for פְּרָזִי; inhabitant of the open country; a Perizzite, one of the Canaanitish tribes; Perizzite.
Transliteration:Pᵉrizzîy
Pronunciation:per-iz-zee'
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The lemma פְּרִזִּי (Pᵉrizzîy), Strong's H6522, is derived from the root פְּרָזִי (pᵉrāzî, `{{H6521}}`), which denotes "open country," "unwalled village," or "villager." Consequently, the core meaning of פְּרִזִּי refers to an "inhabitant of the open country." In its most frequent biblical usage, however, it functions as an ethnonym, designating a specific people group: the Perizzites, one of the pre-Israelite tribes of Canaan. This shift from a descriptive term (one who lives in rural areas) to a proper tribal name is crucial. It suggests that this particular group was characterized by their dwelling in unfortified, rural settlements, potentially distinguishing them from the inhabitants of fortified cities. The semantic range is thus quite narrow, primarily identifying a specific people, but with an etymological foundation that speaks to their geographical and settlement patterns.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The Perizzites (פְּרִזִּי) are consistently enumerated among the indigenous peoples of Canaan whom the Israelites were divinely commanded to dispossess. Their earliest mention places them within the scope of God's covenantal promise to Abraham, alongside other prominent groups such as the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites ([[Genesis 15:19-21]]). This initial listing establishes their ancient presence and integral role within the Canaanite ethnoscape.
Throughout the Pentateuch and the Historical Books, the Perizzites are frequently grouped with other major Canaanite tribes—most commonly the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites—in divine instructions regarding the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land ([[Exodus 3:8]], [[Exodus 3:17]], [[Exodus 13:5]], [[Exodus 23:23]], [[Exodus 34:11]], [[Deuteronomy 7:1]], [[Deuteronomy 20:17]], [[Joshua 3:10]], [[Joshua 9:1]], [[Joshua 11:3]], [[Joshua 12:8]], [[Joshua 24:11]]). The repetitive nature of these lists underscores their widespread distribution and significance as inhabitants of the land.
Despite the clear divine mandate for complete expulsion, the biblical narrative indicates that the Perizzites, along with other Canaanite groups, were not entirely driven out. [[Judges 1:4-5]] records an early victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites, yet subsequent verses in Judges lament the incomplete conquest by various Israelite tribes (e.g., [[Judges 1:27-36]]). This failure resulted in the continued presence of these peoples. Centuries later, during the Solomonic era, [[1 Kings 9:20-21]] explicitly states that Solomon conscripted as forced labor "all the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel." This demonstrates their enduring presence in the land, albeit in a subjugated status.
Finally, in the post-exilic period, Ezra laments the spiritual defilement of the land through intermarriage between the returning Israelites and the remnants of these peoples, including the Perizzites ([[Ezra 9:1]]). This late reference highlights the persistent challenge posed by their presence to Israel's covenantal fidelity and purity. The consistent grouping and the trajectory of their presence from promise to post-exile underscore their enduring, though often problematic, role in Israel's history.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most directly related word to פְּרִזִּי (Pᵉrizzîy, `{{H6522}}`) is its root, פְּרָזִי (pᵉrāzî, `{{H6521}}`), which means "open country," "unwalled village," or "villager." This etymological connection is crucial, as it provides insight into the likely settlement patterns or geographical distribution of the Perizzites, suggesting they were primarily inhabitants of rural, unfortified areas.
Conceptually, the Perizzites are intrinsically linked to the broader category of "Canaanite tribes." This encompasses numerous groups frequently listed alongside them, such as the Amorites (`{{H567}}`, `{{H568}}`), Hittites (`{{H2845}}`, `{{H2846}}`), Hivites (`{{H2340}}`), and Jebusites (`{{H2983}}`). The term "Canaanite" itself (`{{H3669}}`) serves as an overarching designation for the diverse indigenous peoples inhabiting the land promised to Israel.
Another significant related concept is the "land of Canaan" (`{{H3667}}`), the geographical and theological stage upon which the narrative of the Perizzites unfolds. Their identity and fate are inextricably tied to this land, both as its original inhabitants and as a persistent challenge to Israel's covenantal obedience.
Furthermore, the Perizzites stand in stark contrast to the "Israelites" (`{{H3478}}`), representing the divine mandate for separation and the ongoing struggle for Israel to maintain its distinct identity and purity in the land. The failure to fully dispossess the Perizzites, among others, led to profound spiritual and social difficulties for Israel, as evidenced throughout the books of Judges and Ezra.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of the Perizzites, like other Canaanite tribes, is multi-faceted and central to the biblical narrative of God's covenant with Israel and the conquest of the Promised Land.
1. **Divine Sovereignty and Promise:** The inclusion of the Perizzites in God's initial promise to Abraham ([[Genesis 15:19-21]]) highlights God's absolute sovereignty over the nations and the land. Their dispossession is not arbitrary but tied to the escalating wickedness and "iniquity" of the Canaanite inhabitants ([[Genesis 15:16]]), demonstrating God's righteous judgment and His faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham. The Perizzites thus represent those upon whom divine judgment falls and through whom divine promise is fulfilled.
2. **The Holiness of the Land and the Call to Purity:** The command to drive out the Perizzites and other Canaanite tribes underscores the concept of the land as holy, set apart for God's covenant people. The idolatrous practices, moral depravity, and "abominations" of these peoples ([[Leviticus 18:24-30]], [[Deuteronomy 20:16-18]]) were seen as defiling the land. Their continued presence posed a constant spiritual threat to Israel's purity and fidelity to Yahweh. The repeated prohibitions against making covenants with them or intermarrying ([[Exodus 34:15-16]], [[Deuteronomy 7:2-4]]) emphasize the theological imperative for Israel to remain distinct and undefiled.
3. **Israel's Disobedience and its Consequences:** The biblical record consistently reveals Israel's failure to fully dispossess the Perizzites and other Canaanite groups ([[Judges 1:27-36]]). This disobedience led to severe theological repercussions: the Perizzites became "thorns in your sides" ([[Numbers 33:55]]) and "snares and traps" ([[Judges 2:3]]), leading Israel into idolatry and assimilation. Their persistent presence thus functions as a theological foil, highlighting Israel's struggles with covenantal obedience and the subsequent divine discipline that followed their unfaithfulness.
4. **Divine Patience and Gradual Dispossession:** While the command was clear, the narrative also reveals a divine patience, allowing time for the "iniquity of the Amorites" (a representative term for the Canaanites) to reach its full measure ([[Genesis 15:16]]). The gradual nature of the conquest, and the continued existence of groups like the Perizzites, also reflects God's methodology, often working through human agency and allowing for the unfolding of historical processes, even when those processes are marked by human failure and compromise.
### Summary
The word פְּרִזִּי (Pᵉrizzîy, `{{H6522}}`) refers to the Perizzites, one of the Canaanitish tribes inhabiting the land of Canaan. Its etymological root (`{{H6521}}`) suggests they were "inhabitants of the open country" or unwalled settlements. Biblically, they are consistently listed among the peoples whom Israel was commanded to dispossess, appearing from the earliest divine promises to Abraham ([[Genesis 15:19-21]]) through the period of the monarchy ([[1 Kings 9:20-21]]) and even into the post-exilic era ([[Ezra 9:1]]). Theologically, the Perizzites are significant as objects of divine judgment and promise, representing the inhabitants of a land whose wickedness had reached its full measure. Their presence underscores God's sovereign right over the nations, the imperative for Israel's covenantal purity and separation from idolatry, and tragically, the consequences of Israel's repeated failures to fully obey God's command to dispossess the land's inhabitants, leading to spiritual assimilation and divine discipline.
TRV