Interesting Facts

• Cush was a son of Ham, the son of Noah.
• Cush was displeased that his father Ham had been cursed by Noah for uncovering his nakedness.
• Ham parted from his father Noah, taking Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan with him.
• Cush built himself a city and named it after his wife, Ne’elatama’uk.
• Cush received the garments of skin that God made for Adam and his wife from his father Ham, who gave them to him in secret.
• Cush concealed these garments from his other sons and brothers and later gave them to his son Nimrod because he loved him exceedingly as the son of his old age.
• During Cush’s old age, his wife bore him Nimrod, and it was said that at that time, the sons of men again began to rebel and transgress against God.

Genealogy

• Cush was a son of Ham, who was one of the three sons of Noah.
• His brothers were Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
• Cush took a wife whose name was Ne’elatama’uk, and he named the first city he built after her.
• The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Satecha.
• Cush begat Nimrod in his old age, and he loved Nimrod exceedingly.

Historical Context

The life of Cush unfolded in the early period after the great flood and the subsequent dispersal of Noah’s descendants. A significant event was Noah’s curse upon Ham’s younger son, which displeased Ham and led to his separation from Noah, along with his sons, including Cush. This period was marked by the initial stages of repopulation and the establishment of new settlements. Each of Noah’s sons, including Ham, went on to build cities and name them. Cush’s actions occurred in a time when familial relationships and the establishment of territories were crucial in shaping the post-flood world. Furthermore, the narrative suggests a re-emergence of rebellion and transgression against God during Cush’s later years, coinciding with the birth of his son Nimrod. The transfer of the special garments to Nimrod indicates a specific familial inheritance of significance during this era.

Narrative

The narrative involving Cush begins with his reaction to the curse upon Canaan, his brother, which caused displeasure in Ham and subsequently led to the separation of Ham and his sons from Noah. Cush then actively participated in the repopulation efforts by building a city and naming it after his wife, highlighting the importance of family in these early settlements. A unique aspect of Cush’s narrative is his possession and eventual transfer of the garments of skin made for Adam. This act suggests a stewardship of an important ancestral artifact. Cush’s decision to bestow these garments upon his son Nimrod, born in his old age and greatly loved, foreshadows Nimrod’s later powerful and rebellious character. The text explicitly states that during the time of Nimrod’s birth to Cush, mankind began to rebel against God once more. While Cush himself is not depicted engaging in direct conflict or significant interactions beyond his immediate family, his actions, particularly the passing of the garments to Nimrod, have implications for the subsequent narrative of rebellion and the rise of Nimrod’s kingdom. Cush’s role is foundational, linking the immediate post-flood generation to the emergence of a powerful and defiant figure in Nimrod.