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Person · Mesopotamia

Cushan-rishathaim

King living before Israel's Monarchy

Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, oppressed Israel for eight years until Othniel defeated him.

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Also known as Chushan-rishathaim

Cushan-rishathaim was the king of Mesopotamia (Aram-naharaim) who oppressed the Israelites for eight years after they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. As a result of their disobedience, the Lord sold the Israelites into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim.

In response to the Israelites' cry for help, God raised up Othniel, the son of Kenaz and Caleb's younger brother, as a deliverer. Othniel was empowered by the Spirit of the Lord and went to war against Cushan-rishathaim. The Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim into Othniel's hand, and he prevailed over the Mesopotamian king.

As a result of Othniel's victory, the land had rest for forty years until Othniel's death. This event is part of the recurring cycle in the book of Judges, where the Israelites fall into sin, face oppression from foreign rulers, cry out to God, and are delivered by a God-appointed judge.

Where Cushan-rishathaim appears

2 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H3573

Judges2

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.