Introduction:
Heth is a significant figure in the genealogical and historical narratives of the Old Testament. He is recognized as the second son of Canaan, who was the son of Ham, one of Noah's three sons. Heth is primarily known as the progenitor of the Hittites, a prominent group mentioned frequently in the biblical text.

Genealogy and Lineage:
Heth is listed in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10, which outlines the descendants of Noah's sons after the Flood. Genesis 10:15 states, "Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites." This passage identifies Heth as a direct descendant of Canaan, placing him within the broader context of the Canaanite tribes.

The Hittites:
The descendants of Heth, known as the Hittites, became a significant people group in the ancient Near East. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as inhabitants of the land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and his descendants. The Hittites are often listed among the various Canaanite tribes that the Israelites encountered upon entering the Promised Land.

Biblical References and Interactions:
The Hittites appear in several key biblical narratives. In Genesis 23, Abraham negotiates with Ephron the Hittite to purchase the cave of Machpelah as a burial site for his wife Sarah. This transaction is significant as it marks the first recorded purchase of land in Canaan by Abraham, establishing a foothold for his descendants in the Promised Land.

In the time of King David, the Hittites are mentioned in the context of David's mighty men. Uriah the Hittite, one of David's loyal soldiers, is a notable figure in the narrative of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). Uriah's honorable character and tragic fate highlight the complex interactions between the Israelites and the Hittites.

Cultural and Historical Context:
The Hittites were known for their advanced civilization, which extended beyond the biblical narrative. Archaeological discoveries have revealed that the Hittites established a powerful empire in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) during the second millennium BC. Their influence and interactions with neighboring cultures, including Egypt and Mesopotamia, are well-documented in extrabiblical sources.

Theological Significance:
From a theological perspective, the mention of Heth and the Hittites in the Bible underscores the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham. Despite the presence of established and powerful peoples like the Hittites in Canaan, God's covenant with Abraham assured that his descendants would inherit the land. The interactions between the Israelites and the Hittites serve as a backdrop for the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through the history of Israel.

Conclusion:
While Heth himself is not a central figure in the biblical narrative, his descendants, the Hittites, play a significant role in the history of Israel. Their presence in the land of Canaan and interactions with the patriarchs and kings of Israel highlight the complex dynamics of God's promises and the unfolding of His divine plan throughout the Old Testament.Heth

trembling; fear

Heth

(terror), the forefather of the nation of the Hittites. In the genealogical tables of (Genesis 10:15) and 1Chr 1:13 Heth is a son of Canaan. (Genesis 24:3,4; 28:1,2)

Dread, a descendant of Canaan, and the ancestor of the Hittites (Genesis 10:18; Deuteronomy 7:1), who dwelt in the vicinity of Hebron (Genesis 23:3, 7). The Hittites were a Hamitic race. They are called "the sons of Heth" (Genesis 23:3, 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20). HETH (1)

chath cheth: The eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "ch". It came also to be used for the number 8. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

HETH (2)

heth (cheth): In Genesis 23:10 the ancestor of the Hittites. As the various peoples who occupied Canaan were thought to belong to one stock, Genesis 10:15 (1 Chronicles 1:13) makes Heth the (2nd) son of Canaan. In Genesis 23 the "sons of Heth" occupy Hebron, but they were known to have come there from the north. A reference to this seems to be preserved in the order of the names in Genesis 10:15, 16, where Heth is placed between Sidon and the Jebusites.

See HITTITES.

2850. Chitti -- descendant of Heth
... descendant of Heth. Transliteration: Chitti Phonetic Spelling: (khit-tee') Short
Definition: Hittite. ... of Heth NASB Word Usage Hittite (35), Hittites (13). ...
/hebrew/2850.htm - 6k

2845. Cheth -- a son of Canaan and probably ancestor of the ...
... Cheth. 2846 . a son of Canaan and probably ancestor of the Hittites. Transliteration:
Cheth Phonetic Spelling: (khayth) Short Definition: Heth. ... Heth. ...
/hebrew/2845.htm - 6k

Chapter xxiii
... 3, 4. And Abraham arose from beside his dead and spoke to the children of Heth,
saying: I am a stranger and sojourner among you; give me a grave for my own ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxiii.htm

Abraham
... I will go to the right.' He is then, as again with the king of Sodom, and with the
three strangers at the tent door, and with the children of Heth, when he is ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon v abraham.htm

Home-Example.
... "I am weary of my life," says Rebecca, "because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob
take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, what good shall my life ...
//christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter xx home-example.htm

The Heavenly Pathway and the Earthly Heart
... Her exaggerated expressions of passionate dislike to 'the daughters of Heth' have
no religious basis. They are partly feigned and partly petulance. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the heavenly pathway and the.htm

Chapter x
... And Canaan begat Sidon, his first-born, and Heth and the Jebusite and the Amorite
and the Girgashite and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter x.htm

Man's Chief End
... of honour. Genesis 23:3. Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the children
of Heth.' Piety is no enemy to courtesy. (2.) A divine ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 mans chief end.htm

Scripture Phrases and Passages Clearly Assert "The Resurrection of ...
... For when he requested of the sons of Heth a spot to bury Sarah in, he said to them,
"Give me the possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead ...
/.../chapter xviii scripture phrases and passages.htm

Exhortations to those who are Called
... "Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the children of Heth" (Genesis 23:7). Though
they were of a heathenish race, yet Abraham gave them a civil respect. St. ...
/.../watson/a divine cordial/exhortations to those who are.htm

The Bitterness and Blessedness of the Brevity of Life
... sorrow long since calmed and consoled, when 'Abraham stood up from before his dead,'
and craved a burying-place for his Sarah from the sons of Heth, his first ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the bitterness and blessedness of.htm

Here Beginneth the Life of Isaac
... And Rebekah went to Isaac her husband and said: I am weary of my life because of
the daughters of Heth, if Jacob take to him a wife of that kindred, I will no ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here beginneth the life of.htm

Heth (13 Occurrences)
... race. They are called "the sons of Heth" (Genesis 23:3, 5, 7, 10, 16, 18,
20). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HETH (1). chath ...
/h/heth.htm - 11k

Al-tash-heth (1 Occurrence)
Al-tash-heth. Al-tashheth, Al-tash-heth. Alter . Multi-Version
Concordance Al-tash-heth (1 Occurrence). Psalms 74:23 ...
/a/al-tash-heth.htm - 6k

Ben-zo'heth (1 Occurrence)
Ben-zo'heth. Ben-zoheth, Ben-zo'heth. Beon . Multi-Version
Concordance Ben-zo'heth (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 4:20 ...
/b/ben-zo'heth.htm - 6k

Hittite (45 Occurrences)
... Genesis 23:10 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth.
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of ...
/h/hittite.htm - 22k

Ephron (13 Occurrences)
... Genesis 23:10 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth.
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of ...
/e/ephron.htm - 13k

Audience (17 Occurrences)
... Genesis 23:10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite
answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that ...
/a/audience.htm - 13k

Hethlon (2 Occurrences)
...heth'-lon (chethlon; Peshitta chethron): Name of a place associated with Zedad on
the ideal northern boundary of Israel, as given in Ezekiel 47:15 and 48:1 ...
/h/hethlon.htm - 8k

Entering (124 Occurrences)
... Genesis 23:10 And Ephron is sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron
the Hittite answereth Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all those ...
/e/entering.htm - 37k

Gates (156 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Genesis 23:10 And Ephron dwelt
among the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered ...
/g/gates.htm - 40k

Weary (77 Occurrences)
... Genesis 27:46 Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the
daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters ...
/w/weary.htm - 29k

Who were the Hittites? | GotQuestions.org

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