Numbers 24:21

21 And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `Enduring [is] thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest,

Numbers 24:21 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:21

And he looked on the Kenites
Not the family and posterity of Jethro, as Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Abendana; for they were not a people by themselves, but were now encamped with Israel, and went with them into the land of Canaan, and were not carried captive with the ten tribes, though some might that dwelt in Naphtali, ( Judges 9:4 Judges 9:11 Judges 9:17 ) , for they after that remained with Judah under the name of Rechabites, ( Jeremiah 35:2 ) and returned with the two tribes, being carried captive with them, ( 1 Chronicles 2:55 ) but they were a people, though of the same original and family Jethro descended from, which dwelt near, and afterwards among the Amalekites, and therefore were seen by Balaam, and taken notice of at the same time they were; see ( 1 Samuel 15:6 ) . Abarbinel takes them to be the same with those in ( Genesis 15:19 )

and took up his parable;
or prophecy concerning them, and delivered it:

and said, strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a
rock,
they dwelling in craggy rocky places, where they thought themselves secure and out of danger; and this their habitation he calls "Ken", a nest, in allusion to their name Kenites.

Numbers 24:21 In-Context

19 And [one] doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'

20 And he seeth Amalek, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `A beginning of the Goyim [is] Amalek; And his latter end -- for ever he perisheth.'

21 And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `Enduring [is] thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest,

22 But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'

23 And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Alas! who doth live when God doth this?