Horites

Biblical

Chronological Nations and Tribes

Horites: Inhabitants of Edom before the Edomites, contemporary with the early patriarchs.

Horites

The Horites, in the context of the Bible, were a group of people mentioned in the Old Testament.

The name "Horite" may be derived from the Hebrew word for "cave," suggesting that they might have been cave dwellers.

There are several mentions of the Horites in the Bible.

Genesis 14:6: In this passage, the Horites are mentioned in the context of a war involving several ancient kingdoms.

It describes the defeat of the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

It includes a list of Horite chiefs, suggesting that the Horites were integrated into Edomite society.

20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah,

These are the chiefs descended from the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom.

29 These are the chiefs descended from the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah,

These are the chiefs descended from the Horites, according to their various chiefs in the land of Seir.

Deuteronomy 2:12: This passage recounts how the Edomites, descended from Esau, lived in the land of Seir before displacing the Horites.

It says, "The Horites also dwelt in Seir formerly, but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them."

Chedorlaomer killed the Nephilim

Horites: Inhabitants of Mount Seir, later displaced by the descendants of Esau.

The earlier victories over the Rephaim, Zuzim, Emim, and Horites demonstrate the might and reach of Chedorlaomer's coalition before they confront the kings of the Dead Sea area.

Anakim

A year later King Chedorlaomer and his allies attacked and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, and the Emites in Shaveh-Kiriathaim. They also defeated the Horites in the hill country of Edom, as far as El-Paran, near the desert.

The prior information sheds interesting light on Genesis 14:5-7, where Chedorlaomer “defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites in their hill country of Seir,” in addition to defeating Amalekites and Amorites.