Caphtorim
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ATS Bible Dictionary
Caphtorim

Descendants of Mizraim, and kindred to the Casluhim, near whom they were probably located on the northeast coast of Africa. These last two people are both named as ancestors of the Philistines, Genesis 10:14 De 2:23 Am 9:7; and it is probable that a colony made up from both drove out the Avim from the country on the south-east coast of the Mediterranean, and occupied it under the name of Philistines, which it is generally agreed means strangers. But whether they came from Cyprus, Crete, or Cappadocia, is not agreed.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CAPHTOR; CAPHTORIM

kaf'-tor, kaf'-tor-im (kaphtor, kaphtorim; Kappadokia, Gaphtorieim, Kaphtoriem).

1. First Theory: Crete:

The country and people whence came the Philistines (Genesis 10:14 = 1 Chronicles 1:12 (here the clause "whence went forth the Philistines" should, probably come after Caphtorim); Deuteronomy 2:23 Jeremiah 47:4 Amos 9:7). Jeremiah (loc. cit.) calls it an "island"; there is evidence of ancient connection between Crete and Philistia; and the Philistines are called Cherethites, which may mean Cretans (see CHERETHITES). These considerations have led many to identify Caphtor with the important island of Crete. It should be noted, however, that the word 'i, used by Jeremiah, denotes not only "isle," but also "coastland."

2. Second Theory: Phoenicia:

Ebers (Aegypten und die Bucher Moses, 130) thought that Caphtor represented the Egyptian Kaft-ur, holding that Kaft was the Egyptian name for the colonies of Phoenicians in the Delta, extended to cover the Phoenicians in the north and their colonies. Kaft-ur, therefore, would mean "Greater Phoenicia." But the discovery of Kaptar among the names of countries conquered by Ptolemy Auletes in an inscription on the Temple of Kom Ombo is fatal to this theory.

3. Third Theory: Cilicia:

A third theory would identify Caphtor with the Kafto of the Egyptian inscriptions. As early as the time of Thotmes III the inhabitants of this land, the Kafti, are mentioned in the records. In the trilingual inscription of Canopus the name is rendered in Greek by Phoinike, "Phoenicia." This seems to be an error, as the Kafti portrayed on the monuments have no features in common with the Semites. They certainly represent a western type. It is held that the Egyptian Kafto is a district in Asia Minor, probably Cilicia. The sea-pirates, the purasati, whom Rameses III subdued (circa 1200 B.C.), entered Syria from the north. The "R" in the name is the Egyptian equivalent of the Semitic "L". Therefore Purasati = Pilishti, "Philistines." And so it is proposed to identify Caphtor with Cilicia. A serious objection to this theory is the absence of the final "r" in Kafto. McCurdy's suggestion (HDB) that it represents a Hebrew waw, written as a vowel-letter in an original Kafto, does not carry conviction.

It is impossible to give a certain decision; but the balance of probability seems still inclined to the first theory.

W. Ewing

Strong's Hebrew
3732. Kaphtori -- descendant of Mizraim, also their land
... 3731, 3732. Kaphtori. 3733 . descendant of Mizraim, also their land.
Transliteration: Kaphtori Phonetic Spelling: (kaf-to-ree') Short Definition: Caphtorim ...
/hebrew/3732.htm - 6k
Library

[Endnotes]
... "Raamah, Naphtuhim, Amorite, Almodad, "Sabtechab,Pathrusim, Girgasite, Sheleph,
"Sheba, Caslubim, Hivite, Hazarmaveth, "Dedan, Caphtorim, Arkite, Jerah, "Nimrod ...
//christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/endnotes.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... ii.23 it is related how "the Caphtorim which came forth out of Caphtor destroyed
the Avvim, which dwelt in villages as far as Gaza, and dwelt in their stead ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Greek Versions as Aids to Biblical Study.
... v.24, 1 Chronicles 14:14). Caphtor, Caphtorim, Kappadokia, Kappadokes, Deuteronomy
2:23, Amos 9:7. Cherethites, krtym, Kretes, Zephaniah 2:5, Ezech. xxv.16. ...
/.../chapter iv the greek versions.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

Thesaurus
Caphtorim (3 Occurrences)
... CAPHTOR; CAPHTORIM. kaf'-tor, kaf'-tor-im (kaphtor, kaphtorim; Kappadokia, Gaphtorieim,
Kaphtoriem). ... Multi-Version Concordance Caphtorim (3 Occurrences). ...
/c/caphtorim.htm - 10k

Caphtor (4 Occurrences)
... It may, however, have been a part of Egypt, the Caphtur in the north Delta, since
the Caphtorim were of the same race as the Mizraite people (Genesis 10:14; 1 ...
/c/caphtor.htm - 11k

Caph'torim (3 Occurrences)
Caph'torim. Caphtorim, Caph'torim. Caphtorims . ... Genesis 10:14 and Pathrusim,
and Casluhim--whence went forth the Philistines--and Caphtorim. (See RSV). ...
/c/caph'torim.htm - 7k

Caphtorites (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Caphtorites (3 Occurrences). Genesis 10:14 and Pathrusim,
and Casluhim--whence went forth the Philistines--and Caphtorim. (See NIV). ...
/c/caphtorites.htm - 7k

Casluhim (2 Occurrences)
... The parenthesis should probably follow Caphtorim. ... Genesis 10:14 Pathrusim, Casluhim
(which the Philistines descended from), and Caphtorim. ...
/c/casluhim.htm - 7k

Philistim (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Philistim (2 Occurrences). Genesis 10:14 And Pathrusim,
and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/p/philistim.htm - 7k

Pathru'sim (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Pathru'sim (2 Occurrences). Genesis 10:14 and Pathrusim,
and Casluhim--whence went forth the Philistines--and Caphtorim. (See RSV). ...
/p/pathru'sim.htm - 6k

Pathrusim (2 Occurrences)
... Pathrusim (2 Occurrences). Genesis 10:14 Pathrusim, Casluhim (which the Philistines
descended from), and Caphtorim. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS). ...
/p/pathrusim.htm - 7k

Caslu'him (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Caslu'him (2 Occurrences). Genesis 10:14 and Pathrusim,
and Casluhim--whence went forth the Philistines--and Caphtorim. (See RSV). ...
/c/caslu'him.htm - 6k

Casluhites (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Casluhites (2 Occurrences). Genesis 10:14 and Pathrusim,
and Casluhim--whence went forth the Philistines--and Caphtorim. (See NIV). ...
/c/casluhites.htm - 6k

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