Kemu'el [some Kem'uel} (Keh.Kemuel', bx^irp, perhaps helper of God, otherwise assembly of God; Sept. KapovliX), the name of three men.
1. The third son of Abraham's brother Nahor, and father of six sons (Gen. xxii, 21), all unknown except the last, Bcthucl, who was the father of Laban and Re- bekali (Gcn.xxiv, 15). B.C. cir. 2090. As the name of Ai-am, the first-born, is also the Hebrew name of Syria, some commentators have most strangely conceived that the Syrians were descended from liim ; but Syria was already peopled ere he was born, Laban (Gen. xxviii, 5) and Jacob (Deut. xxvi, 5) being both called " Syrians," although neither of them was descended from Kemuel's son Aram. The misconception originated with the Sep- tuagint, which in this case renders d'nX "^nN, " father of Aram," by Trnrtpa Si'pwj', "father of the Sj'rians." — Kitto. See Aram. •
2. Son of Shiphtan and phylarch of Ephraim, ap- pointed commissioner on behalf of that tribe to partition the land of Canaan (Numb, xxxiv, 24). B.C. 1G18.
3. A Levite, father of Ilashabiah, which latter was one of the roval ofiiccrs under David and Solomon (1 Chron. xxvii, 17). B.C. 1014.
Ken, Thomas, D.D., bishop of Bath and Wells, a distinguished nonjuror divine, was born at Berkham- Etead, Hertfordshire, in July, 1637. He was educated at Winchester School and New College, Oxford. About 1G66 he entered the Church, and became chaplain to bishop Morley, who in 1GG9 secured for him a prebend in Westminster. In 1G74 he visited Rome, and on his return in 1G79 was made D.D. About the same time he was appointed to the household of the princess of Orange ; but the strictness of his mora! and religious principles having displeased prince 'Winiam, he soon left Holland, and accompanied lord Dartmouth in his expe- dition against the pirates of Tangier. On the recom- mendation of the latter, he was, on their return in 1(;84, appointed chaplain to Charles II, and knew how to main- tain the dignity of his office unspotted in the midst of that monarch's licentious court. It is said that once, as the king was on a visit to Winchester, Ken refused to receive the favorite. El eonora (iwynn, into his house; the king, however, praised highly the dignity of the prelate's character instead of resenting this refusal, and only remarked, " IMistrcss Gwynn will find other lodgings." In the very same year (1684) Ken was pro- moted to the bishopric of Bath and Wells. During the reign of James II, when the Church of England seemed threatened with inroads from the papacy, bish- op Ken stood forth one of the most zealous guardians of the national Church, stoutly opposing .any attempts to introduce popery into Great Britain. He did not, in- deed, take an active part in the famous popish contro- versy which agitated the reign of king James II so briskly, but lie was far from being unmindful of the
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danger, and while others worked by their pen, he as actively labored in the j)ul|iit, and boldly took every occasion to refute the errors of Romanism ; nor did lie hesitate, when the dan!j;er of the hour seemed to require it, to set before the royal court its injurious and un- manly politics in ecclesiastical affairs. Some have as- serted that bishop Ken was at one time won over to the papal side, either at this time or later in life, but against this assertion speaks his decided stand in l(i«8, when he protested energetically against the Edict of Tolerance, and his refusal, when the Declaration of Indulgence was strictly commanded to be read, by virtue of a dispensing power claimed by the king, to comply with the demand of his king. Bishop Ken was one of the seven bishops who signed a petition to the king protesting against tlie act, and who were imprisoned in the Tower for their insubordination. After the Eevolution, however, he proved his steadfastness to his royal master by his refusal to take the oath of obedience to William of Orange, and thereby lost his bishopric. Even his polit- ical adversaries, ho^vever, could not but resi)ect such conduct, and queen iNIary, whose chaplain he had been, provided for him by pension. lie retired to Longleate, in Wiltshire, and there died, March 19, 1711. Ken was an eminently jiious man, and jiossessed great learning and talents. While in the bishopric he published an Exposition of the Church Catechism (Lond. 1G8(), 8vo), and Prai/ersfor the Use of Bath and Wells (Lond. 1G8G, 12mo, and often). Later he composed a Manual of Prayers (Lond. 1712, 12mo) : — Exjjosition of the Creed (Lond. 1852, 12rao), etc. He also wrote much poetry, which remains popiUar to this day. His works were lirst published at London in 1721, in 4 vols. 8vo; also Prose Works (London, 1838, 8vo). See W.L.Bowles, Life of Thomas Ken (Lond. 1830-31, 2 vols. 8vo) ; Life of Thomas Ken, by a Layman (Lond. 1851, 8vo) ; Haw- kins, Zzye of Ken (1713); Duj'ckinck, ZZ/e of Bishop Thomas Ken (N. Y. 1859) ; Burnet, Own Times ; Gentle- man's Mar/azine, vol. Ixxxiv; Stoughton, Eccles. Hist, of the Emjl. Church of the Restoration (Lond. 1870, 2 vols. 8vo), ii, 87, 97, 141 sq., 278, 4G0 ; Darling, Cyclopmdia Bibliorp-aphica, ii, 1713; Allibone, Ziic^ of English and American Authors, ii, s. v.; Strickland (Agnes), Lives of the Seven Bishops (Lond. 18GG, 12mo), p. 234 sq. (.J.