Phthuth

PHTHUTH

PHTHUTH (Φθούθ, Ptol. 4.1.3; Φούτης, Jos. Antiq. 1.6.2; Fut, Plin. Nat. 5.1), a river of Mauretania, which has been identified with the Wady Tensift. In the ethnographic table of Genesis (10.6), Phut is reckoned among the sons of Ham. This immediate descent of Phut (a name which is generally admitted to indicate Mauretania) from Ham indicates, like their Greek name, the depth of colour which distinguished the Mauretanians. In Ezekiel (27.10) the men of Phut are represented as serving in the Tyrian armies (comp. 30.5, 38.5); as also in Jeremiah (46.9) they are summoned to the hosts of Aegypt; and in Nahum (3.9) they are the helpers of Nineveh. (Winer, Realwörterbuch, s. v.; Kenrick, Phoenicia, pp. 137, 277.)

[E.B.J]