Caphtorim כַּפְתֹּרִי

The Caphtorim are mentioned in Gen.10.14, Deu.2.23, and 1Ch.1.12 as descendants of Mizraim, who was a son of Ham and grandson of Noah. They are listed among the peoples who descended from Egypt (Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt). According to Deu.2.23, the Caphtorim came from Caphtor and destroyed the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, and settled in their place. This event occurred before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. The exact location of Caphtor is uncertain, but it is often associated with the island of Crete or the region of Cilicia in modern-day Turkey. The Caphtorim's displacement of the Avvim is one of several examples in the Bible of people groups migrating and conquering new territories.