1. Zephaniah 3:10 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why is “Cush” mentioned?

Zephaniah 3:10 (ESV)

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.

In this setting, Cush is representative of distant lands. Notably, the verse begins, from beyond the rivers of Cush. That is, the reference is not merely to Cush, but beyond the rivers of Cush. In other words, the reference is to all the earth. The point seems to be that as God’s judgment would go out to the remotest parts of the earth (Zephaniah 2:4–15), so also God’s grace and salvation would go out to the remotest places.1 In the eighth century BC, Cush itself was regarded as an extremely remote place. It is worth noting in this respect that the Nile was over 4,200 miles long. And yet from past the southernmost branches of the Nile comes an offering to the Lord.2 This had been anticipated in Israel’s history (1 Kings 8:41–43; Psalm 22:27; Psalm 102:22; Isaiah 2:2–4; Isaiah 11:11; Isaiah 18:7; Isaiah 19:18–25; Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 56:1–7).3