Polygamy (a person having multiple spouses)
– including polygyny (a man with multiple wives) and polyandry (a woman with
multiple husbands) – is contrary to God’s original intention for marriage. His
creative purpose from the beginning involved only “one man/one woman” marriages
(Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6; 1 Cor. 7:1-5). There are, however, numerous instances
of polygamy (incl. bigamy) recorded in the Bible. Lamech is the first one
mentioned as having more than one wife (Gen. 4:19). This practice apparently
originated among those who had become estranged from God (Gen. 4:16 ff.). Nevertheless,
there are also some “righteous” men who had a plurality of wives, such as
Abraham (Gen. 16:3), Jacob (Gen. 37:2), and David (1 Sam. 25:43). But even these
polygamous unions were conceived in the context of sin and led to many problems
(cf. Gen. 16:1-6; 21:11; 29:16 - 30:15; 37:28; Deut. 17:17; 2 Sam. 11:27; et
al.). Other polygamists included Esau (Gen. 28:9), Gideon (Judg. 8:30), Elkanah
(1 Sam. 1:2), Saul (2 Sam. 12:8), Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:3), Issachar’s sons (1
Chron. 7:4), Shaharaim (1 Chron. 8:8-9), Rehoboam (2 Chron. 11:21), Abijah (2
Chron. 13:21), and Joash (2 Chron. 24:3). But no polygamous marriage is ever depicted
as a good marriage.
If polygamy was contrary to God’s will and
caused so many problems, why did He allow it? Throughout the Old Testament God
seems to have permitted, and even regulated, a number of things of which He
disapproved (e.g. Matt. 19:8). Yet He patiently endured in order to bring about
a much greater state of affairs. Paul reveals that in anticipation of Christ’s
atoning sacrifice, God, in His forbearance, “had passed over the sins that were
previously committed” (Rom. 3:23-26). Despite their imperfections, those who
submitted their lives to God prior to Christ’s death (e.g. Abraham, David,
etc.) had forgiveness available to them (cf. Heb. 9:15). However, now that
God’s complete will has been revealed, there is no longer any excuse. “Truly,
these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to
repent” (Acts 17:30).
--Kevin L. Moore
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