Cushi
“Cushite or Ethiopian”
Summary
A term meaning 'Cushite' or 'Ethiopian,' used as a name for several men in Scripture, most notably Joab's messenger to David.
☩Joab's Messenger
The most prominent Cushi in Scripture was the messenger sent by Joab to announce to David the victory over Absalom and the death of the prince. The article 'the' before his name in Hebrew indicates he was simply 'the Cushite' or 'the Ethiopian.' That he was a foreigner is indicated by his ignorance of the shorter path that Ahimaaz knew, by his being unrecognized by the watchman who recognized Ahimaaz, and by his abrupt manner of breaking the sad news of Absalom's death—unlike Ahimaaz who was aware of David's deep feelings for his son.
☩Other Men Named Cushi
Two other men bear this name in Scripture: the father of Shelemiah and great-grandfather of Jehudi, who was sent to invite Baruch to read his scroll to the Jewish leaders; and the son of Gedaliah and father of the prophet Zephaniah. The presence of the name Jehudi ('a man of Judah') in the first man's descendants refutes the notion that Cushi as a name indicated there were few Cushites among Israelites.
Related Verses7 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Cushi," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Cushi," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Cushi," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).