Interesting Facts

• Phut was a son of Ham, the son of Noah.
• Ham parted from his father Noah, taking Phut along with Cush, Mizraim, and Canaan.
• Phut went and built a city and called it after his own name.
• Phut received a portion of the land during the division of the earth among the sons of Ham.
• Madai saw the land of the sea and it did not please him, and he begged a portion from Phut, as well as Ham, Asshur, and Arpachshad.

Genealogy

• Phut was a son of Ham, who was one of the three sons of Noah.
• His brothers were Cush, Mizraim, and Canaan.
• The text mentions the children of Phut: Gebul, Hadan, Benah, and Adan.

Historical Context

The life of Phut takes place in the early generations after the great flood and the subsequent dispersal of Noah’s family. A significant event that shaped his early experience was the displeasure of his father Ham regarding the curse Noah placed on Canaan. This led Ham to part from Noah, taking Phut and his brothers with him. Following this separation, the sons of Noah began to build their own cities and establish their territories. Phut participated in this process, constructing a city and naming it after himself. Later, after the earth was divided amongst Noah’s sons, Ham further divided his portion among his own sons, including Phut, who received a part towards the west of Mizraim and on the sea. This period was characterized by settlement, the naming of lands and cities, and the establishment of boundaries. Notably, an interaction between Phut’s lineage and that of Japheth is recorded when Madai sought land from Phut and others. These events highlight a time of establishing distinct family lines and territories in the post-flood world.

Narrative

The narrative concerning Phut primarily depicts him as one of the key figures in the establishment of the Hamitic lineage after the flood. His initial action of leaving Noah with his father and brothers signifies a break and the beginning of a separate trajectory for his family. The act of building a city and naming it after himself underscores the process of claiming and settling the land allotted to his lineage. While the texts do not provide extensive details about Phut’s personal actions or dialogues, his existence and his descendants play a role in the broader narrative of the division of the earth and the formation of early post-flood societies. The instance where Madai requested land from Phut indicates interactions and relationships between the different family lines descending from Noah. Overall, Phut’s narrative function within the texts is to mark the geographical and familial expansion of Ham’s descendants and their initial establishment in their designated regions.