Lexical Summary Puthi: Puthi Original Word: פוּתִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Puhites, descendants of an unknown PuthPatronymically from an unused name meaning a hinge; a Puthite (collectively) or descendants of an unknown Puth -- Puhites (as if from Puw'ah). see HEBREW Puw'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a family in Judah NASB Translation Puthites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מּוּתִי adjective, of a people with article ׳הַמּ 1 Chronicles 2:53, a family in Judah; Μειφειθειμ, A Ηφιθειν, ᵐ5L Αφφουθι. מַּז see I. פזו. below Topical Lexicon Name and Identity The Puthite is a clan name designating one of the family groups that descended from Judah through Caleb. As a patronymic ending in “-ite,” it refers to the members of a household rather than to a single individual. Scriptural Occurrence The name appears once in the Old Testament, in the genealogical summary of Judah: “The families of Kiriath-jearim were the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; from them came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites” (1 Chronicles 2:53). Genealogical Placement within Judah 1 Chronicles 2 records successive generations from Judah through Perez, Hezron, and Caleb. Verse 50 introduces Caleb’s line, then lists the settlements and clans that sprang from him. The Puthites are grouped with the Ithrites, Shumathites, and Mishraites as sub-clans residing in Kiriath-jearim. Their inclusion under Caleb links them to the broader tribe of Judah and highlights the fruitfulness of Caleb’s inheritance (Joshua 14:9-14). Geographical Location and Archaeological Notes Kiriath-jearim (“city of forests”) lay on the border of Judah and Benjamin, roughly nine miles west-northwest of Jerusalem (modern Deir el-‛Azar). Excavations have uncovered Iron Age fortifications and cultic installations, corroborating its significance in the early monarchy. Clan settlements in and around Kiriath-jearim enjoyed fertile highlands and a strategic position on the ascent to Jerusalem, enabling them to influence trade routes linking the coastal plain with the hill country. Relationship to Neighboring Clans 1 Chronicles 2:53 states that from the four Kiriath-jearim clans emerged the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites, inhabitants of nearby Zorah and Eshtaol (Judges 13:2). These towns later formed part of Dan’s territory, suggesting inter-tribal cooperation between Judah and Dan during the conquest period. The Puthites therefore represent one strand in the complex tapestry of Israel’s settlement, reflecting both tribal distinctiveness and covenant unity. Historical Significance in Israel’s Settlement The brief mention of the Puthites preserves an authentic memory of how Israel’s tribes occupied the land in family units. Such genealogies functioned as legal title-deeds, safeguarding each clan’s inheritance (Numbers 26:52-56). By cataloging even minor clans like the Puthites, Scripture underscores God’s faithfulness to every promise made to the patriarchs, down to the smallest household. Spiritual and Ministry Insights 1. God Values Every Family. The Spirit’s inspiration of a single verse for the Puthites demonstrates that no lineage is overlooked in His redemptive plan. Local congregations can draw encouragement that hidden faithfulness matters to the Lord (Hebrews 6:10). Legacy within Redemptive History Though the biblical record of the Puthites is brief, their mention secures their place among the redeemed people through whom God prepared the way for the Messiah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). Their quiet testimony invites every believer to embrace his or her allotted portion with faith, trusting that the God who recorded their name also records ours in the Lamb’s book of life (Luke 10:20). Forms and Transliterations וְהַפּוּתִ֔י והפותי vehappuTi wə·hap·pū·ṯî wəhappūṯîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 2:53 HEB: יְעָרִ֔ים הַיִּתְרִי֙ וְהַפּוּתִ֔י וְהַשֻּׁמָתִ֖י וְהַמִּשְׁרָעִ֑י NAS: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites KJV: the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, INT: of Kiriath-jearim the Ithrites the Puthites the Shumathites and the Mishraites 1 Occurrence |
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