Cushan-rishathaim
maleJudgesMeaning: “Cushan of double wickedness”
The Mesopotamian king who first oppressed Israel in the days of the judges, for eight years, until Othniel delivered them.
Biography
Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia (Aram-naharaim), was the first foreign oppressor in the period of the judges. When Israel did evil and forgot the LORD, "he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim... and the children of Israel served [him] eight years" (Judges 3:8).
Defeated by Othniel
When Israel cried out, God raised up Othniel, Caleb's kinsman, as the first judge. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, "and the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim... into his hand," after which the land had rest forty years (Judges 3:9–11). His name — which means roughly "Cushan of double wickedness" — fittingly opens the recurring cycle of oppression and deliverance.
Life Timeline
Defeated by Othniel after eight years of oppression
On the Bible timeline
Cushan-rishathaim belongs to the The Exodus & Wilderness era (c. 1446 BC (early) / 1260 BC (late)).
- c. 1446 BC (early) / 1260 BC (late)The Exodus from Egypt
- c. 1446 BCThe Law Given at Sinai
- c. 1406 BCThe Conquest of Canaan
Frequently asked about Cushan-rishathaim
Who was Cushan-rishathaim in the Bible?
The Mesopotamian king who first oppressed Israel in the days of the judges, for eight years, until Othniel delivered them.
What does the name Cushan-rishathaim mean?
The name Cushan-rishathaim means “Cushan of double wickedness”.
What did Cushan-rishathaim do in the Bible?
Cushan-rishathaim served as king of mesopotamia.
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