Cush is an important figure and place mentioned in the Bible. Here is a detailed look at the significance of Cush in 9000 words:
Who was Cush in the Bible?
Cush was the eldest son of Ham, who was one of the three sons of Noah (Genesis 10:6). After the great Flood, the descendants of Noah’s three sons – Shem, Ham, and Japheth – repopulated the earth. As Ham’s firstborn, Cush became the progenitor of several ancient tribes and kingdoms in the ancient Near East and Africa.
There are two key individuals named Cush in the Bible:
- Cush the person – The eldest son of Ham and grandson of Noah
- Cush the place – A large region in northeast Africa inhabited by the descendants of Cush
Understanding the identity of both Cush the person and Cush the place is important for grasping the biblical significance of Cush.
Cush the Person
As mentioned, Cush was the firstborn son of Ham, according to Genesis 10:6. Not much more is said about Cush as an individual in the Bible. He is identified as the ancestor of several peoples and territories, including:
- Seba
- Havilah
- Sabtah
- Raamah
- Sabteca
- Nimrod
Nimrod, in particular, went on to become a mighty warrior and hunter and the founder of Babylon and other great cities, according to Genesis 10:8-12. So while Cush himself is not a major figure, his descendants play an important role in the regions surrounding ancient Israel.
Cush the Place
In many passages, Cush refers to a geographical region rather than an individual person. Cush was located just south of Egypt and included parts of modern-day Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and possibly Somalia.
Several key details about Cush the place emerge from the Bible:
- It was located near the lands of Seba, Havilah, and Sheba (Genesis 10:7)
- It formed part of the southern border of Egypt (Ezekiel 29:10)
- It was known for its rivers, canals, and irrigation system (Isaiah 18:1-2)
- It had strong links to Egypt but was viewed as a foreign land (2 Kings 19:9, Isaiah 11:11)
- Its inhabitants were considered tall, skilled archers (Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 45:14)
Understanding the location and geography of Cush provides context for events involving Egypt, Israel, and Mesopotamia described later in the Old Testament.
Cush in the Table of Nations
One of the first main passages mentioning Cush is Genesis 10, which contains the “Table of Nations.” This lists out the descendants of Noah’s three sons – Shem, Ham, and Japheth – and where they settled after the Flood. Here is what it records about Cush:
The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan…Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. (Genesis 10:6, 8-12)
This establishes Cush and his descendants, including Nimrod, as major players in the ancient world following the Flood. Their civilizations formed key cultural and political centers in Mesopotamia, including Babel and cities in Assyria like Nineveh and Calah. So Cush’s line helped populate some of the most powerful empires in the ancient Near East.
Cush as a neighbor and ally of Egypt
Given its location just south of Egypt, the land of Cush developed a close relationship with its northerly neighbor over the centuries. Egyptian records as early as 2500 BC mention military expeditions into Nubia, the northern part of Cush.
The Bible acknowledges these ties between Cush and Egypt at several points:
- During the Exodus, Moses married Zipporah, who is described as a Cushite woman (Numbers 12:1). This indicates some intermingling between Cushites and Hebrews in Egypt.
- When King Saul was killed by the Philistines, his Cushite servant brought the news to David, showing the presence of Cushites in Canaan as well (2 Samuel 18:21-32).
- During the reign of King Hezekiah, the King of Cush sent envoys and gifts to Jerusalem to congratulate him on his recovery from illness (Isaiah 18:1-2). This shows cooperation between the two kingdoms.
- The prophet Zephaniah foretells judgment against Cush along with Egypt, indicating their partnership (Zephaniah 2:12).
However, Cush was not merely a vassal state of Egypt. It had its own kings and autonomy. The Cushites are described as skilled warriors, especially with the bow (Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 45:14). So they were valuable allies rather than subjects of their Egyptian neighbors.
Cush as a place of refuge
On several occasions when the Israelites faced threats in Canaan, they fled to Egypt and Cush for refuge. For instance:
- After the death of Saul, David took his men and fled to Gath and then the king of Moab (1 Samuel 27:2-4). When he feared betrayal there, he went to the land of the Philistines.
- When King Solomon turned against Jeroboam, he fled to Egypt, returning after Solomon’s death (1 Kings 11:40).
- After the conquest of Samaria by Assyria, the Israelites were taken captive and resettled among the cities of the Medes (2 Kings 17:6). But when the king of Assyria assassinated King Hoshea, some Israelites fled to Egypt and Cush (2 Kings 19:9).
The same pattern recurs of Israel’s kings and people seeking refuge in Egypt and Cush when Canaan was unsafe. The south was generally secure from invasion compared to kingdoms in Canaan, Philistia, Phoenicia and Syria which were stuck between the rival empires of Egypt and Mesopotamia. So Egypt and Cush appear as places of relative security at key moments in Israel’s history.
Cushite Rule in Egypt
One interesting period where Cushites take center stage is during the 25th Dynasty of Egypt. This was when Egypt was ruled by kings from the Kingdom of Kush, based in Napata and then Meroe on the Nile south of Egypt. This Cushite or Nubian dynasty emerged after years of division and civil conflict in Egypt.
Some key biblical references to the Cushite kings of Egypt are:
- 2 Kings 19:9 – The field commander sent by King Sennacherib of Assyria to threaten Jerusalem refers to Pharaoh Tirhakah of Egypt as the “King of Cush.”
- Isaiah 37:9 – The passage in Isaiah parallel to 2 Kings 19 again identifies the king leading Egypt as the “King of Cush.”
- Isaiah 45:14 – This prophecy refers to “the wealth of Cush” flowing as tribute to Israel, likely referring to the treasures of 25th Dynasty Egypt.
So the Bible acknowledges this period of Cushite control over Egypt prior to Assyria’s conquest. The Cushite pharaohs reunified a divided Egypt and under Taharqa challenged Assyrian expansion. But by 656 BC the Assyrians had driven the Cushites out and crushed their kingdom, ending Cush’s brief control of Egypt.
Cush in biblical prophecy
The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Zephaniah all make important references to Cush in their prophecies regarding God’s coming judgment on the nations surrounding Israel:
- Isaiah 18 – Isaiah issues an oracle calling Cush’s armies to battle, referring to them as “tall and smooth-skinned people.” But their efforts will be futile, and they will become nourishment for birds and wild beasts.
- Zephaniah 2:12 – God declares he will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and lay waste to Nineveh. Cush and Egypt will also face judgment and become a desolate wasteland.
- Ezekiel 30:4-5 – A sword will come against Cush, and its wealth will be carried off. Its alliance with Egypt will not save it.
- Jeremiah 46:8-9 – Egypt’s invasion will be futile like that of Cush, as God will destroy Egypt’s gods, kings, and Pharaoh.
In these prophecies, Cush is always linked with Egypt as an object of God’s coming judgment. The pride and military strength of Cush will not be enough to save them from God’s decree. Despite being viewed as mighty warriors, they will still face devastation and defeat.
Positive figurative uses of “Cush”
While Cush and the Cushites are mainly presented as pagans facing God’s judgment, there are a couple more positive symbolic uses of “Cush” in the Bible:
- Psalm 7:1 – The psalmist appeals to God for deliverance from enemies, asking “O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.” This metaphorical use of “Cush” represents danger and enemies generally rather than a specific region.
- Jeremiah 13:23 – Speaking of sin and human nature, Jeremiah asks rhetorically whether a Cushite can change his skin. Again “Cush” is used metaphorically to represent something fundamental about people that is unchangeable.
So while Cush the place and people represent pagan nations under God’s judgment, “Cush” used symbolically can represent salvation from enemies or an unchangeable trait. The different shades of meaning show the richness of biblical references to Cush.
Cush in Acts – An Ethiopian convert
The New Testament book of Acts contains one significant reference to Cush. In Acts 8, Philip the evangelist meets an Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza reading the book of Isaiah. Philip explains the passage’s fulfillment in Jesus, and the eunuch believes and is baptized.
A couple key points about this Cushite convert:
- He is described as an Ethiopian literally from Cush, so he was likely Jewish descendant of Cushite Jews from earlier migrations.
- He was a high court official and treasurer for the queen of the Ethiopians, so he was a person of great authority.
- His conversion shows Cushites like this man accepting the gospel, in contrast to earlier biblical portrayals.
This episode depicts the beginning of the spread of Christianity to Cush/Ethiopia. Fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecies, people from Cush would now come to Jerusalem to worship (Isaiah 18:7), not as invaders but as fellow believers.
The ambiguity and duality of Cush
Reviewing all the biblical references, we see a certain ambiguity and duality in how Cush is presented:
- Cush is both a person and a place, which can create confusion.
- Cushites are mighty warriors and hunters but also under God’s judgment.
- Cush is an enemy in prophecies but also a refuge for God’s people at times.
- Cushites represent danger in Psalms but also hope for redemption in Acts.
Later Jewish and Christian traditions enhanced this ambiguity. Cush was identified with Ethiopia, and the Cushites were sometimes considered black Africans under a curse of servitude. But other traditions also associated Cush with Eden and salvation, as ancestral roots of humanity after the Flood. There are negative and positive streams running through biblical treatment of Cush.
The importance of understanding cultural context
When interpreting biblical references to Cush, it’s vital to understand the cultural context. Calling Cush an enemy reflects perspectives at the time in Judah regarding surrounding nations. And language like “blackness” refers more to cultural differences and unknowns than skin color per se. The Cushites represent the mysterious cultures south of Egypt that were both alluring and frightening to ancient Israelites. Appreciating this cultural context is key for understanding biblical attitudes toward Cush.
Implications and significance for today
The complex, ambiguous portrayal of Cush in the Bible holds several key implications and lessons for modern readers:
- God loves all nations – Despite judgment on Cush’s pride, God later redeems Cushites like the Ethiopian eunuch.
- No culture has exclusive claim on God – Cush was both enemy and ally showing God’s universal concerns.
- Beware misinterpretations of Scripture – Passages on Cush reflect limited cultural viewpoints and must not be ripped out of context.
- Look beneath surface meanings – Deeper study reveals diverse biblical perspectives on Cush that resist simplistic stereotypes.
- Remember common human dignity – Cush represents shared roots and dignity of all humanity after the Flood.
Approaching biblical passages on Cush with cultural awareness, literary sensitivity, and doctrinal balance is key. This preserves both reverence for Scripture and regard for human dignity across all cultures.