The word is derived from Peras, or Pherazoth. Such as dwell in villages: or perhaps, as villages are scattered buildings different from cities, the Perizzites might mean the scattered enemies of Israel, whom the Lord would drive out before them. (Exod. 33. 2.)
The ancient inhabitants of Palestine, mingled with the Canaanites. There is also a great probability that they themselves were Canaanites, but, having no fixed habitations, were wandering about here and there, and scattered over all the country. Thus, in the time of Abraham and Lot, the Canaanite and Perizzite were in the land, Gen 13:7; Jos 17:15. Solomon subdued the remains of the Canaanites and Perizzites, which the children of Israel had not rooted out, and made them tributary to him, 1Ki 9:20-21; 2Ch 8:7. There still remained some of this people as late as the time of Ezr 9:1.
Gen 15:20, ancient inhabitants of Palestine, who had mingled with the Canaanites, or were themselves descendants of Canaan. They appear to have dwelt in the center of Canaan, Gen 34.30; Jos 11.3; 17.15; Jud 1.4-5; but there were some of them on each side of the river Jordan, in the mountains, and in the plains. In several places of Scripture, the Canaanites and Perizzites are mentioned as the chief people of the country; as in the time of Abraham and Lot, Gen 13:7 . Some remnants of this race existed in Solomon’s day, and were subjected by him to a tribute of service, 1Ki 9:20 . See CANAANITES.\par
[Periz’zites]
One of the ancient nations in Palestine. They are several times the only people named along with the Canaanites. Joseph’s descendants were told by Joshua to take the land of the Perizzites, where they are classed with the giants. Jos 17:15. Though they were in a great measure either driven out or slain by the Israelites, yet some dwelt with the children of Israel, and intermarried with them. Jdg 3:5-6. In the days of Solomon those that were still in the land were made bondservants. It is not known definitely in what part of Canaan they were originally located, but by Jos 17:14-18 it was probably near Manasseh’s lot on the west. Gen 13:7; Exo 3:8; Exo 3:17; Jos 3:10; Jos 9:1; Jdg 1:4-5; 1Ki 9:20; Ezr 9:1; Neh 9:8, etc.
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By: Gotthard Deutsch, Schulim Ochser
Canaanitish tribe settled in the south of Palestine between Hor and Negeb, although it is not mentioned in the genealogy in Gen. x. According to the Biblical references, Abraham, when he entered Palestine, found the Perizzites dwelling near the Canaanites (ib. xiii. 7), and God promised to destroy both these peoples (ib. xv. 20). Jacob reproved his sons because of the crime of Shechem, inasmuch as he feared the Perizzites and the Canaanites (ib. xxxiv. 30). Moses promised the Israelites to bring them unto the place of the Perizzites and the Amorites (Ex. xxx. 8); and at a later time the tribes of Simeon and Judah conquered the Canaanites and the Perizzites (Judges i. 4). The Perizzites were among the tribes that were not subjected to tribute by Solomon (I Kings ix. 20-22), while the complaint was brought to Ezra that the priests and the Levites would not separate themselves from the Perizzites and the other peoples of the land (Ezra ix. 1).
The view was formerly held that the Perizzites were a prehistoric tribe which became assimilated to the Canaanites when the latter invaded Palestine; but this is in contradiction to the fact that the Perizzites are not mentioned in the genealogy. More recent commentators are of the opinion that the names "Perizi" and "Perazi" are identical, and that the Bible has included under the name "Perizzites" all stocks dwelling in unwalled towns.
Bibliography:
Riehm, Handwörterb. 2d ed., p. 1211;
Cheyne and Black, Encyc. Bibl. s.v.;
Hastings, Dict.Bible, s.v.
PERIZZITES.—According to the frequently recurring list of the Deuteronomic editors, one of the pre-Israelitish nations of Palestine (cf. Exo 3:8; Exo 3:17; Exo 23:23; Exo 33:2; Exo 34:11, Deu 20:17, Jos 3:10; Jos 24:11). The Perizzites, however, do not appear anywhere definitely in the history. Because in Gen 15:20 and Jos 17:15 they are mentioned with the Rephaim, some have inferred that they were one of the pre-Semitic tribes of Palestine. In the J
George A. Barton.
The Perizzites were one of many Canaanite groups that occupied Canaan before the Israelites drove them out (Gen 13:7; Gen 15:20; Exo 3:8; Deu 7:1; Jos 3:10). They lived mainly in the hills of central Palestine and are found in Bible narratives concerning Bethel, Shechem and the tribal territory of Ephraim (Gen 13:2-7; Gen 34:26-30; Jos 17:15). They were used as slaves in Solomon’s building programs and were eventually absorbed into Israel (1Ki 9:20-21).