The Hittites, an ancient people frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, were one of the several Canaanite tribes that inhabited the land of Canaan prior to and during the Israelite conquest. The Israelites were explicitly commanded by God to avoid intermarrying with the inhabitants of the land, including the Hittites, to prevent the adoption of pagan practices and idolatry. This command is found in Deuteronomy 7:3-4 : "Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods."

Despite these clear instructions, the history of Israel is marked by periods of disobedience, including intermarriage with foreign nations. After the Babylonian captivity, when the Israelites returned to Jerusalem and the surrounding regions, the issue of intermarriage with foreign peoples, including the Hittites, resurfaced as a significant concern.

Ezra, a scribe and priest, played a crucial role in addressing this issue. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Ezra was informed that the people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, had not kept themselves separate from the surrounding nations. Ezra 9:1-2 states: "The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the peoples of the lands, practicing the abominations of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and they have mingled the holy race with the peoples of the lands."

Ezra's response was one of deep mourning and prayer, acknowledging the sin of intermarriage and seeking God's mercy. He led the people in a covenant renewal, emphasizing the need to separate from foreign wives and children to restore the purity of the Israelite community. This is recorded in Ezra 10:10-11 : "Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, 'You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives.'"

The issue of intermarriage was not merely a matter of ethnic purity but was deeply tied to religious fidelity. The concern was that intermarriage would lead to the worship of foreign gods and the abandonment of the covenant relationship with Yahweh. The post-exilic community, under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, took decisive steps to address this issue, seeking to align the community with the laws and commandments given by God.

The narrative of intermarriage with the Hittites and other foreign nations serves as a reminder of the Israelites' struggle to maintain their distinct identity and faithfulness to God amidst external influences. It underscores the importance of obedience to God's commands and the dangers of compromising with surrounding cultures and religious practices.Ezra 9:1
Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... victory rose the first monarchy among the Israelites. ... some of the Hebrew clans after
the latter ... consequently there had been frequent intermarriages between the ...
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Who were the Hittites? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Perizzites in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Why was a burial place so important in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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