In those times there was a war between Kush and the children of the East. Konkos, king of Kush, went out to war against Aram and the children of the East, leaving Bilam, who is Laban the Aramean from Petor, the diviner, together with his two sons Inus and Iamberus, in charge of the city. Meanwhile Bilam spoke with the simple people of the land about rebelling against King Konkos so that he would not return to the city. The people listened to him, accepted him, swore to him, appointed Bilam king over them, and made his sons commanders of the army. They raised the walls on two sides. On the third side they dug countless pits between the city and the river that surrounded all the land of Kush, and they diverted the river to flood them. On the fourth side they gathered enchanted and poisonous serpents. There was no way to go out or come in. When the king and all his army returned from the war, they lifted their eyes and saw that the city walls were much higher. They said, "They saw that we delayed, so they raised the city walls and strengthened them in case the kings of Canaan attacked." But when they came near the gates of the city, the gates were shut. They called to the guards, saying, "Open for us so that we may come into the city," but the guards refused by order of Bilam the diviner. They declared war at the gate itself, and that day one hundred thirty of Konkos' soldiers fell. The next day they fought from the side of the river, but they sank and died. They tried to make bridges from wood, but when they crossed and reached the pits, they became trapped in the mud, and two hundred more soldiers died. On the third day they tried to enter from the side of the serpents, and one hundred seventy men died. So they stopped fighting. During the siege of Kush, Moses fled from Egypt and came to the camp of Konkos, king of Kush. Moses was eighteen years old when he fled, and Konkos had already been besieging Kush for nineteen years. The young man went in and out among them. The king, his officers, and all the soldiers of his army valued him greatly, because he was great and beloved. He was tall as a cedar, his face shone like the sun, he had the strength and courage of a lion, and he was a faithful adviser to the king. After nine years, the king became gravely ill, and on the seventh day he died. They embalmed him and buried him opposite the gate of the city that faced Mitzraim. They built over him a great mausoleum, high and beautiful, and inscribed upon it all his wars and mighty deeds. When they finished building, they said to one another, "What shall we do now? If we make war against the city, many of our soldiers will die. But if we remain in the siege, the kings of Aram will hear that our king has died, and they will suddenly attack us and kill us all. Let us appoint a king for ourselves and remain in the siege until they surrender the city to us." Quickly, each man removed his garments and piled them on the ground, and on that mound they lifted Moses. They sounded shofarot and said, "Long live the king, long live the king." All the officers and all the people swore to give him the Kushite lady, wife of Konkos, as a wife, and they appointed Moses king over them. Moses was twenty-seven years old when he became king of Kush. On the second day of his reign, they all said before Moses, "If it seems good to the king, advise us what to do, for we have spent nine years without seeing our wives and children while we besieged the city." The king answered the people, saying, "If you listen to my voice, know that the city will be given into our hands. If we wage war, we will fall as before, and the same will happen if we try to enter by our own means. "Here is the plan: go to the forest, and let each man bring a young stork." They did as the king said. When the young storks had grown, the king ordered that they be made hungry for two days, and the people did so. On the third day the king told them, "Let every soldier take his weapons, mount his horse, and take the young stork in his hand. Let us rise and make war against the city from the place where the serpents are." They did as the king said. When they reached the place of the serpents, the young storks ate the serpents and removed them from that place. When the king and the people saw that the serpents were gone, they raised a great battle cry and conquered the city. Then each man came to his house, his wife, and his possessions. When Bilam the diviner saw that the city had been conquered, he opened the gate, mounted his horse with his two sons, fled to Mitzraim, and came to Pharaoh, king of Mitzraim. He joined the magicians and diviners described in Sefer HaYashar as Pharaoh's advisers, who sought to erase the name of Jacob from the face of the earth. Moses conquered the city by his wisdom. They seated him on the royal throne, placed the royal crown on his head, and gave him the Kushite lady as a wife. But Moses was reverent and feared the God of his fathers, and he did not come near her. He remembered the oath that Abraham made Eliezer his servant swear, saying, "Do not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan." Isaac had done the same when Jacob fled from Esau, commanding him not to marry the daughters of Ham, for the children of Ham had been given as servants to the children of Shem and the children of Japheth. Therefore Moses feared HaShem his God and walked before Him in truth and with all his heart. He did not turn aside from the path walked by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The kingdom of the children of Kush grew strong. They made war against Edom, the children of the East, and Aram, and all of them submitted before the children of Kush. The days that Moses reigned over the children of Kush were forty years. He succeeded in all his wars, because HaShem, God of his fathers, was with him. In the fortieth year of his reign, he sat on his royal throne, with his queen sitting to his right. Then the queen said to the ministers and the people, "This man has reigned over Kush for forty years, yet he has not come near me, and he has not served the gods of the children of Kush. Now listen, children of Kush, and let this man no longer reign. My son Munjam shall reign over you, for it is better for you to serve the son of your lord than a foreigner, servant of the king of Egypt." All the people debated until evening. The next morning they rose early and crowned Munjam son of Konkos as king over them. But the children of Kush were afraid to depose Moses by force, because they remembered what they had sworn. So they gave him important gifts and sent him away with great honor. Moses went out from there and ceased to reign over Kush. Moses was sixty-seven years old when he left Kush, and the matter was from God, because the appointed end, fixed from the beginning, had nearly arrived: to bring out the children of Israel.
Moses Rules Kush Before the Burning Bush
Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 168:2
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם נִהְיְתָה מִלְחָמָה בֵּין כּוּשׁ וּבֵין בְּנֵי קֶדֶם וַיֵּצֵא קוֹקְנוּס מֶלֶךְ כּוּשׁ לְהִלָּחֵם בַּאֲרָם וּבִּבְנֵי קֶדֶם, וַיַּעֲזֹב אֶת בִּלְעָם הַקּוֹסֵם הוּא לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי מִפְּתוֹר, וּשְׁנֵי בָּנָיו יִנוּס וְיַמְבְּרוּס, לִשְמֹר אֶת הָעִיר וְדַלַּת הָאָרֶץ אִתּוֹ, וַיִּוָּעֵץ בִּלְעָם אֶת עַם הָאָרֶץ לִמְרֹד בַּמֶּלֶךְ קוֹקְנוּס לְבִלְתִּי בּוֹא הָעִירָה, וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֵלָיו עַם הָאָרֶץ, וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ לוֹ וַיַּמְלִיכֻהוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְאֶת בָּנָיו הִפְקִידוּ לְשָׂרֵי צְבָאוֹת, וַיַּגְבִּיהוּ אֶת הַחוֹמוֹת מְאֹד מִשְּׁנֵי צִדֵּי הָעִיר, וּמִן הָעֵבֶר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי חָפְרוּ בְּאֵרוֹת רַבּוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר בֵּין הָעִיר וּבֵין הַנָּהָר הַסּוֹבֵב אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ כּוּשׁ, וַיַּבְקִיעוּ שָׁם אֶת מֵי הַנָּהָר. וּמִן הָעֵבֶר הָרְבִיעִי קִבְּצוּ נְחָשִׁים לָרֹב מְאֹד בְּלַחֲשֵׁיהֶם וּבְכִשְׁפֵיהֶם וְאֵין יוֹצֵא וּבָא אֲלֵיהֶם. וַיְהִי כְּשׁוּב הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכָל שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלוֹת מִן הַמִּלְחָמָה, וַיִּשְּׂאוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת חוֹמוֹת הָעִיר כִּי גָּבְהוּ מְאֹד, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, רָאֹה רָאוּ כִּי אֵחַרְנוּ בַּמִּלְחָמָה וַיַּגְבִּיהוּ אֶת חוֹמוֹת הָעִיר וַיַּחֲזִיקוּם לְבִלְתִּי בּוֹא עֲלֵיהֶם מַלְכֵי כְּנַעַן לַמִּלְחָמָה. וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר קָרְבוּ אֶל הָעִיר וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה שַׁעֲרֵי הָעִיר סְגוּרִים, וַיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל הַשּׁוֹעֲרִים לֵאֱמֹר, פִּתְחוּ לָנוּ וְנָבוֹאָה הָעִירָה. וַיְמָאֲנוּ הַשּׁוֹעֲרִים לִפְתֹּחַ לָהֶם בְּמִצְוַת בִּלְעָם הַקּוֹסֵם, וְלֹא נְתָנוּם לָבֹא הַשַּׁעְרָה וַיַּעַרְכוּ מִלְחָמָה נֹכַח הַשַּׁעְרָה, וַיִּפֹּל מֵחֵיל קוֹקְנוּס בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מֵאָה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים אִישׁ. וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר, וַיָּבֹא שְׁלֹשִׁים רֹכְבֵי הַפָּרָשִׁים בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה וְלֹא יָכוֹלוּ וַיִּטְבְּעוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַבּוֹרוֹת וַיָּמוּתוּ. וַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ לַחֲטֹב עֵצִים לַעֲשוֹת רַפְסוֹדוֹת לַעֲבֹר עֲלֵיהֶם, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ. וַיְהִי בְּבוֹאָם אֶל מְקוֹם הַבּוֹרוֹת, הָיוּ הַמַּיִם מִתְגַּלְגְּלִים בְרֵחַיִם. וַיִּטְבְּעוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מָאתַיִם אִישׁ עַל עֶשֶׂר רַפְסוֹדוֹת. וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, וַיָּבוֹאוּ מִצַּד הַנְּחָשִׁים וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לָגֶשֶׁת שָׁמָּה, וַיַּהַרְגוּ הַנְּחָשִׁים מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִים אִישׁ, וַיַּחְדְּלוּ לְהִלָּחֵם עַל כּוּשׁ. וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹת הַמָּצוֹר עַל כּוּשׁ, וַיִּבְרַח מֹשֶׁה מִמִּצְרַיִם וַיָּבֹא אֶל מַחֲנֵה קוֹקנוּס מֶלֶךְ כּוּשׁ, וּמֹשֶׁה בֶּן שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בְּבָרְחוֹ, וְהַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר צָר קוֹקְנוּס עַל כּוּשׁ, תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים, וַיְהִי הַבָּחוּר הוֹלֵךְ וּבָא עִמָּהֶם וַיֶּאֱהַב הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים וְכָל חֵיל הַמִּלְחָמָה אֶת הַבָּחוּר כִּי רַב וְיַקִּיר הוּא, וְקוֹמָתוֹ כְּאֶרֶז וּפָנָיו כְּצֵאת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וְכֹחַ גְּבוּרָתוֹ כַּאֲרִי, וַיְהִי יוֹעֵץ לַמֶּלֶךְ. וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים וַיֶּחֱלֶה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת חָלְיוֹ אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בּוֹ, וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְעֵת חֲלוֹתוֹ, וַיָּמָת, וַיַּחְנְטֻהוּ עֲבָדָיו וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ נֹכַח שַׁעַר הָעִיר הַפּוֹנֶה אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וַיִבְנוּ עָלָיו בִּנְיָן גָּדוֹל נָאֶה וְגָבוֹהַ מְאֹד, וַיִּכְתְּבוּ עָלָיו כָּל מִלְחֲמוֹתָיו וְכָל גְּבוּרוֹתָיו. וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי הִשְׁלִימוּ הַבִּנְיָן, וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה, אִם אָמַרְנוּ נִלָחֲמָה הָעִירָה, וְיִפְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ חֲלָלִים רַבִּים, וְאִם אָמַרְנוּ נֵשֵׁב בְּמָצוֹר, וְשָׁמְעוּ כָּל מַלְכֵי אֲרָם וּבְנֵי קֶדֶם כִּי מֵת מַלְכֵּנוּ וְיָבֹאוּ עָלֵינוּ פִּתְאֹם וְלֹא יַשְׁאִירוּ לָנוּ שָׂרִיד, וְעַתָּה לְכוּ וְנַמְלִיכָה עָלֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ וְנֵשֵׁב בְּמָצוֹר עַד תִּנָּתֵן הָעִיר בְּיָדֵנוּ. וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּ אִישׁ לְבוּשׁוֹ וַיַשְׁלִיכוּ אַרְצָה, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בָּמָה גְּדוֹלָה וַיוֹשִׁיבוּ עָלֶיהָ אֶת מֹשֶׁה, וַיִּתְקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וַיֹּאמְרוּ יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ כָּל הַשָּׂרִים וְכָל הָעָם לָתֵת לוֹ אֶת הַכּוּשִׁית הַגְּבִירָה אֵשֶׁת קוֹקְנוּס לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַיַמְלִיכוּ אוֹתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם. וּמֹשֶׁה בֶּן שֶׁבַע וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה בְּמָלְכוֹ עַל בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ. וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי לְמָלְכוֹ, וַיִּוָעֲדוּ כֻּלָּם לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ, אִם עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב הָבָה לָנוּ עֵצָה מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה, כִּי זֶה תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים לֹא רָאִינוּ אֶת נָשֵׁינוּ וְאֶת בָּנֵינוּ וַנֵּשֵׁב בְּמָצוֹר. וַיַּעַן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אִם תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי דְּעוּ כִּי תִּנָּתֵן הָעִיר בְּיָדֵינוּ, וְעַתָּה אִם נִלְחֹם נִלָּחֵם בָּהֶם, וְיִפְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְאִם אָמַרְנוּ נָבֹא הָעִיר, וְיִטְבְּעוּ מִמֶּנּוּ כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה, עַתָּה לְכוּ הַיַּעְרָה וְהָבִיאוּ מִבְּנֵי הַחֲסִידָה אִישׁ אֶפְרוֹחוֹ בְּיָדוֹ, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר גָּדְלוּ בְּנֵי הַחֲסִידָה וַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהַרְעִיבָם יָמִים שְׁנַיִם, וַיַּעַשׁ הָעָם כֵּן. וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲלֵיהֶם, לִבְשׁוּ אִישׁ כְּלִי מִלְחַמְתּוֹ בְּיָדוֹ וְרִכְבוּ אִישׁ עַל סוּסוֹ וּקְחוּ אִישׁ אֶפְרוֹחוֹ בְּיָדוֹ וְנָקוּמָה וְנִלָחַמָה בְּעִיר מְקוֹם אַשֶׁר הַנְחָשִׁים שָׁם, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. וַיְהִי בְּהַגִּיעָם אֶל מְקוֹם הַנְּחָשִׁים, וַיֹּאכְלוּם וַיַּשְׁבִּיתוּם מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא. וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָעָם כִּי נִשְׁבְּתוּ הַנְּחָשִׁים, וַיָּרִיעוּ הָעָם תְּרוּעָה גְּדוֹלָה וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ הָעִירָה וַיִּתְּפְשׂוּהָ, וַיָּבֹאוּ אִישׁ אֶל בֵּיתוֹ אֶל אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ. וַיָּמֻתוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מֵעַם הָאָרֶץ אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה אִישׁ מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי הָעִיר, וּמֵעַם הַמָּצוֹר לֹא מֵת אֶחָד. וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת בִּלְעָם הַקּוֹסֵם כִּי נִלְכְּדָה הָעִיר, וַיִּפְתַּח הַשַּׁעַר וַיִּרְכַּב עַל הַסּוּס הוּא וּשְׁנֵי בָּנָיו, וַיָּנֻסוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, הֵמָּה הַחַרְטֻמִּים הַמְּכַשְּׁפִים הַכְּתוּבִים בְסֵפֶר הַיָּשָׁר הַיּוֹעֲצִים אֶל פַּרְעֹה לְאַבֵּד שֵׁם יַעֲקֹב מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה. וַיִּלְכֹּד מֹשֶׁה אֶת הָעִיר בְּחָכְמָתוֹ, וַיּוֹשִׁיבֻהוּ עַל כִּסֵּא הַמְּלוּכָה, וַיָּשִׂימוּ כֶּתֶר מַּלְכוּת בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, וְגַם אֶת הַכּוּשִׁית הַגְּבִירָה נָתְנוּ לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה, וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה אֶת אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָיו וְלֹא בָּא אֵלֶיהָ כִּי זָכַר אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁבִּיעַ אַבְרָהָם אֶת אֱלִיעֶזֶר עַבְדּוֹ לֵאמֹר, (בראשית כד, ג) "לֹא תִּקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת כְּנָעַן". וְגַם כֹּה עָשָׂה יִצְחָק בִּבְרֹחַ יַעֲקֹב מִפְּנֵי עֵשָׂו, וַיְצַוֵּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ, לֹא תִּתְחַתֵּן בִּבְנֵי חָם, כִּי זָכַרְנוּ אֶת אֲשֶׁר נָתַן אֶת בְּנֵי חָם לַעֲבָדִים לִבְנֵי שֵׁם וְלִבְנֵי יֶפֶת, וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה מִפְּנֵי ה' אֱלֹהָיו וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנָיו בֶּאֱמֶת בְּכָל לְבָבוֹ, וְלֹא סָר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ בָּהּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, וַיִּתְחַזֵּק בְּמַלְכוּת בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ וַיִּלָּחֶם אֶת אֱדוֹם וְאֶת בְּנֵי קֶדֶם וְאֶת אֲרָם, וַיַּכְנִיעֵם תַּחַת יַד בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ. וְהַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ עַל בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ, אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. וַיַּצְלַח בְּכָל מִלְחַמְתּוֹ, כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָיו אִתּוֹ. בִּשְׁנַת אַרְבָּעִים לְמָלְכוֹ וְהוּא יוֹשֵב עַל כִּסֵּא הַמְּלוּכָה וְהַגְּבִירָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת לִימִינוֹ אֶצְלוֹ, וַתֹּאמֶר הַגְּבִירָה אֶל הַשָּׂרִים וְאֶל הָעָם, הִנֵּה זֶה אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ זֶה עַל כּוּשׁ, וְאֵלַי לֹא קָרַב, וְאֶת אֱלֹהֵי בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ לֹא עָבַד. וְעַתָּה שִׁמְעוּ נָא בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ וְלֹא יִמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיכֶם זֶה, הִנֵה מוּנְחָם בְּנִי יִמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיכֶם, כִּי טוֹב לָכֶם לַעֲבֹד אֶת בֶּן אֲדוֹנֵיכֶם מֵעֲבֹד אִישׁ נָכְרִי עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם. וַיְהִי כָּל הָעָם נָדוֹן עַד הָעֶרֶב, וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַמְלִיכוּ אֶת מוּנְחָם בֶּן קוֹקְנוּס עֲלֵיהֶם, וַיִּירְאוּ בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בְּמֹּשֶׁה, וְכִי זָכְרוּ אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבָּעוּ לוֹ, וַיִּתְּנוּ לוֹ מַתָּנוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וַיְשַׁלְּחֻהוּ בְּכָבוֹד גָּדוֹל, וַיֵּצֵא מִשָּׁם וַיַּחְדֹּל מִמְּלוֹךְ עַל כּוּשׁ. וּמֹשֶׁה בֶּן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מִכּוּשׁ, כִּי מֵה' יָצָא הַדָּבָר כִּי בָּא הַקֵּץ אֲשֶׁר הִתְעַתֵּד מִימֵי קֶדֶם לְהוֹצִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.