Moses by marriage, bring and make the declaration.
Sotah
Bilaam who counseled was killed, Iyov who was silent was punished with afflictions, Yitro who fled merited his descendants to sit in the Chamber of Hewn Stone, as it is written (Chronicles I 2, 52) "and from the families of the scribes that delled at Yaavetz, Teratim, Shematim, Succatim; they are the Keinim who came for the father of the house of Rachav" and it is also written (Judges 1, 16) "And fromm the Keini, the father-in-law of Moshe."
Avot DeRabbi Natan
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When I know that the Temple is going to be built again between the territories of Judah and Benjamin, I will go and prepare the fields of Jericho. And who ate the produce of those fields during all those years? The Kenites, the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, as says (Judges 1:16), “And the Kenites, the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms.”
He also said: When the Holy Blessed One removed His Presence, He promised to give a great reward in the future to Jethro and his descendants. [How do we know] that the descendants of Jethro were supported from charity in the meantime? Because of what it says (I Chronicles 2:55), “The families of the tribes that dwelled at Jabez,” and then (I Chronicles 4:23), “They were the potters, who dwelled in the plantations.” (They were great men, owners of houses, fields, and vineyards. And because of the work of the King of all kings, the Holy Blessed One, they dwelled there) in the king’s service. So then where did they go? They went to Jabez to study Torah, and there they became a people of God. (At that time) Jabez was a good and righteous man, a man of truth and piety, and he would sit and teach Torah, as it says (I Chronicles 4:10), “And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, saying [if You bless me…and God granted his request].”
He also said: When the Holy Blessed One removed His Presence, He promised to give a great reward in the future to Jethro and his descendants. [How do we know] that the descendants of Jethro were supported from charity in the meantime? Because of what it says (I Chronicles 2:55), “The families of the tribes that dwelled at Jabez,” and then (I Chronicles 4:23), “They were the potters, who dwelled in the plantations.” (They were great men, owners of houses, fields, and vineyards. And because of the work of the King of all kings, the Holy Blessed One, they dwelled there) in the king’s service. So then where did they go? They went to Jabez to study Torah, and there they became a people of God. (At that time) Jabez was a good and righteous man, a man of truth and piety, and he would sit and teach Torah, as it says (I Chronicles 4:10), “And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, saying [if You bless me…and God granted his request].”