“And the sons of Ḥam: Kush, and Mitzrayim, and Put, and Canaan” (Genesis 10:6). “And the sons of Ḥam: Kush, and Mitzrayim, and Put, and Canaan” –Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: We might have been under the impression that the family of Put was assimilated [into other nations].3Since, unlike all his brothers, he is never mentioned again in the Torah. But Ezekiel came and stated explicitly [otherwise]: “Kush, Put and Lud and all the intermingled people, Cub and the children of the land of the covenant, will fall with them by the sword” (Ezekiel 30:5).4Put is mentioned as an extant nation in the times of Ezekiel.
“And Kush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth” (Genesis 10:8). “He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said: Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord” (Genesis 10:9). “And Kush begot Nimrod” – that is what is written: “A meditation by David, a song that he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Kush Ben Yemini” (Psalms 7:1). Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina ben Yitzḥak: He said it corresponding to the [harsh] justice administered by that wicked one.5Esau/Edom, and his descendants, the Romans.
But was Esau a Kushite?6Of course not; he was a descendant of Abraham. The meaning [of this description] is, rather, that he performed deeds like the deeds of [Kush’s son] Nimrod. That is what is written: “Therefore it is said:…Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord” is not written here, but rather, “like Nimrod, a mighty hunter” (Genesis 10:9)7Implying that there is someone else who is “like Nimrod.” – just as that one hunted [ensnared] people through their words, so, too, this one hunts [ensnares] people with their words.8Of Esau it is said “he had [meat from] hunted animals in his mouth” (Genesis 25:28). [They say:] ‘You [claim you] did not steal?
Who stole with you?9The judge would thus seek to incriminate the defendant despite his protestations of innocence. You [claim you] did not kill? Who killed with you?’