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NASB Numbers 12:1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman);
AMPLIFIED 2015 Numbers 12:1 Now Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman);
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Bible Question:  Is Interracial marriage supported in the Bible?

I have completed a study tonight after recently
wondering if the Bible supports or does not support
marriage between two people of a different race (I am
referring to a Male/Female marriage of course, since
homosexuality and lesbianism is forbidden [Gen. 19:5;
Lev. 18:22-23,20:13; Deut. 23:17; Judg. 19:22-24; 1
Kings 14:24,15:12; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10].
Polygamy is also forbidden [Lev. 18:18; Deut. 17:17;
Titus 1:6]).

Now you must understand me: I have a great and healthy
respect for all people since we are all one in Christ
(Gal. 3:28). In fact, skin color is the Creator's
choice (Jer. 13:23), and a black man named Simon (of
Cyrene, which was a city in North Africa) helped Jesus
carry His cross (Mark 15:21). I have many friends who
are of a different race than I am and that is not the
aim or goal of this study. My question is: Does the
Bible permit people of different race to intermarry?

First of all, there are situations in the Bible that
condemn interracial marriage. Isaac sought a wife
from his own father's family (Gen. 24:1-4) and so did
Jacob (Gen. 27:46-28:2). The Israelites were
commanded not to intermarry (Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:3-4;
Ezra 9:1-2,12; Neh. 10:30, 13:23-27; Josh. 23:12-13),
but this was mostly on the basis of leading the people
astray through foreign gods (Mal. 2:11; Deut. 17:17;
1 Cor. 7:39).

However, God did permit the Israelites to marry
foreign women in other situations: captives from war
(Deut. 21:10-13), and because of a 'shortage' of women
(Judges 21:21-23). Timothy, the youthful early church
leader, was a half-Jew (Acts 16:1) and Moses's wife
Zipporah was an Ethiopian woman (Num. 12:1).

The Bible does not clearly state whether or not God's
people should marry interracially, but it does say
that the partner should be a believer in Christ (1
Cor. 7:39, 2 Cor. 6:14). It is interesting to note that all nations and people are important to God (Amos 9:7) and having black skin
is beautiful (Song Of Solomon 1:5-6). Jesus usurped
the racist traditions of the Israelites (Matt.
15:21-28; Luke 10:25-37) and the Bible even speaks
of 'hatred without reason' (Psalm 69:4) and anti-Semitism
(Esther 3:8-9, 5:10-14). Also, Gentiles are despised,
the Israelites are despised (Gen. 43:32) and
foreigners are excluded from fellowship (Neh.
13:1-3). The Bible also encourages freedom from slavery (1 Cor. 7:21; The book of Exodus)

In conclusion, interracial marriage is not against the will of God based upon the Bible. It remains a
question of being yoked/unequally yoked in fellowship
with God Himself and choosing a husband/wife that
will help you to enrich your walk in the Lord (1 Cor. 7:35).

I wanted to share this with you, since I was wondering what the Bible specifically said about such things. Feel free to tell me how you agree/disagree.


Bible Answer:  Num 12 answers this question for me. Aaron and Miriam spoke out against the marriage of Moses and a black lady from Ethiopia. This made God very angry. Look at verse 12 "Miriam became leprous, as WHITE AS SNOW." By the way, I don't think this was Zipporah because her father was Jethro, the priest of Midian. I suppose she could have been adopted though.

  Up   |    Down     View Branch    ID# 3707  
 Questions and/or Subjects for Num 12:1   Author 
 Is Interracial marriage Bible supported? (?)
  Makarios
 Num 12 answers this question for me. Aar...
  retxar
 Yes, I agree: God was angry with Aaron a...
  Makarios
 "the Ethiopian woman Moses married?" (?)
  retxar
 Excellent observation!  Numbers 12:1 may...
  Makarios
 Numbers 12 thesis (?)
  Megs8383
 Was the Etheopian Black? Moses married (?)
  sandra l
 what part of num 12:1 say zipporah black (?)
  belongtwogod




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