Polygamy is allowed

[towardseight]

I believe that polygamy is allowed according to the Bible. By polygamy I mean that men can have more than one wife at the same time. But women are not allowed to have more than one husband at the same time. I will present 3 biblical proofs and then refute 2 counter-arguments.

Proof 1

The Law of Moses does not forbid polygamy at any point. In fact, it makes polygamy obligatory in one particular case: if a brother dies and has no children, the other brother must marry his dead brother's wife and produce offspring for him (Deut 25:5-6). There is no prohibition in the New Testament either.

Proof 2

Prophets like Abraham, Jacob and Gideon had more than one wife at the same time and they were never condemned for it.

Proof 3

God gave David several wives and would have given him even more if it had not been enough (2 Sam 12:7-8). Something like this would not be in the Bible if polygamy were forbidden or bad.

Refutation of Counter-Argument 1

Man and woman should become one flesh. Does this mean that polygamy is wrong? No. Because a man can be one flesh with several women. If he marries a woman, he is one with her. If he marries another woman, he is one with her. He is one flesh with each of them.

Refutation of Counter-Argument 2

In 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, the Apostle Paul says that one should be “a man of one wife”. However, he did not say this to all Christians, but only to epsicopes, deacons and presbyters. Moreover, Paul may not necessarily have had polygamy in mind. He could also have been referring to sex outside of marriage. So it could be translated like this: “a man should not have illegitimate sex, but one wife”. Therefore, the point is not that a man should only have one wife, but that a man should not commit fornication.

[Paleouss]

Greetings Towardseight, peace to you and your family.

Polygamy, hmmm.  Sounds good to my flesh, but not so much my spirit.

On 2/15/2025 at 2:51 PM, towardseight said:

Proof 1

The Law of Moses does not forbid polygamy at any point.

At the moment all I want to comment on is your use of a negative inference.  It attempts to make a foundational claim from what the Bible does not say.  Although negative inferences can be true, we cannot know if they are true or false without more evidence.  For example... 1.  Bob loves Sue  2. Mike is not Bob. 3. Therefore Mike does not love Sue.

Based upon the evidence I gave above, it cannot be shown if (3) is true or false.  

One reason people like using negative inferences... they cannot be proven wrong.  Of course I say all this to make the claim that a negative inference convinces no one but those who already have decided despite the lack of evidence.

Peace to you brother

[In the Clouds]

Adam gave up a rib so that Eve could be created and be his wife.  Just how many ribs can a man give up to create more wives?

[towardseight]

9 minutes ago, In the Clouds said:

Adam gave up a rib so that Eve could be created and be his wife.  Just how many ribs can a man give up to create more wives?

The reason why you are against polygamy is Hollywood. Hollywood has made many movies about love and it has always been about monogamous love relationships. For this reason, monogamy is ingrained in the minds of many people.

But in the end, it's not what Hollywood says that counts, but what the Bible says. The Bible allows polygamy. In Deut 17:17, for example, the law says that a man may not have too many wives. This is a proof that polygamy is allowed. What do I mean by that? Well, if God were against polygamy, it would not say that a man may not have too many wives, but that a man may only have one wife. But because it says that a man may not have too many wives means that a man may have more than one wife but he should not exaggerate. For example, King Solomon exaggerated because he had 1000 wives.

[In the Clouds]

You're joking, right?  Hollywood?  Well, I'll forgive you for silly assessment.  LOL

[Who me]

On 2/15/2025 at 8:51 PM, towardseight said:

I believe that polygamy is allowed according to the Bible.

Interesting that geneses2:24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Is not quoted.

As Jesus said it is because of men's sinful hearts that divorce was permitted and by extension, because of men's sinful hearts that polygamy was permitted.

 

Just because the bible mentions polygamy and concubine does not mean it is approved.

 

[ayin jade]

Marriage is a depiction of the relationship between Christ and the church. It is not Christ and multiple churches.

It is illegal in the us and many other countries to be polygamous, therefor it is against what the bible tells us, that is to follow the laws of our country unless it violates the law of God. God does not tell us we much be polygamous. Therefore it is not the law of God.

I live in an area where mormon cults have polygamy and what happens there is abusive. Women forced to marry (not legally in civil marriage) as young girls, and young men cast out because of competition. The stories that come out of those polygamous towns would make you weep.

The first man in the bible to have more than one wife was a murderer. Some set of morals he had. (Lamech, Genesis 4).

[Marston]

Is there any scriptural support for polygamy? Is there an example in the Bible of a Godly man having multiple wives?

[ladypeartree]

This idea is very common in sad and ineffective men who have a need to dominate those he thinks cant fight back Its hard enough to support ONE wife and family these days let alone multiple What a pathetic topic 

[chirpy]

Slavery was also tolerated, but society has decided slavery is not good for society and has made it illegal, with some exceptions in middle east countries.  Just because the Bible is not emphatic on the subject does not imply it is a behavior that is acceptable nor good for society. 

towardseight or is it GodIsLife?  I detect in your posts a spirit of contrariness. If you are trying to cause others to stumble, or question their standing with God, than I rebuke you.