The Perizzites were one of the seven nations inhabiting the land of Canaan at the time of Israel's conquest under Joshua. They are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as part of the indigenous population that the Israelites encountered upon entering the Promised Land. The Perizzites, along with the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Jebusites, Amorites, and Girgashites, were considered nations that the Israelites were commanded to dispossess and destroy due to their idolatrous practices and moral corruption.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 13:7 : The Perizzites are first mentioned in the context of the land dispute between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. "And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and Perizzites were dwelling in the land."

2. Genesis 15:18-21 : God makes a covenant with Abram, promising him the land inhabited by various peoples, including the Perizzites. "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.'"

3. Exodus 3:8 : The Perizzites are listed among the nations whose land God promises to deliver to the Israelites. "So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites."

4. Deuteronomy 7:1-2 : The Israelites are instructed to conquer and utterly destroy these nations, including the Perizzites. "When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must devote them to complete destruction."

5. Joshua 3:10 : The Perizzites are again mentioned as part of the nations that God promises to drive out before the Israelites. "Joshua continued, 'By this you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.'"

6. Judges 3:5-6 : The Israelites' failure to fully obey God's command to destroy these nations, including the Perizzites, leads to their downfall. "Thus the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods."

Historical and Cultural Context:

The Perizzites are often described as rural dwellers, possibly indicating a lifestyle distinct from the more urbanized Canaanites. The name "Perizzite" is thought to derive from a root meaning "village" or "rural area," suggesting they lived in open country or unwalled towns. This lifestyle may have made them more vulnerable to conquest compared to other fortified city-dwelling nations.

The Perizzites, like other Canaanite nations, were known for their idolatrous practices, which included the worship of Baal and Asherah, among other deities. These practices were abominable to the Israelites and were a primary reason for God's command to destroy these nations, as they posed a spiritual threat to the covenant community.

Theological Significance:

The presence of the Perizzites in the biblical narrative serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by the Israelites in maintaining their covenantal purity amidst surrounding pagan cultures. The command to destroy the Perizzites and other Canaanite nations underscores the seriousness with which God viewed idolatry and the importance of Israel's distinct identity as His chosen people. The failure to fully obey this command led to significant consequences for Israel, as they were repeatedly drawn into idolatry and suffered divine judgment as a result.Genesis 13:7
And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua's Conquest.
... there were many war-like people crowded into Palestine, seven, the Hittites, the
Girgashites, the Perizzites, the Hivites ... They were virtually one people ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

Canaan
... which, as we are told, was built seven years before ... David the news of Saul's death
was one of those ... The peasantry or fellahin are the Perizzites of the Hebrew ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... of the land, the Canaanites and Perizzites, whereas I ... the length of Isaac's life
was one hundred and ... Seven years later when Joseph was thirtyseven, Jacob came ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm

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