the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse lists several nations inhabiting Canaan, but notice how it groups them without specifying any particular geographical location for these groups. This subtle detail highlights that they were not just individual tribes but distinct peoples scattered throughout the land, each needing to be dispossessed to fulfill God's promise.
the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After God assures Abram he is his shield and reward, a covenant is ratified. God promises Abram this land, from Egypt to the Euphrates, but foretells his descendants will be strangers and enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years before inheriting it. God's vision of a smoking furnace and burning lamp passing between divided animal sacrifices symbolizes this journey of trial and deliverance, as well as marking the land's current inhabitants.
God promises Abram the land of Canaan, but it's already occupied by several nations. Who were they, and why does it matter?
Genesis 15:18-21 lists nine nations inhabiting the land God promised to Abram and his descendants. These weren't just random groups; they represented the established occupants of Canaan.
Listing these nations served a crucial purpose in the covenant. It highlighted that the fulfillment of God's promise involved dispossessing existing inhabitants. This wasn't an empty land waiting for settlers; it was a land with a history and its own peoples. It foreshadows the future conquest and the challenges Abram's descendants would face, emphasizing God's power to overcome obstacles and fulfill His word, even when it seemed impossible.
God establishes a covenant with Abram through a dramatic ceremony involving animal sacrifice. What does this ritual reveal about God's commitment?
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The covenant ceremony in Genesis 15 is deeply symbolic. God instructs Abram to divide several animals, laying the halves opposite each other. Then, a smoking furnace and a blazing torch (symbols of God's presence) pass between the pieces (Genesis 15:17).
This ancient Near Eastern practice was a solemn way to ratify an agreement. The one passing between the pieces was essentially saying, 'May I be cut in two like these animals if I break this covenant.'
Here's what this signifies:
Understand the original words
Hitti · Hebrew Proper Noun
Historically powerful groups mentioned as inhabitants of the Promised Land. Their inclusion in the list emphasizes the breadth of the land God was granting to Abraham’s descendants, highlighting the reality of God’s claim over the nations.
Rephaim · Hebrew Proper Noun
Ancient, often legendary, inhabitants of the land associated with great size or strength. Their mention underscores the impossibility of Israel taking the land by human effort alone, emphasizing reliance on God's power.
The mention of the Hittites, Perizzites, and Rephaim highlights that the land God promised to Abraham was already inhabited by various established peoples, underscoring the significant challenge and eventual conquest required for the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham's descendants.
~1800 BC
Hittite Kingdom Emerges
The Hittite empire begins to rise in Anatolia, eventually becoming a major power in the Near East.
~14th century BC
Hittites Expand South
Hittite influence or settlements begin to appear in southern Canaan, though their main kingdom is further north.
c. 14th-13th century BC
Canaan Settled by Various Peoples
Various groups, including the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Rephaim, inhabit the land of Canaan.
c. 13th century BC— this verse
God Covenants with Abram
God appears to Abram (Abraham) in a vision, promising him numerous descendants and the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.
c. 13th century BC
Land of Canaan Described
The extent of the promised land is defined, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates, encompassing the territories of numerous peoples.
This passage lists the same nations, emphasizing that they were to be driven out before Israel, directly linking the promise of land in Genesis 15 to its future fulfillment.
Joshua 3:10This verse confirms that the land belonged to the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites, underscoring the significance of God dispossessing them for Israel.
Nehemiah 9:8This passage recounts God's covenant with Abraham and His promise to give the land, directly referencing the inclusion of these nations as those to be expelled.
Exodus 23:23This verse promises that God's angel will go before Israel and drive out the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, echoing the list of peoples to be removed from the land promised to Abraham.
calvinGenesis 15:1-21: "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Et eduxit eum foras, et dixit, Suspice nunc coelum, et numera stellas, si poteris numerare eas. Et dixit ei, Sic erit semen tuum.
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Et credidit Jehovae, et reputavit illud ei ad justitiam.
And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of U…
gillGenesis 15:20: "And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,"
And the Hittites,.... Who had their name from Heth, a son of Canaan, see Genesis 10:15 ; they dwelt about Hebron, in the south of the land of Canaan: and the Perizzites; these dwelt in the wood country of the land, Joshua 17:15; and seem to have their name from dwelling in villages, and at a distance from towns and cities, and were a boorish and uncivilized people, see Genesis 13:7, and the Rephaims; or "giants", as the Ta…
The verse lists several nations inhabiting Canaan, but notice how it groups them without specifying any particular geographical location for these groups. This subtle detail highlights that they were not just individual tribes but distinct peoples scattered throughout the land, each needing to be dispossessed to fulfill God's promise.
After God assures Abram he is his shield and reward, a covenant is ratified. God promises Abram this land, from Egypt to the Euphrates, but foretells his descendants will be strangers and enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years before inheriting it. God's vision of a smoking furnace and burning lamp passing between divided animal sacrifices symbolizes this journey of trial and deliverance, as well as marking the land's current inhabitants.
After God assures Abram he is his shield and reward, a covenant is ratified. God promises Abram this land, from Egypt to the Euphrates, but foretells his descendants will be strangers and enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years before inheriting it. God's vision of a smoking furnace and burning lamp passing between divided animal sacrifices symbolizes this journey of trial and deliverance, as well as marking the land's current inhabitants.
"the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim," — The verse lists several nations inhabiting Canaan, but notice how it groups them without specifying any particular geographical location for these groups. This subtle detail highlights that they were…
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Last reviewed October 2026