Lexical Summary perazah: Unwalled village, open country Original Word: פְרָזָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance unwalled town, without walls, unwalled village From the same as paraz; an open country -- (unwalled) town (without walls), unwalled village. see HEBREW paraz NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition an open region, hamlet NASB Translation rural (1), unwalled villages (1), without walls (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְּרָזָה] noun feminine open region, hamlet; — only plural ׃מְּרָזוֺת ׳אֶרֶץ פ Ezekiel 38:11 a land of hamlets (opposed to חוֺמָה etc.); תֵּשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלַם ׳פ Zechariah 2:8 as open regions shall Jerusalem sit (יָשַׁב 4); ׳עָרֵי הַמּ Esther 9:19 (opposed to שׁוּשָׁן Esther 9:18); perhaps Judges 5:7 (׳פ for מְּרָזוֺן, compare ᵑ6 ᵑ7 GFM). Topical Lexicon Concept in Ancient Israelite Context פְרָזָה depicts life in unwalled villages or open country—communities without the protection of fortifications or city gates. Such locales depended on covenant faithfulness and neighborly solidarity rather than stone walls. The term therefore evokes images of agrarian simplicity, voluntary trust in God’s guardianship, and social interdependence. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Esther 9: 19 portrays the rural Jews who “lived in the villages of the open country” celebrating Purim on the fourteenth day of Adar. Their separate observance underscores how God’s deliverance reached even the least defended among His people. Historical Significance In Iron Age Palestine, most fortified cities were royal, administrative, or military centers, while the majority of Israelites actually lived in open hamlets. Scripture’s use of פְרָזָה therefore captures the lived reality of ordinary families whose economic life—herding, viticulture, and grain farming—made high walls impractical. Their vulnerability sharpened awareness of YHWH as true protector (Psalm 121: 4-8). Prophetic and Eschatological Implications Both Ezekiel and Zechariah employ פְרָזָה eschatologically. Ezekiel warns that arrogant security apart from God invites invasion, whereas Zechariah assures that genuine peace arrives when God Himself surrounds His people. Together they supply a balanced theology: human vulnerability is either exploited by foes or answered by divine glory. Ministry Application 1. Pastoral care: Congregations that feel “unwalled” because of cultural pressure or limited resources can take heart that God specializes in guarding unfenced flocks (John 10: 27-29). Theological Reflections on Security and Vulnerability פְרָזָה confronts the perennial tension between building walls and trusting God. Scripture never romanticizes naivety; instead, it calls God’s people to a vulnerability submitted to divine oversight. Kingdom citizens live openly, ready to receive outsiders (Hebrews 13: 2) while resting in the promise, “The LORD is your keeper” (Psalm 121: 5). Christological Focus Jesus embodies Zechariah’s vision: He dwelt among us without earthly defenses, yet could say, “No one takes My life from Me” (John 10: 18). His cross, an apparent breach in the wall, became the gateway to resurrection security. In Him the Church becomes an unwalled yet impregnable community, guarded “by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed” (1 Peter 1: 5). Forms and Transliterations הַפְּרָזוֹת֒ הפרזות פְּרָז֔וֹת פְּרָזוֹת֙ פרזות hap·pə·rā·zō·wṯ happerazOt happərāzōwṯ pə·rā·zō·wṯ peraZot pərāzōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Esther 9:19 HEB: הַיֹּשְׁבִים֮ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַפְּרָזוֹת֒ עֹשִׂ֗ים אֵ֠ת NAS: who live in the rural towns, KJV: that dwelt in the unwalled towns, INT: live towns the rural make day Ezekiel 38:11 Zechariah 2:4 3 Occurrences |