What Happened to the Hittites in the Bible?
There is an interesting story of Ephron the Hittite, who bought the field and cave of Machpelah from Abraham and settled there. Abraham and his son Esau took two Hittite wives from Ephron. These two Hittite families are mentioned in the Bible.
Anatolian Hittites
Biblical scholars believe that the Hittites were a people similar to those of Anatolia, a powerful civilization that lasted from the 14th to the 12th centuries BC. Their presence in the Bible is expected, as they were influential in the region. Archaeological finds have located the center of Hittite civilization in modern-day Turkey. Biblical scholars have not always agreed on this identification, however. Some Biblical scholars, such as E. A. Speiser, have disputed the biblical Hittites’ identity as an ethnic group.
The first explicit information about the Hittites outside of the Biblical narrative comes from Egyptian monuments. The Pharaohs of the New Kingdom ruled over parts of the Anatolian region and came into conflict with the Hittite people. The hittite people were represented by the consonant Kh-t-‘, and the Pharaoh Rameses II was depicted as a Hittite on the walls of temples in Egypt.
The biblical texts mention the Hittites on several occasions. In Genesis, Abraham, who was a Hebrew, stayed in Hebron on land that the “children of Heth” owned. He even acquired a plot of land with a cave where he buried his wife Sarah. In Joshua 1:14, the land of the Hittites is described as stretching between the Euphrates and Lebanon, towards the setting sun.
The Hittite language is the oldest of the ancient Indo-European language family. In addition, Hittite people played an important role in the establishment of the Kussara kingdom before 1750 BC. The Hattusa empire, centered in north-central Anatolia, lasted until the mid-14th century BC when Suppiluliuma I ruled most of Anatolia.
The Hittites appear in the Bible in two ways: as part of Canaan and as northern Palestine inhabitants. They are also mentioned alongside kings of Egypt and Syria. Although biblical Hittites have been identified with the Canaanite Hittites, their names are more likely Semitic in origin.
The Biblical Hittites had several kings. However, the most famous of these is Tidal, king of nations. The name corresponds to Tudkhalias, the name of the fifth Hittite king. This name also appears on the Cappadocian tablets. This may suggest that any of the five Hittite kings could have received the title of king of nations.
Neshians
We don’t know much about the Hittites or Neshians, but they are mentioned in the Bible several times. In the Book of Judges1, one man escapes from Bethel to settle in the land of the Hittites. This man later establishes the city of Luz. Although the Bible doesn’t provide a complete account of the Hittites, they are generally portrayed as powerful neighbors.
The Hittites and Neshians are two different civilizations, each with a unique history and language. Both groups spoke a language called “Hatti” that was related to the Indo-European family of languages. Assyrians were also known as “Khatti” and referred to the land of the Hittites as “HattiLand.”
Hittites were a Semitic people of Central Asia and also lived in Central Anatolia. While they lost the name “Hatti” after their invasion of Europe, they did retain the geographic name. Scholars who study the ancient history of the region have concluded that the Hittites were a real nation.
The biblical record referred to the Hittite kingdom, located in the territory of Assyria. During that time, Hittite kings ruled over the area, and they were known for their royal archives, which were written on cuneiform tablets in alphabetic letters. The Hittites were a deeply religious society that embraced false gods and allowed intermarriage with neighboring cultures. Their descendants are not found today.
The Hittites had limited interest in the west coast. They were not a sea power, so the Mediterranean and Aegean were of little concern to them. Assyrians also occupied their territory in those days. But the Hittites had a much greater interest in their eastern coast.
Kings of Hamath
The Bible mentions the Kings of Hamath several times. However, only a couple of the verses are specific about Hamath. These are from Isaiah chapter 49, in which the king of Hamath and the gods of Sepharvaim are mentioned. But the location of their fortress is unknown.
King Toi of Hamath is mentioned in the Bible twice, once in 1 Chronicles 18:9-10 and again in 1 Chronicles 18:11. The name Hamath is often associated with the modern city of Hama, Syria. The city is noted for its norias, which divert water for agricultural purposes. The norias were once used as irrigation systems, but today, they are more decorative than functional.
The name Hamath also means citadel or defense. The chief royal city of the Hittites was located between the northern and southern capitals, on a gigantic mound near the Orontes. The Bible also mentions the Assyrian conquest of Hamath.
The Bible also mentions the Kings of Hamath in two other places, Ezekiel 48:1 and Amos 6:14. According to the Bible, the Hamathite population was largely Semitic. The ideal boundary of Israel incorporated Hamath territory, but did not reach the city of Hamath itself. However, David and Solomon entered into friendly relations with Toi, the king of Hamath. In fact, Solomon built stores in Hamath land.
The Kings of Hamath in the Bible are important historical figures in Israel. They are important figures in the Bible because they shaped the history of Israel. They paved the way for the modern country. The Biblical Kings of Hamath emphasized the importance of the land for the Jews.
Hamath served as the northern border of Israel during Solomon’s reign. In addition, it was used as the northern border of Israel during Jeroboam II’s reign. Thus, “entrance of Hamath” became an accepted geographical expression. The kings of Hamath were the leaders of Israel, but they were also the rulers of the nation of Babylon.
According to the Bible, Hamath’s rulers were Hamites who were descendants of Canaan. They later became subject to Assyria. Jeroboam II attacked Hamath and partially destroyed it. Then, Eniilu paid tribute to Tiglath-pileser, who divided Hamath among his generals. During this time, the Bible records that Amos prophesied.
King Suppiluliumas
Suppiluliumas’ military career focused on the Mitanni people in the east. He attempted to bypass the Mitanni defenses in northern Syria by approaching from the rear. His new tactics proved successful and earned him the allegiance of the Syrian princelings.
King Suppiliumas I of the Hittites is a well-known historical figure from ancient history. He was the son of Tudhaliyas III and ruled the ancient Hittite kingdom. The Hittite king turned the Anatolian kingdom into one of the greatest empires in history.
Thousands of Hittite tablets have been discovered over the past several decades. These tablets give us a glimpse into the world of the Hittites and give us hope that more can be discovered. For example, Suppiluliuma II organized a systematic evacuation of Hattusa. He took everything of importance.
There are more than forty mentions of the Hittites in the Bible. These peoples occupied the land during the time of Abraham and Esau. They were also mentioned alongside kings of Egypt and Syria. These biblical references are important for understanding the Hittites’ history.