Hori חֹרִי

The Horites were a people group mentioned in the Bible who inhabited the region of Seir, also known as Edom, before the descendants of Esau (the Edomites) settled there. They are first mentioned in Gen.14.6, where they are described as living in the hill country of Seir.

In Genesis 36, the Horites are listed among the descendants of Seir the Horite (Gen.36.20-21, 29-30). This genealogy suggests that the Horites were a distinct people group with their own clans and leaders.

According to Deu.2.12 and Deu.2.22, the Horites previously lived in Seir but were later dispossessed by the descendants of Esau. This indicates that the Edomites conquered or absorbed the Horite population as they established themselves in the region.

The Horites are also mentioned in 1Ch.1.39, which parallels the genealogy found in Genesis 36.

Although little is known about the Horite culture and society, their mention in the Bible provides insight into the various people groups that inhabited the region of Seir before the Israelites and the Edomites. It also demonstrates the fulfillment of God's promise to give the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (or 'Jacob'), even as other nations were displaced.