פָּרָז
𐤐𐤓𐤆
pârâz
H6518 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A rural settlement, typically an unwalled village or open country community, as distinct from a fortified city or urban center. May also refer collectively to the people dwelling in such rural or unfortified locations. In poetic or parallel contexts, can denote rural inhabitants or country-folk.
Semantic Range
unwalled village, rural settlement, open country community, rural inhabitants, country folk
Root / Etymology
Uncertain; Strong's suggests 'from an unused root meaning to separate,' possibly related to the root פרז meaning either 'to be open' or 'to be separated.' The form פָּרָז (pârâz) itself is not clearly derived from any attested Hebrew root. Some scholars associate it with words in Semitic languages meaning 'open country' or 'village.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
פָּרָז appears primarily in poetic or list materials, such as in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:7, 11), where it refers to open, unwalled settlements distinct from fortified urban spaces. In later biblical literature, the associated adjective or noun forms (e.g., פְּרָזוֹן, פְּרָזִי) designate rural inhabitants, and sometimes the open, defenseless conditions of rural life. The distinction between פָּרָז and the fortified city highlights the vulnerability and way of life of non-urban Israelites during certain historical periods, particularly the Judges and early monarchy. The English translation 'village' captures only one facet; the sense can include both settlement and rural population. Later, after the Babylonian Exile, open settlements were seen as a sign of peace and security (e.g., Ezekiel 38:11). English translations often gloss as 'village' or 'country folk,' but biblical usage marks a rural, unfortified lifestyle contrasted with urban, fortified centers.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to separate, i.e.; decide; a chieftain; village.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פרז (p-r-z) — to be open, to lack walls, to be unwalled
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6519 | פְּרָזָה | the unwalled settlements |
| H6520 | פְּרָזוֹן | unwalled settlement |
| H6521 | פְּרָזִי | the open-country dweller |
| H6522 | פְּרִזִּי | the open-country dweller |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6518-01 |
פרז/ו | frzv | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
of his village-leader | his unwalled village | 1 | |
H6518-02 |
פְּרָזָ֔י/ו | perazayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his warriors | his unwalled villages | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6518-01 |
Habakkuk 3:14 | פרז/ו | frzv | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
of his village-leader | his unwalled village | |
H6518-02 |
Habakkuk 3:14 | פְּרָזָ֔י/ו | perazayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his warriors | his unwalled villages |