Cushi is a biblical figure whose name appears in several contexts within the Old Testament. The name "Cushi" is often associated with individuals of Ethiopian descent, as "Cush" is a term used in the Bible to refer to the region south of Egypt, traditionally identified with modern-day Sudan and Ethiopia. The term "Cushi" can denote a person from this region, and it is sometimes translated as "Ethiopian" in various Bible versions.

1. Cushi, Father of Shelemiah: In the book of Jeremiah, Cushi is mentioned as the father of Shelemiah. Shelemiah was one of the officials who heard Jeremiah's prophecy and subsequently sought to have him put to death. This reference is found in Jeremiah 36:14, where it states, "Then all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, 'Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the hearing of the people and come.' So Baruch son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to them."

2. Cushi, Father of Zephaniah: Another notable mention of Cushi is as the father of the prophet Zephaniah. Zephaniah 1:1 introduces the prophet by stating, "The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah." This lineage suggests that Zephaniah was of noble descent, possibly even related to the royal family of Judah, as Hezekiah is a known king of Judah.

3. Cushi, the Messenger: In 2 Samuel 18, a Cushi is mentioned as a messenger who brings news to King David regarding the outcome of the battle against Absalom. After the battle, Joab sends a Cushite to inform David of the victory and the death of his son Absalom. The passage reads, "Then Joab said to the Cushite, 'Go, tell the king what you have seen.' The Cushite bowed to Joab and ran" (2 Samuel 18:21). The Cushite's role as a messenger highlights the use of individuals from Cush in various capacities within the Israelite kingdom.

4. Cushi as a Descriptor: The term "Cushi" is also used descriptively in the Bible to refer to individuals of dark complexion, as seen in Jeremiah 13:23: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil." This metaphorical use underscores the distinctiveness of the Cushites in the biblical narrative.

The presence of Cushites in the biblical text reflects the historical interactions between Israel and the regions to the south, as well as the diverse ethnic composition of the ancient Near East. The references to Cushi in various roles—from a father of a prophet to a royal messenger—demonstrate the integration and significance of Cushite individuals within the biblical history and narrative.Cushi

Properly "the Cushite," "the Ethiopian," a man apparently attached to Joab's person. (2 Samuel 18:21-25,31,32)

CUSHI

ku'-shi: This name represents kushi, (in the original Septuagint Chousei, Chousi), either with or without the article. With the article (so in 2 Samuel 18:21-32 seven out of eight times, all readings supported by the Septuagint) it simply indicate that the person so designated was of the Cushite people, as in Jeremiah 38:7. Its use without the article has doubtless developed out of the foregoing according to a familiar process. For the Cush of Psalm 7, title read "Cushi" with Septuagint.

(1) The messenger (the Revised Version (British and American) "the Cushite") sent by Joab to acquaint David with the victory over Absalom. That this man was in fact a foreigner is indicated by his ignorance of a shorter path which Ahimaaz took, by his being unrecognized by the watchman who recognizes Ahimaaz, and by his ignorance, as compared with Ahimaaz, of the sentiments of David, whom he knows only as a king and not as a man. 2 Samuel 18:21 (twice, the second time without the article), 2 Samuel 18:22, 23, 11 (twice), 2 Samuel 18:32 (twice).

(2) The great-grandfather of Jehudi, a contemporary of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:14). The name Jehudi itself ("a man of Judah") is sufficient refutation of the opinion that the use of Cushi as or in lieu of a proper name "seems to show that there were but few Cushites among the Israelites."

(3) The father of Zephaniah the prophet (Ze 1:1).

J. Oscar Boyd

3570. Kushi -- two Israelites
... 3569, 3570. Kushi. 3571 . two Israelites. Transliteration: Kushi Phonetic Spelling:
(koo-shee') Short Definition: Cushi. ... NASB Word Usage Cushi (2). Cushi. ...
/hebrew/3570.htm - 6k

3569. Kushi -- descendant of Cush
... Cushi, Cushite, Ethiopians. Patronymically from Kuwsh; a Cushite, or descendant
of Cush -- Cushi, Cushite, Ethiopian(-s). see HEBREW Kuwsh. 3568b, 3569. ...
/hebrew/3569.htm - 6k

The Wail of a Broken Heart
... Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. ... And he said unto him,
Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.24. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the wail of a broken.htm

How, when Absalom was Beaten, He was Caught in a Tree by his Hair ...
... him to desist. He then called Cushi, and committed the business to him,
that he should tell the king what he had seen. But when ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 how when absalom.htm

Zephaniah and Haggai.
... Zephaniah and Haggai. Zephaniah. The Prophet. He is a son of Cushi, a descendant
of Hezekiah, and prophesied about 630 BC during the reign of Josiah. ...
/.../chapter xxii zephaniah and haggai.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... The genealogy of Zephaniah is given through Cushi, Gedaliah, and Amariah to Hezekiah;
for in the original Hebrew the words Hizkiah and Hezekiah are the same. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

Cushi (7 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia CUSHI. ku'-shi: This ... process. For the Cush
of Psalm 7, title read "Cushi" with Septuagint. (1) The ...
/c/cushi.htm - 10k

Jehudi (3 Occurrences)
... His name is noteworthy, as also is that of his grandfather Cushi (ie "Ethiopian"),
and the two are said to point to a foreign origin. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/j/jehudi.htm - 8k

Runneth (36 Occurrences)
... (YLT). 2 Samuel 18:21 And Joab saith to Cushi, 'Go, declare to the king that which
thou hast seen;' and Cushi boweth himself to Joab, and runneth. (YLT). ...
/r/runneth.htm - 16k

Boweth (53 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 18:21 And Joab saith to Cushi, 'Go, declare to the king that which thou
hast seen;' and Cushi boweth himself to Joab, and runneth. (YLT). ...
/b/boweth.htm - 22k

Cushim (8 Occurrences)

/c/cushim.htm - 8k

Gedaliah (31 Occurrences)
... Made great by Jehovah. (1.) the son of Jeduthum (1 Chronicles 25:3, 9). (2.) The
grandfather of the prophet Zephaniah, and the father of Cushi (Zephaniah 1:1). ...
/g/gedaliah.htm - 26k

Zephani'ah (10 Occurrences)
... Zephaniah 1:1 A word of Jehovah that hath been unto Zephaniah son of Cushi, son
of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezikiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amoz ...
/z/zephani'ah.htm - 9k

Neri'ah (8 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 36:14 and all the heads send unto Baruch, Jehudi son of Nethaniah, son
of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, saying, 'The roll in which thou hast read in the ...
/n/neri'ah.htm - 9k

Nethani'ah (20 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 36:14 and all the heads send unto Baruch, Jehudi son of Nethaniah, son
of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, saying, 'The roll in which thou hast read in the ...
/n/nethani'ah.htm - 13k

Nerijah (8 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 36:14 And all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of
Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thy hand the roll in ...
/n/nerijah.htm - 9k

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