Question:  Dear Greg,

            I would like to ask you a question about Moses.  Did the Ethiopian women Moses married have black skin?  I was told his second wife was black and his brother Aaron was against what his brother did (Numbers 12:1).  Thank you.

            Your friend in Christ,

            Karen

Answer:  Dear Karen,

            We do not know the color of this woman’s skin because the Bible does not supply it.  This woman (Numbers 12:1) may be Zipporah (Exodus 2:16).  Zipporah was from Midian which may or may not be related to Cush (Numbers 12:1).  Genesis 10:6 links Ethiopia and Cush.  If Midian is not connected with Cush, then Numbers 12:1 may be talking about a second wife.

            Whether Moses had one or two wives, the fact is that neither was of Israel, culturally, and both may have had a different color of skin.  It is true that most Ethiopians would be what we would today consider “black”, but it is also true that the ancient Hebrews were most probably not the color and complexion many white European artists have depicted.  Most likely they (the Jews of that time) were what we would consider olive skinned, with many shades of color possible.

            The problem that Miriam and Aaron, Moses’ brother and sister had with Moses was challenging Moses’ authority.  It was not simply a case of sibling rivalry, or of a family not liking the color or culture of the spouse of one of their siblings.  As we read the chapter we see that Miriam was a prophetess and Aaron was a priest, and that together they challenged Moses’ position as the mediator between God and Israel.  Objections that Miriam and Aaron raised about Moses’ wife, or any other matter, were just a smokescreen for their real agenda—which was that they claimed equality with Moses in terms of the unique authority God had given Moses.

            It is also helpful to read that God was not amused with the real agenda of Miriam and Aaron and clearly demonstrated the ugliness and sinfulness of their actions and attitudes.  There is no doubt, as we read this passage, about whom God supported and whose actions he found to be appropriate and whose were inappropriate (whatever the reasons they may have given).

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht