The Bible does not usually specify skin color.  Instead, it speaks of people’s relationship to God.  Of Noah, we are told, “Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations.  Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).  Of Job, we are told, “that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1).  The amount of melanin and skin pigmentation really does not matter.  What matters is faithfulness.

However, it might surprise some to know that there are Biblical characters who were likely black or dark-skinned.  Let’s consider a few.

1.  Moses’ wife.

“Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he married an Ethiopian woman” (Numbers 12:1).  Understand that the Ethiopians (Cushites) were known for their skin color (Jeremiah 13:23).  The siblings may have been complaining about this.  If so, this was not the real issue (I have found that people often complain about things which are not the real issue. They do not want to admit or deal with the real issue).  The real issue was their envy of Moses (Numbers 12:2-ff).  God was not pleased with Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:4-ff).

If this wife is the same as Zipporah, she circumcised her son when Moses had failed to do so.  She saved Moses’ life (Exodus 4:24-26). 

2.  The Queen of Sheba

“Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon… she came to test him with hard questions” (1 Kings 10:1).

The exact location of Sheba is uncertain.  There are two leading thoughts.  Some think that it was in Ethiopia or the Sudan.  Others think that it was in Yemen.  The location does seem to be south of Israel (1 Kings 9:26-ff; Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31).  If she were from Ethiopia or Sudan, then she almost certainly was black.

3.  Ebed-Melech.

Certain princes of Judah were tired of Jeremiah’s message.  They went to King Zedekiah and said, “Please, let this man be put to death, for this he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people” (Jeremiah 38:4).  Zedekiah was weak.  He told them, “Look, he is in your hand.  For the King can do nothing against you” (Jeremiah 38:5).  Jeremiah was let down into a mirey dungeon.  He is left to die without food or water (Jeremiah 38:5-ff).  Wayne Jackson comments, “The aging prophet (around sixty years of age at this time) was let down into the cistern by ropes.  Though the cistern had no water, it had mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it (v. 6).  Josephus says, ‘he stood up to the neck in mire’ (Antiquities of the Jews 10.7.5).  He would not last long in this state of confinement” (Wayne Jackson, The Prophets, p. 200).

An Ethiopian eunuch named Ebed-Melech (servant of the King) went to the king and pleaded for the life of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:7-ff).  The king granted that this man take some men and pull Jeremiah out of this dungeon (Zedekiah was weak and tried to please all).  This man saved Jeremiah’s life. An Ethiopian eunuch saved the life of an Israelite (See point 5).

4.  Simon a Cyrenian

“Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus” (Luke 23:26).  This man may have been in Jerusalem to keep the Passover.  He may have been black.  Some think so based on his being from Africa. However, this is far from certain. This would assume that all North Africans are black.  Cyrene was a city in Libya (modern Tripoli). 

It is possible that this changed the man’s life.  Some think that his son Rufus is the Rufus later mentioned by Paul (Mark 15:21 cf. Romans 16:13).  Note: Rufus means “red” not “black.” Name meanings do not necessarily suggest skin color. I have know people named “Blue,” “Green,” “Brown,” “Black,” and “White”; their names did not match their skin color.

5.  Ethiopian Eunuch

“And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning.  And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet” (Acts 8:27-28). 

Two possibilities seem to exist.  (1) This man may have been an Ethiopian who had proselyted to the Jewish faith (The early church did preach to proselytes, and had proselytes in it, before the gentiles entered cf. Acts 2:10; 6:5; Acts 8:4 cf. 11:19; 15:7 cf. Acts 10-11).  (2) It is also possible that his man was a Jew who lived and worked in Ethiopia.  If he were an Ethiopian who had proselyted, he almost certainly was black. An Israelite was involved in saving an Ethiopian eunuch (See point 3).

6.  Simeon called Niger

“Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul” (Acts 13:1). 

Simeon called Niger is mentioned.  Niger means “black” or “dark.”  This may not be a proper name, but a nickname. This has led some to believe that he may had had a dark complexion.

Also, Lucius of Cyrene is mentioned (See point 4).

Final Thoughts

Ultimately it does not matter.  Jesus said, “Go… make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).  Peter said, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:34-35).  Paul said, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you were baptized in Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28).  “But you yourselves… have put on the new man… where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all” (Colossians 3:8-11). Do you fear God and work righteousness? Are you in Christ? Have you been baptized into Christ? Is Christ all, and is He in you?