Who were the Perizzites in the Bible?

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. Joshua 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. Judges 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 Joshua 17:14-18 it was probably near Manasseh's lot on the west. Gen. 13:7; Ex. 3:8, 17; Joshua 3:10; Joshua 9:1; Judges 1:4-5; 1 Kings 9:20; Ezra 9:1; Neh. 9:8, etc.

As for the races mentioned after these, little more is to be said than what lies on the surface of scripture: "And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite" (vers. 16-18). The Jebusites held Jerusalem, though defeated by Joshua, but not dispossessed till David. The Amorite was in the mountain land of Judah, but pushed east where on their full or expulsion the two and a half tribes settled east of the Jordan. The Girgashites disappeared from view. Of the Hivites we have the remarkable tale the Book of Joshua tells, and of its consequences, at least of those in Gibeon; for there were others further north and outside, near whom settled the latter five families, or on the coast, and also in the isle of Aradus.

The notices of the Canaanite families are more minute, as God considered His people whose duty it was to execute judgment and dispossess them of the promised land. However they might be "spread abroad" or dispersed, and seen to flourish for a while, the curse was on them, from the first on moral grounds, aggravated at last by enormities against God and man which to His eyes called for extermination.

It may be remarked that we do not hear of Perizzites in this genealogical account, though the name occurs in Gen. 13:7, Gen. 15:20, Gen. 34:30; Ex. 3:8, 17, Ex. 23:23, Ex. 33:2, Ex. 34:11; Deut. 7:1, Deut. 20:17; Joshua 3:10, Joshua 9:1, Joshua 11:3, Joshua 12:8, Joshua 17:15, Joshua 24:11; Judges 1:4-5, Judges 3:5; 1 Kings 9:20; Ezra 9:1; 2 Chron. 8:7; and Neh. 9:8. This appears to imply that they were not a distinct race, but rather such as separated from the town-life, to which the Canaanites generally were addicted, and remained villagers; as in the later history of Israel those who were religious separatists were called Pharisees.

"And afterwards the families of the Canaanites spread themselves abroad. And the border of the Canaanites was from Zidon, as thou goest toward Gerar, unto Gazah; as thou goest toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, unto Lasha. These [are] sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, in their nations" (vers. 18-20).

Per’iz zites - Rustic: squatter (?)

Six nations in which these cities were included are also mentioned in verse 8. Hittites are "the children of fear," and remind us of those "who through fear, of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb.2:15). Conquering the fear of death is part of true Christian character. The meaning of Amorites is "sayers." Sadly, such Amorite character was later found among the leaders of Israel, of whom the Lord Jesus said, "they say, and do not" (Mt.23:2-3). But let every believer fully judge the evil of a glib tongue without proper action to back it up. Canaanites means "traffickers," speaking of those who make merchandise of the things of God, such as we see when the Lord cast out of the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers (Jn.2:14-16). We too must judge fully the evil of using the precious truth of Christ as a means of material gain.

Perizzites are "squatters," those who take over property that is not theirs, so that they picture those who want to pass as Christians though they have not been converted to God. Believers are called upon to expose this evil and expel it. This property rightly belongs to faith, therefore let us by faith take it from those to whom it does not belong.

The names here, as everywhere, are doubtless significant. They suggest those powers of evil which preoccupy and would prevent our enjoyment of our God-given inheritance in Christ. The Hittite, "child of terror" — how spiritual dread makes cowards of us all! The Girgashites, "dwellers in clay;" alas, we are prone to settle down in the dust of earth, instead of rising to our heavenly portion. The Amorite, "the talker," rather than the doer of the Word. The Canaanite, "the trafficker," companion to the talker, who turns the very truth of God into merchandise. The Perizzite, "the countryman," suggesting perhaps the thought of great power, nobility, false pride; and the Hivite, "the villager," suggesting the opposite, a false humility; while the Jebusite, "the treader down," never rests until all divine things are put beneath the feet. All these are to be cast out. Any alliance with them is to be utterly refused. Their religion and their ways are to be abhorred. They are not to be feared because of their greatness, but relentlessly are they to be overthrown (Deut. 7).

Well, how did Israel meet all this? How did the people respond to this fresh invitation on God's part, to test them as to their faithfulness? In the fifth verse we read, The children of Israel "dwelt," made their home, settled down. That is the thought, they have settled down; where? Amongst the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. There is a list of names, and I have no doubt that each of those names has its special significance. We might attempt to characterize them. Canaanites are "traffickers;" Hittites, "sons of terror;" Amorites are "talkers;" Perizzites are "rulers;" Hivites are "villagers;" Jebusites are "treaders down."

Then further, not to dwell upon these too long, in the Perizzite you have that spirit of human power which rules; not divine rule, not subjection to God, to His will, and to His Word, shown in subjection to the humblest and weakest thing that expresses that will. But you have that high-handed spirit; the nobility. The Perizzite represents the nobility, the class that rules, that must be looked up to and obeyed, not for what they teach, but for what they are.

On the other side are the Hivites. These two go together. If you have a nobility you must also have the lower class. Here is the nobility and the peasantry, or, as you might say, the clergy and the laity. As a result, you have the Jebusite trampling down everything that is of God.

Verse 4 tells us those nations were left to test Israel, but verse 5 immediately follows to show that they failed the test, for they intermingled by marriage among these nations and served their idols. Added also to these nations mentioned in verse 3 were the Hittites ("children of fear"), Amorites ("sayers"), Perizzites ("squatters") and Jebusites ("treaders down"), so that all these evils very soon afflicted the Israelites. Such being the case, they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and Asherahs (v. 7). Once the thin edge of the wedge of evil begins its work, it is not long before it brings a complete cleavage. If once we welcome evil, we shall soon find that it is far too strong for us, and we become slaves.

The complaint of the children of Joseph shows dissatisfaction with their lot; it was selfishness. Joshua takes them by their word. His answer reminds us of the divine command given in chapter 13. "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses." Yonder were the stately forests, the wooded hills and mountains, inhabited still by the Perizzites and the giants. All they needed to do was to go there and drive them out and they would possess a larger portion. But this answer but brings out their unbelief and failure. They plead weakness; it was nothing less than unbelief, for they looked to the iron chariots the Canaanites possessed, instead of looking to the Lord and trusting His power. They refused to meet the enemy and have their borders enlarged under these conditions. What a contrast with bold and humble Caleb! And yet Joshua encourages them. He urges them to go forward and possess the forest and cut it down. It was his challenge to their faith. Faith does not reckon with chariots, with difficulties.

But Joshua was a man of God: he had been guided by God in the allotment of territory, and was not partial to his own tribe. His answer was wise and to the point, "If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you" (v.6). This was land to which they had title, but they had not taken possession of it. They were much like many believers today, who would like to have what others had fought for, but are afraid of the conflict necessary to possess what they are entitled to.