H3731 H3731
Caphtor, probably Crete, original homeland of the Philistines
A geographical designation for the region from which the Philistines originated, widely identified with Crete based on linguistic and historical evidence. Amos reminds Israel that just as God brought them from Egypt, He also brought the Philistines from Caphtor—both migrations under divine sovereignty. The name connects to the Caphtorim people and possibly to the Keftiu mentioned in Egyptian texts.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Deuteronomy 2:23 identifies the Caphtorim as those who destroyed the Avvim near Gaza, establishing Philistine presence. Jeremiah 47:4 speaks of 'the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor' (שְׁאֵרִית אִי כַּפְתֹּר) in an oracle against Philistia. Amos 9:7 rhetorically equates the Philistines' exodus from Caphtor with Israel's from Egypt. Most modern scholars link Caphtor to Crete (Greek Kaphtor = Crete), though ancient versions suggested Cappadocia. Translations typically transliterate: Spanish Caftor, preserving the geographical-historical reference. 3×
AR["كَفْتُورَ", "مِنْ-كَفْتُورَ"]·ben["কফ্তোর-থেকে", "কফ্তোরের", "কাফতোর-থেকে"]·DE["[כפתור]", "[מכפתור]", "von-Caphtor"]·EN["Kaphtor", "from-Caphtor", "from-Kaftor"]·FR["[כפתור]", "bol", "de-Caphtor"]·heb["כפתור", "מ-כפתוֹר", "מ-כפתור"]·HI["-कफ्तोर-से", "कप्तोर", "से-कप्तोर"]·ID["Kaftor", "dari-Kaftor"]·IT["[כפתור]", "[מכפתור]", "da-Caphtor"]·jav["Filistin", "Kaftor", "saking-Kaftor"]·KO["가반도르-에서", "갑도르의", "로부터-갑또르"]·PT["Kaftor", "de-Caftor", "de-Kaftor"]·RU["Кафтора", "из-Кафтора"]·ES["Kaftor", "de-Caftor"]·SW["Kaftori", "kutoka-Kaftori"]·TR["Kaftor'dan", "Kaftor'dan-", "Kaftor'un"]·urd["کفتور", "کفتور-سے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. כַּפְתּוֹר, כַּפְתֹּר n.pr.terr prob. Crete, so Ew Kiep Di Gn 10:14 Gie Je 47:4 al.; cf. A. J. Evans Cretan Pictographs (1895), 100 ff.; (> 𝔊 𝔖 𝔙 𝔗 Cappadocia, certainly wrong; Mich Cyprus; EbÄgM 127 ff. al. the coast of the Nile-Delta; WMMAs. Eu. 387 f. Philistines, originally pirates from SW. coast of Asia Minor, and the Ægean islands);—כַּפְתּוֹר Am 9:7 (orig. home of Philistines),…