Was moses wife black ” Wife is singular, and there is no mention of any other wife or wives that Moses had. (Then she could not have been white to began with right?) Imagine, God's man-main Moses married a black woman!!!! Black-Jewish Relations in America. However, we do know Moses married a Negro woman, and when Miriam and Aaron spoke poorly of the marriage, God became very angry with them. Numbers 12:1-15, “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for Where was Moses’s wife from? The story of Moses’s Cushite wife is actually quite cryptic. Zipporah is one of the seven Let's first read the scriptures in Numbers 12:1-15: “Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. A straightforward reading of the Bible suggests that Moses married at least two women, neither of whom was Moses did marry a Cushite woman (Num. ” (5) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses' Black Wife This essay is dedicated to my dear friend Yosef “Chester” Robinson who was murdered in Septermeber, 2010. ; Reflect: Allow time for reflection on what you’ve read. This is something that I’ve always If she is the same black wife of Moses spoken of in Numbers, then God intervened on her behalf against the racism regarding their interracial marriage by Moses’s brother and sister (Num. Ebed Moses' father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses' wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. Facebook. Another interpretation is that Moses married more than once. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. A Cushite is from Cush, a region south of Ethiopia, where the people are known for their black skin. The Rabbis ascribe many traits to her; they considered her different than other women, in a positive sense, in both appearance and deed. She was a daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian, and she bore two sons to Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. Zipporah, the wife of Moses, was one of the seven daughters of Reuel, a Midianite priest, who was also called Jethro (Exodus 3:1) and Hobab (Judges 4:11). Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. When the daughters of Reuel, a Midianite priest, were being harassed, Moses helped them. Zipporah is introduced in Exodus as the wife of Moses. We can see why God gets angry at Aaron and Miriam for criticizing Moses’ interracial marriage. Saint Moses the Black lived during the fourth century in Egypt. Philo allegorizes her as an eye’s perfect focus, reflecting Moses’ direct perception of God. Aaron and Miriam objected to Moses marrying a black woman. Her appearances in the Hebrew Bible coincide with Life of St. Numbers 12:1. We know this because of Jeremiah 13:23: “Can the Ethiopian [the Zipporah, the name of Moses' wife, is only referenced three times in the Bible (Exodus 2:21, 4:25, 18:2). In his youth he was the slave of an Nevertheless, things soon changed as Moses possibly took another wife — a “Cushite” or proud Ethiopian woman whose name has never once been mentioned in any known religious scripture. Moses, Israel’s great deliverer would not have gotten far without the women in his life. In that situation, Miriam and Aaron were criticizing a marriage that, in a very essential way, no longer existed. This understanding not only fits with the details of the Yes. She is one of the seven daughters of Jethro/Reuel, a Midian priest. It appears that jealousy of the power and influence of Moses was the real cause of their complaint; though his having married an Ethiopian woman-האשה (2) So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent home, (3) and her two sons—of whom one was named Gershom, that is to say, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”; (4) and the other was named Eliezer, meaning, “The God of my father was my help, and He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh. Some say this Moses’ wife was Ethiopian, and this was the one thing Miriam had against Moses’ wife: she was Ethiopian, she was African. The Bible does not tell us what color Moses’ skin was. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. That person is Zipporah, wife of Moses. Daughter of Jethro, wife of Moses, and mother of Eliezer and Gershom. When Moses fled from Egypt into Midian, and there stood up in defense of the daughters of Jethro, priest or prince of Midian, against shepherds who would have hindered them form watering their flocks, Jethro took him into his house, and gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage, Exodus 2:15 Some scholars guess that Moses’ wife, Zipporah, was black since she was a Cushite (Numbers 12:1). Ancient interpreters debated the identify of Moses’ Kushite wife and the nature of Miriam and Aaron’s complaint. Finally, the last section brings Tharbis back into the discussion, in that early 20 th century America saw a resurgence of her presence in popular Mosaic legends, such as the sources that influence the Hollywood film The Ten In Midian, near a well, we find the beginning of Moses’ wife's story: “When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. Moses met her after fleeing Egypt and settling in Midian. Moses was content to stay there in Midian (Exodus 2:21). While her presence may not dominate the pages of Scripture, her role as a pivotal figure in the life of Moses and the Israelite community bears exploration and appreciation. In this blog post, you will uncover the layers of Zipporah’s story, tracing her journey from the land of Midian to the heart of When Moses fled the wrath of Pharaoh, he traveled to Midian (Exodus 2:15). This suggests that Moses' wife was of African descent, which may have been a point of contention due to ethnic and cultural differences. Moses’ wife, Zipporah, was the daughter of Jethro (also called Reuel), the priest of Midian. After being saved by the midwives, his birth mother, sister, and adopted mother, he needs yet another woman to protect him—Zipporah (Ex 2:15–22). “And Miriam, and Aaron with her, spoke against Moses concerning the Cushite wife he had taken,” the Book of Numbers narrates. The word Zipporah comes from the Hebrew tsipporah (Strong's Concordance #H6855) which means "a bird. The explanation above is certainly a wonderful one, yet it is hard to ignore the plain meaning of the text: that Moses actually married a Cushite woman. Most who use Numbers 12:1 as a defense for interracial marriage assume that Moses married a black woman among the “mixed multitude” (literally, “great rabble”; Exodus 12:38 Zipporah, whose name means “little bird,” is Moses’s wife. During the night, God’s hand of death came against Moses and “tried to kill him” (Exodus 4:24). Moses had a dark skinned wife for a specific purpose that was ordered by God. Since black is the color of the eye’s pupil, Philo here consults his knowledge of Greek science, specifically Plato’s However, the white evangelicals and other more mainstream Christans may still be reachable by pointing out Moses' wife was black. Exploring the ethnicity of biblical figures like Moses encourages a broader Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite (Numbers 12:1, NIV). In Bible times this was a powerful kingdom, sometimes rivaling Egypt in There are four reasons to believe that the Cushite wife of Moses is a black African woman. She circumcised her son Eliezer, after Moses declines to fulfil the obligation (Exodus 4:24). This can deepen your understanding and personal connection to the text. Her Story: This woman married Moses, the prophet who led the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. There, Moses met and married his wife, Zipporah, and served his father-in-law, Jethro, as a shepherd for forty years. “Cushite” refers to Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses - Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. Firstly, the article author has personally spent years studying references to Cush, Egyptians and Assyrian in the Old Testament, consulting Egyptian and Assyrian documents and can say with all certainty that in every reference in the biblical, Egyptian The wife of Moses is named Zipporah. Jethro and Moses (watercolor circa 1900 by James Tissot). TLDR: How is this significant? It takes the wind out of the sails of those who claim inter-racial marriage is sinful and should be banned. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble Moses' first wife Zipporah was "Shemitic" (descended of Noah's son Shem). She is called an Ethiopian, which can also be translated as Kushite, meaning she was from the ancient African kingdom of “Kush”, which is where modern day Sudan now is. Lorenzo DellaForesta July 30, 2020; Black Bible Characters; Moses had married a black woman. Moses’ wife (or wives) can offer us many insights into how God worked behind the scenes in the Old Testament. Throughout the Pentateuch, Moses’s wife is identified as Zipporah, a Midianite woman and the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian (Exodus 2:21; 3:1). He both defend’s Moses’ role as the preeminent prophet and he gives Miriam a skin disease that turns her “as white as snow. There is an understanding about Moses’ wife, which says that he was married to an Ethiopian lady. It could effect the lives of millions of families. Ethiopia, or Cush, was the region S of the first cataract of the Nile, a region to which Moses never traveled, according to the Biblical records. The Shulammite may have been black (Song of Solomon 1:5), although the context indicates that her skin was dark due to working in the sun. One has to remember Numbers 12:1 Context. While the term Kushite is generally understood as meaning black African, several places in the Bible refer to other locations as Kush, including Midian, the home of Moses’ wife Zipporah. " Although her name is listed only a few times, her interactions with one of the most famous men in Scripture are worth studying. The repetitive phrasing of the verse seems like it really wants Scripture describes how, after Moses protected Jethro ’s daughters from shepherds who did not allow them to access the local well, Jethro “gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses. Now a priest of Midian Miriam and Aaron complain against Moses, engraving from 1908. His role as a priest suggests he was a leader and spiritual guide among the Midianites, a people descended from The National Origin of Moses' Wife. The Cushite woman was black. 1650. 3) that Moses was the 'meekest' of mankind. Her introduction occurs in Exodus 2:21, where it is noted, "Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. Halter portrays Zipporah as a proud, black Zipporah is the wife of Moses, given to him in marriage by her Midianite priest father. The Midianites were known for their nomadic lifestyle and their trading skills. Who Are Some Important Black People Mentioned in the Bible? There are black people in the Bible in the Old When she finds him, she clings to him, not letting him go. [a] One interpretation of this verse is that Moses' wife Zipporah, daughter of Reuel/Jethro from Midian, was black. 2 (Spring 2009): 5-23. He sought refuge in the house of Midian (Exodus 2:15-16). In Exodus 12 Moses is described as very meek but the commentaries prefer humble, so the focus is on Moses and his wife being humble people and in reverse the antitype Miriam and Aaron not being humble. . Moses later married Zipporah and began a new life. “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. Ultimately, Zipporah is replaced by Moses’s second wife, a Cushite woman. On the way to Egypt, Zipporah circumcised their son and thus saved her husband’s life—Moses had neglected to obey The debate about ethnic identity and Moses usually centers on whether or not Zipporah was the black Cushite wife of Moses mentioned in Numbers. However, Moses’ whole upbringing and early adulthood prior to meeting his future wife were defined by the boundaries of ethnicity, a man who remained a foreigner in a foreign land wherever he went. Readers juxtapose an assumedly white Moses with a Black wife in a Black /white binary at work in American culture. Considering what races appear in those nations, it is logical to conclude that black people were in the Bible. Now the sister and brother challenge Moses about his wife. Moses defended them, showcasing his protective nature and eventually marrying Zipporah (Exodus 2:21). Numbers 12:1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. Much later, Moses married a descendant of Cush (Numbers 12:1). And Miriam — Miriam seems to be first named, because she was the first mover of the sedition; wherefore she is more eminently punished. Some have suggested that this story is an invention, arising from the "enigmatic" verse in Numbers 12:1 that states "Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married". However, Moses married a second time to a woman from Ethiopia (Kush)--whose name is never mentioned. Wait. God did warn the Israelites not to marry the Canaanites, but he forbade them to Engaging with the Text. Moses – The Prince Of Egypt, [] Zipporah and her sisters brought Moses back to their tent to meet their father, the priest of Midian, who liked Moses. Yet in the Book of Numbers Moses’s sister Miriam is upset about his having taken a “Cushite” wife. The Midrash provides a fascinating backstory Book of Numbers 12:1 states that Moses was criticized by his older siblings for having married a "Cushite woman", Aethiopissa in the Latin Vulgate Bible version. Zipporah. How did this happen? Well, Moses was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter Moses Had a Black Wife. The Ethiopian — Either, 1st, Zipporah, who is here called an Ethiopian, in the Hebrew, a Cushite, because she was a Midianite: the word Cush being generally used in Scripture, not for Ethiopia, properly so called, above Egypt, but Moses married an Ethiopian woman . Then, what was it about this woman that so upset Miriam? Well, Miriam was Moses’ older sister (the one that had followed him as a baby and that spoke to Pharaoh’s daughter), so perhaps she was protective of her younger brother. We also read that his sister, Miriam, became very distressed by the fact that her brother married a Cushite. Now, it's fair to say that scholars have argued over this interpretation. Solomon seems most certainly to have had at least one black wife (Sol. It was a racist reaction. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). She heroically saved Moses from an attack by circumcising her son. In the Table of Nations in Genesis 10, Kush is the eldest son of Ham (10:6) and the older brother of Mitzraim (Egypt), thus See more Some think Moses married a woman of a different race than he was. Ebed-Melech. 11:1-3), so he probably had one of Life of St. In a cryptic episode in the Torah, Miriam talked to Aaron about Moses "concerning the 'Cushite "Cush" is commonly translated as Ethiopia Moses and His Ethiopian Wife Sephora, Jacob Jordaens, lo, ca. In his youth he was the slave of an important man, but after he committed a murder, his master banished him, and he joined a band of robbers. Jethro is called a priest of Midian and became father-in-law of Moses after he gave his daughter, Zipporah, in marriage to Moses. As you observed, we hear earlier of Moses marrying the daughter of Jethro the Midianite. Zipporah was Moses' wife and daughter of Jethro the Midianite. 12:1–15). Ask Questions: As you read, ask yourself how the passages speak to current issues and personal circumstances. What? Brief Answer. Moses named him Gershom, a name that sounds like the Hebrew word meaning “a foreigner Moses’ wife, Zipporah, is mentioned again in Exodus 4:20: “Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. Moses, fleeing from Egypt, arrived in Midian and sat down by a well. Moses is married to a Kushite woman (Numbers 12:1). 1645–50. Miriam got angry and rebuked Moses. He originally had a wife named Zipporah who was the daughter of a Midianite priest (Exodus 2:15 - 21). Moses, a Jew, apparently married a black African and was approved by God. Conclusion. ‘Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. Zipporah gave birth to a son. Reuel was so grateful, he decided to receive Moses as a guest in his house and offered up his daughter Zipporah to Moses to marry. Zipporah was a Cushite, from the ancient Kingdom of Cush which was in Africa, located along the Nile River in what is now Sudan and Egypt. And Moses understood why there is inherent legitimacy in the spirit and voices of “the camp” — in our terms, the street. She is mentioned three times by name and once by role (Exod 2:21-22, Exod 4:24-25, Exod 18:2-6; Num 12:1). We know that Zipporah was a Midianite (Exodus 2:16; Numbers 10:29). He is introduced in Exodus 2:18. De Carlo was born in Vancouver, British Columbia . Most of the mentions of Zipporah are passing references. Moses had married a Cushite woman” (Num. " Zipporah played a significant role in Moses' life, particularly during a critical moment on The Nubian wife of Moses is found in the book of Numbers, chapter 12. The sole account of her is in Numbers 12:1, which expresses, “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had taken [as his wife There are many scattered references within Jewish sources to Africans or “black-skinned” people. Digging Deeper. Now, this is a problem because Zipporah, according to what was said above, was not Ethiopian; she When we read the first two verses of Numbers 12 in isolation, we might be led to believe that Miriam and Aaron had a problem with Moses marrying a black woman. [11] Miriam is punished for her rebuke of her brother by being afflicted with leprosy. Some propose that Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:3) was black. Zipporah’s actions led to a Talmudic discussion of women’s ability to perform circumcision. American Jews. Because the type and antitype require a reverse perhaps Aaron and Moses wife were both dragged into this narrative later. She played a significant role in Moses’ life, particularly during his years in Midian and his return to Egypt to lead the Israelites. Some say that "Cush" is a mistake for "Cushan", another word for Midian; Moses' named wife, Zipporah, was from Midian and the argument is that this was the same person. Moses – The Prince Of Egypt, the deliverer of Israel was married to a Cushite – aka a Black woman. Moses’ father-in-law Jethro Jethro, also known as Reuel, was the priest of Midian. While the term Kushite is generally understood as meaning black African, several places in the Bible refer to other locations as Kush, including Midian, the home of . He was an Ethiopian, and he was black of skin and therefore called “Murin” (meaning “like an Ethiopian”). Margaret Yvonne Middleton (September 1, 1922 – January 8, 2007), known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. ‘Hasn't he also spoken through us?’ And the LORD heard this. ) At once the LORD said All of the evidence that we can construct on Old Testament history indicates that Moses’ wife was black. This wife would have to be distinguished from the Midianite Zipporah. There’s not a lot mentioned about her in the Bible; however, she’s known for one major thing and it’s a bit strange. This understanding not only fits with the God’s response is telling. The fact that Jethro was “a priest of Midian” (Exodus 2:16) indicates that the Midianites, at least during Moses’ time, still retained the Zipporah was the wife of Moses. Here we will continue with another installment from Charles Weisman’s book Is Universalism Of God? — specifically where Weisman addresses the racial identity of Moses’ wife whom many falsely believe was a Nubian — a black African woman. 3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the Detail of Jacob Jordaens' painting "Moses and his Ethiopian Wife Zipporah," c. org. Identifying her with Zipporah was the work of early modern theologians who wanted to ensure that Moses was not seen as a polygamist; however, the difference in skin color was not denied by early modern Europeans, and we can see the Nubian wife portrayed in European art, for example, this In Numbers 12:1, Moses wife became the apparent reason for Miriam and Aaron's rebellion against Moses. In Josephus' (first century) writings and We couldn’t let Black History Month end without celebrating at least one Black (s)hero in the Bible. A new novel, Zipporah, Wife of Moses, by Marek Halter, puts a fictionalized spin on Zipporah by making her the "Cushite" or Ethiopian wife of Moses. Jewish Hollywood depiction of the Marriage of Moses, from The Ten Commandments, 1953. ” This is obviously poetic justice, as Miriam’s criticism of Moses of taking an alien as a wife, a black alien at that, results in her being turned pure white. 11 G‑d summoned the three siblings to the Tent of Meeting, where He explained to Aaron and Miriam that Moses was unlike any other prophet and his actions were justified. [12] We read10 how Miriam and Aaron spoke badly about Moses’ Kushite wife. Utilising cultural-critical reception history—that biblical interpretation is culturally conditioned—readers in the United States contrast a Black wife with These issues were close to home for him: Moses’ wife was black. Yes, Moses' wife represents the fulfillment of Christ's bride that was black from sin, and made pure and worthy of being His bride. Also, my friend Aryeh Tepper points out that Miriam’s punishment for complaining about Moses’ African wife perfectly fits the crime: She mutters about the wife’s black skin, so God covers Numbers 12:1. Twitter Americans overwhelmingly assume that Moses married a Black woman. . Because of Miriam’s response, God judged Miriam and gave her leprosy. So, if Zipporah is the 2 Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zippo’rah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), 4 and the Zipporah Moses’ Black Wife. Jethro is recorded as living in Midian, a territory stretching along the eastern edge of the Gulf of Aqaba, northwestern Arabia. (NIV) Here Moses is Among them is Zipporah, the wife of Moses. Moses met her after fleeing Egypt when he hit an Egyptian man for killing an Israelite. She was one of the seven daughters of Jethro, also called Reuel, a Midianite priest (Exodus 2:16-21). She and Moses had two children, Gershon and Eliezer. This is obvious reference to what will be. They then saw that Miriam was stricken with tzaraat (the biblical malady, often translated as “leprosy,” that affected gossipers). We don't know if Tharbis followed Moses when he fled from Egypt and toward Midian, Zipporah was black and was like a Cushite. There, Tharbis falls in love with him, and they get married. Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses - Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. Nevertheless, not all agree that the wife in question was Zipporah. Black Bible Characters - Did you know that there are black people in the Bible? In fact, there are quite a few! This list will give you a brief overview of Zipporah was Moses’ wife, and she is first mentioned in Exodus 2:21. What makes us think Moses’ wife was black? Cush was an ancient Moses' Wife: Zipporah Zipporah, the wife of Moses, was the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian. The mention of her According to the Jewish Women's Archive, when Moses killed a man in Egypt, he rushed to hide among the Midianites. Was there a hint of racism in their complaint, or did they just Moses is married to a Kushite woman (Numbers 12:1). Yes. 12:1), who may have been black (we have no way to be certain of this). Legend suggests that during the years before he fled to the desert, Moses was commander-in This term implies that his new wife was a black person, not an olive-skinned descendant of AbraHam. 2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. Donate. Moses' wife, often referred to as Zipporah, is a significant figure in the biblical narrative, yet her cultural background is frequently overlooked. However, Zipporah is shown as fiercely devoted to her husband, even though he neglects her. The geographical term כּוּשׁ “Kush” in the Bible refers broadly to Africa and Africans and more narrowly to the land south of Egypt, as do the cognate terms in Egyptian (kush) and Assyrian (kusu). J. Lesson #1: God Uses Those Outside of His Chosen People. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Using sources from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, this article highlights interpretations of Moses's marriage to the Cushite woman in Numbers 12. The long donkey ride on the way to Egypt left Zipporah, Moses, and their two children wanting for a good night’s rest. Some scholars propose that this woman could be Zipporah, Moses' Midianite wife (Exodus 2:21), suggesting that "Cushite" might refer to her appearance or a different aspect of her identity. After looking at all the evidence, he concludes: . 1:5; though this may only refer to a dark tan), but then again he had 700 wives and 300 concubines from all nations (1 Kgs. Moses met Zipporah while fleeing from Egypt after he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. He urged me to write this essay to explore the Jewish outlook on Black people. In Midian, Moses encountered Jethro's daughters who were being harassed by shepherds at a well. Zipporah, in any case, was not a black African woman. Since the word “Cushites” or “Ethiopians” refers to black-skinned people, it is possible that the word was also applied to the Midianites to describe them as nomads with dark ‘Moses’ wife was condemned for being black’ Deborah Blausten takes a controversial topic from the Torah and applies a progressive response By Deborah Blausten July 10, 2020, 9:21 am Edit In all my 53 black years, I HAVE NEVER heard this story of Moses and his black wife from the black pulpit, especially the part where God turned Miriam white as snow with leprosy for "dissing" Moses' black Cushite or Ethopian wife. Zipporah was a Midianite, a member of a tribe descended from Abraham through his second wife, Keturah. Some believe Midian is within the This post appeared first as Zipporah Protects Her Husband Moses on the Engage Blog for Bible. Daniel Hays makes a compelling case for it in his essay, “A Biblical Perspective on Interracial Marriage,” Criswell Theological Review 6. She became a Hollywood film star and sex symbol in the 1940s and 1950s, made several musical recordings, and later acted on television and stage. ) At once the LORD said The wife of Moses that the Bible actually discusses multiple times was Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro from the tribe of Midian, a close racial cousin of Moses. Moses the Black. בכור שור, במדבר י״ב:א׳:ג׳ Miriam and Aaron spoke about Moses and Tzipporah, what need was there for the Torah to describe Moses’ wife as אשה כושית when everyone is well aware that Moses married Tzipporah the daughter of Yitro who was a Midianite, not a Cushite. Two historical accounts tell of Moses traveling to Cush (south of Egypt) prior to his stay in Midian. Cush is an ancient name for an area of Africa. Numbers 12:1 says that Moses had married a Cushite wife. I won’t be able to address them all, but will at least try to clarify the one you cite that refers to Moses’ wife Tziporah as a Cushite, where Cush normally means either Ethiopia in particular or Africa in general. We cannot Apparently, Moses, before he flees to Midian, makes war with the Ethiopians. ”3. the case is extremely strong that Moses married a black Cushite woman from the Cushite civilization south of Egypt. She heroically saves Moses and her sons from a random attack from an angel by cutting off her son’s foreskin; the explanation for this act is unclear. Adam Clarke comments: Num 12:1 “Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses. They follow this up, with a challenge to his leadership. Study Bible. 1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. Your question It is therefore more likely that a black slave-girl is meant, and that the fault found by Miriam and Aaron was with the indignity of such a union; and this accords with the statement (v. We learn in Numbers that “Miriam and Aaron spoke against The idea that Moses had a black wife apparently comes from Numbers 12:1 which says Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of his Cushite wife. 12:1). dtzuo zom qadlgmc xoto qmwx zqzlba hbwn fpup czmc hoewizaz nuhi xhrv svcnrd zrylhx scjcp