{"id":45526,"date":"2021-02-18T00:01:14","date_gmt":"2021-02-17T21:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=45526"},"modified":"2025-05-12T01:55:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-11T22:55:29","slug":"did-moses-sin-by-marrying-zipporah-a-cushite-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/02\/18\/did-moses-sin-by-marrying-zipporah-a-cushite-woman\/","title":{"rendered":"Did Moses sin by marrying Zipporah, a Cushite woman?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In <\/span>Ezra <\/span>9:<\/span>12<\/span><\/strong> and <\/span>Deuteronomy <\/span>7:<\/span>3<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>God <\/span>strictly <\/span>commanded <\/span>the <\/span>Israelites <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>intermarry <\/span>with <\/span>people <\/span>from <\/span>other <\/span>nations. <\/span>The <\/span>purpose <\/span>of <\/span>this <\/span>command <\/span>was <\/span>to <\/span>prevent <\/span>the <\/span>Israelites <\/span>from <\/span>being <\/span>led <\/span>astray <\/span>to <\/span>worship <\/span>foreign <\/span>gods. <\/span>So <\/span>the <\/span>question <\/span>arises: <\/span>Did <\/span>servants <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>who <\/span>married <\/span>foreign <\/span>women <\/span>sin?<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Examples <\/span>often <\/span>brought <\/span>up <\/span>include:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Esther <\/span>marrying <\/span>King <\/span>Ahasuerus<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>a <\/span>Gentile <\/span>ruler.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Boaz <\/span>marrying <\/span>Ruth<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>a <\/span>Moabite <\/span>woman.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Moses <\/span>marrying <\/span>Zipporah<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>a <\/span>Cushite <\/span>woman.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let\u2019s <\/span>explore <\/span>each <\/span>case <\/span>theologically <\/span>and <\/span>biblically.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    1. <\/span>Esther\u2019s <\/span>Marriage <\/span>to <\/span>King <\/span>Ahasuerus (<\/span>Xerxes)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    According <\/span>to <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>law <\/span>in <\/span>Deuteronomy <\/span>7:<\/span>3\u2013<\/span>4 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201c<\/span>You <\/span>shall <\/span>not <\/span>intermarry <\/span>with <\/span>them, <\/span>giving <\/span>your <\/span>daughters <\/span>to <\/span>their <\/span>sons <\/span>or <\/span>taking <\/span>their <\/span>daughters <\/span>for <\/span>your <\/span>sons, <\/span>for <\/span>they <\/span>would <\/span>turn <\/span>away <\/span>your <\/span>sons <\/span>from <\/span>following <\/span>me, <\/span>to <\/span>serve <\/span>other <\/span>gods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Esther\u2019s <\/span>marriage <\/span>to <\/span>a <\/span>pagan <\/span>king <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>ideal <\/span>according <\/span>to <\/span>this <\/span>law. <\/span>However, <\/span>God <\/span>allowed <\/span>it <\/span>for <\/span>a <\/span>redemptive <\/span>purpose<\/span><\/strong>: <\/span>to <\/span>save <\/span>His <\/span>people <\/span>from <\/span>annihilation <\/span>under <\/span>the <\/span>rule <\/span>of <\/span>Haman. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>similar <\/span>to <\/span>how <\/span>God <\/span>occasionally <\/span>uses <\/span>flawed <\/span>circumstances <\/span>to <\/span>accomplish <\/span>His <\/span>sovereign <\/span>will.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Romans <\/span>8:<\/span>28 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong> says:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201c<\/span>And <\/span>we <\/span>know <\/span>that <\/span>in <\/span>all <\/span>things <\/span>God <\/span>works <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>good <\/span>of <\/span>those <\/span>who <\/span>love <\/span>him, <\/span>who <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>called <\/span>according <\/span>to <\/span>his <\/span>purpose.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    So <\/span>although <\/span>Esther\u2019s <\/span>marriage <\/span>wasn\u2019t <\/span>aligned <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>full <\/span>intent <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Mosaic <\/span>law, <\/span>God <\/span>permitted <\/span>it <\/span>to <\/span>accomplish <\/span>a <\/span>greater <\/span>purpose\u2014<\/span>deliverance <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Jews<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    2. <\/span>Samson\u2019s <\/span>Marriage <\/span>to <\/span>Foreign <\/span>Women<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Judges <\/span>14:<\/span>3\u2013<\/span>4 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/strong> records:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201c<\/span>But <\/span>his <\/span>father <\/span>and <\/span>mother <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>him, \u2018<\/span>Is <\/span>there <\/span>not <\/span>a <\/span>woman <\/span>among <\/span>the <\/span>daughters <\/span>of <\/span>your <\/span>relatives, <\/span>or <\/span>among <\/span>all <\/span>our <\/span>people, <\/span>that <\/span>you <\/span>must <\/span>go <\/span>to <\/span>take <\/span>a <\/span>wife <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>uncircumcised <\/span>Philistines?\u2019 <\/span>But <\/span>Samson <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>his <\/span>father, \u2018<\/span>Get <\/span>her <\/span>for <\/span>me, <\/span>for <\/span>she <\/span>is <\/span>right <\/span>in <\/span>my <\/span>eyes.\u2019<\/span>
    His <\/span>father <\/span>and <\/span>mother <\/span>did <\/span>not <\/span>know <\/span>that <\/span>it <\/span>was <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>LORD, <\/span>for <\/span>He <\/span>was <\/span>seeking <\/span>an <\/span>opportunity <\/span>against <\/span>the <\/span>Philistines.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Though <\/span>Samson <\/span>pursued <\/span>a <\/span>Philistine <\/span>woman <\/span>based <\/span>on <\/span>physical <\/span>attraction, <\/span>the <\/span>text <\/span>clearly <\/span>says <\/span>that <\/span>“<\/span>it <\/span>was <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>LORD.”<\/span><\/strong> This <\/span>doesn\u2019t <\/span>mean <\/span>God <\/span>approved <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>method, <\/span>but <\/span>that <\/span>He <\/span>would <\/span>use <\/span>even <\/span>Samson\u2019s <\/span>flawed <\/span>choices <\/span>to <\/span>provoke <\/span>conflict <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>Philistines, <\/span>who <\/span>were <\/span>oppressing <\/span>Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

    This <\/span>shows <\/span>how <\/span>God <\/span>can <\/span>use <\/span>human <\/span>weakness <\/span>and <\/span>even <\/span>disobedience <\/span>to <\/span>fulfill <\/span>His <\/span>divine <\/span>purposes<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>without <\/span>necessarily <\/span>endorsing <\/span>the <\/span>act.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    3. <\/span>Boaz <\/span>Marrying <\/span>Ruth <\/span>the <\/span>Moabite<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    On <\/span>the <\/span>surface, <\/span>Ruth <\/span>was <\/span>from <\/span>Moab\u2014<\/span>a <\/span>nation <\/span>prohibited <\/span>from <\/span>entering <\/span>the <\/span>assembly <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord (<\/span>Deut. <\/span>23:<\/span>3). <\/span>However, <\/span>Ruth <\/span>made <\/span>a <\/span>deliberate <\/span>and <\/span>full <\/span>conversion <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>God <\/span>of <\/span>Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ruth <\/span>1:<\/span>16\u2013<\/span>17 (<\/span>ESV):<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201c<\/span>For <\/span>where <\/span>you <\/span>go <\/span>I <\/span>will <\/span>go, <\/span>and <\/span>where <\/span>you <\/span>lodge <\/span>I <\/span>will <\/span>lodge. <\/span>Your <\/span>people <\/span>shall <\/span>be <\/span>my <\/span>people, <\/span>and <\/span>your <\/span>God <\/span>my <\/span>God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    This <\/span>makes <\/span>a <\/span>critical <\/span>theological <\/span>point: <\/span>The <\/span>prohibition <\/span>against <\/span>foreign <\/span>marriages <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>about <\/span>race, <\/span>but <\/span>about <\/span>religious <\/span>faithfulness<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Ruth <\/span>had <\/span>renounced <\/span>her <\/span>gods <\/span>and <\/span>fully <\/span>embraced <\/span>the <\/span>God <\/span>of <\/span>Israel. <\/span>That <\/span>made <\/span>her, <\/span>by <\/span>faith, <\/span>a <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>covenant <\/span>community\u2014<\/span>just <\/span>like <\/span>Rahab <\/span>the <\/span>Canaanite (<\/span>Joshua <\/span>2:<\/span>11, <\/span>Hebrews <\/span>11:<\/span>31).<\/span><\/p>\n

    In <\/span>essence, <\/span>Ruth <\/span>ceased <\/span>being <\/span>a \u201c<\/span>foreigner\u201d <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>spiritual <\/span>sense<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>Boaz\u2019s <\/span>marriage <\/span>to <\/span>her <\/span>was <\/span>both <\/span>lawful <\/span>and <\/span>blessed.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    4. <\/span>Moses <\/span>Marrying <\/span>Zipporah, <\/span>a <\/span>Cushite <\/span>Woman<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    In <\/span>Numbers <\/span>12:<\/span>1 (<\/span>ESV):<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201c<\/span>Miriam <\/span>and <\/span>Aaron <\/span>spoke <\/span>against <\/span>Moses <\/span>because <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Cushite <\/span>woman <\/span>whom <\/span>he <\/span>had <\/span>married, <\/span>for <\/span>he <\/span>had <\/span>married <\/span>a <\/span>Cushite <\/span>woman.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    This <\/span>sparked <\/span>tension <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>family, <\/span>but <\/span>notably, <\/span>God <\/span>Himself <\/span>defended <\/span>Moses<\/span><\/strong> and <\/span>punished <\/span>Miriam <\/span>with <\/span>leprosy (<\/span>Numbers <\/span>12:<\/span>10<\/span><\/strong>). <\/span>This <\/span>reveals <\/span>that <\/span>God <\/span>did <\/span>not <\/span>see <\/span>Moses\u2019 <\/span>marriage <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>sin<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Additionally, <\/span>Moses <\/span>married <\/span>Zipporah <\/span>before <\/span>the <\/span>giving <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Law <\/span>at <\/span>Sinai<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>so <\/span>he <\/span>could <\/span>not <\/span>be <\/span>judged <\/span>by <\/span>a <\/span>law <\/span>that <\/span>did <\/span>not <\/span>yet <\/span>exist. <\/span>Furthermore, <\/span>Zipporah <\/span>was <\/span>the <\/span>daughter <\/span>of <\/span>Jethro, <\/span>the <\/span>priest <\/span>of <\/span>Midian (<\/span>Exodus <\/span>2:<\/span>16), <\/span>who <\/span>appears <\/span>to <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>a <\/span>priest <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>true <\/span>God (<\/span>Exodus <\/span>18:<\/span>10\u2013<\/span>12). <\/span>Thus, <\/span>it\u2019s <\/span>reasonable <\/span>to <\/span>believe <\/span>Zipporah <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>God-<\/span>fearing <\/span>woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Therefore, <\/span>Moses\u2019 <\/span>marriage <\/span>to <\/span>Zipporah <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>in <\/span>violation <\/span>of <\/span>God’s <\/span>covenant<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>and <\/span>there <\/span>is <\/span>no <\/span>biblical <\/span>evidence <\/span>that <\/span>it <\/span>was <\/span>sinful.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    5. <\/span>Other <\/span>Old <\/span>Testament <\/span>Examples: <\/span>Joseph <\/span>in <\/span>Egypt<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Joseph <\/span>married <\/span>Asenath, <\/span>the <\/span>daughter <\/span>of <\/span>an <\/span>Egyptian <\/span>priest (<\/span>Genesis <\/span>41:<\/span>45). <\/span>This <\/span>was <\/span>also <\/span>before <\/span>the <\/span>giving <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Law, <\/span>and <\/span>God <\/span>never <\/span>condemned <\/span>the <\/span>union. <\/span>Instead, <\/span>He <\/span>used <\/span>it <\/span>to <\/span>preserve <\/span>the <\/span>lineage <\/span>of <\/span>Israel <\/span>through <\/span>the <\/span>famine. <\/span>Again, <\/span>it <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>ideal <\/span>by <\/span>later <\/span>standards, <\/span>but <\/span>not <\/span>considered <\/span>sin <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>time.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    Final <\/span>Application <\/span>for <\/span>Christians <\/span>Today<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    In <\/span>the <\/span>New <\/span>Testament, <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>principle <\/span>is <\/span>clear: <\/span>believers <\/span>are <\/span>to <\/span>marry <\/span>fellow <\/span>believers<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    2 <\/span>Corinthians <\/span>6:<\/span>14 (<\/span>ESV):<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201c<\/span>Do <\/span>not <\/span>be <\/span>unequally <\/span>yoked <\/span>with <\/span>unbelievers. <\/span>For <\/span>what <\/span>partnership <\/span>has <\/span>righteousness <\/span>with <\/span>lawlessness?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    It\u2019s <\/span>not <\/span>about <\/span>ethnicity, <\/span>but <\/span>faith<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Christians <\/span>are <\/span>to <\/span>marry <\/span>those <\/span>who <\/span>are <\/span>also <\/span>in <\/span>Christ\u2014<\/span>who <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>born <\/span>again <\/span>and <\/span>walk <\/span>in <\/span>obedience <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>gospel. <\/span>A <\/span>believer <\/span>marrying <\/span>an <\/span>unbeliever <\/span>is <\/span>considered <\/span>disobedience <\/span>to <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>will.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    Conclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
      \n
    • \n

      Moses <\/span>did <\/span>not <\/span>sin <\/span>by <\/span>marrying <\/span>Zipporah<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>He <\/span>married <\/span>before <\/span>the <\/span>Law, <\/span>and <\/span>God <\/span>did <\/span>not <\/span>condemn <\/span>him <\/span>for <\/span>it\u2014<\/span>instead, <\/span>He <\/span>defended <\/span>him.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Esther, <\/span>Samson, <\/span>Boaz, <\/span>Ruth, <\/span>and <\/span>even <\/span>Joseph<\/span><\/strong> illustrate <\/span>that <\/span>God <\/span>sometimes <\/span>permits <\/span>exceptions <\/span>or <\/span>uses <\/span>unusual <\/span>circumstances <\/span>for <\/span>redemptive <\/span>purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      The <\/span>heart <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>law <\/span>was <\/span>to <\/span>preserve <\/span>holiness <\/span>and <\/span>fidelity <\/span>to <\/span>Him<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>not <\/span>mere <\/span>ethnic <\/span>boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      In <\/span>both <\/span>Old <\/span>and <\/span>New <\/span>Testaments, <\/span>the <\/span>focus <\/span>is <\/span>on <\/span>spiritual <\/span>alignment. <\/span>Faith, <\/span>not <\/span>race, <\/span>defines <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>covenant <\/span>community.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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