• Hivites
    Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1

    • northernmost part of the Promised Land. (Nu 34:8; Jos 11:1, 3) When Joab and his men took a census at King David’s command, “they came to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites.” (2Sa 24:7) Tyre was evidently just below the southern end of the Hivite territory.

      During Solomon’s nationwide building program, he used Canaanites, including Hivites, for forced labor under the direction of Israelite overseers. This further fulfilled Noah’s prophetic curse on Canaan.​—1Ki 9:20-23; 2Ch 8:7-10.

      Hivites, Horites, and Hurrians. At Genesis 36:2 Zibeon, the grandfather of one of Esau’s wives, is called a Hivite. But verses 20 and 24 list him as a descendant of Seir the Horite. The word “Horite” may be derived from the Hebrew chor (“hole”) and may mean merely “cave dweller.” This would eliminate any seeming discrepancy between the texts at Genesis 36:2 and verses 20, 24.​—See HORITE.

      Archaeologists have unearthed ancient writings that scholars have interpreted as proof that a nation called Hurrians inhabited the regions of Armenia, Anatolia, Syria, and parts of Palestine from patriarchal times; and they believe that this people included the Hivites, Horites, and Jebusites. They equate “Horite” with “Hivite” and believe that somehow the Hurrians came to be called Hivites. Their theory is based to a great extent on linguistic similarities, particularly in proper names. The name Horite is, therefore, generally thought by them to be related to “Hurrian” rather than to mean “cave dweller.”

      The Bible, however, seems to make a definite distinction between these tribes, and it does not mention the name Hurrian. Therefore it is wiser to await further evidence before accepting such identification as conclusive.

  • Hoarfrost
    Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1

    • HOARFROST

      A silvery-white deposit of ice needles formed by direct condensation at freezing temperatures. The ice crystals are long and needle shaped; usually they are perpendicular to the objects on which they occur and are most abundant along their edges. The moisture in the atmosphere freezes without passing through the liquid state, condensing on trees, plants, and other objects, usually in the night. It is often found on windows.

      Jehovah speaks to Job of “the hoarfrost of heaven,” doubtless because it is produced from the atmosphere by condensation. (Job 38:29) Of Jehovah, the psalmist says: “Hoarfrost he scatters just like ashes.” (Ps 147:16) Jehovah gives forth the hoarfrost with as much ease as a man scatters ashes with his hand. It covers, or encrusts, such things as trees, grass, and houses with a covering, just as though ashes had been scattered over them by Jehovah’s invisible hand.

      The manna provided by Jehovah for the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness is described in this way at Exodus 16:14: “The layer of dew evaporated and here upon the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flaky thing, fine like hoarfrost upon the earth.”

  • Hobab
    Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1

    • HOBAB

      (Hoʹbab) [possibly, Cherished].

      Moses’ brother-in-law; son of Reuel (Jethro) and a Midianite, of the tribe of Kenites. (Nu 10:29; Ex 3:1; Jg 1:16) When the time came for the Israelites to move from the region of Mount Sinai toward the Promised Land, Moses requested that Hobab accompany them to serve as “eyes,” or as a scout, for the nation because of his familiarity with the area. Although Hobab declined at first, apparently he did accompany the Israelites, for his descendants, the Kenites, took up dwelling in the Wilderness of Judah to the S of Arad and are mentioned as still living in that area in the time of Saul and David.​—Nu 10:29-32; Jg 1:16; 1Sa 15:6; 27:10; 30:26, 29.

      The Masoretic text of Judges 4:11, however, identifies Hobab as the father-in-law of Moses. (NW, Yg, Ro, Da, JP, Mo, AT) So the one name, Hobab, may designate two separate individuals, namely, Moses’ father-in-law as well as his brother-in-law. That this is not out of the question is seen by the fact that more than one name is assigned to Moses’ father-in-law.​—Compare Ex 2:16-22; 3:1.

      On the other hand, if Hobab was indeed only the name of the son of Reuel and hence was the name of only the brother-in-law of Moses, then the reference to Hobab as being Moses’ father-in-law must mean that Hobab was viewed as the representative of his father Reuel, who was, in that case, likely then dead.​—See JETHRO; KENITE.