Baal-perazim
Baal-perazim is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Ez Zuhur. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Baal-perazim was the site of one of David's most celebrated early victories over the Philistines, shortly after he had captured Jerusalem and established it as his capital. When the Philistines learned that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they mobilized their forces and spread across the Valley of Rephaim, southwest of Jerusalem. David inquired of the LORD whether he should attack, and God confirmed that he would give the Philistines into David's hand. The resulting victory was so decisive and complete that David named the place Baal-perazim: "Lord of the Breakings-Through", declaring that "the LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking through of waters" (2 Sam. 5:20; 1 Chr. 14:11). The Philistines fled in panic, abandoning their idols on the battlefield, which David ordered burned. The episode established a theological principle that would mark David's entire reign: victory in battle belonged to the LORD who acted on behalf of his anointed king. Isaiah 28:21 later invokes this memory, describing God's future judgment as "as on Mount Perazim", a decisive, sudden divine intervention that overwhelms the enemy.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Baal-perazim is generally located in or near the Valley of Rephaim (Wadi el-Ward), southwest of Jerusalem, though its precise site has not been definitively identified. The modern site of Ez Zuhur has been proposed, but no excavation has confirmed this identification. The Valley of Rephaim itself is well known archaeologically as a major route from the Shephelah to Jerusalem, and the area has yielded Bronze and Iron Age pottery through surface surveys. The valley's strategic importance as an approach to Jerusalem is consistent with the Philistine military strategy described in 2 Samuel 5, and the topography of the region accords well with the narrative's description of a rapid Philistine deployment.
Verse Appearances (2)
2Sam
1Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]