Abarim Publications' online Biblical Hebrew Dictionary

פרז

The verb פרז (perez) isn't used in the Bible and it's not wholly clear what it might have meant. In cognate languages this verb appears to describe a going beyond a border or limit of whatever kind. In the Bible occur the following derivations:

• The masculine noun פרז (perez), which most scholars derive from a whole other root on the sole notion that its sole context signifies a meaning that appears to be at odds with the rest of the derivations. This context is Habakkuk 3:14, where YHWH confronts the house of evil and pierces the head of its פרז (perez) with its own spears. Translators commonly interpret our word as warriors (NIV) or throngs (NAS), but here at Abarim Publications we surmise that this word describes what in the Roman army was called the fifth rank: the lowest ranking soldiers whose job it was to walk ahead of the main legion and hurl their spears as soon as the enemy was within range. The name Pontius Pilate appears to refer to this fifth rank. It fits right into our root. Also note the similarity with the verb פרץ (peres) to break out.
• The feminine noun פרזה (perazah), meaning rural hamlets or suburbs (Esther 9:19, Ezekiel 38:11, Zechariah 2:8).
• The noun פרזי (perazi), which describes a rural area or someone who lives in a rural area (Deuteronomy 3:5, 1 Samuel 6:18, Esther 9:19).
• The masculine noun פרזון (perazon), which describes the rural population, the peasants (Judges 5:7 only).