The Hivites are one of the several Canaanite tribes mentioned in the Old Testament, known for inhabiting the land of Canaan prior to the arrival of the Israelites. They are frequently listed among the nations that the Israelites were commanded to drive out of the Promised Land. The Hivites are mentioned in various passages throughout the Bible, providing insight into their interactions with the Israelites and their role in biblical history.

Biblical References and Historical Context

The Hivites are first mentioned in Genesis 10:17 as descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham, making them part of the broader Canaanite population. In Genesis 15:19-21, God promises Abram (later Abraham) that his descendants will inherit the land occupied by several tribes, including the Hivites: "the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites."

During the conquest of Canaan, the Hivites are specifically mentioned as one of the nations that the Israelites were to dispossess. In Exodus 3:8, God declares His intention to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and bring them "to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites."

The Gibeonite Deception

One of the most notable accounts involving the Hivites is the account of the Gibeonites, who were Hivites, as recorded in Joshua 9. Fearing the advancing Israelites, the Gibeonites resorted to deception to secure a peace treaty. They disguised themselves as travelers from a distant land and 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 discovered, the Israelites honored the treaty due to the oath they had sworn before the LORD, but the Gibeonites were made servants, as described in Joshua 9:27: "On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD at the place He would choose. And they are to this day."

Role in Israel's History

The Hivites continued to live among the Israelites, and their presence is noted in several other biblical passages. In Judges 3:3, they are listed among the nations left to test Israel: "the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath."

King David's reign also mentions the Hivites. In 2 Samuel 24:7, Joab and the army commanders conducted a census that included the Hivite territory: "Then they went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites."

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 Canaanites, including the Hivites, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 20:17-18: "You must completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God."

Legacy

The Hivites, as part of the Canaanite tribes, played a significant role in the narrative of Israel's conquest and settlement of the Promised Land. Their interactions with the Israelites, particularly through the Gibeonite deception, highlight themes of covenant, obedience, and the challenges of maintaining faithfulness to God's commands amidst surrounding pagan cultures.