How does polygamy in 2 Chronicles 24:3 align with biblical teachings on marriage? Biblical Text (2 Chronicles 24:3) “Jehoiada chose two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.” Immediate Literary Context Joash (Jehoash) was crowned at age seven (2 Chronicles 24:1). Jehoiada the high priest guided his early reign, reinstated Temple worship, and, in arranging two marriages, sought to secure royal succession after the blood-bath of Queen Athaliah (23:1–15). The Chronicler reports the fact without moral comment, just as he reports Joash’s later apostasy (24:17–22). Original Creational Ideal: One Man, One Woman Genesis 2:24 : “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Jesus re-affirms this as God’s design and foundation for marriage (Matthew 19:4–6). The singular nouns (“wife,” “man”) and the “one flesh” union present monogamy as the creational norm. Polygamy in Scripture: Descriptive, Not Prescriptive 1. First occurrence: Lamech (Genesis 4:19) is cast in a violent, arrogant light. 2. Patriarchs who take multiple wives (Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon) experience domestic strife or national trouble, underscoring that polygamy carries negative consequences. 3. No biblical command ever instructs a man to marry more than one wife; where plural marriage occurs, narrative or prophetic critique follows (e.g., Nathan’s rebuke of David, 2 Samuel 12). Divine Regulation, Not Endorsement The Mosaic Law limits damage: • Exodus 21:10—equal rights of food, clothing, and conjugal love for any additional wife. • Deuteronomy 21:15–17—firstborn inheritance may not be denied the unloved wife’s son. Such case laws function like modern traffic codes: they regulate inevitable human behavior without endorsing speeding. Specific Prohibition for Kings Deuteronomy 17:17 : “He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away.” Solomon’s later violation (1 Kings 11:1–4) illustrates the danger. Joash’s two wives fall short of the excess forbidden, yet polygamy stands below God’s ideal. The chronicler’s silence on moral evaluation does not override the Deuteronomic standard; rather, Joash’s eventual apostasy hints that his early compromises foreshadow deeper failures. Progressive Revelation toward Monogamy Old Covenant: polygamy tolerated under civil legislation. New Covenant: • Elders and deacons must be “husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2,12; Titus 1:6). • Marriage typifies Christ and the Church—one Bride, one Bridegroom (Ephesians 5:25–32). • The eschatological wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7–9) seals the monogamous paradigm. Pastoral and Practical Implications Today, Scripture calls believers to monogamous, covenantal marriage reflecting Christ’s love. Cultural practices, ancient or modern, that deviate from this ideal need the gospel’s transformative power, not selective proof-texts. Conclusion Polygamy in 2 Chronicles 24:3 is an historical note, not a theological endorsement. From Eden to the New Jerusalem, the consistent biblical trajectory is one man, one woman, for life—a design fulfilled and exemplified in the risen Christ, whose singular, faithful union with His redeemed people remains the ultimate template for marriage. |
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