Cush · Present-day Ethiopia and northern Sudan region, upper Nile area
The land of the Cushites, descendants of Ham. Located in the upper Nile region, it was one of the earliest civilizations formed after the dispersion at the Tower of Babel.
First mentioned in the Bible
The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizʹra·im, Put, and Caʹnaan. The sons of Cush were Seʹba, Havʹi·lah, Sabʹtah, Raʹa·mah, and Sabʹte·ca. The sons of Raʹa·mah were Sheʹba and Deʹdan. Cush became father to Nimʹrod. He was the first to become a mighty one on the earth. He became a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah. That is why there is a saying: "Just like Nimʹrod, a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah."— Genesis 10:6-8
Background
Cush was a son of Ham and grandson of Noah. After the Flood, Ham's descendants migrated southward and settled in the upper Nile region, establishing the Cushite civilization (later the Ethiopian/Nubian civilization). Genesis chapter 10 records that Cush became father to Nimrod, who became the first mighty one on earth and the founder of such Babylonian cities as Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh (Genesis 10:6-8). Cush is often translated as "Ethiopia" in many Bible versions, representing the ancient civilization of the Nile Valley in northeastern Africa. In Israelite history, Cush/Ethiopia is frequently mentioned alongside Egypt as a symbol of a great southern power.
Related Scriptures (New World Translation)
The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizʹra·im, Put, and Caʹnaan. The sons of Cush were Seʹba, Havʹi·lah, Sabʹtah, Raʹa·mah, and Sabʹte·ca. Cush became father to Nimʹrod. He was the first to become a mighty one on the earth.— Genesis 10:6-8