Polygamy in Scripture

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Marriage is under such attack, that I wonder why there hasn’t been more general attempts to legalize polygyny (multiple wives) and polyandry (multiple husbands) in this country.

I’m not sure why there aren’t more questions on these subjects in this website.

People ask questions about why God allowed violence in the Old Testament, but there’s little interest in these other marriage subjects.

Polygamy (and more) seems to be allowed in scripture – I think it is in Judges that Gideon has wives and concubines, even.

I’d be more inclined to argue for having seven wives that worrying about seven days of creation – much more practical consequences.

Even the OT covenant didn’t make monogamy the standard.
 
Despite the image the OT paints, the most common form of marriage in Israel was monogamy. While it may appear that the OT allows and even approves of polygamy, oftentimes the authors of the text will subtly show how such acts lead to major problems in the end. Although the authors don’t come out and specifically state, “Because he had multiple wives such and such happened,” they assume the reader will pick up on the significance. Just the first example that comes to mind, when Sarah give Hagar to Abraham (Gn 16) almost the exact same Hebrew words are used as when Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit (not a good thing). It may also be worth noting that marriages in ancient Israel were civil contracts, not like our sacramental understanding of them today.
 
I would say that in Old Testament times, God tolerated rather than condoned polygamy. There is a difference. (God, after all, only gave Adam one wife in the Garden of Eden.) Rather like the toleration of slavery in Biblical times. These are evils that could not be rooted out overnight, though Christianity carried within it the seeds of their eventual eradication.

As far as why polygamy isn’t advocated publicly and vocally in this country (though it does have its advocates), just wait. When gay “marriage” becomes entrenched and widely accepted, other hitherto illicit associations will follow.
 
I wonder that, too. The government is all about “freedoms” and now gives gays and lesbians the right to marry, even though gay marriage is not found in any recognized religion. And yet polygamy is/was allowed by Mormonism, there are many Mormons, there is a Constitutional right to religious freedom, and Mormons cannot have multiple spouses? I think the government is overstepping its bounds. At one time, the Church was doing it, and now it’s the State. It’s controlled by lobbyists and now they take our tax money to fund whatever causes they want… I thought it was supposed to go to education, law enforcement, emergency services, road repair, things like that, NOT special interest groups.
 
Well, I will agree that groups are waiting in the wings to have other forms of marriage approved, I just thought that polygyny would be ahead of the other forms, because non-religious people seem to be so promiscuous.

And, perhaps, that’s the point, that marriage becomes superfluous to people acting only according to their base instincts. No surprise there, I guess.
 
Concerning polygamy:

The laws of God protect us from sin…
The laws of the US protect those who can’t protect themselves 😉

I started introducing my wife as my first wife…
until she started introducing me as her future ex. 😉
 
You seriously introduced your wife as your first wife? I can see why she was upset… XD
 
An older friend and his wife used to have these special conversations about what attributes and operational characteristics his next wife should have.
 
AnthonyPadua001 said:
Despite the image the OT paints, the most common form of marriage in Israel was monogamy. While it may appear that the OT allows and even approves of polygamy, oftentimes the authors of the text will subtly show how such acts lead to major problems in the end. Although the authors don’t come out and specifically state, “Because he had multiple wives such and such happened,” they assume the reader will pick up on the significance. Just the first example that comes to mind, when Sarah give Hagar to Abraham (Gn 16) almost the exact same Hebrew words are used as when Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit (not a good thing). It may also be worth noting that marriages in ancient Israel were civil contracts, not like our sacramental understanding of them today.
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👍 Great post. I believe, without exception, all of the polygamous relationships in the bible led to infighting, jealously and other tragedies. Man and woman become “echad” (one) flesh upon their union.

Blessings,

Brian
 
Victorious said:
I would say that in Old Testament times, God tolerated rather than condoned polygamy. There is a difference. (God, after all, only gave Adam one wife in the Garden of Eden.) Rather like the toleration of slavery in Biblical times. These are evils that could not be rooted out overnight, though Christianity carried within it the seeds of their eventual eradication.

As far as why polygamy isn’t advocated publicly and vocally in this country (though it does have its advocates), just wait. When gay “marriage” becomes entrenched and widely accepted, other hitherto illicit associations will follow.
Click to expand...
Fact is the Lord adopted a people who were diamonds in the rough, with emphasis on the rough. I most respects, they were a people typical of their time and place, and even after they had the law handed to them, they tended to pay it lip service. The judges and the prophets kept saying: read and heed the Law, but they were always returning to their vomit and finding so much comfort in pagan ways. They wanted a king, like the other kids. Samuel protested that the kings ate their substance, but they had to have one, so he gave them one.The first proved a cropper , so he gave them a second, who established the crown. But the rest were a moved bag, and mostly not so good. So in the end, to get the message across, he ended the experiment. He burst the bubble and scattered the people. a remnant took root elsewhere, another came home to claim the land. A second temple was built, than finally the biggest and best of all by the faux Jew Herod.

Not a great track record.
 
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