More than one wife?

[godsgurlie_077]

I have been doing a lot of reading especially in 1 Samuel and noticed that David had more than one wife and I also know that Jacob had more than one wife. Why is that it was kind of confusing but I guess that is what they did back then right? Am I right?

[MilkmanDan]

I was trying to make sense of this too?

[Jerry]

God did not promote it or endorse it, but He allowed it. We see His pattern in the Scriptures (Genesis 2 - 1 man, 1 woman, for life), and we see how much grief it caused each family when a believer took more than one wife.

[John81]

Any married man can tell you that one wife is more than enough! :Green

God did specifically command the kings not to have multiple wives (or to have lot's of horses...but that was another matter).

[Guest Guest]

True, and we see that even Solomon(who should know :frog) did not endorse it as a positive thing.

" Ecclesiastes 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun."

Notice he uses a singular.


But... on the other hand when God sends Nathan to confront David he says this:

2 Samuel 12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.


Which I admit is a little confusing if God considered it wrong... Whether it is wrong or not, it is definitely stupid and in our culture illegal.

[MilkmanDan]

Not really confusing (anymore anyway :lol ).

I believe the first instance of polygamy (in the Bible) was in Genesis with Lamech. If you notice nowhere in that chapter was God or any mention of God. So it only makes sense that God does not promote or encourage Polygamy.

Again we should look at what happened to those who choose polygamy.

[Guest Guest]

agreed.

[godsgurlie_077]

Not really confusing (anymore anyway :lol ).

I believe the first instance of polygamy (in the Bible) was in Genesis with Lamech. If you notice nowhere in that chapter was God or any mention of God. So it only makes sense that God does not promote or encourage Polygamy.

Again we should look at what happened to those who choose polygamy.

:amen:

[Danny Carlton]

In cultures where wars or even famine reduce the male population, it becomes necessary for men to take more than one wife to A. build the population back up and B. provide a husband for women who otherwise would be unprotected. (remember the main reason the men died was because they were protecting the women). But in modern society where the population is pretty much 50/50 men/women, polygamy can and will cause a lot of problems. Rich and powerful men will collect wives leaving younger men without the option of marriage, and marriage curbs the natural aggressiveness of young men. In every society that polygamy has been allowed, and a population imbalance didn't justify it, you see the same example.

[Anon]

I agree with Danny that God allowed it for population and also to care for single destitute women because back then they couldn't just go get an office job... a woman without a man or son was destitute.

I feel that OT polygamy is pretty much like modern day divorce and remarriage. God says in the NT that he equates divorce and remarriage with adultery which would pretty much be like polygamy. God "allows" many Christians, even, to be divorced and remarried, however this sin comes with its consequences just like any other.

[JerryNumbers]

I agree with Danny that God allowed it for population and also to care for single destitute women because back then they couldn't just go get an office job... a woman without a man or son was destitute.

I feel that OT polygamy is pretty much like modern day divorce and remarriage. God says in the NT that he equates divorce and remarriage with adultery which would pretty much be like polygamy. God "allows" many Christians, even, to be divorced and remarried, however this sin comes with its consequences just like any other.

Suzy, your right on that, those who have divorced who had children, remarried and had more children, it gets very complicated and causes everyone involved much trouble.

I agree, God allowed it in the beginning times to populate this earth but that does not mean He is for it.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

It does say wife, not wives.

Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh



Again, cleave to his wife, they 2 shall be one flesh, not they 3, not they 4 and so on.

Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Joined unto his wife, they 2 shall be one.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.

Husband is the head of the wife, not wives.

So it seems very clear that God is for one man and one woman being married, not any other way.

[heartstrings]

Suzy, your right on that, those who have divorced who had children, remarried and had more children, it gets very complicated and causes everyone involved much trouble.

I agree, God allowed it in the beginning times to populate this earth but that does not mean He is for it.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

It does say wife, not wives.

Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh



Again, cleave to his wife, they 2 shall be one flesh, not they 3, not they 4 and so on.

Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Joined unto his wife, they 2 shall be one.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.

Husband is the head of the wife, not wives.

So it seems very clear that God is for one man and one woman being married, not any other way.

Absolutely,
That's what Jesus said would happen in the last days "marrying and giving in marriage".
Also notice that the Lord Jesus Christ......the Bridegroom.... will have only one bride.

[zealyouthguy]

God is long suffering. I think we need to be careful when we say God "allowed it". I don't think it was done as a permissive thing with the Lord. I think that originally, in perfection, that God intended for marriage to between one man and one woman. He has always meant for it to be this way. It didn't change based on the times. If God has changed his mind on this, then opponents might say the same thing about homosexual "marriage", group "marriage", or even (like the whacko's in India) "marriage" to animals.

God doesn't change.

The next argument I usually hear when I state that is, "then why can't brothers and sisters marry".

First, because God said so.

Second, because it wasn't a modification of what marriage was, it was still one man and one woman being united.

[Danny Carlton]

The next argument I usually hear when I state that is, "then why can't brothers and sisters marry".

First, because God said so.

Seems He forgot to tell Abraham and Sarah.

[kevinmiller]

I'm so glad someone changed "then" to "than." It was driving me crazy. lol
Okay, that was it. :lol :bolt: