The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Apharsites

a-far'-sits ('apharcaye'): A tribe transferred to Samaria by Asnappar of Assyria (Ezr 4:9). Rawlinson identifies them with the APHARSACHITES (which see), taking Apharsites to be an accidental repetition of the same word. He understands "the Persians" to be meant in both cases. Others identify them with a Median tribe mentioned in the inscriptions of Sennacherib as dwellers in the district of Parsua.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr (1915). Public domain, from the CrossWire SWORD module.