### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Chittîy**, represented by `{{H2850}}`, is used to identify a **descendant of Cheth**, known as a **Hittite**. It appears 48 times across 47 unique verses in the Bible. Primarily, this term designates one of the pre-Israelite nations inhabiting the land of Canaan, a people with whom the Israelites had significant interactions, ranging from land transactions to warfare and marriage.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, the Hittites are most frequently mentioned in lists of Canaanite peoples whose land was promised to Israel [[Exodus 3:8]]. God commands Israel to drive out these nations, including the Hittites, who are described as one of seven nations "greater and mightier" than Israel [[Deuteronomy 7:1]]. The term also refers to specific individuals. Ephron the Hittite sold the cave of Machpelah to Abraham for a burial site [[Genesis 23:10]], and Esau took two Hittite women as wives [[Genesis 26:34]]. Perhaps the most notable individual is Uriah the Hittite, a loyal soldier in King David's army [[2 Samuel 11:3]]. In a prophetic rebuke, Ezekiel uses the term symbolically, telling Jerusalem "thy mother was an Hittite," to highlight the city's corrupt origins [[Ezekiel 16:3]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide deeper context for the identity and role of the Hittites:
* `{{H2845}}` **Chêth** (terror; Cheth, an aboriginal Canaanite; Heth): As the named progenitor of the Hittites, Cheth establishes their lineage. Abraham's negotiation for a burial plot was conducted with the "children of Heth" [[Genesis 23:10]], directly linking them to Ephron the Hittite.
* `{{H6085}}` **ʻEphrôwn** (fawn-like; Ephron, the name of a Canaanite...): A prominent Hittite who sold Abraham the field and cave for a family burying place, a foundational land transaction in Israel's history [[Genesis 50:13]].
* `{{H223}}` **ʼÛwrîyâh** (flame of Jah; Urijah, the name of one Hittite...): A faithful soldier in David's army, whose death was orchestrated by the king. The "matter of Uriah the Hittite" stands as a permanent mark against David's reign [[1 Kings 15:5]].
* `{{H567}}` **ʼĔmôrîy** (an Emorite, one of the Canaanitish tribes; Amorite): The Amorites are constantly listed alongside the Hittites. In Ezekiel's prophecy against Jerusalem, the city's parentage is described as a mixture of these peoples: "thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite" [[Ezekiel 16:45]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H2850}}` is woven into the fabric of Israel's national and theological identity.
* **Promise and Conquest:** The Hittites are a fixture in the list of peoples occupying the Promised Land. Their presence defines the boundaries of the inheritance God swore to give Israel, and their expulsion is a sign of God's power and faithfulness to His covenant ([[Joshua 3:10]], [[Nehemiah 9:8]]).
* **Foreign Influence and Intermarriage:** Interactions with the Hittites represent a recurring test of Israel's covenant loyalty. Solomon's love for "strange women," including Hittites, led him astray [[1 Kings 11:1]], and after the exile, the people were condemned for not separating themselves from the abominations of the peoples of the lands, including the Hittites [[Ezra 9:1]].
* **Symbol of Gentile Origins:** Ezekiel's use of a Hittite mother for Jerusalem serves as a stunning theological statement. It strips the city of any inherent claim to righteousness and frames its covenant relationship with God as an act of pure grace toward an unworthy recipient [[Ezekiel 16:3]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2850}}` functions as far more than an ethnic identifier. As **Chittîy**, the Hittites are a key people in the narrative of Israel's origins, defining the land of promise and serving as a measure of Israel's obedience. Through individuals like Ephron and Uriah, and in its powerful symbolic use, the term illustrates themes of covenant fulfillment, the dangers of foreign entanglement, and the radical nature of God's grace.
TRV