ZUZIM (Hebr. Zúzim; Gr. ξύζιμι ζύζιμι). — An indigenous tribe of the district of Häm in the 'Aglûn, east of the Jordan, conquered by King Chodorlahomor (Gen. 14:5) and belonging to the giant race of the Rephaim, who in the pre-Semitic era inhabited Transjordan (Gen. 14:5; Deut. 2:11, 20; Josh. 12:4; 13:12) and certain areas of Palestine (Gen. 15:20).
The Z. were perhaps called Zomzommin (Deut. 2:20) by the Ammonites. Their history is obscure and the meaning of their names uncertain. Most likely, the name conveys the sense of terror and admiration the Hebrews felt when confronted with the monuments of megalithic culture (dolmens, menhirs) scattered throughout Transjordan, from which they inferred the existence of a race of giants. Donato Baldi