KENAZ ke’ năz (קְנַֽז, LXX Κενες, 1 below), Kenizzite, ken’ e zīt (קְּנִזִּ֔י, [KJV Kenezite], LXX Κενεζαιους, 2 below, meaning side, flank).

1. Singular form of the clan name Kenizzite. a. Son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau (Gen 36:11; 1 Chron 1:36), one of the chieftains of Edom (KJV Dukes) (Gen 36:15, 42; 1 Chron 1:53).

b. Younger brother of Caleb (Judg 1:13) and father of Othniel and Seraiah (Josh 15:17: Judg 3:9, 11; 1 Chron 4:13).

c. Son of Elah and grandson of Caleb (1 Chron 4:15, Heb. lit. “and the sons of Elah and Kenaz,” KJV “...even Kenaz.”)

2. Clan or family name. The Kenizzites are one of the S Palestinian tribes (listed between Kenites and Kadmonites) whose land God promised to Abraham’s descendants (Gen 15:19). Unless predictive prophecy is involved here, this must be a different family from that of 1a above. Caleb is said to be the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (Num 32:12; Josh 14:6, 14). The exact meaning of the clan name here is not clear. On the one hand, the Kenizzites are described as an alien people (Gen 15:19 above) and Caleb is promised a portion of the land because of faithfulness rather than birthright. On the other hand, the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 2 and 4 make him a grandson of Judah through Hezron (2:9, 18; yet cf. 4:15). Many scholars have seen the Chronicles genealogy as an attempt to give the descendants of Caleb legal status in postexilic Judaism. It is possible that the apparent discrepancy may be accounted for by duplicate names.

Bibliography H. L. Ginsberg and B. Maisler, “Semitized Hurrians in Syria and Palestine,” JPOS, XIV (1934) 243-267; N. Glueck “Kenites and Kenizzites,” PEQ, LXXII (1940) 22-24.