Put was a region in ancient North Africa, likely in the area of modern-day Libya. Some scholars think Put might have been the land of Punt, a region mentioned in ancient Egyptian records. Punt was likely along Africa's northeast coast, possibly in modern-day Somalia.
The people of Put had connections with Egypt, Cush (another name for ancient northeast Africa), and Canaan. However, the way the name "Put" is used in the Old Testament suggests it was in Libya. The Libyan people in the Old Testament are called "Lubim," which is always in the plural form.
Put started as the name of a person and later became the name of the nation that came from his family.
Ancient Libya
Ancient Libya was west of Egypt, along the Mediterranean Sea in modern-day Libya. Egyptian records mention three main groups of Libyans:
Tjehenu: These people lived along the coast and were primarily herdsmen. They were represented in Egyptian art as having long hair and wore only a belt and a cloth covering. They were listed among the Nine Bows, a term the Egyptians used for their main enemies.
Tjemehu: These people were nomads who moved from place to place. They had light-colored hair and blue eyes, making them look different from other African groups. They interacted with Egypt since the time of the Old Kingdom (around 2700–2200 BC). They sometimes tried to move into Egyptian territory.
Libu: This group gave Libya its name. They and the Meshwesh tribe were described as fair-skinned, tattooed, and wearing leather garments.
Egypt and Libya had many interactions throughout their history, both in trade and in war. The Libyan people often tried to move into Egypt from the northwest. From the Middle Kingdom there is the story of Sinuhe (c. 2000 BC), which begins with the death of Amenemhet I while his son, Senusert (Sesostris), was fighting the Libyans in the western Delta.
As time went on, the Libyan people gradually moved into the Nile Delta area. Two Egyptian kings, Seti I and Ramses II, fought to keep control of this region. Later, King Merneptah recorded a victory over the Libyans on a large stone monument called the Merneptah Stele (from about 1224–1214 BC). Another Egyptian king, Ramses III, later fought against the Libyans and drove them out of the western Delta region. This happened during a time when Egypt was also fighting against a group called the Sea Peoples, both on land and at sea.
Later, the Libyans grew more powerful and eventually took control of Egypt itself. They ruled Egypt through two royal families (or dynasties). The first was called the Bubastite dynasty (around 946–720 BC), and the second was the Tanitic dynasty (around 792–720 BC). These Libyan kings had names that were different from traditional Egyptian names, such as Sheshonk, Osorkon, and Takelot. One of these kings, Sheshonk, is mentioned in the Old Testament under the name Shishak (1 Kings 11:40; 14:25; 2 Chronicles 12:2–9).
Put in the Bible
The Bible first mentions Put in the table of nations (Genesis 10). Put is listed as a son of Ham, along with Cush (Nubia, Ethiopia), Egypt, and Canaan (Genesis 10:6; compare 1 Chronicles 1:8).
The prophet Jeremiah describes soldiers from Put and Cush (ancient Ethiopia) as skilled warriors who carried shields in Egypt's army at the battle of Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:9). The prophet Ezekiel tells us that Put's soldiers also served in the army of the city of Tyre, along with warriors from Persia and Lud (Ezekiel 27:10). In another account, the prophet Nahum mentions that Put and the Libyans were allies of the Egyptian city of Thebes, but they could not protect it from being conquered by the Assyrian army (Nahum 3:9). The book of Daniel includes a prophecy that says a future powerful ruler who will gain control over Libya, Egypt, Cush, and other lands (Daniel 11:43).
The book of Isaiah mentions a place called "Pul" in the Hebrew text, but the Greek translation of the Old Testament uses "Put" instead (Isaiah 66:19). Most English translations follow the Greek version. In this passage, Put appears in a list of nations between Tarshish and Lud. These nations will hear about God's glory.
In the book of Ezekiel, scholars have different opinions about names referring to Libya. Some think the word "Put" means Libya (Ezekiel 30:5). Others believe another word in the same verse, "Cub," refers to Libya.
Other Historical Records
Historical records from outside the Bible also mention Libya. Documents from King Xerxes of Persia, who ruled from 485–465 BC, list Libya as one of the nations under his control.