Ethiopia is often mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. The way the Bible mentions Ethiopia and the Ethiopian people suggests there is more to the story than might seem at first.
In this article, we will not only look into
- where the Biblical Ethiopia is situated today
- top verses Ethiopia is mentioned in the Bible
- the surprising meaning behind the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8
But also the symbolic meaning of Ethiopia.
So, read on. You don’t want to miss this information.
Contents
What country is Ethiopia/Cush in the Bible today?
Is Ethiopia in the Bible the same as Ethiopia today? Yes and no.
The above screenshot from Google Maps shows you where Ethiopia is today. In the Old Testament, Ethiopia used to belong to Egypt, so scholars think that Biblical Ethiopia consisted of an area west of the Red Sea. That would include Ethiopia, the southern part of Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, and South Sudan. This region is sometimes called Nubia. The name Nubia came into use during the Roman era.
The map below from Biblemapper.com shows one version of the kingdom of Ethiopia (Cush, colored in light green) and where the Ethiopian people (Cushite, green line) lived in Biblical times. It also shows the area of Sheba from where the Queen of Sheba came to meet Solomon in 1 Kings 10.
We can’t say with 100% accuracy where Ethiopia’s borders were 3500 years ago. If you see different areas highlighted in maps online, it could just mean that they depict an area at different times in history.
It’s also important to know that for Israelites that day, the location of Ethiopia was thought to be in the south and “at the ends of the world.”
Cush is Ethiopia in the Bible
Ethiopia is also called Cush in the Bible. Various translations use Ethiopia instead of Cush.
Who is Cush?
Cush is a son of Ham, the grandson of Noah. Cush is also the father of Nimrod, the famous builder of many cities, and the Tower of Babel.
What does the word “cush” mean?
The word “Cush” has no specific meaning in Hebrew beyond its association with the people and territory it represents.
Top Bible verses about Ethiopia
Ethiopia and Ethiopians are mentioned several times in the Bible and have pretty prominent roles in the Old Testament.
Below, you will find the top verses about Ethiopia.
Candace, the queen of Ethiopia
Acts 8:27
And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
Moses’ Ethiopian wife
Moses’ Ethiopian wife highlights the pattern of prominent men in the Old Testament having gentile wives. The pattern points to the church being the bride of Jesus, consisting mainly of Gentiles after most of Israel rejected Jesus.
Numbers 12:1
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
Ethiopia in Genesis
Genesis 2:13
The name of the second river is Gihon. It is the same river that flows through the whole land of Cush.
Genesis 10:6
The sons of Ham were: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
Genesis 10:7
The sons of Cush were: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were: Sheba and Dedan.
Genesis 10:8
Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Solomon and the queen of Sheba
2 Chronicles 9:1-9, 12, 1 Kings 10
When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart. Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her. When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their clothing, his cup bearers also, their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to Yahweh’s house; there was no more spirit in her.
She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. However I didn’t believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold half of the greatness of your wisdom wasn’t told me. You exceed the fame that I heard! Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom. Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God; because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”
She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones. There was never before such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
12 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, in addition to that which she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
Ebed-melech from Ethiopia saves Jeremiah’s life
Jeremiah 38:7
Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king was then sitting in Benjamin’s gate),
Jeremiah 38:10
Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.”
Jeremiah 38:12
Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these rags and worn-out garments under your armpits under the cords.”
Jeremiah 39:16
“Go, and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will bring my words on this city for evil, and not for good; and they will be accomplished before you in that day.
The best verses about Ethiopia and the hidden meaning behind the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 and Isaiah 56
Before jumping to this section’s central part, we will give some background information.
- First, in ancient times, people read the books of the Bible in scrolls. They didn’t hop from verse to verse and chapter to chapter because they didn’t have chapters and verses in their Bibles back then. They most probably read longer sections or entire books at a stretch.
- Second, according to the Mosaic Law, eunuchs were prohibited from entering the temple (Deut 23:1).
- Third, the Book of Isaiah is famous for its Messianic prophecies. The most famous one is about the suffering Messiah in Isaiah 53. This is the same chapter (verses 7-8) that the Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia, reads when Philip runs into him in Acts 8.
Considering the short background intro about scroll reading, we can be almost 100% sure that the eunuch hasn’t jumped straight into reading chapter 53 of Isaiah but has read and is familiar with the book’s earlier chapters as well.
By now, before chapter 53, the eunuch has encountered Ethiopia twice in the scroll. The mention in chapter 45 is exciting because it talks about “men of stature,” like an official from the queen’s court, coming to Israel and confessing that the God of Israel is the only true God.
Let’s read those verses mentioned so far.
Isaiah 43:3
For I am Yahweh your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
your Savior.
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
Isaiah 45:14
Yahweh says: “The labor of Egypt,
and the merchandise of Ethiopia,
and the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you,
and they will be yours.
They will go after you.
They shall come over in chains.
They will bow down to you.
They will make supplication to you:
‘Surely God is in you; and there is no one else.
There is no other god.
Acts 8:26-39
But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.”
He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.”
Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this,
“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.
As a lamb before his shearer is silent,
so he doesn’t open his mouth.
In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away.
Who will declare His generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.”The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?”
Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus. As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?”
He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
The eunuch’s interest is peaked when he sees his home country mentioned in the scroll. When Philip runs into him, he reads Isaiah 53 but can not grasp what the chapter tries to teach him.
So, Philip offers to teach him the meaning and preaches the good news about Jesus. The eunuch is convinced and baptized there and then.
After baptizing him, the Spirit carries Philip away, and the eunuch jumps back to his chariot to finish reading the rest of Isaiah.
Only to discover a little later in chapter 56 these mind-blowing three verses:
Isaiah 56:3-5
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying,
“Yahweh will surely separate me from his people.”
Do not let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”For Yahweh says, “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
choose the things that please me,
and hold fast to my covenant,
I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters.
I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
Sure, the eunuch had some amazing news to tell back in Ethiopia. Especially, about his everlasting name that “will no be cut off”.
The symbolic meaning of Ethiopia in the Bible
In Biblical symbolism, Ethiopia presents a distant land, the “ends of the earth,” with treasures. Ethiopians present strangers who challenge God’s people. Strange lands offer potential riches to God’s people who answer the challenges correctly and possible danger to those who don’t tread carefully.
Faraway lands, mystery, exoticism, and possible danger
In the Bible, faraway lands convey a sense of mystery and exoticism. The mystery aspect is heightened because both the Queen of Sheba and the eunuch in Acts 8 challenge Solomon and Philip to provide correct answers.
Cush is far from the lands where many biblical events took place, and its inclusion in the narrative adds an element of wonder and fascination with distant cultures and peoples, maybe even strangeness and danger for the unknown.
Abundance and richness
The Bible describes Cush as a place with abundant spices (like currency in ancient times), gold, precious stones, and treasures. Solomon gets a piece of the country’s riches when correctly answering the Queen of Sheba’s ” hard questions. ” Philip plants the seeds of Christianity all the way to the Ethiopian royal court.
Challenging God’s people
The visit of the Queen of Sheba is an example of the symbolism of the female who provides a challenge to the male. The female, with the questions and framing of the narrative, directs the events. One example of this would be how the church (female) can direct world events by praying to God (male).
Seeking wisdom
As mentioned above, the Queen of Sheba and the eunuch in Acts 8 seek wisdom, particularly knowledge about the God of Israel. Both of them are highly satisfied, to the point of conversion, when they hear God’s people led by the Spirit answering their questions.
One can see this from the point of view of an unbeliever who comes outside the faith and seeks wisdom about God.
One can also see this from the point of view of a believer and the church, which needs to give the correct answers and guidance to strangers who seek God.
More Bible verses about Ethiopia
2 Kings 19:9
When he heard it said of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “Behold, he has come out to fight against you, he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying,
1 Chronicles 1:8
The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
1 Chronicles 1:9
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
1 Chronicles 1:10
Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Esther 1:1
Now in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty-seven provinces),
Esther 8:9
Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the local governors, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.
Job 28:19
The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it,
nor will it be valued with pure gold.
Psalm 7:1
A meditation by David, which he sang to Yahweh, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite.
Yahweh, my God, I take refuge in you.
Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,
Psalm 68:31
Princes shall come out of Egypt.
Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
Psalm 87:4
I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me.
Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia:
“This one was born there.”
Isaiah 11:11
It will happen in that day that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isaiah 18:1
Ah, the land of the rustling of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia;
Isaiah 20:3-5
Yahweh said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia, so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. They will be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
Isaiah 37:9
He heard news concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “He has come out to fight against you.” When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
Jeremiah 46:9
Go up, you horses!
Rage, you chariots!
Let the mighty men go out:
Cush and Put, who handle the shield;
and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.
Ezekiel 29:10
therefore, behold, I am against you, and against your rivers. I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from the tower of Seveneh even to the border of Ethiopia.
Ezekiel 30:4
A sword will come on Egypt,
and anguish will be in Ethiopia,
when the slain fall in Egypt.
They take away her multitude,
and her foundations are broken down.
Ezekiel 30:5
“Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the mixed people, Cub, and the children of the land that is allied with them, will fall with them by the sword.”
Ezekiel 30:9
“In that day messengers will go out from before me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid. There will be anguish on them, as in the day of Egypt; for, behold, it comes.”
Ezekiel 38:5
Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
Nahum 3:9
Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength. Put and Libya were her helpers.
Zephaniah 3:10
From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
More Bible verses about Ethiopians
2 Samuel 18:21
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
2 Samuel 18:22
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.”
Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?”
2 Samuel 18:23
“But come what may,” he said, “I will run.”
He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
2 Samuel 18:31
Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “News for my lord the king, for Yahweh has avenged you today of all those who rose up against you.”
2 Samuel 18:32
The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?”
The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”
2 Chronicles 12:3
with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.
2 Chronicles 14:9
Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million troops and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.
2 Chronicles 14:12
So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
2 Chronicles 14:13
Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and so many of the Ethiopians fell that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Yahweh and before his army; and they carried away very much booty.
2 Chronicles 16:8
Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and exceedingly many horsemen? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.
2 Chronicles 21:16
Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians;
Jeremiah 13:23
Can the Ethiopian change his skin,
or the leopard his spots?
Then may you also do good,
who are accustomed to do evil.
Daniel 11:43
But he will have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. The Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his steps.
Amos 9:7
Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to me, children of Israel?” says Yahweh. “Haven’t I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
Zephaniah 2:12
You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
Sources and inspiration
Universal History: the Mystery of Ethiopia | with Richard Rohlin (Ethiopia #1)
Video was used as a source for the hidden meaning of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 as well as inspiration for the section about Ethiopia’s symbolic meaning.
Notes
The Great Isaiah Scroll is one the seven original Dead Sea scrolls found in Qumran in 1947. The scroll contains an almost complete Book of Isaiah and it is dated around 125 B.C.