They joined the Israelites, and
wandered with them into the land of Canaan.
But they never settled down, as the Israelites did, into farmers and
townsfolk. They never became what we call civilized: though they
had a civilization of their own, which stood them in good stead, and
kept them--and keeps them, it would seem, to this day,--strong and
prosperous, while great cities and mighty nations have been destroyed
round about them. They kept their old simple Arab customs, living in
their great black camels' hair tents, feeding their flocks and herds,
as they wandered from forest to forest and lawn to lawn, living on
the milk of the flock, and it would seem, on locusts and wild honey,
as did John the Baptist after them. They had (as many Arab tribes
have still) neither corn, seed-field, nor vineyard. Wild men they
were in their ways, yet living a simple wholesome life; till in the
days of Ahab and Jehu there arose among them a chief called Jonadab
the son of Rechab, of the house of Hammath. Why he was called the
son of Rechab is not clearly known. 'The son of the rider,' or 'the
son of the chariot,' seems to be the most probable meaning of the
name. So that these Rechabites, at least, had horses--as many Arab
tribes have now--and whether they rode them, or used them to draw
their goods about in carts, like many other wild tribes, they seem to
have gained from Jonadab the name of Rechabim, the sons of Rechab,
the sons of the rider, or the sons of the chariot.
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