Polygamy, the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time, has been a subject of significant debate in both religious and cultural contexts. In the Bible, polygamy is acknowledged, particularly in the Old Testament, but the scriptures do not offer a consistent endorsement or condemnation of the practice. This article seeks to examine 35 Bible verses that touch on polygamy, exploring the nuances of this practice within the biblical narrative and its theological implications.
1. Genesis 4:19
“Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.”
The first instance of polygamy in the Bible is introduced through Lamech, a descendant of Cain. This early mention sets the precedent for multiple marriages but doesn’t present any moral judgment on the practice at this stage in Scripture.
2. Genesis 16:1-3
“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.'”
In this passage, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gives Hagar to Abram as a secondary wife to bear children. This account presents the complexity and conflict that can arise in polygamous relationships, as Hagar’s pregnancy leads to tension between the women.
3. Genesis 29:21-30
“Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.’ Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.”
Jacob’s marriages to Leah and Rachel are pivotal in the biblical narrative. While Jacob initially intended to marry Rachel, Laban deceives him into marrying Leah first. Jacob then marries Rachel, creating a complex polygamous family dynamic. This passage highlights the social and emotional challenges associated with polygamy.
4. Deuteronomy 21:15-17
“If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons, but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, when he divides the inheritance as his property, he must not treat the son of the loved wife as the firstborn in preference to the son of the unloved one, who is the firstborn.”
This law in Deuteronomy addresses the inheritance rights of children born from polygamous marriages. It ensures that the firstborn son receives his rightful inheritance, regardless of the father’s affection for the mother, reinforcing the need for fairness and justice in family matters.
5. 1 Samuel 1:1-2
“There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite, from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah… He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah.”
Elkanah’s polygamous marriage is introduced as part of the background to the story of Samuel. The rivalry between the two wives, particularly due to Hannah’s inability to have children, is a central theme in this narrative.
6. 2 Samuel 5:13
“After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.”
King David’s marriages and concubinages are significant in the Bible. His taking of multiple wives is presented as a continuation of a common practice among kings and prominent figures during this period, though the consequences of these relationships are often portrayed negatively in Scripture.
7. 2 Samuel 12:8
“I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah.”
This passage refers to the prophet Nathan speaking to King David after his sin with Bathsheba. While God allowed David to have multiple wives, it is clear from the subsequent judgment that God’s approval of polygamy is not absolute.
8. 1 Kings 11:1-3
“King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites… He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines.”
King Solomon’s vast number of wives is one of the most notable examples of polygamy in the Bible. The passage highlights that Solomon’s marriages were politically motivated, with his many wives leading him into idolatry and away from the worship of the true God.
9. 1 Kings 11:4-6
“As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God… So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”
Despite his wisdom, Solomon’s marriages led him astray, suggesting that polygamy, when paired with the wrong influences, can have negative spiritual consequences.
10. 1 Chronicles 14:3
“And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David became the father of more sons and daughters.”
This verse reflects the continuation of David’s polygamous practice. While these marriages contributed to David’s large family, they also serve as a backdrop to the troubles his dynasty would face.
11. Genesis 25:1-6
“Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.”
After Sarah’s death, Abraham marries Keturah and has several children. Though not as widely discussed as his first marriage to Sarah, this relationship further complicates the issue of polygamy in biblical narratives.
12. Exodus 21:10-11
“If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing, and marital rights.”
This law in Exodus addresses the rights of a wife when her husband takes another wife. It emphasizes the responsibility of a man to continue providing for all his wives adequately.
13. Judges 8:30
“Gideon had seventy sons of his own, because he had many wives.”
Gideon’s numerous children, born of multiple wives, reflect the tribal and societal norms of his time. However, the focus in the narrative is not on the number of his wives but rather his leadership and eventual downfall.
14. 2 Samuel 3:2-5
“Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second, Kileab the son of Abigail… his sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah.”
This passage lists the sons born to David from his various wives. It highlights the large family structure that polygamous marriages can create, with political and familial implications for future generations.
15. 2 Samuel 5:13-16
“David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.”
The continued mention of David’s polygamous practices emphasizes the historical and cultural acceptance of polygamy during his reign. Yet, the moral and spiritual consequences of these relationships are often left unaddressed in these accounts.
16. 2 Samuel 12:11
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you.'”
After David’s sin with Bathsheba, God warns him that the consequences will be severe, particularly in his family life. Polygamy, while culturally accepted, can lead to significant familial and relational strife, as seen in David’s case.
17. Matthew 19:4-6
“‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?”
Jesus’ response to the question about divorce emphasizes the original design for marriage as a monogamous union, suggesting that polygamy deviates from God’s ideal.
18. Mark 10:6-9
“But at the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.'”
This passage reinforces the idea that the original divine design for marriage was monogamous, contrasting with the practices of polygamy found in earlier biblical accounts.
19. 1 Timothy 3:2
“Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.”
The qualifications for church leadership in the New Testament require faithfulness to one’s wife, suggesting that monogamy is the preferred model for Christian leaders.
20. 1 Timothy 3:12
“Deacons are to be the husband of but one wife and must manage their children and their households well.”
This qualification for deacons further emphasizes the expectation of monogamy in Christian leadership.
21. Titus 1:6
“An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.”
Again, Paul reinforces the expectation of monogamy for those in positions of leadership within the Church.
22. Ephesians 5:31
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”
This verse underscores the monogamous nature of marriage, as reflected in the relationship between Christ and the Church.
23. Genesis 2:24
“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
The foundational passage on marriage in the Bible speaks of the union between one man and one woman, pointing to monogamy as the divine ideal.
24. Matthew 5:32
“But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
This teaching of Jesus emphasizes the sanctity and exclusivity of the marital relationship, implicitly opposing the practice of polygamy.
25. Luke 16:18
“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
This statement by Jesus further underscores the moral stance against relationships outside of the one-man-one-woman marriage covenant.
26. 1 Corinthians 7:2
“But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.”
Paul’s advice about sexual relations within marriage implies a monogamous relationship, reaffirming the biblical view of marriage.
27. 1 Corinthians 7:10-11
“To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband.”
This teaching on marriage reinforces the monogamous nature of the marriage covenant in Christian doctrine.
28. 1 Corinthians 6:16-18
“Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.'”
This passage discusses the sacredness of sexual union and reaffirms the biblical model of monogamy.
29. James 4:4
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
While not directly addressing polygamy, this passage condemns infidelity and unfaithfulness in relationships, aligning with the biblical view of the sanctity of marriage.
30. Hebrews 13:4
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”
This verse emphasizes the holiness of the marriage covenant, further supporting the biblical position of monogamy.
31. Malachi 2:14-16
“You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.”
Malachi highlights the covenantal nature of marriage, condemning unfaithfulness and reinforcing the ideal of a lifelong, monogamous union.
32. Proverbs 5:18-19
“May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth… may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.”
This passage extols the joy and satisfaction of a monogamous marriage, emphasizing the beauty of exclusive love and fidelity.
33. Proverbs 31:10-12
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.”
The ideal wife in Proverbs 31 is portrayed as loyal, trustworthy, and worthy of the husband’s full confidence, reinforcing the importance of monogamy.
34. Matthew 19:8-9
“Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.'”
Jesus’ teaching reaffirms the original design for marriage as a monogamous union, emphasizing the ideal over the cultural practices of polygamy.
35. Revelation 21:2
“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”
This image of the Church as the bride of Christ highlights the intimate and exclusive relationship intended for believers, reinforcing the spiritual ideal of monogamy.
Conclusion
Polygamy is a complex issue in the Bible, and while it is present in various historical contexts, the overarching theme throughout both the Old and New Testaments is the promotion of monogamy as the ideal relationship model. Many of the Bible’s teachings emphasize the sanctity of the marriage covenant, fidelity, and exclusive love between a husband and wife.
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