Does the Bible mention any black people?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible doesn't explicitly mention black people, but it does provide indications that some individuals within its narratives may have been black or dark-skinned. Characters like Zipporah, possibly Bathsheba, the Queen of Sheba, Simon of Cyrene, and the Ethiopian eunuch are suggested by scholars to have been black or of African descent based on biblical passages and historical context. The Bible doesn't emphasize or focus on skin color. It does make clear that salvation is for all people of all colors, race, or ethnicity.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Bible doesn't identify any specific person by their skin color, though there are indications that some people in the Bible were black.
• The majority of what takes place in the Bible occurs in the Middle East where most people are, and have been for recorded history, brown skinned. White people occupied lands to the north and west, while black people prevailed to the south. Asian and Indian people lived in the east. The message of the Bible is for all races.
• Zipporah, Moses' wife, was from Cush (Numbers 12:1), a part of Africa.
• In Song of Solomon 1:5 the Shulamite was dark skinned, though that may have been from exposure to the sun, judging by context.
• Some scholars believe Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:3) was black, and the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1) who visited Solomon may have been black.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In the New Testament, tradition has it that the man pulled from the crowd to carry Jesus' cross was black. We know his name, Simon, and where he was from, Cyrene (Matthew 27:32). Cyrene, in what is now Libya, is a Mediterranean Sea port city. People from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa settled there.
• The Ethiopian eunuch was most likely black (Acts 8:26–40), as were most people from Ethiopia then and now. Jeremiah even asked, in Jeremiah 13:23, if an Ethiopian could change his skin.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The Bible doesn't focus on skin color. When western Christians read about slavery in the New Testament it is wise to remember that in ancient times slaves were of all races, not black as in American history. Some scholars believe black people were descendants of Noah's son Ham (Genesis 10:6–20), but the evidence of such a lineage is scarce.

The gospel is for all people, regardless of skin color, heritage, socio-economic status, or family history. Jesus offers salvation to all who come and choose to believe in His death and resurrection as propitiation for their rebellion against God.

UNDERSTAND

• The Bible doesn't mention specific skin colors, but hints some were black, like Zipporah from Cush.
• Most biblical events occur in the Middle East, where people have historically been brown-skinned.
• Individuals like Simon of Cyrene and the Ethiopian eunuch suggest racial diversity in the New Testament.

REFLECT

• How does the absence of explicit mention of black people in the Bible challenge or impact you?
• . How does the biblical emphasis on salvation for all races this challenge or affirm your views on inclusivity and diversity?
• What does the Bible's focus on salvation being made available to all regardless of skin color reveal about God's intentions for humanity?

ENGAGE

• How do historical and cultural contexts influence our interpretations of biblical characters' races or ethnicities?
• What are some instances in modern society where race or skin color has been wrongly emphasized or neglected in religious contexts. How can we address such issues?
• Considering the diverse interpretations of biblical characters' races, how can we focus on the image of God in each person and the invitation to salvation to all?