King James Bible Dictionary

Country of burnt faces; the Greek word by which the Hebrew Cush is rendered (Genesis 2:13; 2 Kings 19:9; Esther 1:1; Job 28:19; Psalms 68:31; 87:4), a country which lay to the south of Egypt, beginning at Syene on the First Cataract (Ezekiel 29:10; 30:6), and extending to beyond the confluence of the White and Blue Nile. It corresponds generally with what is now known as the Soudan (i.e., the land of the blacks). This country was known to the Hebrews, and is described in Isaiah 18:1; Zephaniah 3:10. They carried on some commercial intercourse with it (Isaiah 45:14).

Its inhabitants were descendants of Ham (Genesis 10:6; Jeremiah 13:23; Isaiah 18:2, "scattered and peeled," A.V.; but in R.V., "tall and smooth"). Herodotus, the Greek historian, describes them as "the tallest and handsomest of men." They are frequently represented on Egyptian monuments, and they are all of the type of the true negro. As might be expected, the history of this country is interwoven with that of Egypt.

Ethiopia is spoken of in prophecy (Psalms 68:31; 87:4; Isaiah 45:14; Ezekiel 30:4-9; Daniel 11:43; Nahum 3:8-10; Habakkuk 3:7; Zephaniah 2:12).

blackness; heat

A region in Africa, inhabited by the descendants of Ham.

The inhabitants of, black
Jeremiah 13:23

Within the Babylonian empire
Esther 1:1

Rivers of
Genesis 10:6; Isaiah 18:1

Bordered Egypt on the south
Ezekiel 29:10

Was called The Land of Cush
Genesis 10:6; 1 Chronicles 1:9; Isaiah 11:11

Warriors of
Jeremiah 46:9; 2 Chronicles 12:3; Ezekiel 38:5

Defeated by Asa
2 Chronicles 14:9-15; 2 Chronicles 16:8

Invaded Syria
2 Kings 19:9

Merchandise of
Isaiah 45:14

Moses marries a woman of
Numbers 12:1

Ebel-melech, at the court of Babylon, native of; kindly treats Jeremiah
Jeremiah 38:7-13; Jeremiah 39:15-18

Candace, queen of
Acts 8:27

Eunuch from, becomes a disciple under the preaching of Philip
Acts 8:27-39

Prophecies concerning the conversion of
Psalms 68:31; Psalms 87:4; Isaiah 45:14; Daniel 11:43

Desolation of
Isaiah 18:1-6; Isaiah 20:2-6; Isaiah 43:3; Ezekiel 30:4-9; Habakkuk 3:7; Zephaniah 2:12

(burnt faces). The country which the Greeks and Romans described as "'thiopia" and the Hebrews as "Cush" lay to the south of Egypt, and embraced, in its most extended sense, the modern Nubia, Sennaar, Kordofan and northern Abyssinia , and in its more definite sense the kingdom of Meroe. (Ezekiel 29:10) The Hebrews do not appear to have had much practical acquaintance with Ethiopia itself, though the Ethiopians were well known to them through their intercourse with Egypt. The inhabitants of Ethiopia were a Hamitic race. (Genesis 10:6) They were divided into various tribes, of which the Sabeans were the most powerful. The history of Ethiopia is closely interwoven with that of Egypt. The two countries were not unfrequently united under the rule of the same sovereign. Shortly before our Saviour's birth a native dynasty of females, holding the official title of Candace (Plin. vi. 35), held sway in Ethiopia, and even resisted the advance of the Roman arms. One of these is the queen noticed in (Acts 8:27)

properly "Cushite," (Jeremiah 13:23) used of Zerah, (2 Chronicles 14:9) (8), and Ebed-melech. (Jeremiah 38:7,10,12; 39:16)

The chief officer or prime minister of state of Candace (q.v.), queen of Ethiopia. He was converted to Christianity through the instrumentality of Philip (Acts 8:27). The northern portion of Ethiopia formed the kingdom of Meroe, which for a long period was ruled over by queens, and it was probably from this kingdom that the eunuch came.

a Jewish proselyte, (Acts 8:26) etc., who was treasurer of Candace queen of Ethiopia, but who was converted to Christianity on a visit to Jerusalem, through philip the evangelist. Nothing is known of him after his return to Ethiopia.

The wife of Moses (Numbers 12:1). It is supposed that Zipporah, Moses' first wife (Exodus 2:21), was now dead. His marriage of this "woman" descended from Ham gave offence to Aaron and Miriam.

The wife of Moses is to described in (Numbers 12:1) She is elsewhere said to have been the daughter of a Midianite, and in consequence of this some have supposed that the allusion is to another wife whom Moses married after the death of Zipporah.