Meaning of HIVITES

(cf. Heb. "hawwãh", "town of tents"; arch. "hiwã", "group of tents"). One of the races of Canaanites that occupied the country before the Israelite conquest (Gen. 10:17; Ex. 3:17; Josh. 9:1, 2).

They were divided into many groups. One of these dwelt at Shechem in the time of Jacob (Gen. 33:18; 34:2). Many generations after the conquest, his descendants continued to exert their influence in this city (Judg. 9:28).

There was also a group of them in and around Gibeon. Joshua, victim of a trick on their part, formalized a treaty of peace and alliance with them. When their deception was discovered, they were subjected to the status of servants (Joshua 9).

It seems that the most important Hivite colony was at the foot of Lebanon; It extended from Hermon to the entrance to Hamath (Josh. 11:3; Judges 3:3). Until the time of David, the Hivites had their own towns in these northern mountains.

Those who remained within Palestine proper were forced, like the other Canaanites in the country, to take part in Solomon's great constructions (1 Kings 9:20-22; 2 Chron. 8:7, 8 ).

The question may arise as to whether the Hivites ever formed a people with their own characteristics.

It has been speculated that in ancient times the Horites, who some identify with the Hurrians, were equivalent in Gen. 36:2, 20, 29; Josh. 9:7 and 13; LXX. It is possible that the Hivites were an ethnic subdivision of the Horites.