Commentators:Midrash/Gentiles

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Midrash – Gentiles

See Yitro's Religious Identity and Yitro and Encounters with Foreign Leaders.

Gentiles who recognize Hashem – Malkizedek, Yitro, Rachav, Rut, Hiram, Queen of Sheba, Na'aman.

Intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles – Avraham, Jacob's sons – Shimon, Yehuda, Yosef, Moshe, Mered (Bityah), Shimshon, David, Shelomo.

Midrash employs conversion or claims Jewish identity to explain both of these phenomena:

Paroh's daughter (Bityah – see Divrei HaYamim I 4:18 and Bavli Sotah 12b), Rachav (Sifre Bemidbar 78, Bavli Zevachim 116b), Rut (Sifre Bemidbar 78, Bavli Yevamot 47b, Rut Rabbah 2:22), and Queen of Sheba (Shemot Rabbah 27:4). Also see the image presented in Yerushalmi Berakhot 2:8 of Hashem bringing the righteous of the world to Judaism.

Malkizedek (Bereshit Rabbah 56:10), Tamar (Bereshit Rabbah 85:10), and the midwives of Egypt (Bavli Sotah 11b).