frontSHEBA (1).) Son of Cush, i.e. Ethiopia (Genesis 10:7). A commercial and wealthy region of Ethiopia (Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 45:14 "men of stature".) The Macrobian Ethiopians were reported to be the tallest and comeliest of men (Herodotus 3:20). Meroe, at the confluence of the Astaboras and Astapus, was called Seba, until Cambyses called it Meroe from his sister (Josephus, Ant. 2:10). Seba is distinct from Sheba, which is Semitic; Seba is Hamitic. The Sebaeans were an Ethiopian, ruling race, which dwelt about Meroe the capital, and were physically superior to the rest of the people. Shebek, or Sabacho or So, founded here an Ethiopian kingdom which ruled Egypt. Meru means "an island" in Egyptian; Meru-pet is "the island of Pet," the "bow", or else "Phut." The Astaboras is the Atbara, the most northern tributary of the Nile, and the Astapus and Astasobas unite to form the Blue river; these bound the island Meroe.