Thought I'd add some useful scripture references in a post. This came up as a single friend of my wife was asking for 2 references in the OT and 2 from the NT that supported the idea of a man having more than one wife.
If: 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
And the instructions BY God TO men, in how to conduct themselves IF they take another wife, and HOW to handle inheritance if they like one wife more than the other one are instructions in how to be righteous....
Then: Taking another wife alongside the first must then logically be within the bounds of righteousness unless they can find a clear prohibition against it. Since there does not exist a single law against it, prohibition of the practice, denouncement from God, or single condemnation...
AND God chooses to model polygynous marriage to us in allegory in the OT, as well as parable in the NT, we can only conclude that obeying him is righteousness, and mirroring His behavior is acceptable and to be praised.
The following are some of the best I've found that don't take much thought to wrap one's mind around. This is important because most people struggle wrapping their minds around the idea. I have a larger list but the rest mostly just flesh out the picture and put flesh on the bones.
The below bold words are using the plural word instead of the singular form as it was written in all the Greek manuscripts but mysteriously the translators changed it into a different word that presumably matches the monogamy only teachings of the catholic church.
Mat 22:1
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
Mat 22:2
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made marriages for his son,
Mat 22:3
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the weddings: and they would not come.
Mat 22:4
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriages.
Mat 22:5
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
Mat 22:6
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
Mat 22:7
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Mat 22:8
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding (singular marriage feast) is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Mat 22:9
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriages.
Mat 22:10
So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the weddings [were] furnished with guests.
Mat 22:11
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding (singular) garment:
Mat 22:12
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding (singular) garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Many what are called? Many brides. I’m not an outsider, I have a “one spirit” relationship with Jesus like a husband has a “one flesh” relationship with his wife. I’m not a “bridesmaid” who would be excluded from being married to the Lamb. This is paralleled in the following parable where the Bridegroom (Jesus) takes 5 virgin brides to the marriage chamber where the marriages plural were consummated.
Mat 25:1
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriages: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know (the hebrew use of “know” is sexual intimacy) you not.
Mat 25:13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
13. 1 Timothy 4:1-3
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
- All scripture, including the following two which give instructions to men who have more than one wife, or take additional wives alongside the previous wife.
- Deuteronomy 21:15-17
- Exodus 21:10
If: 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
And the instructions BY God TO men, in how to conduct themselves IF they take another wife, and HOW to handle inheritance if they like one wife more than the other one are instructions in how to be righteous....
Then: Taking another wife alongside the first must then logically be within the bounds of righteousness unless they can find a clear prohibition against it. Since there does not exist a single law against it, prohibition of the practice, denouncement from God, or single condemnation...
AND God chooses to model polygynous marriage to us in allegory in the OT, as well as parable in the NT, we can only conclude that obeying him is righteousness, and mirroring His behavior is acceptable and to be praised.
The following are some of the best I've found that don't take much thought to wrap one's mind around. This is important because most people struggle wrapping their minds around the idea. I have a larger list but the rest mostly just flesh out the picture and put flesh on the bones.
- 1 Samuel 25:40-43
- Some of David’s wives (no rebuke or correction from God)
- 2 Samuel 12:1-8
- Pay special attention to the fact that God said if David asked for more wives, God would have given him more.
- 1 Kings 15:5 & 2 Samuel 5:13
- He took many wives and it was right in the sight of God.
- 1 Chronicles 2:18 & 46-48
- Caleb entered the promised land with multiple wives when moses was excluded for one sin of unbelief.
- 2 Chronicles 11&12
- Rehoboam had 78 wives and concubines while he kept the Law of God.
- 2 Chronicles 24:1-3
- Joash had 2 wives that the High Priest got for him and God said it was right in His eyes.
- Genesis 30:18
- Leah said God gave her a reward for giving her handmaid to be Jacob’s wife.
- Song of Solomon 1:4 & 6:8
- The wife of Solomon speaks in a plural fashion. God chose to describe His relationship with us like Solomon’s with his many wives. The Shulamite is the 141st wife.
- Jeremiah 3 & 31:27,31-32
- You divorce wives, two sisters are listed as the wives of God the Father. Ahola and Aholiba
- Ezekiel 16&23
- God married two sisters, Ahola (Samaria/Israel) and Aholiba (Jerusalem/Judah) God does not tolerate or abide sin, he does not portray himself as sinful even in allegory.
- Isaiah 4
- Isaiah 3 is destruction, 4 is God dwelling with the people who have been made clean, where 7 women will be the wives of one man. A woman’s reproach is almost always childlessness in scripture. The other excused requirements are a reference to Exodus 21:10. God does not dwell with sin.
- Matthew 22:1-10 & 25:1-13
The below bold words are using the plural word instead of the singular form as it was written in all the Greek manuscripts but mysteriously the translators changed it into a different word that presumably matches the monogamy only teachings of the catholic church.
Mat 22:1
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
Mat 22:2
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made marriages for his son,
Mat 22:3
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the weddings: and they would not come.
Mat 22:4
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriages.
Mat 22:5
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
Mat 22:6
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
Mat 22:7
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Mat 22:8
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding (singular marriage feast) is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Mat 22:9
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriages.
Mat 22:10
So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the weddings [were] furnished with guests.
Mat 22:11
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding (singular) garment:
Mat 22:12
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding (singular) garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Many what are called? Many brides. I’m not an outsider, I have a “one spirit” relationship with Jesus like a husband has a “one flesh” relationship with his wife. I’m not a “bridesmaid” who would be excluded from being married to the Lamb. This is paralleled in the following parable where the Bridegroom (Jesus) takes 5 virgin brides to the marriage chamber where the marriages plural were consummated.
Mat 25:1
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriages: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know (the hebrew use of “know” is sexual intimacy) you not.
Mat 25:13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
13. 1 Timothy 4:1-3
- Forbidding a woman to marry an already married man, and forbidding a man who is married from marrying an eligible woman is forbidding to marry.
