Lexical Summary Kushi: Cushite, Ethiopians, Ethiopian Original Word: כּוּשִׁי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Cushi, Cushite, Ethiopians Patronymically from Kuwsh; a Cushite, or descendant of Cush -- Cushi, Cushite, Ethiopian(-s). see HEBREW Kuwsh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Kush Definition desc. of Cush NASB Translation Cushite (8), Ethiopia (1), Ethiopian (6), Ethiopians (8). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. כּוּשִׁי adjective, of a people of I. כּוּשׁ; — masculine כּוּשִׁי Jeremiah 13:23 13t.; feminine כֻּשִׁית Numbers 12:1 (twice in verse); plural כּוּשִׁים Zephaniah 2:12 6t.; כֻּשִֿׁים Daniel 11:43; כֻּשִׁיִּים Amos 9:7; — a. singular agreeing with noun Numbers 12:1 (twice in verse) (E; only here feminine). b. = substantive, a Cushite Jeremiah 13:23. c. id. with article, the Cushite, of Joab's adjutant 2 Samuel 18:21 (twice in verse) (where read ׳חַכּ, for ᵑ0 ׳כ, We Dr Kit Bu), 2 Samuel 18:22; 2 Samuel 18:23; 2 Samuel 18:31; 2 Samuel 18:31; 2 Samuel 18:32; 2 Samuel 18:32; in apposition with proper name Jeremiah 38:7,10,12; Jeremiah 39:16; 2Chron 14:8. d. plural כּוּשִׁים (הַ) = substantive Zephaniah 2:12; 2Chronicles 12:3; 2 Chronicles 14:11 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 14:12; 2 Chronicles 16:8; 21:16; so כֻּשִֿׁים Daniel 11:43, כֻּשִׁיִּים (si vera lectio) Amos 9:7. Topical Lexicon Ethnic Designation and Identity “Cushite” is the most common sense of כּוּשִׁי. Scripture normally uses the term for the descendants of Cush, the son of Ham (Genesis 10:6), a people located south of Egypt in the Upper Nile region. They are interchangeably called “Ethiopians” in many English versions. The consistent Old Testament picture is of a dark-skinned people (Jeremiah 13:23) renowned for tall stature and military strength (2 Chronicles 16:8; Isaiah 18:2). Their territory lay on the outer rim of Israel’s geopolitical horizon, reinforcing the breadth of the divine plan that ultimately reaches “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Key Narrative Occurrences 1. Numbers 12:1. Miriam and Aaron “criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married”. The passage exposes ethnic pride and underscores that the Lord freely chooses and blesses persons from every background. Proper Name “Cushi” Besides the ethnic sense, כּוּשִׁי functions as a personal name. The two named individuals are: That a prophet of royal blood (Zephaniah 1:1; 2 Kings 21:1-18 traces the same dynasty) bears a Cushite lineage testifies to the gospel principle later articulated in Galatians 3:28. Prophetic Usage and Judgment Imagery Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Nahum speak of judgments or oracles concerning Cush, but the word in those settings is usually כּוּשׁ (Strong’s 3568). Nevertheless, the broader prophetic portrait in which Cush appears reinforces three truths: 1. No nation is beyond the reach of divine sovereignty (Isaiah 20:4-5). Theological Themes • Universal Image of God. Jeremiah 13:23 assumes intrinsic human worth; skin color is a God-given reality, not a value marker. Missionary Implications Old Testament references to Cushites establish a biblical precedent for cross-cultural evangelism. Acts 8:26-39 records the conversion of an Ethiopian official, demonstrating early gospel penetration into Cushite territory and fulfilling Psalm 68:31, “Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.” Practical Ministry Applications 1. Countering Ethnic Prejudice. Numbers 12 and Jeremiah 13 provide authoritative antidotes to racial pride. Summary Whether designating a people group, a faithful courier, a military adversary, or the father of a prophet, כּוּשִׁי consistently shows the Lord’s active governance over all nations and His sovereign choice of individuals from every ethnicity to accomplish His redemptive purposes. Forms and Transliterations הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית הַכּוּשִֽׁי׃ הַכּוּשִֽׁים׃ הַכּוּשִׁ֑י הַכּוּשִׁ֔י הַכּוּשִׁ֔ים הַכּוּשִׁ֖י הַכּוּשִׁ֗י הַכּוּשִׁ֜י הַכּוּשִׁ֣ים הכושי הכושי׃ הכושים הכושים׃ הכשית וְכֻשִׁ֖ים וְכוּשִֽׁים׃ וכושים׃ וכשים כֻשִׁ֖ית כֻשִׁיִּ֨ים כּוּשִֽׁים׃ כּוּשִׁ֔ים כּוּשִׁ֣י כּוּשִׁי֙ כוּשִׁ֛י כושי כושים כושים׃ כשיים כשית לַכּוּשִׁ֔י לכושי מִכּוּשִׁים֙ מכושים chuShi chuShit chushiYim hak·kū·šî hak·kū·šîm hak·ku·šîṯ hakkuShi hakkuShim hakkuShit hakkūšî hakkūšîm hakkušîṯ kū·šî ḵū·šî ḵu·šî·yîm kū·šîm ḵu·šîṯ kuShi kuShim kūšî ḵūšî kūšîm ḵušîṯ ḵušîyîm lak·kū·šî lakkuShi lakkūšî mik·kū·šîm mikkuShim mikkūšîm vechuShim wə·ḵu·šîm wə·ḵū·šîm wəḵušîm wəḵūšîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 12:1 HEB: אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח INT: of woman Cushi whom had married Numbers 12:1 2 Samuel 18:21 2 Samuel 18:21 2 Samuel 18:22 2 Samuel 18:23 2 Samuel 18:31 2 Samuel 18:31 2 Samuel 18:32 2 Samuel 18:32 2 Chronicles 12:3 2 Chronicles 14:9 2 Chronicles 14:12 2 Chronicles 14:12 2 Chronicles 14:13 2 Chronicles 16:8 2 Chronicles 21:16 Jeremiah 13:23 Jeremiah 38:7 Jeremiah 38:10 Jeremiah 38:12 Jeremiah 39:16 Daniel 11:43 Amos 9:7 Zephaniah 1:1 26 Occurrences |
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