a kind of religious order among the ancient Jews, instituted by Jonadab the son of Rechab, comprehending only his own family and posterity. Their founder prescribed them three things: first, not to drink any wine; secondly, not to build any houses, but to dwell in tents; and thirdly, not to sow any corn, or plant vines.

The Rechabites observed these rules with great strictness, as appears from Jer. xxxv. 6, &c. Whence St Jerome, in his 13th epistle to Paulinus, calls them monachi, monks. Jonadab, their founder, lived under Jehoahaz, king of Judah, contemporary with Jehu king of Israel; his father Rechab, from whom his posterity were denominated, descended from Raguel or Jethro, father-in-law to Moses, who was a Kenite, or of the race of Ken; whence Kenite and Rechabite are used as synonymous in Scripture.