Table of Contents
How many wives did Moses Get? And Was He Married Twice?
It's not entirely conclusive as some biblical texts seem to show that Moses might have had two wives and others show one wife. It's not entirely clear.
Educated Guesses on The Number of Wives Moses Had from Across The Web
- We have the name of one wife of Moses, Zipporah.
- Some believe that Moses had two different wives.
- Some even say that Moses had three wives.
- It is believed that even though Moses may have had more than one wife, he was not married to two women simultaneously.
- Based on Scripture and God's defense of him in Numbers 12, it follows that Moses was not doing something in contradiction to God by having multiple wives at the same time, which would be in defiance to the Lord Jesus' command for one wife in the Gospels.
- Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible clearly condemns having multiple wives as seen in Deutoronomy 17:17 He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
- It is believed by some biblical scholars that he may have lost a wife through death and then remarried the Cushite woman in Numbers 12.
- This is the Cushite or Ethiopian woman that Miriam and Aaron were in opposition to when God was displeased with them. That scripture is shown below.
| Scholar / Source | Position | Evidence / Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Gordon J. Wenham (Pentateuch Studies) | Two wives (Zipporah + Cushite woman) | Argues that Zipporah (Exod. 2:21) and the Cushite woman (Num. 12:1) reflect two distinct individuals. The text gives no indication the Cushite refers to Zipporah. |
| Nahum Sarna (JPS Torah Commentary) | Two wives | Notes that “Cushite” normally means Nubian/Ethiopian, not Midianite. Therefore, Miriam & Aaron’s objection in Num. 12 suggests a second marriage. |
| Jacob Milgrom (Numbers Commentary) | Two wives | States that the linguistic and geographical contrast between Midian and Cush makes it unlikely that the Cushite woman is Zipporah. |
| William H. C. Propp (Anchor Bible: Exodus) | One or two wives; debate remains | Accepts Zipporah as the only clearly named wife, but acknowledges scholarly division: some view the Cushite as a second wife; others as another title for Zipporah. |
| R. K. Harrison (OT Introduction) | Two wives | Holds that the passage in Num. 12 is best interpreted literally: Moses married a woman from Cush distinct from Zipporah. |
| John I. Durham (Word Biblical Commentary, Exodus) | One wife possible (Zipporah = Cushite) | Suggests the Cushite reference may be ethnic or descriptive—perhaps Zipporah’s darker complexion or Cushite ancestry in Midianite clans. |
| Kenneth A. Kitchen (Egyptologist / Historian) | Two wives plausible but not certain | Notes the historical plausibility of multiple marriages among leaders, and that Cushite mercenaries or residents were present in Egypt, making a Cushite wife historically possible. |
| Walter Brueggemann (Theological) | Two wives symbolically likely | Emphasizes that the narrative in Num. 12 depends on the scandal of Moses marrying outside Israelite-Midianite circles, suggesting a second, distinct wife. |
| Gerhard von Rad (Tradition history) | Two-source tradition | Proposes that the Cushite wife may represent a separate older tradition, distinct from the well-developed Zipporah cycle, implying two wives in the final form of the text. |
| James Kugel (Reception history) | Traditions vary | Notes that early Jewish interpreters generally assumed one wife, but most modern scholars see two women due to the plain sense of Num. 12. |
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses Over His Marriage To His Wife, The Ethiopian Woman
Numbers 12:1-10 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
4 And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
5 And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.
10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
Here are scholars on the one wife view:
| Scholar / Source | Position | Rationale for One Wife (Zipporah) |
|---|---|---|
| John I. Durham (WBC Exodus) | Zipporah = Cushite woman | Argues that “Cushite” may reflect appearance (dark complexion), a nickname, or an ethnological overlap due to Midianite-Cushite intermarriage or clan associations. Suggests Num. 12:1 is rhetorical rather than literal. |
| Brevard S. Childs (Exodus Commentary) | Likely one wife | Views the Cushite reference as a pejorative slur used by Miriam and Aaron to criticize Moses, not an introduction of a new wife. Emphasizes narrative unity. |
| Baruch A. Levine (Anchor Bible Numbers) | Cushite is descriptive | Notes that “Cushite” can denote dark-skinned peoples broadly, not strictly Ethiopians. Suggests Zipporah's Midianite heritage may have had Cushite ties. |
| Douglas Stuart (NAC Exodus) | Zipporah probably the Cushite | Reads Num. 12 within the family conflict context—the critique is aimed at Zipporah, suggesting Moses did not remarry. |
| Umberto Cassuto (Commentary on Exodus) | One wife (Zipporah only) | Emphasizes that the biblical text names Zipporah alone as Moses’ wife; the Cushite reference is a figurative ethnic designation. |
| Gerhard Hasel (Pentateuch studies) | One wife as textual unity | Notes that the Pentateuchal narrative structure assumes one marital relationship, with no introduction of another spouse. |
| R. Norman Whybray (OT scholar) | One wife—“Cushite” is polemical | Suggests Miriam and Aaron used “Cushite” to belittle Zipporah, not to identify a second woman. |
| Martin Noth (Source-critical view) | Original tradition knew only Zipporah | Proposes that the reference in Num. 12 may represent a variant descriptor, not a separate individual; the oldest strata of the tradition portray Moses with one spouse. |
Here are the findings of scholars who support only one wife:
Scholars who support the one-wife view argue:
Zipporah is the only wife explicitly named in the Torah (Exod. 2:21; 4:25; 18:2).
The “Cushite woman” does not introduce a new character.
“Cushite” may be:
a skin-color descriptor,
a pejorative ethnic term,
a broader ethnological label,
or an intertribal designation sometimes applied to Midianites.
The narrative purpose of Numbers 12 is rebuking Miriam and Aaron, not documenting Moses’ marriage history.
There is no separate story explaining another wife—unusual if a second marriage were historically assumed.
Thus, in this interpretation, Moses had one wife: Zipporah, daughter of Jethro/Reuel.
Final Thought and My Personal Belief
Based on the Scriptures, and the breadth of scholarly insight, it his highly plausible that Zipporah and the Cushite/Ethiopian are one and the same, indicating that Moses only married one time. This is postulated by Alonso de Sandoval, a 17th Century Jesuit, who puts Zipporah in a group of "notable and sainted Ethiopians". This view is also supported by Professor David Goldenburg.References:
Commentaries on Exodus
Propp, William H. C. Exodus 1–18 (Anchor Bible 2). Doubleday, 1998.
Durham, John I. Exodus (Word Biblical Commentary 3). Word Books, 1987.
Childs, Brevard S. The Book of Exodus: A Critical, Theological Commentary. Westminster Press, 1974.
Stuart, Douglas. Exodus (NAC). Broadman & Holman, 2006.
Fretheim, Terence E. Exodus (Interpretation Commentary). John Knox Press, 1991.
Commentaries on Numbers
Milgrom, Jacob. Numbers (JPS Torah Commentary). Jewish Publication Society, 1990.
Ashley, Timothy R. The Book of Numbers (NICOT). Eerdmans, 1993.
Wenham, Gordon J. Numbers: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale OT Commentary). IVP, 1981.
Levine, Baruch A. Numbers 1–20 (Anchor Bible 4A). Doubleday, 1993.
Pentateuchal / Patriarchal Studies
Sarna, Nahum M. Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Israel. Schocken Books, 1986.
Harrison, R. K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 1970.
Von Rad, Gerhard. Old Testament Theology: Volume 1. Harper & Row, 1962.
Brueggemann, Walter. Theology of the Old Testament. Fortress Press, 1997.
Historical & Background Works
Kitchen, Kenneth A. On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 2003.
Redford, Donald B. Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times. Princeton University Press, 1992.
Maly, Eugene H. “Cush” in Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible. Abingdon Press, 1962.
Mattingly, Gerald L. “Midian” in Anchor Bible Dictionary. Doubleday, 1992.
Jewish Interpretation / Reception History
Kugel, James L. How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture Then and Now. Free Press, 2007.
Ginzberg, Louis. Legends of the Jews. 7 vols. Jewish Publication Society, 1909–1938.
Tigay, Jeffrey. Deuteronomy (JPS Torah Commentary). JPS, 1996. (Comments on Moses’ family references.)
Biblical Ethnography & Language Studies
Currid, John D. Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament. Baker Academic, 1997.
Hoffmeier, James K. Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. Oxford University Press, 1996.
Baker, David W. “Cushite” in New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. Zondervan, 1997.
Other Commentaries & Scholarly Works
Alexander, T. Desmond. From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch. Baker Academic, 2012.
—Notes the singular marital focus on Zipporah and interprets Num. 12 rhetorically.
Dozeman, Thomas B. Exodus (Eerdmans Critical Commentary). Eerdmans, 2009.
—Highlights narrative coherence around Zipporah as Moses’ only spouse.Seebass, Horst. Numeri 1–20 (Biblischer Kommentar). Neukirchener Verlag, 2003.
—Argues that “Cushite” in Num. 12:1 is a derogatory epithet linked to Zipporah.Milton, John (yes, the poet). A Treatise of Civil Power. Oxford University Press edition, 2014.
—A historical theological source asserting Zipporah as Moses’ sole wife; influential in early Protestant interpretation.Heil, John Paul. “Moses and the Cushite Woman: A Literary Reading of Numbers 12.” Biblica 83 (2002): 493–508.
—Scholarly article explicitly defending Zipporah = Cushite woman.Ashley, John. The Book of Numbers (Sheffield OT Guides). Sheffield Academic Press, 1997.
—Discusses the rhetorical function of the term “Cushite” within Num. 12 and rejects a second wife.Seitz, Christopher R. Word Without End: Old Testament Essays. Eerdmans, 1998.
—Argues for the narrative unity of Moses’ marriage and rejects the two-wife hypothesis.GNB/Godet, Frederick Louis. Old Testament Studies: Exodus & Numbers. Reprint edition; originally 19th century.
—Traditional scholarly commentary affirming singular marriage to Zipporah.Brown, William P. Character in the Old Testament: The Book of Numbers. Fortress Press, 1997.
—Supports the interpretation that Miriam’s criticism targets Zipporah, not another wife.Wesselius, Jan-Wim. “Ethnonyms in Pentateuchal Narrative.” Journal of Semitic Studies 45 (2000): 125–140.
—Shows that ethnonyms like “Cushite” sometimes function metaphorically, bolstering the one-wife view.Additional Non-Overlapping Academic Resources
Knierim, Rolf P. Text and Concept in the Pentateuch. Eisenbrauns, 2008.
—Notes lack of internal evidence for multiple wives.Janzen, J. Gerald. Exodus (Westminster Bible Companion). Westminster John Knox, 1997.
—Argues strongly for a single-wife reading and contextualizes Num. 12 as a political challenge, not a marital disclosure.Soggin, J. Alberto. Introduction to the Old Testament. Westminster John Knox, 1989.
—Dismisses the idea of two marriages as textually unsupported.Harper, William Rainey. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Amos and Hosea. ICC, 1905 (classic critical scholarship).
—Discusses Cushite ethnography and supports its broader descriptive usage.Batto, Bernard. “Polemic and Identity in Numbers 12.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 61 (1999): 15–32.
—Shows the Cushite reference functions symbolically in the conflict narrative.
