The Hivites were one of the Canaanite tribes mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, known for inhabiting the land of Canaan prior to the arrival of the Israelites. Their presence and interactions with the Israelites are documented in several biblical passages, providing insight into their dwelling places and the historical context of their existence.

Geographical Location:

The Hivites are primarily associated with the central and northern regions of Canaan. In Joshua 11:3, the Hivites are mentioned alongside other Canaanite tribes: "to the Canaanites in the east and west, to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country, and to the Hivites below Hermon in the land of Mizpah." This passage indicates that the Hivites dwelled in the northern areas, particularly near Mount Hermon, a significant landmark in the region.

Another key location associated with the Hivites is the city of Gibeon. In Joshua 9:3-7, the Gibeonites, who are identified as Hivites, famously deceived Joshua and the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them: "But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they acted deceptively. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, wearing worn-out sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins, cracked and mended, and worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy." This account places the Hivites in the vicinity of Gibeon, a city located in the central part of Canaan.

Cultural and Historical Context:

The Hivites, like other Canaanite tribes, were part of the broader cultural and ethnic landscape of ancient Canaan. They were known for their distinct customs and practices, which often stood in contrast to the monotheistic beliefs of the Israelites. The Israelites were commanded to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan, including the Hivites, to avoid adopting their idolatrous practices. In Exodus 23:23-24, God instructs the Israelites: "For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will annihilate them. You must not bow down to their gods or serve them, nor follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces."

Interactions with the Israelites:

The Hivites' interactions with the Israelites were marked by both conflict and coexistence. While the Israelites were commanded to conquer the land, the deceptive treaty with the Gibeonites led to a unique relationship. Joshua 9:15 records the covenant made with the Gibeonites: "And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them." This treaty allowed the Hivites of Gibeon to live among the Israelites, albeit as woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation (Joshua 9:21).

Despite this treaty, the presence of the Hivites and other Canaanite tribes continued to pose challenges for the Israelites, as they struggled to fully obey God's command to drive out the inhabitants of the land. Judges 3:5-6 highlights the consequences of this incomplete conquest: "Thus the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and they served their gods."

The Hivites, therefore, represent a significant aspect of the Canaanite presence in the Promised Land, illustrating the complexities of Israel's conquest and settlement in Canaan. Their dwelling places, particularly in the northern and central regions, and their interactions with the Israelites, provide a window into the historical and theological narrative of the Old Testament.Joshua 11:3
And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.
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Judges 3:3
Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelled in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon to the entering in of Hamath.
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2 Samuel 24:7
And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.
Nave's Topical Index

Hearken and Look; Or, Encouragement for Believers
... as the church of God now does, dwelling in a ... Faith, too, can wait the Lord's time
and place. ... to overrun the nations; the Hittites, the Hivites, the Amorites ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/hearken and look or encouragement.htm

Divine Sovereignty.
... breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling-places that ... the Canaanites, and the
Perizzites, the Hivites, and the ... I dwell in the high and holy place, with him ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlv divine sovereignty.htm

What does it mean that “the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Genesis 15:16)? | GotQuestions.org

Why did God command the extermination / genocide of the Canaanites, women and children included? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Moses send twelve spies into the Promised Land? | GotQuestions.org

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