Perizzites פְּרִזִּי

We are in chapter thirty-three of Exodus with our word for today. פְּרִזִּי Perizzite, Perizzites. It is used 23 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used to describe a nation of people. The first time we see our word used in the Old Testament they are identified alongside the Canaanites contemporary with Abraham. Genesis 13:7 There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. We also see these two nations named together during Jacob’s time period. Genesis 34:30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites וּבַפְּרִזִּ֑י and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” Notice the reference to their great combined number. We have another reference of these two nations together right after the death of Joshua. Judges 1:4-5 Then Judah went up and the Lord gave the Canaanites וְהַפְּרִזִּ֖י and the Perizzites into their hand, and they defeated 10,000 of them  ... and defeated the Canaanites הַפְּרִזִּֽי and the Perizzites. We also see this nation referenced alongside of the Rephaim. Joshua 17:14-18 Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of הַפְּרִזִּ֖י the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” ... From this passage it looks like the Perizzites lived in the hill country. All the other uses of our word have it in the list of nations that were living in the land God promised to give to his people. This is how our word is used the most and exactly how it is used in our chapter today. Exodus 33:2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. What is amazing in our chapter is that God is dealing with his people’s sins of worshiping the golden calf. There are consequences to their sin as we saw at the end of the previous chapter but even in this God is gracious. Notice that he doesn’t just forget about his promise even though they forgot to trust God. Exodus 33:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’  Wow God remains faithful and keeps his promise to give the people the land. This reminds me of what the Holy Spirit writes about God through Paul to Timothy who was working with the early churches. Paul uses the analogy of a soldier which is what the Israelites would be as they went in to take the promise land. I’ll close with these encouraging words 2 Timothy 2:1-4, 8, 11-13 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him … Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel … The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.