‘ Now Heber, the Kenite, had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab, the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.'
The purpose of this verse is to explain why Heber was where he was when the later events occurred. For some reason Heber had left the group of Kenites who had gathered to Hobab (Judges 1:16). He had not wanted to be a part of Judah. His presence here was providential. As semi-nomads, Kenites lived in tents and kept themselves to themselves, and that is how he wanted it. They probably survived by doing metalwork. They were thus useful to farmers and to fighting men alike. The oak in Zaanannim was a famous landmark (compare Joshua 19:33) and would have cultic connections among the Canaanites (the Hebrew used always has such in mind). To them it was a sacred place. This probably later gave Sisera more of a sense of security.