Ethiopia

Country of burnt faces; the Greek word by which the Hebrew Cush is rendered (Gen. 2:13; 2 Kings 19:9; Esther 1:1; Job 28:19; Ps. 68:31; 87:4), a country which lay to the south of Egypt, beginning at Syene on the First Cataract (Ezek. 29:10; 30:6), and extending to beyond the confluence of the White and Blue Nile. It corresponds generally with what is now known as the Soudan (i.e., the land of the blacks). This country was known to the Hebrews, and is described in Isa. 18:1; Zeph. 3:10. They carried on some commercial intercourse with it (Isa. 45:14). Its inhabitants were descendants of Ham (Gen. 10:6; Jer. 13:23; Isa. 18:2, “scattered and peeled,” A.V.; but in R.V., “tall and smooth”). Herodotus, the Greek historian, describes them as “the tallest and handsomest of men.” They are frequently represented on Egyptian monuments, and they are all of the type of the true negro. As might be expected, the history of this country is interwoven with that of Egypt. Ethiopia is spoken of in prophecy (Ps. 68:31; 87:4; Isa. 45:14; Ezek. 30:4-9; Dan. 11:43; Nah. 3:8-10; Hab. 3:7; Zeph. 2:12).

(burnt faces). The country which the Greeks and Romans described as “AEthiopia” and the Hebrews as “Cush” lay to the south of Egypt, and embraced, in its most extended sense, the modern Nubia, Sennaar, Kordofan and northern Abyssinia, and in its more definite sense the kingdom of Meroe. (Ezekiel 29:10) The Hebrews do not appear to have had much practical acquaintance with Ethiopia itself, though the Ethiopians were well known to them through their intercourse with Egypt. The inhabitants of Ethiopia were a Hamitic race. (Genesis 10:6) They were divided into various tribes, of which the Sabeans were the most powerful. The history of Ethiopia is closely interwoven with that of Egypt. The two countries were not unfrequently united under the rule of the same sovereign. Shortly before our Saviour’s birth a native dynasty of females, holding the official title of Candace (Plin. vi. 35), held sway in Ethiopia, and even resisted the advance of the Roman arms. One of these is the queen noticed in (Acts 8:27)

ETHIO'PIA (burnt-faces), called CUSH by the Hebrews, a country south of Egypt, Ezr 29:10, which embraced in its more extended sense modern Nubia, Sennaar, Kordofan, and northern Abyssinia. Sometimes it represented the whole of Africa beyond Egypt. In the Scriptures "Ethiopia" usually refers to the region extending from Egypt southward beyond the junction of the White and Blue Nile. This was Seba, Isa 43:3, and known to the Romans as the kingdom of Meroe. The country is rolling and mountainous, the elevation increasing toward the south, until it reaches a height of about 8000 feet in Abyssinia. Scripture History. — Frequent notices of this country and its people are found in the Bible. It was settled by the children of Ham, Gen 10:6, dark-skinned men of stature. Jer 13:23:Isa 45:14. They were selected as members of royal households. Jer 38:7-13. The treasurer of its queen, Candace, was baptized by Philip. Acts 8:27-38. It is noticed in connection with Egvpt. Isa 20:4; Isa 43:3; Isa 45:14; with Libya (Phut), Jer 46:9; Lydia and Chub (Lub and Lud), Eze 30:5, and the Sukkiim. 2 Chr 12:3. Moses married an Ethiopian, Num 12:1; Ethiopians were in Shishak's army, 2 Chr 12:3; Zerah, an Ethiopian king, had an army of a million soldiers, 2 Chr 14:9-12; Job mentioned the precious stones of Ethiopia, Job 28:19; the Israelites were familiar with the merchandise of that country, Isa 45:14; and Isaiah foretold the subjugation of Ethiopia by the Assyrians. Isa 20:4-5. Among the Assyrian inscriptions of Assurbanipal, now in the British Museum, George Smith deciphered several which especially illustrate and confirm the fulfilment of this prophecy. Among other prophecies in respect to Ethiopia are Ps 68:31; Ps 87:4; Isa 45:14; Eze 30:4-9; Dan 11:43; Hab 3:7; Zeph 2:12; Nah 3:8-10. Secular History. — Ethiopia became one of the most powerful and civilized nations of the world as early as b.c. 1000. The ruling class was of the priests. In the eighth century b.c. an Ethiopian dynasty reigned in Lower Egypt. Its first king was Sabaco, whose son was So of the Bible, 2 Kgs 17:4, an ally of Hoshea, king of Israel. It is said that in the reign of the Egyptian king Psarametichus, b.c. 630, 240,000 of the military class migrated into Ethiopia. In b.c. 530, Cambyses, king of Persia, invaded Egypt, and, according to Josephus, conquered Meroe or Ethiopia. The Romans, in the reign of Augustus Ctesar, b.c. 22, defeated Candace, queen of Ethiopia, and made the country tributary to Rome.

blackness; heat

ETHIO'PIA (burnt-faces), called CUSH by the Hebrews, a country south of Egypt, Ezr 29:10, which embraced in its more extended sense modern Nubia, Sennaar, Kordofan, and northern Abyssinia. Sometimes it represented the whole of Africa beyond Egypt. In the Scriptures "Ethiopia" usually refers to the region extending from Egypt southward beyond the junction of the White and Blue Nile. This was Seba, Isa 43:3, and known to the Romans as the kingdom of Meroe. The country is rolling and mountainous, the elevation increasing toward the south, until it reaches a height of about 8000 feet in Abyssinia. Scripture History. — Frequent notices of this country and its people are found in the Bible. It was settled by the children of Ham, Gen 10:6, dark-skinned men of stature. Jer 13:23:Isa 45:14. They were selected as members of royal households. Jer 38:7-13. The treasurer of its queen, Candace, was baptized by Philip. Acts 8:27-38. It is noticed in connection with Egvpt. Isa 20:4; Isa 43:3; Isa 45:14; with Libya (Phut), Jer 46:9; Lydia and Chub (Lub and Lud), Eze 30:5, and the Sukkiim. 2 Chr 12:3. Moses married an Ethiopian, Num 12:1; Ethiopians were in Shishak's army, 2 Chr 12:3; Zerah, an Ethiopian king, had an army of a million soldiers, 2 Chr 14:9-12; Job mentioned the precious stones of Ethiopia, Job 28:19; the Israelites were familiar with the merchandise of that country, Isa 45:14; and Isaiah foretold the subjugation of Ethiopia by the Assyrians. Isa 20:4-5. Among the Assyrian inscriptions of Assurbanipal, now in the British Museum, George Smith deciphered several which

especially illustrate and confirm the fulfilment of this prophecy. Among other prophecies in respect to Ethiopia are Ps 68:31; Ps 87:4; Isa 45:14; Eze 30:4-9; Dan 11:43; Hab 3:7; Zeph 2:12; Nah 3:8-10. Secular History. — Ethiopia became one of the most powerful and civilized nations of the world as early as b.c. 1000. The ruling class was of the priests. In the eighth century b.c. an Ethiopian dynasty reigned in Lower Egypt. Its first king was Sabaco, whose son was So of the Bible, 2 Kgs 17:4, an ally of Hoshea, king of Israel. It is said that in the reign of the Egyptian king Psarametichus, b.c. 630, 240,000 of the military class migrated into Ethiopia. In b.c. 530, Cambyses, king of Persia, invaded Egypt, and, according to Josephus, conquered Meroe or Ethiopia. The Romans, in the reign of Augustus Ctesar, b.c. 22, defeated Candace, queen of Ethiopia, and made the country tributary to Rome.