Polygamy is allowed

[tharkun]

The 'allowance' of polygamy in the OT is an example of divine accomodation. God didn't try to change EVERYTHING about the Isrealite culture at once; He worked through the culture to move the society towards where He ultimately wanted to. We see the same thing with slavery in the NT. Paul acknowledges the reality of slavery and yet provides the tools to undermine the institution at the same time (e.g. Onesimus & Philemon).

[farouk]

On 2/19/2025 at 4:47 AM, Marston said:

Is there any scriptural support for polygamy? Is there an example in the Bible of a Godly man having multiple wives?

There are instances of polygamy; but no instances of general divine approval of polygamy.............

Edited February 21 by farouk

[Anne2]

On 2/15/2025 at 12:51 PM, towardseight said:

I believe that polygamy is allowed according to the Bible. By polygamy I mean that men can have more than one wife at the same time. But women are not allowed to have more than one husband at the same time. I will present 3 biblical proofs and then refute 2 counter-arguments.

I agree with this.

 

On 2/15/2025 at 12:51 PM, towardseight said:

Proof 1

The Law of Moses does not forbid polygamy at any point. In fact, it makes polygamy obligatory in one particular case: if a brother dies and has no children, the other brother must marry his dead brother's wife and produce offspring for him (Deut 25:5-6). There is no prohibition in the New Testament either.

Yes, this is so in scripture. The difference is the purpose. To raise seed to a brother. So in this situation, there is a connection still to her husband which has died.

 

On 2/15/2025 at 12:51 PM, towardseight said:

Proof 2

Prophets like Abraham, Jacob and Gideon had more than one wife at the same time and they were never condemned for it.

Indeed. Abraham, and Sarah no sin in this as some claim. Sarah and Abraham are both spoken of as faithful in the scripture.

On 2/15/2025 at 12:51 PM, towardseight said:

Proof 3

God gave David several wives and would have given him even more if it had not been enough (2 Sam 12:7-8). Something like this would not be in the Bible if polygamy were forbidden or bad.

The first child died as a result of that sin. But Solomon was exalted.

I wonder if this has anything to do with levirate marriage law? The first otherwise would have been to Uriah?

On 2/15/2025 at 12:51 PM, towardseight said:

Refutation of Counter-Argument 1

Man and woman should become one flesh. Does this mean that polygamy is wrong? No. Because a man can be one flesh with several women. If he marries a woman, he is one with her. If he marries another woman, he is one with her. He is one flesh with each of them.

This, I am not so sure about. There is a distinction in the law between a wife and a concubine. I do think a man and his wife do indeed become one flesh as you say, but the wife with a ketubah, (contract/covenant), Does not lose her status in the taking of a concubine. Furthermore a man must have wealth enough to take an additional wife.

Ge 13:2  And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
 

God made him rich

Ge 14:23  That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
 

 

Status was the issue with Sarah and Hagar. Hagar was acting towards Sarah in a manner that diminished Sarah's status once she became pregnant. this was not to be accepted. Thus Sarah said "The Lord judge between you and me"

Ge 16:5  And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

God spoke to Abraham, and Abraham spoke this to Sarah. What we have here IMO, is her saying I did as you said. If God spoke to you so be it. If not, it was on Abraham.

Abraham and Sara both are spoken of as being "faithful". Being rewarded for that faithfulness. Yet there are those that look at these events as a couple attempting to do God's bidding of their own will. Why? Because they disapprove of such relationships which scripture appears not to that. God hates divorce. We hate polygamy instead?

Ro 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
Ro 9:9  For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
Heb 11:11  Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

1Pe 3:6  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. {daughters: Gr. children }

Ge 18:12  Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
 

 

Edited February 21 by Anne2

[walla299]

I'm thankful that Scripture is honest. While polygamy is not condemned in Scripture it does show that the practice can result in unintended consequences through the centuries. Two wives haggling over who gets to sleep with their husband? Children of one wife preferred (or loved more) than those from the other? Doesn't sound like the best way to run a family to me, but we are fallen creatures and such problems with always arise.

I personally take those examples to show that, "One wife at a time." is sufficient. Quite a few married folks agree that one partner at a time is enough trouble!  lol

 

[Anne2]

45 minutes ago, walla299 said:

I'm thankful that Scripture is honest. While polygamy is not condemned in Scripture it does show that the practice can result in unintended consequences through the centuries. Two wives haggling over who gets to sleep with their husband? Children of one wife preferred (or loved more) than those from the other? Doesn't sound like the best way to run a family to me, but we are fallen creatures and such problems with always arise.

I personally take those examples to show that, "One wife at a time." is sufficient. Quite a few married folks agree that one partner at a time is enough trouble!  lol

 

 

These offices are supported by the Church. 

As was noted, polygamy was only for the wealthy. The Church should not be burdened with supporting the household of men desiring more than one wife. It is indeed sufficient for those ministers living from the Church..

1Ti 3:2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; {of good … : or, modest }
1Ti 3:12  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Tit 1:6  If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

As for what is preferred. It appears that divorce is preferrable to polygamy today. Each marriage partners abandoning one household for new ones. A man can have more than one wife, just not at the same time. So too, do women. Or now they just live together, until  they decide not to. Somehow we find that preferrable, to a man supporting and retaining one household

Don't marry a wealthy man. It took considerable wealth ( Trump, Musk etc) to lawfully have such a large household.

Edited February 21 by Anne2

[Who me]

I can't  find the article I read a while,e back that discussed the consequences of polygamy  on a society.

Because only a wea.thy mancan afford  many wives, it means elderly rich men would buy up the available pretty young women.

Because of a shortage of available women and of the need for wealth, young men turn to war, raiding, banditry as a means of quickly gaining wealth.

Polygamy is a desta iliser of society as well as a genetic bottleneck.

Christian marriage in contrast settles you g men in productive work as they seek to support their families, it educates boys and girls.s in how society works and how boys/girls relate  to each other.

[Anne2]

7 hours ago, Who me said:

I can't  find the article I read a while,e back that discussed the consequences of polygamy  on a society.

Because only a wea.thy mancan afford  many wives, it means elderly rich men would buy up the available pretty young women.

Because of a shortage of available women and of the need for wealth, young men turn to war, raiding, banditry as a means of quickly gaining wealth.

It depends on those practicing it, and what it allows. Which may be unbiblical...

 

7 hours ago, Who me said:

Polygamy is a desta iliser of society as well as a genetic bottleneck.

Christian marriage in contrast settles you g men in productive work as they seek to support their families, it educates boys and girls.s in how society works and how boys/girls relate  to each other.

Polygamy as biblically speaking did not do this. Polygamy makes for a Genealogical socialism.

Rather than government taking a man's  wealth to distribute among society. The wealthy mans own children make up more people within that society.

Wealth gets distributed through the children.

Marriage would have as it's focus, a man taking care of his wife/s children. Rich men outside of this use their money  to control a society of people, or living to excess.

Think of it...

A man having twice as much money as another, uses his money for the very same purpose:  being responsible to care for his household.

Shelter , food, clothing, education etc. They are no different in what the money goes for...

The children of both dress on equal wealth, live in equal quality of homes, etc. Rather than the excessive things which the children of the wealthy in a non polygamous situation. Some peoples children live disgustingly excessive and are ruined by it.

 

Edited February 22 by Anne2

[kwikphilly]

On 2/15/2025 at 3:51 PM, towardseight said:

I believe that polygamy is allowed according to the Bible. By polygamy I mean that men can have more than one wife at the same time. But women are not allowed to have more than one husband at the same time. I will present 3 biblical proofs and then refute 2 counter-arguments.

Proof 1

The Law of Moses does not forbid polygamy at any point. In fact, it makes polygamy obligatory in one particular case: if a brother dies and has no children, the other brother must marry his dead brother's wife and produce offspring for him (Deut 25:5-6). There is no prohibition in the New Testament either.

Proof 2

Prophets like Abraham, Jacob and Gideon had more than one wife at the same time and they were never condemned for it.

Proof 3

God gave David several wives and would have given him even more if it had not been enough (2 Sam 12:7-8). Something like this would not be in the Bible if polygamy were forbidden or bad.

Refutation of Counter-Argument 1

Man and woman should become one flesh. Does this mean that polygamy is wrong? No. Because a man can be one flesh with several women. If he marries a woman, he is one with her. If he marries another woman, he is one with her. He is one flesh with each of them.

Refutation of Counter-Argument 2

In 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, the Apostle Paul says that one should be “a man of one wife”. However, he did not say this to all Christians, but only to epsicopes, deacons and presbyters. Moreover, Paul may not necessarily have had polygamy in mind. He could also have been referring to sex outside of marriage. So it could be translated like this: “a man should not have illegitimate sex, but one wife”. Therefore, the point is not that a man should only have one wife, but that a man should not commit fornication.

Not sure if you'll see this ,you've not been back to refute much of anything but if so:

There's so many places throughout the Bible ( New Testament as well as Old) that shows us that God Intended monogamous marriage from the very start when He Created one woman for one man in the Book of Genesis

Lev 18:18 be,God Forbids Polygamy.... people will actually argue this only prohibits sororal polygamy - because God Made Allowances does not mean it is Pleasing or Acceptable in His Sight and neither does those Allowances abolish His Commands( same as divorce)- He Makes His Intentions clear and He even tells us why and warns of the ramifications  disobedience results in..... all of the Laws God put in place where never to condemn men but for our Good....

In Duet 17:17 God Warns against polygamy to Israel's leaders ,Solomon was disobedient and a great example of God Making Allowances because of man's shortcomings & hardness of heart

Jesus Fulfilled all of the Law and the Profits- God's Grace,Mercy,Patience & Love for His Creation is Evident... In all the examples of polygamous relationships throughout the Bible only shows men's weakness,his sin nature,his inability to keep God's Commandments....that does not mean it's okay,it neither changes God's Intention,His Will or His Law- God is the Same yesterday,today and forevermore

It's not rocket science and no one has to dig deep to find the Answer to this one- God Gave Adam one woman,not several

 

 

[Anne2]

9 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

Lev 18:18 be,God Forbids Polygamy.... people will actually argue this only prohibits sororal polygamy - because God Made Allowances does not mean it is Pleasing or Acceptable in His Sight

Hello kwik, I usually agree with you, but here I cannot

They argue that I suppose because that is what it speaks to. If this passage spoke to polygamy it would have.....spoken about multiple wives, but it did not. No need to prohibit any other specific "sort" of woman all together. Levirate marriage was pleasing and acceptable in his sight. Rather for a man to refuse this, was not pleasing and was inacceptable.

De 25:9  Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.

Clearly the child born to her, goes to his brother not himself. The firstborn of his brother. What the man who takes the responsibility is not to have his own firstborn son to his name? That would have to come from another woman.

Ex 13:12  That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S.

9 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

neither does those Allowances abolish His Commands( same as divorce)-

Same as divorce? Again Scripture speaks of divorce, not polygamy. Here is yet another opportunity to speak to polygamy and it does not. 

Mt 19:8  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

9 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

In Duet 17:17 God Warns against polygamy to Israel's leaders ,Solomon was disobedient and a great example of God Making Allowances because of man's shortcomings & hardness of heart

 

Again this passage speaks of not just women, but horses, silver, gold...etc.

Lev 17:16  But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Strange wives.  

Again "sort" of women

 

1   But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; {together … : or, beside }
2  Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
 

Paul speaks of not marrying at all. Again nothing concerning polygamy, simply marriage period.

1 Cor 7:27  Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28  But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

32  But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: {that belong … : Gr. of the Lord }
33  But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
 

The only time it speaks to multiple wives is positions in the Church which. wealth would be necessary to maintain a large household...

Blessings to you  kwik.
 

[Who me]

A different article on the problems of polygamy:https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-problems-with-polygamy

It referrs to an article on the wall street journay, if you have an account one can read the whole article, otherwise the experts give a good flavour of why polygamy is a bad idea.