Does the Bible Forbid Interracial Marriages?

[charleychacko]

The Bible does not forbid interracial marriages. It does, however, forbid a Christian from marrying an unbeliever: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14). In Numbers 12:1-8 is an account of Moses marrying an Ethiopian woman. "And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman" (Num. 12:1). Other Bible verses translate this as "Cush." Cush is the ancient location of Ethiopia. Miriam and Aaron were upset with Moses because he married a Cushite woman. Cush has also been considered to be the northern part of Egypt. Either way, it is very possible that Cushite woman was of a different race. God defended Moses for marrying this woman. If race were an issue, this would have been a great place to set the matter straight. Also, people of different races were not mentioned as being among those forbidden by God for Jews to marry, see Exodus 34:11.