Hittites, The
Hittites, The
Hit’tites, The. (descendans of Heth). The nation descended from Cheth, (Authorized Version, Heth), the second son of Canaan. Abraham bought from the “children of Heth”, the field and the cave of Machpelah, belonging to Ephron, the Hittite. They were then settled at the town which was, afterwards, under its new name of Hebron, to become one of the most famous cities of Palestine, and which then bore the name of Kir-jath-arba. Gen 23:19; Gen 25:9.
When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, we find the Hittites taking part against the invader, in equal alliance with the other Canaanite tribes. Jos 9:1; Jos 11:3; etc. Henceforward, the notices of the Hittites are very few and faint. We meet with two individuals, both attached to the person of David —
1. “Ahimelech, the Hittite,” 1Sa 26:6.
2. Uriah, the Hittite,” one of “the thirty” of David’s body-guard. 2Sa 23:39; 1Ch 11:41.