ZUZIM (Hebr. Ζάζιμ; Gr. ἕδνη ὄργυρα). — An indigenous tribe of the district of Hám in the 'Aglûn, east of the Jordan, defeated by King Chodorlahomor (Gen. 14:5) and belonging to the gigantic race of the Rephaim, who in the pre-Semitic period inhabited Transjordan (ibid. 14:5; Deut. 2:11, 20; Josh. 12:44; 13:12) and certain areas of Palestine (Gen. 15:20).
The Z. were perhaps called Zomzomin (Deut. 2:20) by the Ammonites. Their history is obscure and the meaning of their names uncertain. Most probably, the name contains the sense of terror and admiration that the Hebrews experienced before the monuments of megalithic culture (dolmens, menhirs) with which Transjordan is strewn, leading them to infer gigantic strength in their builders. Donato Baldi