the eldest son of Ham, and father of Nimrod; the other sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtecha. Gen. x. 6—8. Though we know of no other person of scripture that is called by this name, yet there are several countries that are called by it; whether the same man may have dwelt in them all at different times, or that there were some other men of this name, we are ignorant.

The Vulgate, Septuagint, and other interpreters, both ancient and modern, generally translate Cush, Ethiopia; but there are many passages wherein this translation cannot take place.

Cush is the name of the country watered by the Araxes. They who in translating the situation of Eden, have made Cyb Ethiopia, gave rise to that unwarrantable opinion which Josephus and several others have entertained of the river Gibon's being the Nile. In this place (Gen. ii. 13.) the LXX translation renders the word Cyb by the name of Ethiopia; and in this mistake is not only here followed by our English version, but in the same particular in several other places.

Cuth is the same as Cush. The Chaldees generally put the tau where the Hebrews use the shin; they say cyth, instead of cyb. See Cuth.

But Ethiopia is frequently in the Hebrew called Cyb; and Josephus says, that they called themselves by this name, and that the same name was given them by all Asia. St Jerom tells us, that the Hebrews call the Ethiopians by the same name, and the Septuagint give them no other. Jeremiah (xiii. 23.) says, "Can the Cushman, or Ethiopian, change his colour?" In Ezekiel (xxix. 10.) the Lord threatens to reduce "Cushion," in engraving, is a bag of leather filled with sand, commonly about nine inches square, and three or four thick, used for supporting the plate to be engraved.