Topical Bible: Multiple Wives

Bible > Topical > Multiple Wives

◄ Multiple Wives ►

Jump to: Topical • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Definition and Context: The practice of having multiple wives, also known as polygamy, is a marital arrangement where a man is married to more than one woman simultaneously. This practice is documented in various parts of the Old Testament, reflecting the cultural and societal norms of ancient times.

Biblical Instances:

1. Lamech: The first mention of polygamy in the Bible is with Lamech, a descendant of Cain, who took two wives, Adah and Zillah (Genesis 4:19). This early reference sets a precedent for the practice, though it is not explicitly endorsed by God.

2. Abraham: Although primarily known for his marriage to Sarah, Abraham also took Hagar, Sarah's maidservant, as a secondary wife to bear a child, Ishmael, due to Sarah's barrenness (Genesis 16:1-4). This decision led to familial strife and is often viewed as a deviation from God's promise to provide an heir through Sarah.

3. Jacob: Jacob, the patriarch of the twelve tribes of Israel, had two wives, Leah and Rachel, who were sisters. He also had children with their maidservants, Bilhah and Zilpah, resulting in a complex family dynamic (Genesis 29:15-30; 30:1-13).

4. David: King David had multiple wives, including Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, among others (1 Samuel 18:27; 1 Samuel 25:42-43; 2 Samuel 11:27). While David is described as a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), his polygamous relationships often led to personal and political turmoil.

5. Solomon: King Solomon, known for his wisdom, had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). His marriages, particularly to foreign women, led him to idolatry, which ultimately contributed to the division of the kingdom (1 Kings 11:4-11).

Mosaic Law: The Mosaic Law provided regulations for polygamous relationships, indicating its acceptance in Israelite society. For instance, Deuteronomy 21:15-17 addresses the rights of the firstborn son in a polygamous family, ensuring he receives his inheritance regardless of his mother's status.

New Testament Perspective: The New Testament does not explicitly address polygamy, but it emphasizes monogamy as the ideal for Christian marriage. Jesus refers to the creation account, highlighting the union of one man and one woman as God's original design (Matthew 19:4-6). The Apostle Paul also instructs church leaders to be "the husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6), suggesting a preference for monogamous relationships within the Christian community.

Theological Considerations: While polygamy is recorded in the Bible, it is often accompanied by negative consequences, such as jealousy, strife, and familial discord. These narratives serve as cautionary tales, illustrating the complications that arise from deviating from God's design for marriage. The biblical ideal, as seen in the creation account and reinforced in the New Testament, is a monogamous union between one man and one woman.

Topical Bible Verses

Deuteronomy 17:17
Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Topicalbible.org

1 Corinthians 7:2
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
Topicalbible.org

Library

Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
... Unless the number 480 was fixed upon simply as the multiple of symbolical numbers
(4 ... in this case their warrant in Zechariah 12:11-14, where "the wives" are no ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 16 synagogues their origin.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... men, as soon as they have cleared as much land as their wives and children ... of its
family in having not three but many divisions, usually a multiple of three up ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

Faustus Denies that the Prophets Predicted Christ. Augustin Proves ...
... and in two months there are sixty days; so that here, as in every multiple of six ...
said: "Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him ...
/.../faustus denies that the prophets.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... as goddess of the Delta before she had become a multiple and contradictory ... was united
to two goddesses, who were at once his sisters and his wives according to ...
/.../chapter ii the gods of egypt.htm

The Close of the Theban Empire --(Continued)
... or sculptured in the rock itself, representing the occupant, his wives and children ...
each other, and formed but one deity"a unique existence, multiple in his ...
/.../chapter ithe close of the.htm