The Hivites are one of the several Canaanite tribes mentioned in the Old Testament, known for inhabiting the region near Lebanon. They are frequently listed among the peoples that the Israelites encountered and were commanded to drive out upon entering the Promised Land. The Hivites are first mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:17, where they are identified as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham.

Geographical Location

The Hivites primarily dwelt in the northern part of Canaan, near the region of Lebanon. Joshua 11:3 refers to them as living "in the hill country of Hermon," which is consistent with their association with the northern territories. This location is further supported by Joshua 11:19, which notes that the city of Gibeon, inhabited by the Hivites, was one of the few cities that made peace with Israel rather than being conquered.

Biblical References and Interactions

The Hivites are mentioned in several key biblical passages. In Genesis 34, Shechem, a Hivite prince, is involved in the incident with Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, which leads to a violent retaliation by her brothers Simeon and Levi. This narrative highlights the early interactions between the Israelites and the Hivites.

In the conquest narratives of the Book of Joshua, the Hivites are listed among the nations that the Israelites were to dispossess. Joshua 9 recounts the cunning strategy of the Gibeonites, a Hivite group, who deceived Joshua into making a peace treaty with them by pretending to be from a distant land. This treaty was honored by the Israelites, despite the deception, due to the solemn oath made before God.

Cultural and Religious Practices

The Hivites, like other Canaanite tribes, practiced polytheism and were known for their idolatrous worship, which was in direct opposition to the monotheistic worship of Yahweh commanded to the Israelites. The Israelites were repeatedly warned against adopting the religious practices of the Hivites and other Canaanite peoples. In Exodus 23:32-33, God instructs the Israelites, "You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me."

Significance in Israelite History

The presence of the Hivites in the land of Canaan serves as a backdrop for the unfolding narrative of Israel's conquest and settlement in the Promised Land. Their interactions with the Israelites, particularly the episode with the Gibeonites, underscore themes of covenant faithfulness and the challenges of maintaining religious purity amidst surrounding pagan cultures.

The Hivites, as part of the broader Canaanite population, represent the persistent challenge faced by the Israelites to remain distinct and faithful to their covenant with God. Their account is a testament to the complex dynamics of conquest, diplomacy, and religious fidelity in the biblical narrative.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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Canaan
... In the north they were known as Hivites, at Hebron ... of Judah from their first
camping-ground near Jericho to ... the Kenite family of Rechab still dwelt in tents ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

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