3570. Kushi
Lexical Summary
Kushi: Cushi

Original Word: כּוּשִׁי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Kuwshiy
Pronunciation: koo-shee'
Phonetic Spelling: (koo-shee')
KJV: Cushi
NASB: Cushi
Word Origin: [the same as H3569 (כּוּשִׁי - Cushite)]

1. Cushi, the name of two Israelites

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Cushi

The same as Kuwshiy; Cushi, the name of two Israelites -- Cushi.

see HEBREW Kuwshiy

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as Kush
Definition
two Isr.
NASB Translation
Cushi (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. כּוּשׁי proper name, masculine ᵐ5 Ξουσει

1 Jeremiah 36:14 great-grandfather of יְהוּדִי, q. v. (perhaps original appellation Cushite).

2 father of prophet Zephaniah Zephaniah 1:1.

Topical Lexicon
Occurrence and Context

Jeremiah 36:14 records the sole appearance of Kushi: “Then all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, ‘Bring the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people and come here.’ ”. Kushi stands as the great-grandfather of Jehudi, an official messenger in the court of King Jehoiakim during Jeremiah’s ministry (circa 605 BC).

Historical Setting in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 36 narrates the prophetic scroll episode in which Jeremiah dictates, Baruch writes, and palace officials respond before King Jehoiakim burns the scroll. The genealogy anchoring Jehudi to Kushi situates a Cushite lineage inside Judah’s administrative elite. This detail surfaces at a moment when the nation is resisting divine warning and the written Word is under assault. Kushi’s name quietly witnesses that God’s purposes are unfolding through diverse peoples even within a rebellious covenant community.

Ethnic and Social Background

“Kushi” denotes origin from Cush (upper Nile region). Unlike the generic term “Cushite,” here it functions as a personal name. Its placement in an official family tree implies:

• Assimilation of Cushite descendants into Judean society prior to the exile.
• Openness in royal bureaucracy to men of foreign extraction, paralleling Ebed-Melech the Cushite who later rescues Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:7–13).
• A reminder of earlier interactions between Israel and Cush—Moses’ Cushite wife (Numbers 12:1), the military alliances of Asa and Zerah (2 Chronicles 14:9–15), and prophetic visions of Cushite inclusion (Isaiah 11:11; Zephaniah 3:10).

Role within the Narrative

Though Kushi never acts within the story, his family line yields Jehudi, whose faithful conveyance of Jeremiah’s scroll sets the stage for Jehoiakim’s rejection. The contrast is striking: a king of David’s line scorns God’s Word while a descendant of Cush helps transmit it. God thus vindicates His sovereignty, using whichever vessels are willing, regardless of pedigree.

Theological Themes

1. Sovereign Inclusion: Kushi’s presence anticipates the Old Testament trajectory toward Gentile blessing (Genesis 12:3), culminating in Christ’s commission (Matthew 28:19).
2. Preservation of Scripture: The scroll survives the fire because God employs unlikely participants—from a Cushite family line to Baruch the scribe—to secure His revelation (Jeremiah 36:27–32).
3. Judgment and Mercy: The genealogy underscores that divine mercy extends beyond ethnic Israel even as judgment looms over covenant breakers.

Connections with Other Cushites in Scripture

• Ebed-Melech (Jeremiah 38–39) – another Cushite who trusts the Lord and aids Jeremiah, receiving a personal promise of deliverance.
• The Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26–39) – later fruit of Isaiah’s vision of Cushites turning to YHWH, demonstrating that the gospel pierces traditional boundaries.

Ministry Implications

• Embrace Diversity: Churches and ministries should welcome God-given partnerships from every ethnicity, recognizing that obedience, not ancestry, qualifies a servant.
• Uphold the Word: Kushi’s family contributed—indirectly yet decisively—to the chain that preserved inspired Scripture. Contemporary believers likewise bear responsibility to transmit the unaltered Word amid cultural opposition.
• Encourage Faithfulness in “Hidden” Roles: Kushi’s legacy illustrates that behind-the-scenes faithfulness can have far-reaching impact, encouraging lay members who serve without public acclaim.

Lessons for Today

1. God often weaves unnoticed individuals into pivotal moments of redemptive history.
2. Heritage—whether prestigious or obscure—does not limit God’s call; wholehearted submission does.
3. The enduring authority of Scripture demands vigilant guardianship, courageously upheld even under hostile regimes, just as in Jehoiakim’s day.

Kushi’s solitary mention thus unfolds a rich tapestry: a Cushite ancestor in Judah’s court, a silent yet strategic link in preserving prophetic revelation, and a testament to God’s inclusive, unstoppable plan.

Forms and Transliterations
כּוּשִׁי֮ כושי kū·šî kuShi kūšî
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Jeremiah 36:14
HEB: שֶׁלֶמְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־ כּוּשִׁי֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַמְּגִלָּ֗ה
NAS: the son of Cushi, to Baruch,
KJV: the son of Cushi, unto Baruch,
INT: of Shelemiah the son of Cushi saying the scroll

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3570
1 Occurrence


kū·šî — 1 Occ.

3569
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