KENITES  , in the

Bible a tribe or clan of. the south of Palestine, closely associated with the Amalekites, whose hostility towards Israel, however, it did not share . On this account Saul spared them when bidden by Yahweh to destroy Amalek; David, too, whilst living in Judah, appears to have been on friendly terms with them (I Sam. xv . 6, xxx . 29) . Moses himself married into a Kenite family (Judges i . 16), and the variant tradition would seem to show that the Kenites were only a branch of the Midianites (see JETHRO, MIDIAN) . Jael, the slayer of Sisera (see DEBORAH), was the wife of Heber the Kenite, who lived near Kadesh in Naphtali; and the appearance of the clan in this locality may be explained from the nomadic habits of the tribe, or else as a result of the northward movement in which at least one other clan or tribe took part (see DAN) . There is an obscure allusion to their destruction in an appendage to the oracles of Balaam (Num. xxiv . 21 seq., see G . B . Gray, Intern . Crit .

Comm. p . 376); and with this, the only unfavourable reference to them, may perhaps be associated the curse of Cain . Although some connexion with the name of Cain is probable, it is difficult, however, to explain the curse (for one view, see LEVITES) . More important is the prominent part played by the Kenite (or Midianite) father-in-law of Moses, whose help and counsel are related in Exod. xviii.; and if, as seems probable, the Rechabites (q.v.) were likewise of Kenite origin (1 Chron. ii . 55), this obscure tribe had evidently an important part in shaping the religion of Israel . 1901, giving a total of I9o,698 . According to an estimate made by Mr G . C . Stirling, the political officer in charge of the state, in 1897-1898, of the various tribes of Shans, the Hkiin and Lii contribute about 36,000 each, the western Shans 32,000, the Lem and Lao Shans about 7000, and the Chinese Shans about 5000 . Of the hill tribes, the Kaw or Aka are the most homogeneous with 22,000, but probably the Wa (or Vu), disguised under various tribal names, are at least equally numerous . Nominal Buddhists make up a total of 133,400, and the remainder are classed as animists . Spirit-worship is, how-ever, very conspicuously prevalent amongst all classes even of the Shans .

The

present sawbwa or chief received his patent from the British government on the 9th of February 1897 . The early history of Keng Tung is very obscure, but Burmese influence seems to have been maintained since the latter half, at any rate, of the 16th century . The Chinese made several attempts to subdue the state, and appear to have taken the capital in 1765-66, but were driven out by the united Shan and Burmese troops . The same fate seems to have attended the first Siamese invasion of 1804 . The second and third Siamese invasions, in 1852 and 1854, resulted in great disaster to the invaders, though the capital was invested for a time . Keng Tung, the capital, is situated towards the southern end of a valley about 12 m. long and with an average breadth of 7 m . The town is surrounded by a brick wall and moat about 5 m. round . Only the central and northern portions are much built over . Pop . (1901), 5695 . It is the most considerable town in the British Shan States . In the dry season crowds attend the market held according to Shan custom every five days, and numerous caravans come from China .

The military

post formerly was 7 m. west of the town, at the foot of the watershed range . At first the headquarters of a regiment was stationed there; this was reduced to a wing, and recently to military police . The site was badly chosen and proved very unhealthy, and the headquarters both military and civil have been transferred to Loi Ngwe Long, a ridge 6500 ft. above sea-level 12 M. south of the capital . The rainfall probably averages between 5o and 6o in. for the year . The temperature seems to rise to nearly too° F. during the hot weather, falling 3o° or more during the night . In the cold weather a temperature of 4o° or a few degrees more or less appears to be the lowest experienced . The plain in which the capital stands has an altitude of 3000 ft . (J . G .