Question:
What does the Bible say about interracial relationships and/or marriages?

Answer:
1 Kings 11:1-3 tells of King Solomon’s “strange women,” and the Lord’s word that the children of Israel (God’s earthly people) “shall not” marry the peoples of the nations because “they will turn away your heart after their gods.” This same principle is true for God’s heavenly people today.

The marriage of Boaz, who was a Jew, to Ruth, a Moabite (Ruth 4:13), was not an interracial marriage, because Moab was a son of Lot, the nephew of Abraham (Genesis 19:37). However, Moses, a Jew and descendent of Shem’s marriage to an Ethiopian woman, a descendent of Ham (Genesis 10), is an example of interracial marriage. But God supported Moses for having married her in Numbers 12:6, 7. Also, Judah had two sons by Tamar, who was a Canaanite, who was also a descendent of Ham (Genesis 10:6; 38:2, 6), and she is mentioned in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:1-3). So though “The Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, and separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8), yet He allows exceptions to those bounds.
There are two basic principles for marriage:
1. 2 Corinthians 6:14: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” – Only marry a true believer in Christ.
2. 1 Corinthians 7:39: “… [marry] in the Lord.” In other words, only marry a person who wants to live for the Lord. The Lord wants us to follow Him, showing fruit for Him, enjoying Him and His Word, and He will direct us to the one He has for us! The Lord asks the question: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).
Interracial marriage is not forbidden in Scripture, but the couple must be strong in the Lord because of the added differences in training, effect on the children that may come from the marriage, etc. that are built into an interracial marriage.