PUT, PHUT . A people counted amongst the sons of Ham ( Genesis 10:6 , 1 Chronicles 1:8 ), and frequently mentioned in the prophets as an ally of Egypt ( Jeremiah 46:9 , Ezekiel 27:10; Ezekiel 30:5; Ezekiel 38:5 , Nahum 3:9 ). It has been suggested that it represents (1) the people of Punt (rather Pwone in Egyp.), i.e. the African coast of the Red Sea with Somaliland, etc.: warriors may perhaps have been obtained thence for Egypt; or (2) Libya, whose people were called by the Egyptians Paiat (in the times of the Hebrew prophets the Libyans were the backbone of the semi-native army); or (3) the bow-bearing allies pidati (?); (4) being generally associated with Lud = Lydians (once in Nah. Lubim), it is thought that Put may be a name for the Carians or other pre-Hellenic peoples of Asia Minor or the Ægæan islands.
F. Ll. Griffith.