Polygamy In The Bible

Now these were the sons of David… The firstborn was Ammon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelitess; the third, Absalom the son of maacah, the daughter of Talmai… The fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah. (1 Chronicles 3:1-3).

David had 6 sons born to him by 6 different wives in Hebron. Not only that, he also had more sons born to him in Jerusalem by Bathsheba. Not to mention the sons of his concubines as well.

Doesn’t this raise a serious question about David’s personal life? How can “a man after God’s own heart” have 7 wives in 2 different places and numerous concubines? What does the bible have to say about polygamy?

The fact that David had so many sons by so many wives does not condone polygamy. David had fallen into the ancient custom among kings of marrying the daughters of neighboring kings to create allies.

Negative results followed such multiple marriages. David’s firstborn, Ammon, raped Tamar, his half sister. Ammon’s half brother, Absalom, killed Ammon to avenge for Tamar’s rape. David’s fourth son, Adonijah, tried to usurp the throne from Solomon, who was born to Solomon by Bathsheba. A lot of turbulence and division has resulted from David’s multiple marriages.

Polygamy was not something God has meant for His people, for “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). God also gave a principle concerning kings to not “multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away” (Deuteronomy 17:17). Call it a shortcoming of David’s human nature. Even though polygamy was an accepted custom throughout the ancient Middle East and among the ancient Israelites, David’s family paid the price for his multiple marriages.

Nevertheless, God did give some level of provision that allowed polygamy to happen under certain conditions. In cases of a childless first marriage, which is known as a levirate marriage, it is permissible for the widow to take another husband. For “her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her” (Deuteronomy 25:5) in order to carry on the family line of the deceased husband. The Sadducees used the law of the levirate marriage to question Jesus regarding His teaching about the resurrection of the dead (Matthew 22:23-28).

It is said that men have a bigger tendency to be polygamous, or have intentions for polygamous relationships. The concern is not so much about whether or not this statement is politically correct or sexist. The more urgent concern is to heed the dangers and pitfalls of polygamous relationships, be it in married relationships or pre-marital relationships. For God has meant for us to be monogamous, as much as he has meant for marriages to reflect the relationship between Christ and His church – meant for one, and one alone.