"Dehavites" is a term used in biblical and historical contexts to refer to a people group from ancient times. The spelling of this word is based on the Hebrew word "Dehavi," which is transliterated into English as "Dahav." The "ites" suffix denotes a group of people from a specific location. The IPA transcription for "Dehavites" is /dəˈheɪvaɪts/, with the stress on the second syllable. The "h" is silent, and the "a" in the second syllable is pronounced as a "long e" sound.
Dehavites is a term used to refer to a particular religious and cultural group in the ancient Near East. The definition encompasses both their religious beliefs and their physical location. The term primarily appears in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The Dehavites are believed to have been a subgroup of the larger Persian empire that existed during the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. It is suggested that they were originally from the region of Media, which is situated in modern-day Iran.
Religiously, the Dehavites are mentioned as worshippers of a particular deity named Nergal. Nergal was often associated with the underworld and was considered a powerful and fearsome god of the ancient Mesopotamian pantheon. The Dehavites were believed to have practiced their religious rituals and customs devotedly, possibly even including human sacrifice, as was sometimes associated with the worship of Nergal.
In terms of their physical location, the Dehavites are believed to have settled in the land of Samaria, which is situated in present-day Israel/Palestine. They are often mentioned in relation to the rebuilding and repopulation efforts of the city of Samaria after the exile of the Israelites. The Dehavites' presence in Samaria likely had significant cultural and religious implications for the local inhabitants.
In conclusion, the Dehavites were an ancient Near Eastern group who practiced a distinct religion centered on the worship of Nergal. They settled in the region of Samaria and played a role in shaping the religious and cultural landscape of the area during the time of the Persian empire.