- Oct 27, 2006
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This thread is based on some of my posts in the thread:
Morality is objective, except when it isn't
I think in the Old Testament the only passage somewhat against polygamy is:
Deuteronomy 17:16-17
Here God had an opportunity to discourage polygamy, but he just said that kings can't have many wives. And the penalty for this is his heart will be led astray. If God was against polygamy, why didn't he use this opportunity to speak against it? So this is just about kings, and it seems that a couple of wives (not many) is ok.
Examples of polygamy in the Old Testament: (consider how widespread it was)
Polygamists in the Bible -- Directory - Biblical Polygamy . com
The * means it is implied
Abdon* Abijah Abraham Ahab Ahasuerus Ashur Belshazzar Benhadad Caleb David Eliphaz Elkanah Esau Ezra Gideon Heman* Hosea* Ibzan* Issachar** Jacob Jair* Jehoiachin Jehoram Jerahmeel Joash Lamech Machir Manasseh Mered Moses Nahor Rehoboam Saul Shaharaim Shimei* Simeon Solomon Terah* Zedekiah Ziba*
coffee4u says that Adam and Eve implies (or proves) that God wanted there to be one man for one woman for life. The woman was made out of a rib of a man. I think that implies that a man could have multiple wives since he has multiple ribs to spare.
As far as I know there are no examples of polygamy in the New Testament. I think the reason for this is their Greek and Roman culture, not because God changed the rules.
There is an advantage of a man having many wives vs a woman with many husbands. In the first case it is obvious who the parents are of the children. If a woman has many husbands it isn't clear who the father is.
BTW there are also animals who have a "harem" (or pride) like lions.
Deuteronomy 17:16-17 also says "He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold". Solomon is also guilty of this... 1 Kings 10:14 and 2 Chronicles 9:13 say "The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents" - apparently that's about 22 tons of gold.... it also says Solomon had 12,000 horses ("must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself")
Both David and Solomon seem to be quite close to God since they wrote books that were included in the Bible. Though the Deuteronomy passage did come true... 1 Kings 11:3 says the wives did lead him astray.... (I was impressed that the 700 wives did have royal birth)
Using only the Old Testament is it possible to make the case that God is clearly against a man having more than one wife at once? Why are there dozens of examples of polygamy?
In the New Testament are there (apparently) no examples of polygamy because of the Greek and Roman culture or because Christians received a message from God against polygamy? (that Jesus mentions indirectly)
Morality is objective, except when it isn't
I think in the Old Testament the only passage somewhat against polygamy is:
Deuteronomy 17:16-17
The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
Here God had an opportunity to discourage polygamy, but he just said that kings can't have many wives. And the penalty for this is his heart will be led astray. If God was against polygamy, why didn't he use this opportunity to speak against it? So this is just about kings, and it seems that a couple of wives (not many) is ok.
Examples of polygamy in the Old Testament: (consider how widespread it was)
Polygamists in the Bible -- Directory - Biblical Polygamy . com
The * means it is implied
Abdon* Abijah Abraham Ahab Ahasuerus Ashur Belshazzar Benhadad Caleb David Eliphaz Elkanah Esau Ezra Gideon Heman* Hosea* Ibzan* Issachar** Jacob Jair* Jehoiachin Jehoram Jerahmeel Joash Lamech Machir Manasseh Mered Moses Nahor Rehoboam Saul Shaharaim Shimei* Simeon Solomon Terah* Zedekiah Ziba*
In the case of Solomon he had about 700 wives and 300 concubines.coffee4u says that Adam and Eve implies (or proves) that God wanted there to be one man for one woman for life. The woman was made out of a rib of a man. I think that implies that a man could have multiple wives since he has multiple ribs to spare.
As far as I know there are no examples of polygamy in the New Testament. I think the reason for this is their Greek and Roman culture, not because God changed the rules.
There is an advantage of a man having many wives vs a woman with many husbands. In the first case it is obvious who the parents are of the children. If a woman has many husbands it isn't clear who the father is.
BTW there are also animals who have a "harem" (or pride) like lions.
Deuteronomy 17:16-17 also says "He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold". Solomon is also guilty of this... 1 Kings 10:14 and 2 Chronicles 9:13 say "The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents" - apparently that's about 22 tons of gold.... it also says Solomon had 12,000 horses ("must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself")
Both David and Solomon seem to be quite close to God since they wrote books that were included in the Bible. Though the Deuteronomy passage did come true... 1 Kings 11:3 says the wives did lead him astray.... (I was impressed that the 700 wives did have royal birth)
Using only the Old Testament is it possible to make the case that God is clearly against a man having more than one wife at once? Why are there dozens of examples of polygamy?
In the New Testament are there (apparently) no examples of polygamy because of the Greek and Roman culture or because Christians received a message from God against polygamy? (that Jesus mentions indirectly)
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