1 Chronicles 1:8,9

(Genesis 10:6-7). The Sons of Ham

8. The sons of Ham Passing over for the present the Central "zone," the writer now describes the Southern.

Cush The Heb. name here transliterated Cushis several times translated "Ethiopia" (e.g. 2 Kings 19:9; Isaiah 18:1) no doubt rightly. On the inscriptions of Assur-bani-pal frequent mention is made of Ku-su (Ku-u-su) "Ethiopia" in connexion with Mu-ṣur "Egypt." The Cushites were not Negroes but a brown race like the modern Nubians (Soudanese).

Mizraim is without doubt Egypt. In form the word seems to be dual, and it is generally said to mean the two Egypts, Upper and Lower. A singular "Mâzôr" is translated "Egypt" In 2 Kings 19:24 (R.V.). Neither form is the native name of the kingdom.

Put In Genesis 10:6 "Phut" (R.V. Put). This people is mentioned among the helpers of Egypt in Jer., in Ezek. (twice) and in Nahum; "the Libyans" A.V. In Ezekiel 27:10 it appears among the auxiliary troops of Tyre; "Phut" A.V. In all these passages R.V. has "Put." "Put" is probably the Punt of the Egyptian monuments, i.e. the Somali coast with the parts of the coast of Arabia nearest to it.

Canaan In Genesis 9:25-27 "Canaan" is not the son of Ham, but takes Ham's place among the sons of Noah. Canaan ("lowland") is applied to the whole country W. of Jordan including the Hill Country of Judah and Ephraim, but perhaps the name was originally given to the sea-coast only. This coastland (including both Philistia and Phœnicia) had close political connexions with Egypt, being indeed Egypt's highway to the E., and hence Canaan is described as the brother of Mizraim, although no near ethnological relationship existed between the mass of the population of Canaan and the Egyptians.