Difference between revisions of "Cush"

Psalm 7:1Genesis 10:8 <p> 3. A nation situated south of [[Egypt]] with differing boundaries and perhaps including differing dark-skinned tribes (Jeremiah 13:23 ) at different periods of history. The [[Hebrew]] word [[Cush]] has been traditionally translated Ethiopia, following the Septuagint, or earliest Greek translation, but Cush was not identical with Ethiopia as presently known. Moses' wife came from Cush (Numbers 12:1 ), probably a woman distinct from [[Zipporah]] (Exodus 2:21 ). Cush was an enemy of Egypt for centuries, being controlled by strong pharaohs but gaining independence under weak pharaohs. Zerah, a general from Cush, fought against Asa, king of [[Judah]] (910-869) (2 Chronicles 14:9 ). Finally, Pi-ankhi of Cush conquered Egypt and established the twenty-fifth dynasty of [[Egyptian]] rulers (716-656) with their capital at Napata above the fourth cataract. Isaiah 18:1 may describe some of the political activity involved in Cush's establishing their power in Egypt. [[Tirhakah]] ( 2 Kings 19:9 ) was one of the last of the pharaohs from Cush. Isaiah promised that people who fled from Judah and were exiled in Cush would see God's deliverance (Isaiah 11:11; compare Zephaniah 3:10 ). Isaiah acted out judgment against Cush, probably as the rulers of Egypt (Isaiah 20:3-5; compare Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 45:14; Psalm 68:31; Jeremiah 46:9; Ezekiel 30:4-5 ,Ezekiel 30:4-5,30:9 ). In Ezekiel's day Cush represented the southern limit of Egyptian territory (Ezekiel 29:10 ). Cush's strength could not help [[Thebes]] escape from Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, in 663 B.C. Nahum used this historical example to pronounce doom on Nineveh, the capital of [[Assyria]] (Nahum 3:9 ). Ezekiel listed Cush as one of the allies of [[Gog]] and [[Magog]] in the great climatic battle (Ezekiel 38:5 ). The psalmist proclaimed that God's reputation had reached even unto Cush (Psalm 87:4 ). Job saw Cush as a rich source of minerals, especially topaz (Job 28:19 ). </p> <p> By the time of Esther, Cush represented the southwestern limits of [[Persian]] power (Esther 1:1 ). [[Cambyses]] (530-522) conquered Cush for Persia. </p> <p> Cush is mentioned in [[Genesis]] 2:13 as surrounded by the [[Gihon]] [[River.]] The Gihon is usually associated with [[Jerusalem]] as a spring ( 1 Kings 1:33 ). Some [[Bible]] students identify Cush here with the Kassites, the successors to the old [[Babylonian]] empire, who controlled [[Babylon]] between about 1530,1151 B.C. Such students connect this with Genesis 10:8 , where Cush is associated with Nimrod, whose kingdom centered in Babylon (Genesis 10:10 ). Other Bible students would see Gihon here as another name for the Nile River and Cush as referring to the land south of Egypt. A clear solution to this problem has not been found. </p>

<p> <strong> CUSH </strong> in OT designates <strong> Ethiopia </strong> , and is the only name used there for that region. It is the same as the Egyptian <em> Kash </em> or <em> Kesh </em> . Broadly speaking, it answers to the modern Nubia. More specifically, the Egyptian <em> Kash </em> extended southwards from the first Cataract at [[Syene]] ( Ezekiel 29:10 ), and in the periods of widest extension of the empire it embraced a portion of the Sudan. It was conquered and annexed by Egypt under the 12th Dynasty ( <em> c </em> <em> [Note: circa, about.] </em> <em> . </em> b.c. 2000) and remained normally a subject country. After the decline of the 22nd (Libyan) Dynasty, the Cushites became powerful and gradually encroached on northern Egypt, so that at length an [[Ethiopian]] dynasty was established (the 25th, 728 663), which was overthrown by the Assyrians. Within this period falls the attempt of Tirhakah, king of Cush, to defeat [[Sennacherib]] of Assyria in [[Palestine]] ( 2 Kings 19:9 ). </p> <p> In Genesis 10:6 Cush is a son of Ham, though his descendants as given in v. 7 are mostly Arabian. Surprising also is the statement in 2 Chronicles 14:9 ff. that [[Zerah]] the Cushite invaded Judah in the days of Asa, at a time when the Cushites had no power in Egypt. An attempt has been made to solve these and other difficulties by the assumption of a second Cush in Arabia (cf. 2 Chronicles 21:16 ). Instructive references to the Cushite country and people are found in Amos 9:7 , Isaiah 18:1 f., Jeremiah 13:23 . Cushites were frequent in Palestine, probably descendants of slaves; see 2 Samuel 18:21 ff., Jeremiah 36:14; Jeremiah 38:7 ff. These were, however, possibly [[Arabian]] Cushites. For the explanation of the Cush of Genesis 10:8 ff., and possibly of Genesis 2:13 , see Cossæans. </p> <p> J. F. McCurdy. </p> <p> <strong> CUSH </strong> as a personal name occurs only in the title of Psalms 7:1-17 . He is described as a Benjamite, and was probably a follower of [[Saul]] who opposed David. </p>

<p> 1. 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 . </p> <p> 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: </p> <p> 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 2:13 Zephaniah 3:10 . See [[Eden]] . </p> <p> 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 2:16-21 Numbers 12:1 2 Chronicles 21:16 . </p> <p> C. But, more commonly, Cush signifies Ethiopia proper, lying south and southeast of Egypt, and now called Abyssinia, Isaiah 18:1 20:3-5 Jeremiah 13:23 Ezekiel 29:10 Daniel 11:43 . </p>

<p> 1. [[Eldest]] son of [[Ham]] and grandson of Noah. Genesis 10:6-8; 1 Chronicles 1:8-10 . His descendants are called in the A.V. Ethiopians, though the Hebrew is the same: <i> Cush </i> . The district also occupied by the above people, Isaiah 11:11 , is mostly called in A.V. Ethiopia, <i> q.v. </i> It will be seen by the genealogy that the descendants of Cush were numerous:- </p> <p> CUSH </p> <p> | </p> <p> |¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯| </p> <p> SEBA. HAVILAH. SABTA. RAAMAH. SEBTECHA. NIMROD. </p> <p> | </p> <p> |¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯| </p> <p> SHEBA DEDAN. </p> <p> All these cannot be confined to Africa. Some were probably located in Arabia, and [[Nimrod]] is clearly associated with the East; so that though as a district <i> Cush </i> may usually refer to Africa, the <i> Cushites </i> must have had a much wider range. It seems clear too from Genesis 2:13 that even geographically the name Cush: or Ethiopia, was also applied to a region in Asia. </p> <p> 2. A [[Benjamite]] enemy of David. Psalm 7 <i> title. </i> Some consider that [[Shimei]] is referred to, as intimated in the <i> margin </i> , 2 Samuel 16:5 . Others think it is Saul. </p>

<li> A Benjamite of this name is mentioned in the title of Psalm 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.'" <div> <p> Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'Cush'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/c/cush.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> Cush. (black). </p> <p> 1. 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). </p> <p> 2. The name of a son of Ham, apparently the eldest, and of a territory or territories occupied by his descendants. The Cushites appear to have spread along tracts, extending from the higher Nile to the [[Euphrates]] and Tigris. History affords many traces of this relation of Babylonia, Arabia and Ethiopia. </p>

<p> Cush (kŭsh). 1. A country near the Gihon, Genesis 2:13 (margin A. V., and the text of the R. V.), north of Assyria. 2. The country peopled by Cush or the Ethiopians, Genesis 10:6, lying to the south of Egypt, on the upper Nile, and possibly extending its rule into southern Arabia. See Ethiopia. </p>

<p> Cush appears to have been the ancient name of the land of Ethiopia in Africa. The name Cushite, or person of Cush, was sometimes used as a general term for all the dark-skinned peoples of Africa. For details see ETHIOPIA. </p>