Genesis 10:13

Mizraim begat Ludim. Moses proceeds to the descendants of Ham’s second son, Mizraim, whose name was later given to Egypt. Some commentators assume a scribal error to be responsible for a supposed change from Lubim, the Libyans, to the Ludim, or Lydians. But the name appears in different books of the Bible (1 Chronicles 1:11; Isaiah 66:19; Jeremiah 46:9; Ezekiel 27:10; 30:5); therefore it is impossible to see mistakes in all passages where Ludim, or Lud, occurs. In some of these passages Ludim and Lubim are both mentioned as being distinct and separate peoples. Moreover, the LXX translated Ludim as “Lydians.” This makes plausible an identification with the Lydians of Asia Minor, who must have migrated from Northern Africa to Anatolia at an early stage in their history. They appeared in the plain of Sardis in western Asia Minor before the middle of the second millennium B.C. and gradually spread over half of the country, to the great river Halys. During the Hittite supremacy Lydia was subject to them, but again became a strong, independent kingdom after the collapse of the Hittite Empire in the 13th century B.C. Cyrus conquered Lydia in the 6th century B.C. and incorporated it into the Persian Empire. Its former capital, Sardis, however, remained an important city for many centuries. It was still a flourishing metropolis in the early Christian period, when John wrote his letter to the church there (Revelation 3:1-6).

If, however, the Biblical Ludim are not the historical Lydians, they must have lived somewhere in Northern Africa, in proximity to most of the other descendants of Mizraim. If this be so, we cannot identify the Ludim, for mention is not made of such a people in any ancient record but the Bible.

Anamim. Perhaps the Anamim lived in the great oasis of Egypt called Kenemet (the k sound is frequently represented in Hebrew by the consonant ‘ayin, with which the name ‘Anamim begins). But in 1920 Albright, from Assyrian Anamim made a different identification: Cyrene.

Lehabim. Presumably the Libyans (called in Egyptian inscriptions Rbw, probably pronounced Lebu), attested by very early records as representing the tribes bordering on Egypt to the northwest. Eventually they occupied most of Northern Africa. Apparently in the Bible they are also called “Lubim” (see 2 Chronicles 12:3; 16:8; Daniel 11:43; Nahum 3:9). The identification of the Lehabim with the Libyans would constitute one more argument against seeing in the previously discussed Ludim a mistake for Lubim.

Naphtuhim. The identity of this people is uncertain. Perhaps the best suggestion is that it refers to Egyptians of the Nile Delta. In Egyptian inscriptions these people were called Na-patuh, which may be the same as the Biblical Naphtuhim.