of their importance among the Arab tribes, the name of Kedar in later times came to apply to desert tribes in general. In the Targums and in rabbinical literature, Arabia itself is sometimes called “Kedar.”

The Shulammite girl of The Song of Solomon likened her swarthy appearance to the “tents of Kedar” (Song of Sol. 1:5, 6; compare Psalm 120:5), these likely being made of black goat’s hair, as are the tents of many modern-day Bedouins. Ezekiel’s prophecy mentions the “chieftains of Kedar” along with the Arabs as merchants in male lambs, rams and he-goats for the commercial city of Tyre.—Ezek. 27:21.

During the time of Assyria’s dominance in the Near East, the prophet Isaiah foretold the sudden decline of Kedar’s glory, her mighty bowmen being reduced to a mere remnant. (Isa. 21:16, 17) The Kedarites are evidently the Qidri or Qadri referred to in Assyrian records of warring campaigns. Assyrian King Ashurbanipal includes them with the Aribi (Arabs) and Nebaioth (compare Isaiah 60:7) in one campaign account and boasts of the asses, camels and sheep taken from them as booty.

At a later time, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, struck down Kedar. (Jer. 49:28, 29) The monarch’s conquest of N Arabia is mentioned by Babylonian historian Berossus, quoted by Josephus.—Flavius Josephus Against Apion, Book I, par. 19.

A silver bowl (considered to be of the fifth century B.C.E.) found at Tell el-Maskhuta in Egypt bears the Aramaic inscription: “Qainu the son of Geshem, king of Kedar.” The Geshem meant in this case may be “Geshem the Arabian” who opposed the work of rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall in Nehemiah’s day.—Neh. 2:19; 6:1, 2, 6.

Assyrian records indicate that at the shrine of King Hazail of Kedar (at Adumatu) there were images of the following false deities: Atarsamain (the Assyrians identified her with Ishtar Dilbat), Dai, Nahai, Ruldaiu, Atarquruma and Abirillu. A star of gold decorated with precious stones served as a symbol of the goddess Atarsamain. According to the Babylonian Talmud (Taʽan. 5b), the people of Kedar also worshiped water.

KEDEMAH

(Kedʹe·mah) [eastward; toward the east].

A son of Ishmael, named last in order at Genesis 25:15 and 1 Chronicles 1:31. In fulfillment of Jehovah’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 17:20), Kedemah was one of the twelve chieftains produced by Ishmael.

KEDEMOTH

(Kedʹe·moth) [possibly, beginnings, or, eastern parts].

The name applied to a city E of the Jordan and apparently also to the wilderness surrounding it. From the wilderness of Kedemoth Moses sent messengers to Amorite King Sihon, requesting permission to pass through his land. (Deut. 2:26, 27) Originally given to the Reubenites, Kedemoth was later assigned to the Merarite Levites. (Josh. 13:15, 18; 21:34, 36, 37; 1 Chron. 6:77-79) Geographers generally favor as a possible identification Kasr ez-Zaʽferan, situated about ten miles (16 kilometers) NE of what is thought to be the site of ancient Dibon.

KEDESH

(Keʹdesh) [sacred place, sanctuary].

1. A city in southern Judah (Josh. 15:21, 23), possibly the same as Kadesh-barnea.—See KADESH, KADESH-BARNEA.

2. A city of Naphtali given to the Gershonites and set aside as a city of refuge. (Josh. 20:7; 21:32, 33; 1 Chron. 6:71, 76) Because of its location it was also called “Kedesh-naphtali” (Judg. 4:6) and “Kedesh in Galilee.” (Josh. 20:7) Apparently the residence of Judge Barak, Kedesh served as the rallying point for his ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun prior to their victory over the Canaanite army under Sisera. (Judg. 4:6, 10) Centuries later the city was conquered by Assyrian King Tigloth-pileser III during the rule of Israel’s King Pekah (778-758 B.C.E.).—2 Ki. 15:29.

Kedesh has been linked with Tell Qades, a mound overlooking a small, but fertile plain some four miles (6 kilometers) NW of the Huleh Basin.

3. A site in Issachar assigned to the “sons of Gershom” (1 Chron. 6:71, 72), seemingly the same as the “Kishion” mentioned in the parallel list at Joshua 21:28. Tell Abu Qedeis, about two and a half miles (4 kilometers) SE of Megiddo, has been suggested as a possible identification. This would seem to fit Joshua 12:21, 22, where Kedesh appears to be placed in the vicinity of Megiddo and Jokneam. Since Barak defeated Sisera in the Megiddo area (Judg. 5:19), it may have been near this Kedesh (and not No. 2 above) that Jael killed Canaanite army chief Sisera in her tent.—Judg. 4:11, 17, 21.

KEHELATHAH

(Ke·he·laʹthah) [congregation, or, assembly].

One of the places where the Israelites encamped while wandering in the wilderness. (Num. 33:22, 23) Its exact location is today unknown.

KEILAH

(Keiʹlah) [possibly, the spur].

A fortified Judean city in the Shephelah. (Josh. 15:20, 33, 44; 1 Sam. 23:7) Keilah was perhaps ‘founded’ or, at one time, ‘governed’ by some Calebite(s). (1 Chron. 4:15, 19; compare ATROTH-BETH-JOAB.) It is commonly identified with Khirbet Qila, situated on a hill about nine miles (15 kilometers) NW of Hebron. As in the region of ancient Keilah, today grain is cultivated in the vicinity of Khirbet Qila.—Compare 1 Samuel 23:1.

David, while outlawed by King Saul saved Keilah from falling to the Philistines. Yet afterward he and his men had to escape from the city to avoid being surrendered to Saul’s army by the landowners of Keilah.—1 Sam. 23:5, 8-13.

The city was reoccupied after the Babylonian exile. At the time Jerusalem’s walls were being repaired under Nehemiah’s direction, there were two half districts of Keilah, each with its own “prince.”—Neh. 3:17, 18.

KELAIAH

(Ke·laiʹah).

Another name for the Levite Kelita, a contemporary of Ezra the priest.—Ezra 10:23; see KELITA No. 1.

KELITA

(Ke·liʹta) [perhaps, crippled, dwarfed one, or, adopted one].

1. One of the Levites of Ezra’s day who recognized their guilt in taking foreign wives and therefore sent them away in 468-467 B.C.E. He is also called Kelaiah (meaning, perhaps, swift for Jehovah, Jehovah has dishonored, or, dwarf). (Ezra 10:23, 44) Possibly the same as Nos. 2 and 3.

2. A Levite who assisted Ezra in “explaining the law to the people” in 455 B.C.E.—Neh. 8:7, 8; see No. 1.

3. A Levite whose descendant, if not himself, attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” of Nehemiah’s time. (Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 9, 10) If Kelita himself, rather than a descendant, was present when this agreement was made, he may have been the same as No. 1 or No. 2.

KEMUEL

(Kem·uʹel) [perhaps, God’s mound, or, congregation of God].

1. A son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife Milcah, and hence Abraham’s nephew. He had a son named Aram.—Gen. 22:20, 21.

2. Son of Shiphtan and a chieftain of the tribe of Ephraim. He was one of the twelve men appointed by Jehovah through Moses to divide the land of Canaan among the Israelites, representing the tribe of Ephraim in this undertaking.—Num. 34:16-29.

3. A Levite who was the father of Hashabiah, leader over the tribe of Levi in David’s day.—1 Chron. 27:16, 17.