On Plural Marriage

First and foremost, it is evident in Scripture that a marriage union–unless listed as unlawful in Leviticus 18:6-23, 20:10-21, Deuteronomy 7:3-4, 22:22-30, Matthew 5:32, or Luke 16:18–is divinely ordained. In other words, if the woman is lawfully available, the union is brought about by God and is binding until the husband’s death (Rom 7:2-3, 1 Cor 7:10-11).

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Matthew 19:6

Starting with Adam and Eve, when God “brought her to the man” (Gen 2:22), the Lord set the precedent for how godly marriages work. In the simplest terms, if the union is lawful, it is the Lord’s doing, not man’s. Throughout the Biblical narrative we witnesses many observably divine unions including Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 24:12-14), David and his “wives” (2 Sam 12:7-8), Joash and his wives (2 Chron 24:2-3), Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 2-4), Hosea and Gomer (Hosea 1:2-3), Esther and Xerxes (Esther 2:15-18, 4:14), as well as every single marriage in the genealogy of Jesus as they were all divinely predestined to bring us the Messiah (Matthew 1:1-17). In addition to these, Jesus’ conclusive statement “…what therefore God has joined together…” (Matt 19:6) is applicable to every lawful marriage that ever occurs. Without exception, lawful marriage unions, not only the ones written in Scripture, are a matter of destiny.

“…having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will”

Ephesians 1:11

For most Believers, the “Marriage is Divine” concept is fairly easy to acknowledge, as long as it’s applied to a strictly monogamous marriage paradigm. However, as you may have noticed in my list above, God divinely ordained several plural marriage unions known as polygyny (from Ancient Greek πολύ (polú, “many”) + γυνή (gunḗ, “woman, wife”). Were these unions merely tolerated by God or predestined by Him? For example, was Jacob, the Patriarch of the nation of Israel, an incontinent adulterer or did God divinely ordain Jacob to build the 12 Tribes of Israel through 4 lawful wives?

“…May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel…”

Ruth 4:11

Biblical Polygyny

In 2019 I discovered the surprising fact that God not only never prohibited polygyny throughout the entire Biblical narrative (as He did with polyandry or homosexuality), He divinely ordained it in several cases including David (2 Sam 12:7-8), Jacob (Gen 30:18), and Joash (2 Chron 24:2-3), among others. In contrast with homosexuality–which is outright prohibited (Lev 18:22, Rom 1:26-27)—God lawfully regulated the practice of plural marriage (Ex 21:10, Deut 21:15-17, Lev 18:18).

For example, here is an ordinance which regulates, but does not prohibit, the practice:

“If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights.”

Exodus 20:10

We likewise witness the ordained priesthood of God orchestrating and presiding over plural marriage unions:

“And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters”

2 Chronicles 24:2-3

Although these passages may come as a shock, God’s statement to David is by-far the most surprising in my studies due to its implications. To contrast David’s lawful marriages with his unlawful union with Bathsheba, the Lord informs David it was He who gave the man several wives, and would have added to him more if He willed. The Lord contrasts the lawfulness of David’s other unions with the unlawful wickedness of his adulterous union to Bathsheba.

“…This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.”

2 Samuel 12:7-8

Before descending into an angry emotional tirade, the Word of God deserves our sober-minded consideration of the facts presented. Moreover, as reasonable people, we must apply logic to the Scriptural evidence. Regardless of what we have been traditionally taught (Mark 7:9), if God explicitly gave men more than one wife at any time in history, and God does not sin (James 1:13, Heb 4:15), then it was not and is not sin. Moreover, if God gave men more than one wife before, and He does not change (Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8), then He can do it today (Luke 18:29-30).

I then went on to discover the most famous Protestant theologian, the Reformer Martin Luther, among others, agreed with the conclusion that polygyny remains lawful according to Scripture. Regarding the plural marriage of Philip of Hesse, Luther stated the following:

“I confess that I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture. If a man wishes to marry more than one wife, he should be asked whether he is satisfied in his conscience that he may do so in accordance with the Word of God. In such a case, the civil authority has nothing to do in the matter.”

De Wette, Dr. Martin Luthers Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken, Vol. II, p. 459–available in part via Google Books, Adobe page 486, printed page 459

New Testament Examples

Many assume that while the Old Testament may have “tolerated” polygyny, the New Testament certainly does not. However, if this were so, how could Martin Luther—who translated the entire Bible from both ancient Hebrew and Greek into German—have come to his conclusion in De Wette? When we study the Scriptures diligently as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11), we’ll soon discover the New Testament does approve of plural marriage and welcomed Jewish converts in plural families into the Church.

For example, in 1 Corinthians 7:2 Paul utilizes two different Greek words which we simply translate as “own.” He writes:

“but because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own (heautou) wife and each woman her own (idios) husband.”

1 Corinthians 7:2

Why use two different words? The Greek word “heautou” (G1438) implies exclusive ownership, such as owning one’s own body (“heautou” is used in Mark 5:30). In contrast, “idios” (G2398) implies communal ownership, such as co-owning a city. For example: “and getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own (idios) city” (Matt 9:1).

Paul, a well-educated expert in the Law, indicates a man exclusively owns his wife as one owns their body (Gen 2:23, Eph 5:28) while a woman may communally own her husband as one owns a city (Isa 4:1, Matt 25:1). Contrary to the modern approach of forcing divorce upon polygamous converts, the Apostle of the Gentiles is neither prohibiting plural families from attending church nor commanding their divorce. Instead, he is warmly welcoming them in the same way we ought to be welcoming former Muslim or Mormon converts who have more than one wife into our church communities. This contextual reality–that plural marriage was still common in the first century–is confirmed by the fact that Paul’s contemporary, the Jewish historian Josephus, writes the following in his work Jewish Antiquities:

“…for it is our ancestral custom that a man may have several wives at the same time…”

Jewish Antiquities 17.14, written 93 AD

God, a Husband to “Them”

Considering the prevalence of the practice during Jesus’ time, our Lord illustrates Himself as the Bridegroom betrothed to ten virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt 25:1-13). This is why Paul indicated the Corinthian Church alone was merely one virgin betrothed to Christ (2 Cor 11:2). This would not have caused any alarm to the Jewish mind in the first century, for God our Father illustrated Himself as plurally married to Israel and Judah (Jer 3:6-10, Jer 31:32). Our Lord has no problem utilizing celibate, monogamous, or polygynous illustrations in His Word, even concerning Himself, yet He never employs homosexual imagery to teach a Kingdom principle–why do you suppose that is?

not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:32

Hypergamy

In his teachings on sexual immorality, our Lord Jesus repeatedly forbids the common practices of Hypergamy (from hyper- ‘above’ + Greek gamos ‘marriage’) and Serial Monogamy (the practice of engaging in a succession of monogamous sexual relationships). While common, divorcing one’s spouse to marry a “better” one is precisely what Jesus rebukes in Matthew 19:9. I believe we continue to approve this practice to this day because we equate monogamy with righteousness and assume God’s will is simply for us to be in heterosexual monogamous unions regardless of the surrounding circumstances. Nevertheless, while the Lord has never had a problem with a man having two or more lawful wives, He despises the divorcing of the first wife to marry a second, as well as the marrying of a divorced woman (Luke 16:18).

“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.”

Luke 16:18

Divine Multiplication of Wives

Although Matthew 19’s altercation with the Pharisees would have been the perfect time to modify the marriage paradigm and institute a monogamy or celibacy only ordinance, Jesus (nor any epistle) ever prohibits polygyny nor demands monogamy. In fact, as the Father gave David several wives (2 Sam 12:8), Jesus our Lord also indicates He may do the same if He wills in Luke 18:29-30:

“And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Luke 18:29-30

Virtually all Christians would agree that Jesus can multiply houses, brothers, parents, and children for the faithful, but would then deny He can multiply “wife.” Nevertheless, God has clearly stated He can (2 Sam 12:8)–“for I the Lord do not change” (Mal 3:6).

Husband of “One” Wife?

If polygyny is lawful, even divinely ordained at times, why then do the requirements of Eldership state an Overseer must be “the husband of one wife” in 1 Timothy 3:2? This is everyone’s favorite “gotcha” question. Nevertheless, as witnessed with 1 Corinthians 7:2’s “heautou” (exclusive ownership) and “idios” (communal ownership), English is merely a translation of the inspired Word of God and not the original language.

In 1 Timothy 3:2, Paul utilizes the Greek word “MIA” (G3391) which we translated as “one” in English. Although mia may translate as an indefinite “one” or “a”, in the context of marriage in 1 Timothy 3:2, “mia” means ordinal “first” (Matt 28:1, Mark 16:2, 1 Cor 16:2, Rev 9:12 all translated mia as first). If Paul intended to communicate a man must have numeral “one” wife to be in ministry, he would have employed the word “HEIS” (G1520) as he did in 1 Timothy 5:9 (the same epistle) because “heis” exlplicitly means numeral “one” (e.g. “one God” – Eph 4:6). — Mia must be used in 1 Timothy 3:2 as a grammatical rule, read my response titled “The Mia & Heis Saga.”

“A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one (heis) man,”

1 Timothy 5:9

Therefore 1 Timothy 3:2 ought to be translated “the husband of his first wife” as Paul, like Jesus, is preventing hypergamy and divorce (Mal 2:15-16, Matt 19:9, Mark 10:11-12, Rom 7:2-3, etc).

“An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of his first (mia) wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach”

1 Timothy 3:2 (Corrected translation)

A man who divorces his first wife to marry another, as Jesus prohibits in Matthew 19:9 (also Mal 2:15-16), is not fit for Eldership in the Church. Paul is not addressing polygyny, nor disqualifying the Patriarchs from ministry, he is prohibiting hypergamy and serial monogamy among the Elders of the Church.

Moreover, do we truly believe that if Abraham, Jacob, or David resurrected (a possibility according to Matt 27:52-53), they would not be permitted to hold office or preach in the Church? These polygamous men wrote or are featured in many of our holy Scriptures, but we wouldn’t give them a microphone today? What utter nonsense! I believe the answer to these questions lies in Romans 11:29–these polygamous men of the Bible were called by God and retain their offices despite their having several wives.

“for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable”

ROmans 11:29

Permitted for Procreation

Shortly after arriving at these conclusions, I released my very first video on the topic titled “Why Are Some Sex Acts Sinful?” (here’s the full Sex & Marriage playlist). In that first video I make the case that sex was created for procreation (Gen 1:28, Mal 2:15) and, for this reason, ceases at the Resurrection of the Saints when procreation is no longer commanded (Matt 22:30). I then deduced that the practice of plural marriage throughout the Bible was never sin and has been permitted for procreation (see 2 Sam 5:13, 1 Chron 14:3, 2 Chron 11:21, 13:21, 24:3, Jer 29:6), not licentious pursuits.

The famous, and highly regarded, theologian St. Augustine arrived at similar conclusions:

“And, the case being thus, enough and more than enough answer has been made to the heretics, whether they be Manichees, or whosoever other that bring false charges against the Fathers of the Old Testament, on the subject of their having several wives, thinking this a proof whereby to convict them of incontinence: provided, that is, that they perceive, that that is no sin, which is committed neither against nature, in that they used those women not for wantonness, but for the begetting of children: nor against custom, forasmuch as such things were usually done at those times: nor against command, forasmuch as they were forbidden by no law…”

On The Good Of Marriage, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (NPNF) translation (First Series, Vol. 3, pp. 399–413–it is on page 407, corresponding to Section 17

“Permitted not Prescribed”

Critics of Biblical Polygyny often claim that polygyny was only permitted and never prescribed by God. Nevertheless, Levirate Marriage is prescribed by God regardless of the marital status of the man.

“When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.”

Deuteronomy 25:5

Likewise, note that a Levirate Marriage begins because simply by his entering the widow, indicating no wedding is necessary. This aligns with a proper reading of Genesis 2:24–the only lawful necessity for marriage to begin (as long as it’s approved by the virgin’s father, Exodus 22:16-17) is intercourse.

• Laws indicating sex (with a virgin, widow, or lawfully available woman) is marriage: Gen 2:24, Ex 22:16, Deut 25:5, Deut 21:13, Deut 22:28-29, Matt 19:4-6, 1 Cor 6:16, 1 Cor 7:9, 36.

• Example wedding-less marriages (Gen 24:67, 38:2-3, 8, 16:3-4, 30:4, 9, 29:28, Ruth 4:13, 1 Sam 25:42-43).

In addition to the Levirate Marriage requirement (Matt 22:24), God prescribed multiple wives for David (2 Sam 12:8). He prescribed Jacob to build the 12 tribes through 4 wives (Ruth 4:11, Gen 30:18). In fact, He’s prescribed every lawful marriage that has ever existed (Matt 19:6).

Overall, when a man enters an available woman such as a virgins (Ex 22:16), or widow (Deut 25:5), a marriage commences. The two have become “one flesh.” This is not only permitted, but prescripted by Scripture.

“Polygyny’s not Positive”

Some may say “even if polygyny is permitted, and in some cases divinely ordained, it’s certainly not a positive marital structure anywhere in Scripture.” Is this a Scriptural fact?

As for the difficulties surrounding plural marriage in Scripture, I believe this is ultimately due to the sin nature rather than marriage itself. We must remember the first married couple, Adam and Eve, plunged all of humanity into sin and darkness yet we do not blame the institution of marriage for the problem. Moreover, plural marriage dynamics are indeed presented positively in Songs 6:8-9, Ruth 4:11, Genesis 30:18, 2 Samuel 12:8, and 2 Chronicles 24:2-3. As mentioned prior, God divinely built the nation of Israel—the nation which brought us our Messiah–through Jacob and his four lawful wives, certainly this is both divine and positive?

“Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.”

Genesis 30:18

“Not Original Design”

Others may say “polygyny is not the original design for mankind” to which I reply that neither is death, nor clothing, nor eating meat. Although mankind originated in Eden as a naked garden-frolicking vegan, no Christian today remains as such. We all wear clothing, and we all eat meat, as God has given both to us (Gen 3:21, 9:3). Moreover, due to death, the practice of polygyny ensures many more godly offspring are produced in accordance with God’s commands found in Genesis 1:28, Malachi 2:15, Jeremiah 29:6, 1 Tim 5:14, 1 Tim 2:15 and elsewhere.

“Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;”

1 Timothy 5:14

When one engages in a proper comprehensive study of polygyny throughout the Bible (and there is a lot of it), they’ll discover how each of the men and women engaged in the practice are eager to have many children (2 Sam 5:13). This stems from a pure desire to expand the Kingdom of God by firing many “arrows” (Ps 127:3-5) at our Adversaries Kingdom of Darkness. We procreate for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).

Farewell

In closing, I am grateful you took the time to read this comprehensive article and consider the Scriptural arguments contained therein. There will be a part two regarding my personal family as well. I’ll link it here.

In the meantime, I absolutely welcome curious inquiry and respectful debates in the comments below. However, impassioned claims that “polygyny is adultery”–a false conclusion arrived at from prejudice rather than study–accompanied by ad hominem and character assassinations (e.g. “you’re a pervert”) will simply be deleted (Eph 4:29). If you’re emotional, pause and pray–let’s keep it respectful, Disciples. May the Lord Jesus bless you in your walk with Him!

“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”

Matthew 12:36