Biblical Profile: Hittites

Hittites

The Hittites were once unknown to secular history and thought to be a mythical people by some critics of biblical history. But information about the Hittites has been uncovered by archaeologists and historians, and they are now known to have had an empire centered in Asia Minor, with their capital at Hattusha (modern Baghazkoy). At times the empire extended over a much larger area without definite boundaries since it included city-states that were dependencies by treaty. They were of sufficient military strength to challenge the armies of Egypt under the vainglorious Rameses II (1279–1213 BC) and fought him to a standstill at Kadesh on the Orontes (ca. 1274 BC). In patriarchal times, the Hittites held power in cities like Hebron in Canaan.

The progenitor of the Hittites, Heth, is listed second among the sons of Canaan in the “table of nations” (Gen 10:15; see also 1 Chr 1:13 and the textual footnote there). Most of the references to the sons of Heth appear in the narrative of the purchase of the cave of Machpelah by Abraham (Gen 23). Later, God commanded the people of Israel to destroy all the Hittites living in the Promised Land (Deut 7:1-2), but Israel did not completely do so (1 Kgs 9:20-21). Some of David’s best warriors were from Hittite ancestry (1 Sam 26:6; 2 Sam 11–12), and Solomon engaged in trade with Hittite kings (1 Kgs 10:29–11:1). The Bible thus suggests that the Hittites were a people of great consequence.

Passages for Further Study

Gen 23:3-20; 26:34-35; 27:46–28:2; Deut 7:1; 1 Sam 26:6; 2 Sam 11:2-27; 1 Kgs 9:20