כּוּשִׁית
a Cushite woman
Definition
כּוּשִׁית (Kûwshîyth) is a feminine noun meaning 'a Cushite woman.' It specifically refers to a female from Cush, a region generally understood as ancient Nubia or Ethiopia, south of Egypt. In its sole biblical occurrence, it describes the wife of Moses in Numbers 12:1. The term is the direct feminine form of the masculine 'כּוּשִׁי' (Cushite), and its usage is geographically and ethnically descriptive, identifying a person's origin from the land of Cush.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 12:1. The context is a complaint by Miriam and Aaron against Moses 'because of the Cushite woman he had married.' The usage is straightforward, serving as an ethnic identifier for Moses's wife within a narrative about familial and prophetic challenge.
Etymology
The word is derived from the masculine noun כּוּשִׁי (Kûwshîy, H3569), meaning 'a Cushite,' by adding the feminine suffix '-ית' (-îth). The root relates to the land name כּוּשׁ (Kûwsh, H3568), referring to the region of Cush/Nubia. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages for this geographical name.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this term is theologically significant. The story in Numbers 12:1, where Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses for marrying a Cushite woman, directly precedes God's defense of Moses as His uniquely chosen prophet. The narrative underscores themes of God's sovereignty in choosing His servants, the danger of challenging God's anointed leadership (with Miriam being struck with leprosy), and may implicitly critique ethnic prejudice, affirming that God's covenant community extends beyond Israelite ethnicity.
In the ancient Near East, 'Cush' typically referred to the region south of Egypt, corresponding roughly to modern-day Sudan and parts of Ethiopia. Its inhabitants were often dark-skinned. The biblical text does not elaborate on the reasons for Miriam and Aaron's objection, leaving it open to interpretation—whether it was purely ethnic, a critique of marrying outside the covenant community, or related to other factors. Understanding this as an ethnic identifier highlights the diverse, international context of the biblical world.
כּוּשִׁי (Kûwshîy, H3569) — The masculine form, meaning 'a Cushite man.'
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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