Does the Bible permit interracial marriages?

What does the Bible teach about interracial marriage?

Q. What does the Bible say about interracial marriage?

(Submitted by: M. H.)

A. Some think Moses was married to a black woman because she was called a "Cushite," a term often used to refer to African nations during that time period. But Cushite also referred to countries south of the land we today know as Israel, some of which were related to the Israelites through Ishmael and the sons of Lot.

"Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite." ( Numbers 12:1, NIV)

The prohibitions placed on the children of Israel regarding marriage to people other than Israelites had to do with the religious practices of those people and whether the "outsider" was willing to become part of the nation of Israel by obeying God’s laws. The truth is, Gentiles who lived among the Israelites (in the time of Moses) could worship God as fully and freely as any home-born citizen.

While no uncircumcised male was permitted to eat the Passover, the "strangers" (aliens, or Gentiles) living among the natural citizens of Israel were to:

• Keep the Sabbath

  "But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: " (Exodus 20:10)

• Observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread

  "Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that [are] within thy gates. " (Deuteronomy 16:13-14)

• Bring the Appropriate Sacrifice for Sins of Ignorance

  " Then it shall be, if [ought] be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it [is] ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: "

  " And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people [were] in ignorance. And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, [both for] him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth [ought] presumptuously, [whether he be] born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. " (Numbers 15:24-30)

  (Note that God makes NO DISTINCTION between those who are Israelites and those who are "strangers" (Gentiles, aliens, sojourners, etc.) in regard to the need to offer sacrifices, the ability to receive forgiveness of sins, and even the punishment for presumptuous sins!)

• Observe the Day of Atonement

  "And [this] shall be a statute for ever unto you: [that] in the seventh month, on the tenth [day] of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, [whether it be] one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: " (Leviticus 16:29)

• Obey all the Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments of God's Law

  "And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. " (Exodus 12:48-49).

Other scriptures that state the sojourner, like the home-born, could offer sacrifices and take part in the red heifer ceremony are Leviticus 17:8-9; Numbers 15:14-16; 19:10.

The "stranger" sojourning among the Israelites could experience all the blessings afforded by obedience to God's Law. Home-born citizens were forbidden to vex the aliens among them, and were reminded that they had been "strangers" in the land of Egypt. They were therefore to show compassion to the aliens, and were to treat them as they would treat any other citizen. The primary differences between natural citizens and uncircumcised "strangers" were that the latter could not eat the Passover (unless they were willing to be circumcised) and were not released (if they were bondservants) in the Year of Jubilee ( Exodus 12:43, 45; Leviticus 25:45-46).

There is no prohibition against interracial marriage in the Bible.

Answer Given By:  Clay Willis