Topical Encyclopedia
Cush is a significant biblical figure and region mentioned in the Scriptures, often associated with the descendants of Noah and the geographical areas in and around the northeastern part of Africa. The name "Cush" appears in various contexts throughout the Bible, referring both to a person and a region.
Genealogical Context:Cush is first introduced in the Table of Nations in
Genesis 10, where he is listed as a son of Ham, one of Noah's three sons.
Genesis 10:6 states, "The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan." Cush is thus a patriarchal figure, and his descendants are believed to have settled in regions that are historically associated with Africa.
Cush is also noted as the father of Nimrod, a mighty hunter and a significant figure in early post-flood history.
Genesis 10:8-9 records, "Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; so it is said, 'Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.'"
Geographical Context:The land of Cush is often identified with the region south of Egypt, corresponding to modern-day Sudan and parts of Ethiopia. This identification is supported by various biblical references that associate Cush with regions known for their proximity to the Nile River and its tributaries.
In
Isaiah 18:1-2 , Cush is described as a land "beyond the rivers of Cush," indicating its location relative to the known world of the ancient Near East. The prophet Isaiah speaks of Cush as a powerful nation, sending envoys by sea, which suggests a well-established and influential kingdom.
Historical and Prophetic Context:Cush is frequently mentioned in the context of biblical prophecies and historical narratives. The prophets often refer to Cush in their oracles against the nations, highlighting its role in the geopolitical landscape of the ancient world. For instance, in
Ezekiel 30:4-5 , Cush is listed among the nations that will experience the judgment of God: "A sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush when the slain fall in Egypt, and her wealth is carried away, and her foundations are torn down. Cush, Put, Lud, all the mixed people, and Libya, and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with them."
The Psalms also mention Cush in a more positive light, as in
Psalm 68:31 , which prophesies, "Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God." This verse suggests a future acknowledgment of God's sovereignty by the people of Cush.
Cush in the New Testament:While the New Testament does not directly mention Cush, the region's influence and the spread of its people are implied in the account of the Ethiopian eunuch in
Acts 8:27-39. The eunuch, a high official from the court of the queen of the Ethiopians, is considered by many scholars to be a descendant of Cush. His conversion and baptism by Philip the Evangelist signify the early spread of Christianity into Africa.
Cultural and Theological Significance:Cush holds a place of importance in biblical history as a representation of the diverse peoples and nations that interacted with Israel. The biblical narrative often uses Cush to illustrate themes of judgment, redemption, and the universal reach of God's plan. The inclusion of Cush in the genealogies and prophecies underscores the interconnectedness of all nations under God's sovereign rule.
In summary, Cush is a multifaceted term in the Bible, encompassing both a lineage from Noah's son Ham and a geographical region known for its historical and prophetic significance. The biblical references to Cush highlight its role in the unfolding account of God's interaction with humanity.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
CushCushan, Cushi, Ethiopians; blackness
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Cush(black), a Benjamite mentioned only in the title to (Psalms 7:1) He was probably a follower of Saul, the head of his tribe. (B.C. 1061).
ATS Bible Dictionary
Cush1. The eldest son of Ham, and father of Nimrod, Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtecha, most of whom settled in Arabia Felix,Genesis 10:6-8.
2. The countries peopled by the descendants of Cush, and generally called in the English Bible, Ethiopia, though not always. But under this name there seem to be included not less than three different countries:
A. The oriental Cush, comprehending the regions of Persis, Chusistan, and Susiana, in Persia. It lay chiefly to the eastward of the Tigris. Hither we may refer the river Gihon,Genesis 2:13Zephaniah 3:10. SeeEDEN.
B. The Hebrews also, in the opinion of many, used Cush and Cushan,Habakkuk 3:7, to designate the southern parts of Arabia, and the coast of the Red sea. From this country originated Nimrod, who established himself in Mesopotamia,Genesis 10:8. The "Ethiopian woman," too, whom Moses married during the march of the Israelites through the desert, came probably from this Cush,Exodus 2:16-21Numbers 12:12 Chronicles 21:16.
C. But, more commonly, Cush signifies Ethiopia proper, lying south and southeast of Egypt, and now called Abyssinia,Isaiah 18:1 20:3-5Jeremiah 13:23Ezekiel 29:10Daniel 11:43.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Black.
(1.) A son, probably the eldest, of Ham, and the father of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8;1 Chronicles 1:10). From him the land of Cush seems to have derived its name. The question of the precise locality of the land of Cush has given rise to not a little controversy. The second river of Paradise surrounded the whole land of Cush (Genesis 2:13, R.V.). The term Cush is in the Old Testament generally applied to the countries south of the Israelites. It was the southern limit of Egypt (Ezek. 29:10, A.V. "Ethiopia, " Hebrews Cush), with which it is generally associated (Psalm 68:31;Isaiah 18:1;Jeremiah 46:9, etc.). It stands also associated with Elam (Isaiah 11:11), with Persia (Ezek. 38:5), and with the Sabeans (Isaiah 45:14). From these facts it has been inferred that Cush included Arabia and the country on the west coast of the Red Sea. Rawlinson takes it to be the country still known as Khuzi-stan, on the east side of the Lower Tigris. But there are intimations which warrant the conclusion that there was also a Cush in Africa, the Ethiopia (so called by the Greeks) of Africa. Ezekiel speaks (29:10; Comp.30:4-6) of it as lying south of Egypt. It was the country now known to us as Nubia and Abyssinia (Isaiah 18:1;Zephaniah 3:10, Hebrews Cush). In ancient Egyptian inscriptions Ethiopia is termed Kesh. The Cushites appear to have spread along extensive tracts, stretching from the Upper Nile to the Euphrates and Tigris. At an early period there was a stream of migration of Cushites "from Ethiopia, properly so called, through Arabia, Babylonia, and Persia, to Western India." The Hamite races, soon after their arrival in Africa, began to spread north, east, and west. Three branches of the Cushite or Ethiopian stock, moving from Western Asia, settled in the regions contiguous to the Persian Gulf. One branch, called the Cossaeans, settled in the mountainous district on the east of the Tigris, known afterwards as Susiana; another occupied the lower regions of the Euphrates and the Tigris; while a third colonized the southern shores and islands of the gulf, whence they afterwards emigrated to the Mediterranean and settled on the coast of Palestine as the Phoenicians. Nimrod was a great Cushite chief. He conquered the Accadians, a Tauranian race, already settled in Mesopotamia, and founded his kingdom, the Cushites mingling with the Accads, and so forming the Chaldean nation.
(2.) A Benjamite of this name is mentioned in the title ofPsalm 7. "Cush was probably a follower of Saul, the head of his tribe, and had sought the friendship of David for the purpose of 'rewarding evil to him that was at peace with him.'"
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CUSH (1)kush (kush):
1. The Ancestor of Many Nations:
(1) The first of the sons of Ham, from whom sprang Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabtecah. He was also the father of Nimrod, who rounded Babel (Babylon) and the other great states of Shinar or Babylonia (Genesis 10:6-8). The meaning of the name is uncertain.
(2) The name of the country around which the Gihon flowed (Genesis 2:13), rendered "Ethiopia" in the King James Version, but in view of the distance of that country from the other rivers mentioned, this seems to be an unlikely identification.
2. A District of the Garden of Eden
SeeEDEN;ETHIOPIA; TABLE OF NATIONS.
T. G. Pinches
CUSH (2)
kush (kush; Septuagint Chousei,Psalm 7 title): A Benjamite, perhaps he that "was without cause" the "adversary" of David (comparePsalm 7:4).
SeeCUSHI.
Strong's Hebrew
3569. Kushi -- descendant ofCush... Kushi. 3570 . descendant of
Cush. Transliteration: Kushi Phonetic Spelling:
(koo-shee') Short Definition: Cushite. Word Origin from Kush Definition desc.
...5434. Seba -- son ofCush, also his desc. and their land
... 5433b, 5434. Seba. 5435 . son ofCush, also his desc.... Word Origin from saba
Definition son ofCush, also his desc. and their land NASB Word Usage Seba (4)....
5455. Sabteka -- a son ofCush, also the territory settled by his...
... a son ofCush, also the territory settled by his desc.... Word Origin probably of foreign
origin Definition a son ofCush, also the territory settled by his desc....
5454. Sabta -- a son ofCush, also the territory settled by his...
... a son ofCush, also the territory settled by his desc.... Word Origin probably of foreign
origin Definition a son ofCush, also the territory settled by his desc....
5248. Nimrod -- a son ofCush and founder of the Bab. kingdom
... Nimrod or Nimrod. 5249 . a son ofCush and founder of the Bab.... Word Origin probably
of foreign origin Definition a son ofCush and founder of the Bab....
7484. Ramah -- "trembling," son ofCush, also a trading people
... Ramah or Rama. 7485 . "trembling," son ofCush, also a trading people.
Transliteration: Ramah or Rama Phonetic Spelling: (rah-maw') Short Definition: Raamah....
2341. Chavilah -- a son ofCush, also a son of Joktan, also...
... 2340, 2341. Chavilah. 2342 . a son ofCush, also a son of Joktan, also
territories of unc. location. Transliteration: Chavilah...
3568. Kuwsh -- a son of Ham, also his desc., also a land in the S....
... a son of Ham, also his desc., also a land in the S. Nile Valley. Transliteration:
Kuwsh Phonetic Spelling: (koosh) Short Definition:Cush. Chush,Cush, Ethiopia...
3568a. Kush -- a son of Ham, also his desc., also a land in the S....
... 3568, 3568a. Kush. 3568b . a son of Ham, also his desc., also a land in the
S. Nile Valley. Transliteration: Kush Short Definition:Cush....
3568b. Kushi -- a Benjamite.
... Kushi. 3569 . a Benjamite. Transliteration: Kushi Short Definition:Cush. Word
Origin probably of foreign origin Definition a Benjamite. 3568a, 3568b....
Library
"In the Volume of the Book it is Written of Me" (Heb. . .
... Second, we are told that he was a son ofCush " "AndCush begat Nimrod"
(Gen.10:8), andCush was a son of Ham, who was curst by Noah....
The Exile --Continued.
... The occasion of it is said to be "the words ofCush the Benjamite." As this is a
peculiar name for an Israelite, it has been supposed to be an allegorical...
We Arrive Now at a Branch of Our Subject Upon which the Lord's...
... of his father, Hoah. "The sons of Ham wereCush[hellip]andCush begat Nimrod:
he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a...
Of the Generations of the Three Sons of Noah.
... After enumerating these, Scripture returns to the first of the sons, and says,
"Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a giant on the earth....
Chapter x
... (See figure 363). 6. And the sons of Ham:Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan....
Yet in days of oldCush extended indefinitely to the south....
From the Flood to Abraham
... The sons ofCush, in the scripture commonly meaning the Ethiopian and now known
as the black-skinned African, are the very synonym for weakness, degradation...
Nineveh.
... When the confusion of tongues took place at Babel, and men were dispersed, the sons
of Ham's grandson,Cush, remained in Mesopotamia, which took the name of...
The Battle of Carchemish
... Go up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth:Cush and
Put, that handle the shield; And the Ludim, that handle and bend the bow....
Jewish Chronology Continued.
... And among Ham's children are: Canaan, [1071] from whom came the Canaanites; Mizraim,
from whom the Egyptians;Cush, from whom the Ethiopians; and Phut, from...
Psalm 7
... Psalm 7. Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words
ofCush the Benjamite. 8,6,8,6. ^1O Lord my God, in thee do I....
Thesaurus
Cush (31 Occurrences)... From him the land of
Cush seems to have derived its name. The question of the precise
locality of the land of
Cush has given rise to not a little controversy.
...Phut (7 Occurrences)
... Genesis 10:6 And the sons of Ham;Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.... 1 Chronicles
1:8 The sons of Ham:Cush and Mizraim, Phut and Canaan. (DBY)....
Cushan (3 Occurrences)
... Probably a poetic or prolonged name of the land ofCush, the ArabianCush (Habakkuk
3:7). Some have, however, supposed this to be the same as Chushan...
Nimrod (4 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Firm, a descendant ofCush, the son of Ham.... Nimrod
(4 Occurrences). Genesis 10:8Cush became the father of Nimrod....
Dedan (10 Occurrences)
... 21:13, and Ezek. 27:15. They probably settled among the sons ofCush, on
the north-west coast of the Persian Gulf. (2.) A son of...
Africa (1 Occurrence)
... Other portions of Africa known to the Hebrews wereCush or Ethiopia, and Put, whose
inhabitants they regarded as belonging to the Hamitic stock....
Seba (4 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary. (1.) One of the sons ofCush (Genesis 10:7).... Genesis
10:7 The sons ofCush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca....
Havilah (7 Occurrences)
... (3.) One of the sons ofCush (Genesis 10:7).... Genesis 10:7 The sons ofCush: Seba,
Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan....
Cushite (15 Occurrences)
... (4.) Moses married a Cushite woman (Numbers 12:1). From this circumstance some have
supposed that Zipporah was meant, and hence that Midian wasCush....
Ludim (3 Occurrences)
... parallels in the Syrian Mucri of the Assyrian inscriptions by the side of the Mucur
which stood for Egypt, and still more in the CappadocianCush (Kusu) of...
Resources
Who were the Cushites? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Table of Nations? | GotQuestions.orgDoes the Bible say anything about Russia in relation to the end times? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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