DISCIPLE

T he history of the Ethiopians begins in the times following the flood, out of which only eight people survived, Noah and his family. These eight people were the only humans in the entire planet, and all the peoples, nations and ethnic groups on Earth descend from the three sons of Noah and his wife, Shem, Japheth and Ham. All humanity is related, because we have common ancestors in Noah’s family.     The Ethiopians are descendants of Ham, Noah’s youngest son. Genesis 10:6 lists the four sons of Ham, and Cush 1 was his first. Cush, Noah’s grandson, had six sons (vv. 7-8), and the last was Nimrod. The name Cush in Hebrew ( vWK ) means black. 1 Chronicles 1:8-10 repeats the family tree and mentions Cush.      This etymological detail is important, because the word “Ethiopian” in the Old Testament is literally “cushite” in Hebrew. Thus we read in Jeremiah 13:23, “ Can the Ethiopian (literally “cushite”) change his skin, or the leopard his spots?” The ancient Greeks gave the name “A