PERIZEI (Heb. Pērizai; Septuagint ΦΕΡΕΙ͂ΑΊΟΙ). - One of the ethnic groups that inhabited Palestine before the Hebrew occupation (Gen. 13:7; 15:20; Ex. 3:8, 17; etc.).

From the probable meaning of the name pērizai, "inhabitant of an undefended place" (cf. Deut. 3:5; Esth. 9:19), it has been thought that its members were scattered through the countryside and villages as farmers, while the Canaanites predominated in the fortified places. The P., together with the Rephaim, occupied mainly the area between Shechem and Bethel (v.) in Samaria. There they were defeated by Joshua (Josh. 11:3; 17:15) and, later, by the tribe of Judah (Judg. 1:4-5). Nevertheless, even in the time of Solomon the P. are spoken of as tributaries of the kingdom (1 Kings 9:20-21; 2 Chron. 8:7-8); indeed, even in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah Perizzite women appear, illegally married by some Jews (Ezra 9:1; Neh. 9:8).

Bibliography

BIBL.: L. Heidet, Phérezien, in DB, V, coll. 251-52.

Angelo Penna

@incollection{ec5_ferezei_ebr_perizai_settanta_p, author = {Penna, Angelo}, title = {Ferezei (Ebr. PĒRizai; Settanta ΦΕΡΕΙ͂ΑΊΟΙ)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {V}, pages = {1170}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1950}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/ferezei-ebr-perizai-settanta-phereiaioi} }

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Perizei

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