# Horites

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People, mentioned in the Torah, who lived around Mount Seir

Map of Horites lands

The **Horites** ([Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language): חֹרִים‎ *Ḥōrīm*, "Chorraeos" in the Latin [Vulgate](/source/Vulgate)), were a people mentioned in the [Torah](/source/Torah) ([Genesis 14:6, 36:20](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+14:6,+36:20&version=NRSV), [Deuteronomy 2:12](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Deuteronomy%202:12&version=nrsv)) inhabiting areas around [Mount Seir](/source/Mount_Seir) in [Canaan](/source/Canaan) ([Genesis 36:2,5](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+36:2,5&version=NRSV)).[1]

## Name

According to [Archibald Sayce](/source/Archibald_Sayce) (1915), the Horites have been identified with references in [Egyptian](/source/Ancient_Egypt) inscriptions to *[Khar](/source/Khor)* (formerly translated as *Harri*), which concern a southern region of [Canaan](/source/Canaan).[2] More recent scholarship has associated them with the [Hurrians](/source/Hurrians).[3]

The rabbinical tradition in [Genesis Rabbah](/source/Genesis_Rabbah) 42:6 (300-500 CE) says they are called Horites because "they made themselves independent [free]",[4] which assumes that the name is cognate with *ḥori* meaning "free".[5]

## Hebrew Bible

Mt Hor, seen from cliffs near Petra, from [The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia](/source/The_Holy_Land%2C_Syria%2C_Idumea%2C_Arabia%2C_Egypt%2C_and_Nubia)

The Horites initially appear in the Torah as being members of a Canaanite coalition, who lived near [Sodom and Gomorrah](/source/Sodom_and_Gomorrah). The coalition rebelled against [Chedorlaomer](/source/Chedorlaomer) (or Kedorlaomer) of [Elam](/source/Elam), who had ruled them for twelve years. In response, Chedorlaomer attacked and subdued several nations, including the Horites.[6]

Later, according to [Genesis 36](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2036&version=nrsv), the Horites co-existed and inter-married with the family of [Esau](/source/Esau), grandson of [Abraham](/source/Abraham) and son of [Isaac](/source/Isaac).[7] They were eventually brought under the rule of the descendants of Esau, also then known as [Edom](/source/Edom).

Mt Hor

The ancestry of Seir the Horite is not specified. Some say Seir lived around the time of Terah, father of Abraham. He is also said to be a descendant of Hor who is supposed to have lived around the time of Reu and was a descendant of Hivi, son of Canaan son of Ham.

The pre-Edomite Horite chiefs, descendants of Seir, are listed in the [Book of Genesis](/source/Book_of_Genesis) ([Genesis 36:20–29](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2036:20–29&version=nrsv)) and [1 Chronicles](/source/1_Chronicles) ([1 Chronicles 1:38–42](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=1%20Chronicles%201:38–42&version=nrsv)). Two of these chiefs would appear to have been female - Timna and Oholibamah. Timna is infamous for being the progenitor of the [Amalekites](/source/Amalekites), the archenemy of the Israelites ([Genesis 36:12](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2036:12&version=nrsv)).

The chiefs who descended from Esau are listed in [Genesis 36:40–43](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2036:40–43&version=nrsv).

At some time, certain of these leaders rose to the level of 'kings' over the other chiefs, and the Horite land became known as Edom rather than the land of Seir. One example of these kings is [Jobab, son of Zerah](/source/Jobab_ben_Zerah), a son of [Esau](/source/Esau) and his [wife](/source/Wife) [Basemath](/source/Basemath), who was [Ishmael](/source/Ishmael)'s [daughter](/source/Daughter) ([Genesis 36:35](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2036:35&version=nrsv)). Another is a 'Temanite', Husham ([Genesis 36:34](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2036:34&version=nrsv)), a [descendant](/source/Lineal_descendant) of Esau's son, [Teman](/source/Teman_(Edom)) ([Genesis 36:10,11](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+36:10,11&version=NRSV)).

None of these kings' sons became kings after their fathers died. Apparently, there was no [familial royal line](/source/Primogeniture) whereby [sons](/source/Son) of these post-Horite kings succeeded to the throne, but rather, some other system was in place by which kings were either chosen or won the right to rule ([Genesis 36:31–39](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2036:31–39&version=nrsv)).

By the time governance of these peoples had been consolidated under kings instead of chiefs, Horites are no longer mentioned as such. According to [Deuteronomy 2:22](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Deuteronomy%202:22&version=nrsv), the Edomites destroyed the Horites and settled in their land.

## Commentary

[Theologians](/source/Theologians) [Carl Friedrich Keil](/source/Carl_Friedrich_Keil) and [Franz Delitzsch](/source/Franz_Delitzsch) considered the Horites to be [Rephaim](/source/Rephaite), since [Deuteronomy 2](/source/Deuteronomy_2):22 explicitly compares the Edomite conquest with the [Moabite](/source/Moab) and [Ammonite](/source/Ammon) conquests of the Rephaim.[8] [Ryle](/source/Herbert_Edward_Ryle) notes that they may have been "primitive [cave dwellers](/source/Cave_dweller)".[9]

From a theological perspective, it has been suggested that the biblical account of the Horites "serves as a backdrop to the unfolding narrative of God's providence and the fulfillment of His promises to the [patriarchs](/source/Patriarchs_(Bible)). The displacement of the Horites by the Edomites is seen as part of the divine orchestration of history, where God allocates lands and establishes nations according to His purposes. The account of the Horites also underscores the transient nature of human settlements and the [sovereignty of God](/source/Sovereignty_of_God) over the affairs of nations. It reflects the biblical theme of God's control over history and His ability to raise up and depose peoples according to His divine plan."[10]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Horites](http://biblehub.com/topical/h/horite.htm) in the *International Standard Bible Encyclopedia*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** James Orr, "[Horites](http://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/horite-horim.html)", in *The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,* (1915) page 1421.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Freedman2000_3-0)** Lawrence A. Sinclair (2000). ["Horites"](https://books.google.com/books?id=P9sYIRXZZ2MC&pg=PA607). In David Noel Freedman (ed.). *Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible*. W.B. Eerdmans. p. 607. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8028-2400-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8028-2400-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** The brackets are in the original text of the translation

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Freedman, H.; Simon, Maurice (1939). [*Midrash Rabbah, Translated into English*](https://archive.org/stream/RabbaGenesis/midrashrabbahgen027557mbp#page/n395/mode/2up). Vol. 1. p. 348. note 6: *Hori* is derived from *ḥeruth*, freedom, and *ḥori*, free.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Genesis 14:5–6](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2014:5–6&version=nrsv)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Genesis 25:21–25](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesis%2025:21–25&version=nrsv)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Deuteronomy 2: Keil and Delitzsch OT Commentary"](https://biblehub.com/commentaries/kad/deuteronomy/2.htm). *Biblehub*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Ryle, H. E. (1921), [Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges](https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/genesis/14.htm) on Genesis 14, accessed on 17 March 2026

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Bible Hub, [Topical Encyclopedia: Horim](https://biblehub.com/topical/h/horim.htm), accessed on 16 March 2026

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Horites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horites) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horites?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.