The Hivites were one of the several Canaanite tribes inhabiting the land of Canaan during the time of the Israelite conquest under Joshua. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as part of the indigenous population that the Israelites encountered upon entering the Promised Land.

Biblical References and Identity

The Hivites are first mentioned in Genesis 10:17 as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham, making them part of the broader Canaanite family. They are listed among the nations that the Israelites were commanded to drive out of the land (Exodus 3:8, 17; 23:23; Deuteronomy 7:1). The Hivites are noted for their presence in the hill country of Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath (Judges 3:3).

The Gibeonite Deception

One of the most notable accounts involving the Hivites is the account of the Gibeonites, who were Hivites living in the city of Gibeon. In Joshua 9, the Gibeonites, fearing the advancing Israelite army, resorted to deception to secure a peace treaty with Israel. Disguising themselves as travelers from a distant land, they convinced Joshua and the leaders of Israel to make a covenant with them. Joshua 9:15 states, "And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them."

When the deception was uncovered, the Israelites honored the treaty due to the oath made before the LORD, but the Gibeonites were relegated to servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and the altar of the LORD (Joshua 9:21-27).

Conquest and Integration

Despite the treaty with the Gibeonites, the broader Hivite population was subject to the Israelite conquest. Joshua 11:19 notes, "No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle." This indicates that the Hivites, apart from the Gibeonites, were conquered along with the other Canaanite tribes.

The Hivites, like other Canaanite groups, were to be driven out or destroyed to prevent the Israelites from adopting their idolatrous practices (Deuteronomy 20:17-18). However, remnants of the Hivite population continued to exist within Israelite territory, as seen in later biblical narratives.

Cultural and Religious Influence

The presence of the Hivites and other Canaanite tribes posed a continual challenge to the Israelites, as their religious practices and cultural influences were contrary to the worship of Yahweh. The Israelites were repeatedly warned against intermarrying with them and adopting their customs (Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:3-4).

The Hivites, along with other Canaanite peoples, are often cited in the biblical narrative as a test for Israel, to see whether they would remain faithful to the covenant with God or be led astray by the surrounding nations (Judges 3:4).

Legacy

The Hivites, as part of the Canaanite nations, serve as a historical and theological backdrop to the narrative of Israel's settlement in the Promised Land. Their interactions with the Israelites highlight themes of faithfulness, obedience, and the consequences of compromise with pagan cultures. The account of the Gibeonites, in particular, underscores the importance of seeking divine guidance and the binding nature of oaths made before God.Joshua 9:1
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
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Joshua 12:8
In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
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Joshua 24:11
And you went over Jordan, and came to Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.
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'The Waters Saw Thee; they were Afraid'
... you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the ... the seal of God's
approbation on Joshua, and to ... sees in them the prophecy of conquered death, is ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the waters saw thee they.htm

Canaan
... In the north they were known as Hivites, at Hebron ... At a later date Babylonia itself
was conquered by a ... When Joshua crosses the Jordan there is no longer any ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

Hearken and Look; Or, Encouragement for Believers
... Moses fell on sleep but the one man Joshua? ... a savage people; but the heralds of Jesus
conquered. ... to overrun the nations; the Hittites, the Hivites, the Amorites ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/hearken and look or encouragement.htm

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