Is polygamy really a sin? (Leviticus, hell, doctrine, women)

[ShadowWarrior]

For centuries the Western world has been conditioned by its religious leaders to believe that - polygamy – a man having more than one wife - is a sin, that it is adultery. Is this really true?

In 2 Sam 12:8-11 we see that Yahweh not only says that He gave David his wives – plural, but that if David did not repent, He would give them to David’s neighbor to lie with. Yahweh was angry at David, not for having more than one wife, but for having Uriah the Hittite killed so that he could have his wife also.

‘And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Yisra’al and Yehudah. And if that were not enough, I also would have given you much more! ‘Why have you despised the Word of HWHY to do evil in His eyes? You have killed Uriyah the Hittite with the sword, and his wife you took to be your wife, and you have killed him with the sword of the children of Ammon. ‘And now, the sword does not turn aside from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriyah the Hittite to be your wife.’ “Thus said HWHY, ‘See, I am raising up evil against you, from your own house, and shall take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun 2 Sam 12:8-11

If polygamy was a sin, then Yahweh sinned by being an accessory to the crime. However, we know that Yahweh cannot sin. We also know that He never changes, so, if polygamy was not a sin then, how can it be a sin now?

“For I am HWHY, I shall not change, … Malachi 3:6

In fact, Yahweh has instructed us on the rules of having more than one wife.

“If he takes another wife, her food, her covering, and her marriage rights are not to be diminished. Exodus 21:10

“When a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and the first-born son is of her who is unloved, then it shall be, on the day he makes his sons to inherit his possessions, he is not allowed to treat the son of the beloved wife as first-born in the face of the son of the unloved, who is truly the first-born. “But he is to acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength – the right of the first-born is his.Deut 21:15-17

Polygamy was a common practice until St. Augustine banned it by decree. St. Augustine, in, The Good of Marriage, wrote (chapter 15) "that although it was lawful among the ancient fathers: whether it be lawful now also, I would not hastily pronounce. For there is not now necessity of begetting children, as there then was, when, even when wives bear children, it was allowed, in order to a more numerous posterity, to marry other wives in addition, which now is certainly not lawful." In chapter 7, he wrote, "Now indeed in our time, and in keeping with Roman custom, it is no longer allowed to take another wife, so as to have more than one wife living."

Today, Christians argue against polygamy using erroneous teaching which is based on mistranslated words from the Greek text. Christians cite several verses which mention having “One Wife.” (Titus 1:5-7, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:12), The Greek word that is translated as “One” is “mia” actually means “first”. Thus this can be read as first wife, or wife number one. Mia is the same Greek word used in John 20:19, Acts 20:7, and 1 Corinthians 16:2, which refer to the first day of the week. The Greek word that means “One” is “heis”.

Another Christian argument against polygamy is that the Church (a singular unit) is to be the bride of the Messiah. Here again, mistranslation is at work. The Greek word that is commonly translated to mean church is "ecclesia". This word is used 115 times in the New Covenant. In all but three instances is it translated as church. In the other three instances, the same word is properly translated as “the called out ones”, “assembly”, and "convocation”. The Greek word that evolved into the current English “church” is "ku-ri-a-kos" or "ku-ri-a-kon". “Kuriakos” is defined as pertaining to belonging to a lord. “Kuriakos” then became “cirice”, then “churche”, and finally church. The word “kuriakos only appears in the New Covenant twice, in reference to the Lord’s Supper, and the Day of the Lord.

So, in reality, the bride of Yeshua is not the Church (singular), but the called out ones (plural). In other words, Yeshua will be a polygamist. This is supported by the parable of the ten virgins. Ten virgins were waiting for the bridegroom. The five foolish virgins, who were not prepared, missed out on the marriage, while the other five virgins went into the marriage feast. In the parable, Yeshua married five virgins. How could He do this if polygamy were a sin?

The truth is that polygamy is not a sin, but is instead a blessing from Yahweh. There are many women in the world today who would love to have a faithful, Godly husband. They remain single because there are not enough Godly men, and they have been conditioned to believe that polygamy is wrong, and besides, they are not going to share “their man” with anyone.

The irony of this situation is that many people who are opposed to polygamy engage in serial polygamy (marriage, divorce, marriage), and either approve of or condone perversions such as homosexuality, adultery, fornication, group sex, and other sick practices.

There are many benefits to a polygamous family. It helps to build a large family (the destruction of the family is one of the leading causes of today’s social problems), which allows for greater flexibility in division of labor and scheduling, and a higher standard of living.

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[Deguire]

I'm not quite sure where you are going with this, but on another note, that opening verse caught my eye and I don't know why I never paid closer attention to that one. Christians are fond of saying that God never condoned or endorsed multiple unions and that Adam and Eve was an [original] example of what he (God) wanted - one man and one woman. They say God only 'tolerated' it but it was not his intention for man (so those Old Testament guys had all the fun). Here we have the "inspired" writer claiming God 'gave' David the harem of Saul for himself. What does this tell us about this god? Either he has no idea what the hell he wants OR, more likely, the writer was simply writing under his own personal inspiration based on the customs of his day and nothing more or nothing less.

Chalk it up as yet another example why the Bible is just another book with some nice poetry, some wise words here and there, some fanciful stories to spice up the fireside chats and a few facts scattered about the place. A book derived from the mind of some perfect deity it's not.

[BudinAk]

Whether God approves or not, I just cannot imagine why anyone would want more than one wife. (unless it would be to increase the lusts of the flesh...which we are told not to do) I hardly see how polyamy could be a "blessing" from God...
You think divorce is a problem now? Just wait until men have 2, 3, 4 wives. (Like: "divorce that loser with the 3 other wives...then marry me...I only have ONE wife! He can't pay you any attention, but I will!") (until somebody new with NO wives comes along)

Bud

[gentlearts]

It can't be worse that having multiple children with multiple partners who don't support their children.

[Submariner]

From my study of the Bible; I have no problems with polygamy. Especially for among widows as when we see it being commanded in the Bible. Every women should have an established household available to her, every child should be allowed to grow up in a stable home with a father.

I can not condemn anything that God does not condemn. I can not forbid anything that God commands.




1. Lamech, who was Cain’s great-great-great grandson, was the first man recorded to have two wives (Adah, Zillah) (Gen. 4:19).

2. Abraham had three wives (Sarah, Hagar, and Keturah) (Gen. 23:19; 25:1; 16:3).

3. Esau had three wives (Judith, Bashemath, and Mahalath) (Gen. 26:34; 28:9).

4. Jacob had four wives (Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah) (Gen. 29:15-35; 30:4, 9).

5. Moses had two wives (Zipporah and the Ethiopian woman) (Ex. 18:2; Num. 12:1).

6. Gideon had many wives and 70 sons (Judges 8:30).

7. Samuel’s father, Elkanah, had two wives (Hannah, Peninnah) (1 Sam. 1:1, 2).

8. King Saul had at least two wives (Ahinoam, Rizpah) (1 Sam. 14:50; 2 Sam. 3:7).

9. David had at least eight wives (Michal, Abigail, Ahinoam, Bathsheba, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah) plus Saul’s wives (2 Sam. 12:8).

10. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).

11. King Ahab had more than one wife (1 Kings 20:7).

12. King Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines (2 Chron. 11:21).

13. King Abijah who ruled over Judah had 14 wives (2 Chron. 13:21).

14. King Joash had two wives (2 Chron. 24:1-3).

15. King Ahasuerus had a harem. Two wives are mentioned by name: Vashti and Esther (Esther 1:10-12; 2:1-17).



In Jeremiah 3 vv 6-10 and 31 vv 31-32 God himself is portrayed as a polygamist.

In Ezekiel 23 God portrays himself as a polygamist, married to two sisters, Jerusalem and Samaria, who commit adultery against him.

And in New Testament doctrine, Christ Jesus must also be a polygamist in order to redeem us all.



Polygamy was recognised and regulated by the Law of Moses. Just like normal marriage, polygamy has its fair share of problems, and the law intervenes in Deuteronomy 21 vv 15-17 to make sure that children get what they're entitled to.

In Romans 7 v 3, G-d shows that Polyandry is unnacceptable. He says a woman who remarries whilst her husband is alive is an adulteress. No such comment is made about a man who has two wives.

In Romans 7 v 4 G-d tells Christians "ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." Here the old English of the King James Version shows a vital difference in the Greek original that is lost in many translations. In modern English we use the word "you" both when we are referring to just one other person and when we are referring to two or more other people. Old English, like New Testament Greek, used one word when it was just one person ("thou") and another word when it was two or more people ("ye"). So when the book of Romans says "that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead" it is talking about plural marriage - many believers being married to their one Lord. This is the best example of polygamy that could be hoped for, and it's there in the New Testament.

While in 1 Corinthians 7 v 2 "let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband", the greek words used for "his own" and "her own" are different, and not just in gender, therefore allowing for the possibility that different rules apply to the different sexes, as polygamists suggest. In fact, the greek word for "her own" in this passage (idios) is used in Romans 14 v 4 to represent a servant and "his own" master. This shows that G-d could have used the same word twice in 1 Corinthians 7, but chose not to. And it also shows that a man belongs to his wife in the same sense as a master belongs to his servant. A servant can have only one master, and a master can have many servants. In the same way, a woman can have only one husband, but a man can have many wives.

WWJD?

Matthew 5 vv 17-20 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus said he came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it. God's law contains details of how the practice of polygamy was to be regulated by the Israelites. Jesus said he had not come to destroy this law. With parts of the law he shows how the practical effects are changed, but the law itself is left untouched, including the law on polygamy.

As the law allowed, organised and in some cases commanded polygamy, and as it is unchanged, it is clear that Jesus provides the principles of polygamy within the law. Indeed, as will be seen later, the principles of polygamy are fulfilled in Christ.

The law, which Christ did not destroy, allowed and regulated polygamy.

1- A wife was owed duties of food, clothing and marital rights, and this protection was still to be provided if her husband took a second wife (Exodus 21 v 10).

2- The law prevented her husband from marrying her mother, or from marrying another of her sisters, to be a rival wife, while she was still alive. (Leviticus 20 v 14 and Leviticus 18 v 17).

3- The law ensured that a firstborn child maintained his superior rights of inheritance, even if his father preferred another of his wives to the child's mother (Deuteronomy 21 vv 15-17).

4- The law limited the power of the King so that he couldn't "multiply wives to himself" (Deuteronomy 17 v 17). Multiplying is different from adding. Multiplying implies groups being included together, where adding would be one by one.

5- In addition to allowing polygamy, the law which Christ fulfilled actually commanded it in certain circumstances. If a man died without children then his brother was obliged to marry the widow. (Deuteronomy 25 vv 7-10). There is nothing to suggest that this was limited to unmarried brothers, and it is important that it applies to those already married, for the story of the kinsman-redeemer in Ruth establishes the biblical idea of redemption. Christ can redeem a sinner's debt, and this involves union with Christ, even though he has already redeemed someone else's debt and been united to them.

6- As well as this, the Bible also provides protection to unmarried women. If a man seduced an unmarried virgin, the law forced him to marry her, and therefore to provide the food, clothes and marital rights mentioned before. And he couldn't divorce her, so the protection was guaranteed for life. (Deuteronomy 22 vv 28-29). Again there is nothing in the Bible to indicate that there was any difference made by the man being married. So, if he was married, and he had an affair with a single woman, then the law demanded he become a polygamist. Imagine the effect this would have today - promises to marry would have to be kept, and so deceit in relationships would necessarily be reduced.

[Goodpasture]

Of course polygamy isn't a sin. According to the way the bible speaks a man can have more than one son or daughter, own more than one cow or goat, more than one dog, why wouldn't he be allowed to own more than one wife? they are, of course all chattel property...........that is why a woman should be killed if she dishonors her fathers house.

[Fundamentalist]

Originally Posted by Deguire

I'm not quite sure where you are going with this, but on another note, that opening verse caught my eye and I don't know why I never paid closer attention to that one. Christians are fond of saying that God never condoned or endorsed multiple unions and that Adam and Eve was an [original] example of what he (God) wanted - one man and one woman. They say God only 'tolerated' it but it was not his intention for man (so those Old Testament guys had all the fun). Here we have the "inspired" writer claiming God 'gave' David the harem of Saul for himself. What does this tell us about this god? Either he has no idea what the hell he wants OR, more likely, the writer was simply writing under his own personal inspiration based on the customs of his day and nothing more or nothing less.

Chalk it up as yet another example why the Bible is just another book with some nice poetry, some wise words here and there, some fanciful stories to spice up the fireside chats and a few facts scattered about the place. A book derived from the mind of some perfect deity it's not.

You were on the right track there fore a sec, almost repped the first atheist then as atheist do Ziiiiiiiiiiinnnngggggg! and then the strawman

[Fundamentalist]

Originally Posted by ShadowWarrior

For centuries the Western world has been conditioned by its religious leaders to believe that - polygamy – a man having more than one wife - is a sin, that it is adultery. Is this really true?

In 2 Sam 12:8-11 we see that Yahweh not only says that He gave David his wives – plural, but that if David did not repent, He would give them to David’s neighbor to lie with. Yahweh was angry at David, not for having more than one wife, but for having Uriah the Hittite killed so that he could have his wife also.

‘And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Yisra’al and Yehudah. And if that were not enough, I also would have given you much more! ‘Why have you despised the Word of HWHY to do evil in His eyes? You have killed Uriyah the Hittite with the sword, and his wife you took to be your wife, and you have killed him with the sword of the children of Ammon. ‘And now, the sword does not turn aside from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriyah the Hittite to be your wife.’ “Thus said HWHY, ‘See, I am raising up evil against you, from your own house, and shall take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun 2 Sam 12:8-11

If polygamy was a sin, then Yahweh sinned by being an accessory to the crime. However, we know that Yahweh cannot sin.................

.

I see no where in the bible that God condemns polygamy. God preferred monogamy but allowed polygamy for many reasons

[Deguire]

Originally Posted by Fundamentalist

You were on the right track there fore a sec, almost repped the first atheist then as atheist do Ziiiiiiiiiiinnnngggggg! and then the strawman

Ok, leave out the so-called strawman and tell me what I was "right" with in your estimation.

[Deguire]

Originally Posted by Fundamentalist

I see no where in the bible that God condemns polygamy. God preferred monogamy but allowed polygamy for many reasons

Name a few, please. I'm curious to hear.