PTOLEMY or PTOLEMEUS (IlroXektaios), the name of several persons mentioned in the Apocrypha. Macedonian in its origin, it became the dynastic name of the Greek kings of Egypt. Of these the only one mentioned by name is Ptole miens VI. Philometor, iSt-r46 (r Maccab. I. 17 ; x. 51, ff. ; xi. 1-18 ; xv. 16, ff. ; 2 Maccab. i. to ; iv. 21 ; ix. 29 : probably also Esther X. 20, sec. LXX.) This Ptolemy is referred to as the king of the south' in Dan. xi. 25. In this chapter also other princes of the same dynasty are alluded to— namely, Ptolemxus I. Soter, B.C. 323-283, or 285 (ver. 5) ; Ptol. II. Philadelphus, B.C. 285-247 (ver. 6) ; Ptol. III. Euergetes, B.C. 247-222 (ver. 7) ; Ptol. IV. Philopator, B.C. 222-205 (ver. 11, cf. 3 Maccab. i. 1-5) ; and Ptol. V. Epiphanes, B.C. 205-18r (ver. 14, i5)• Other persons of the name of Ptolemy mentioned in the Apocrypha are The son of Dorymeus, a courtier of influence under Antiochus Epiphanes (1 Maccab. iii. 18 ; 2 Maccab. iv. 45-5o ; vi. 8) 2. The son of Agesarches, surnamed Macron, governor of Cyprus during the minority of Ptolemy Philometor (2 Maccab. viii. 8; x. 11-13 ; comp. Athenmus, vi. p. 246). 3. The son of Abubus, and son-in-law of Simon Maccabmeus, who with two of his sons was murdered by him (i Maccab. xvi. r1-16; comp. Joseph. Antiq. xiii. 7. 4 ; viii. I). 4. The father of Lysimachus, by whom the letter [book] of Esther was translated (Esther x. 20, ap.
LXX.) Whether this is the same Ptolemy who is mentioned in the same verse as the carrier of the book to Egypt remains uncertain.—W L. A.
PUAH (1t.nn ; Sept. loud). 1. The father of Tola, one of the judges of Israel (Judg. x. t). 2. One of the sons of Issachar (t Chron, vii. 1), else where called Pua and Phurah.
PU'AH (Milt), one of the two midwives ap pointed by Pharaoh to attend on the Hebrew women (Exod. i. 15). Josephus (Antiq. ii. 9. 9) intimates that these were Egyptian women, and this has been adopted by some interpreters in recent times. But when it is considered that no Egyptian woman was likely to pollute herself by rendering such offices to a Hebrew woman—that Puah and Shiphrah are described as fearing Je hovah (ver. 17)—that their names are Hebrew— and that though the words nnzpri 1-1.*-64 may be translated midwives of the Hebrews,' they more probably mean, as the A. V. gives them, Hebrew midwives,' and that had Moses intended to convey the other meaning he would have written r1N ; reason will be found for prefer ing the opinion that they were Hebrew women. Probably they were the heads of their profession, and so are named instar (minium. —W. L. A.