The Hivites are one of the Canaanite groups mentioned in the Bible, described as descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:17. They were primarily located in the region of Gibeon and are noted for their interactions with the Israelites during the conquest of Canaan, including a treaty made with Joshua in Joshua 9.
Scripture
15 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth,
16 the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites,
17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites,
18 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites spread abroad.
Meaning of Hivites in the Bible
The Hivites, as descendants of Canaan, represent a broader narrative within the Bible concerning the relationships between the Israelites and the surrounding nations they encountered as they entered the Promised Land. Their mention in Genesis 10:17 situates them within the historical lineage of nations that interacted with, and sometimes opposed, God’s chosen people. Notably, the story of the Hivites culminates in the event of Gibeon, where they cleverly deceived the Israelites into making a treaty, an episode detailed in Joshua 9. This interaction is significant as it showcases themes of wisdom, treachery, and the consequences of hasty decisions made by God’s chosen people—the Israelites—when they acted without inquiring of the Lord (Joshua 9:14).
The broader meaning of the Hivites can be seen as representing the complexity of God’s plans involving the nations surrounding Israel. Their treaty with Joshua underscores the idea that God’s sovereignty extends beyond Israel, as He interacts with and utilizes the actions of various peoples to fulfill His purpose. This is further echoed in Deuteronomy 7:1-2, where God instructs the Israelites regarding the nations they will encounter. The Hivites, albeit an enemy nation in Canaan, serve as a reminder that even those who oppose God’s people might find a place within His divine narrative—albeit through cunning means. Ultimately, the story of the Hivites reflects the themes of covenant, fidelity, and the nuanced relationship between divine commandment and human action, suggesting that God’s grace can underpin even the most unexpected alliances.
Besides their immediate interactions with the Israelites, the Hivites illustrate a broader theological and sociopolitical dimension throughout biblical history. Their presence underscores the conflict between God’s covenant people and the indigenous populations of the land, which often embodied pagan practices and divergent spiritual beliefs. Within the biblical narrative, the Hivites are part of the larger theme of temptation that Israel faces when surrounded by nations whose values and worship differ significantly from their own. The Israelites are frequently cautioned against adopting the customs of these nations, revealing the ongoing tension between maintaining obedience to God and the allure of outside influences.
Furthermore, the presence of the Hivites can also symbolize the complexity of redemption and inclusion within God’s overarching plan. The mention of the Hivites in later biblical texts, such as in the accounts of King Solomon—who intermarried with foreign women, including some from Canaanite origins—highlights the enduring influence these nations had on Israel’s trajectory. The Hivites, along with other Canaanite tribes, challenge the Israelites to recognize their own identity and the significance of their covenant with God. Thus, studying the Hivites enhances our understanding of the continuous struggle for faithfulness, the moral ambiguities inherent in relationships between God’s people and the world, and the personal transformations that can arise from interactions deemed corrupting by the standards of the covenant community.
Symbol of Cultural Conflict
The Hivites represent the broader theme of cultural and spiritual conflict in the biblical narrative. Their presence in the land of Canaan signifies the challenges faced by the Israelites as they sought to establish their identity and faith in a land filled with diverse peoples and practices. The interactions between the Israelites and the Hivites highlight the struggle between adhering to divine commandments and the temptation to assimilate into surrounding cultures.
Representation of Divine Judgment
The Hivites also serve as a representation of divine judgment and the consequences of disobedience. Their existence in the Promised Land is often associated with the judgment that befalls nations that turn away from God. The biblical accounts illustrate how the Hivites, along with other nations, faced the repercussions of their actions, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness to God’s covenant and the consequences of idolatry and immorality.
Lesson in Deception and Wisdom
The narrative involving the Hivites, particularly in their interactions with the Israelites, offers lessons in deception and the need for discernment. The story of the Gibeonites, who deceived the Israelites into making a treaty, underscores the importance of seeking divine guidance and wisdom in decision-making. This encounter serves as a reminder for believers to remain vigilant and discerning in their relationships and commitments, ensuring that they align with God’s will.
How to Embrace Faith and Foster Spiritual Growth
Embracing faith and fostering spiritual growth is a deeply personal journey that requires both intention and openness. Start by carving out time for daily prayer and reflection, allowing yourself to connect with God in a meaningful way. Consider reading scripture not just as a text, but as a living conversation with the divine; let the words resonate in your heart and guide your actions. Surround yourself with a community of believers who inspire and challenge you, as fellowship can be a powerful catalyst for growth. Remember, it’s okay to ask questions and wrestle with doubts—faith is often strengthened through struggle. Lastly, practice gratitude and service, as these acts can deepen your relationship with God and help you see His presence in everyday life. Embrace this journey with patience and love, knowing that spiritual growth is a lifelong process filled with both challenges and beautiful revelations.
Bible References to the Hivites:
Genesis 34:1-31: Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land.
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her.
3 His soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.
4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”
5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came.
6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.
7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done.
8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife.
9 Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.
10 You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.”
11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give.
12 Ask me for as great a bride price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.
13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah.
14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us.
15 Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised.
16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people.
17 But if you will not listen, behold, I am afraid of you, and the Lord has made you go away from me.
18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem.
19 The young man did not delay to do this, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter.
20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying:
21 These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters.
22 Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised.
23 Will not their livestock, their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.”
24 All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males.
26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away.
27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister.
28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field.
29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered.
30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.”
31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”
Exodus 3:7-10: 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,
8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
Exodus 23:23-28: 23 For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will blot them out.
24 You shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces.
25 You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.
26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you.
Exodus 33:1-3: 1 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’
2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Exodus 34:10-16: 10 And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.
11 Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
12 Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst.
13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim
14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice,
16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.
Deuteronomy 7:1-6: 1 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you,”
2 and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them.
3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons,
4 For they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.
5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire.
6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
Deuteronomy 20:16-18: 16 But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes,
17 but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded,
18 that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God.
Joshua 3:9-11: 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.”
10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan.
Joshua 9:1-27: 1 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this,
2 they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord.
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
4 They on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended,
5 And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.”
6 And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.”
7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?”
8 But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?”
9 They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.
11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”‘
12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly.
13 these wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.”
14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.
15 And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
16 This is what we will do to them: we will let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.”
17 And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18 But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
19 But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.”
21 And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of them.
22 Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us?
23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.”
24 They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing.
25 And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.”
26 So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them.
27 But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place that he should choose.
Joshua 11:16-20: 16 So Joshua took all that land, the hill country and all the Negeb and all the land of Goshen and the lowland and the Arabah and the hill country of Israel and its lowland,
17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. And he captured all their kings and struck them and put them to death.
18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
19 There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon.
20 For it was the Lord’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
Joshua 12:7-8: 7 And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the people of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir (and Joshua gave their land to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotments,
8 in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the Negeb, the land of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
Joshua 24:11-13: 11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow.
13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’”
Judges 3:1-6: 3 Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan.
2 Only that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.
3 the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.
4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6 and they took their daughters to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.
Judges 3:7-11: 7 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
10 The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.
11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
1 Kings 9:20-21: 20 All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel—
21 Their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to devote to destruction—these Solomon drafted to be slaves, and so they are to this day.
2 Chronicles 8:7-8: 7 All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel,
8 Their provisions were for all Solomon’s daily rate of 30 cors of fine flour and 60 cors of meal,
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.