Topical Bible: Polygamy: Authorized

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Topical Encyclopedia

Polygamy, the practice of having more than one wife simultaneously, is a topic that appears in various narratives throughout the Bible. While the practice is not explicitly endorsed or commanded by God, it is depicted in the lives of several key biblical figures, suggesting a level of cultural acceptance in ancient times.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, polygamy is most prominently observed among the patriarchs and kings of Israel. Abraham, the father of the Israelite nation, took Hagar as a secondary wife at the behest of his first wife, Sarah, to bear a child (Genesis 16:1-4). Jacob, later named Israel, had two wives, Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah, through whom the twelve tribes of Israel were born (Genesis 29:15-30; 30:1-13).

King David, a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), had multiple wives, including Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, among others (1 Samuel 18:27; 1 Samuel 25:42-43; 2 Samuel 11:27). His son Solomon, known for his wisdom, had an extensive harem of 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). However, Solomon's marriages, particularly to foreign women, led him astray from God, highlighting the potential spiritual pitfalls of polygamy (1 Kings 11:4).

Legal and Social Considerations

The Mosaic Law provided regulations concerning polygamous relationships, indicating its presence and acceptance in Israelite society. Deuteronomy 21:15-17 addresses the rights of the firstborn son in a polygamous family, ensuring that the inheritance rights are preserved regardless of the father's preference for one wife over another. Additionally, Exodus 21:10-11 outlines the obligations of a husband to provide for his wives, ensuring their rights to food, clothing, and marital relations.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the model of marriage shifts towards monogamy, reflecting the creation narrative where God made one woman for one man (Genesis 2:24). Jesus reaffirms this design in His teachings on marriage, emphasizing the union of one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6). The Apostle Paul also upholds monogamy as the standard for Christian leaders, instructing that an overseer or deacon should be "the husband of but one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6).

Cultural and Theological Implications

While polygamy was practiced by several notable figures in the Old Testament, it often led to familial strife and complications. The rivalry between Leah and Rachel (Genesis 30:1-8), the discord in David's household (2 Samuel 13), and Solomon's spiritual decline (1 Kings 11:4) serve as cautionary tales about the challenges inherent in polygamous relationships.

The biblical narrative suggests that while polygamy was tolerated in certain historical and cultural contexts, it was not the ideal model for marriage as intended by God. The shift towards monogamy in the New Testament reflects a return to the original design for marriage, emphasizing the unity and exclusivity of the marital bond.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Samuel 12:8
And I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given to you such and such things.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Elucidations.
... He considers that particular ceremonial law a protest against the polygamy which
God tolerated, but never authorized, under Moses; and its abrogation (ie, by ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/clement/the stromata or miscellanies/elucidations 3.htm

Perseverance of Saints.
... To be sure, David practiced polygamy, and did many things that in us, under the ... passages
are considered, are we, as I think we have seen, authorized so to ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture li perseverance of saints.htm

On the Interpretation of Scripture
... the two dates just mentioned is invested with authority; this authorized text is ...
the other in her lifetime'); and transferred from the Polygamy which prevailed ...
/.../on the interpretation of scripture.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... law; his sons could not marry unless he had duly authorized them to ... No doubt polygamy
and frequently divorce exercised here as elsewhere a deleterious influence ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm