Bigamy and polygamy in OT

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Lanolin

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Dec 15, 2018
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#41
A wife can have children who can inherit the throne, a concubine is like a slave or
a mistress, something for fun but not children, or at least of lower status than the wives.

Concubines where kept as protected from other relationships so not like prostitutes,
but not valued properly or respected.
How did they distinguish the wives from the concubines. 'Something for fun' what do you mean...?
 

Lanolin

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#42
I suppse its not 'fun' having children.
 

FollowHisSteps

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#43
How did they distinguish the wives from the concubines. 'Something for fun' what do you mean...?
Wives had inheritence and importance implications and could influence ones opinions,
concubines were entertainment as far as I can see.
 

Lanolin

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#44
Wives had inheritence and importance implications and could influence ones opinions,
concubines were entertainment as far as I can see.
So, like a paid prostitute, but an exclusive one?
Did the concubines just not have any children, I dont see how they could have prevented it though. How could you tell them apart though. Were the wives not meant to entertain as well. Or was it ok that woman is earmarked for wife, and that one looks like shes make a great concubine. How do men even make that decision.

I would be like. I dont care if you have kings solomons riches. If you already have hundreds of wives and concubines why would you need one more? To add to your collection?
 

Lanolin

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#45
Maybe he was like I am going to have a wife from every country, like a miss universe contest. Good for international relations.. if that happened today can you imagine the uproar. Would a world leader or King just go round marrying women from all different countries, I mean who actually does that?
 
A

AuntieAnt

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#46
I apologize Lanolin for engaging with someone who sabotaged your thread. :confused: I have blocked him and will not comment on this thread anymore. Blessings to you, dear sister.
 
Nov 26, 2012
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#47
Yeah, I think that’s what he did. If you look at mammal groups it’s often one alpha male with several females.
 

FollowHisSteps

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#48
So, like a paid prostitute, but an exclusive one?
Did the concubines just not have any children, I dont see how they could have prevented it though. How could you tell them apart though. Were the wives not meant to entertain as well. Or was it ok that woman is earmarked for wife, and that one looks like shes make a great concubine. How do men even make that decision.

I would be like. I dont care if you have kings solomons riches. If you already have hundreds of wives and concubines why would you need one more? To add to your collection?
I get the feeling people wanted to be part of the royal court, so if you had a daughter who
was in the royal household that was a great thing.

We do not see how harsh sheep farming is, but that appears to be what most people did,
so getting out of that was a big thing. And for David and Solomon to afford such a large
family, they had serious wealth, and any action in terms of family etc was probably an
advantage.
 

tourist

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#49
King Lemeuel? i dont recall a King Lemuel in Israel or Judah...can you place him. Does the Bible tell us his wifes name?
No, I believe the only mention was at the beginning of Proverbs 31 where it stated that the following were his sayings. Not sure if he is mention anywhere else in the bible but I guess that could be googled. Just ran a check, apparently Proverb 31 is the only place in the bible that mentions his name. He is somewhat of an unknown entity.
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
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#50
One of the first things God did for man was to create marriage and the sex that is part of that. When man follows the way God created the world to be it results in a Hebrew word we don't have an English word for, Shalom. Shalom means peace, harmony, and goodness. When we go against the way God created the world it results in all words that are opposite to this.

God took a piece of man and created woman, then through sex they are united and the two become one. This is sanctified with marriage.

The OT culture of the Hebrews did not follow this. Scripture does not whitewash its heroes but it shows the results of their sin. As an example, David's son with Bathsheba died and David became a sorrowful old man.
 

Lanolin

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#51
No, I believe the only mention was at the beginning of Proverbs 31 where it stated that the following were his sayings. Not sure if he is mention anywhere else in the bible but I guess that could be googled. Just ran a check, apparently Proverb 31 is the only place in the bible that mentions his name. He is somewhat of an unknown entity.
Huh funny..I thought King Solomon wrote the book. Are you sure Lemuel wasnt another of his names. Or was it only the last chapter, according to verse 1, it was King Lemuels words that his MOTHER taught him. So the Proverbs 31 woman probably wasnt even his wife, it was his mother. She then asks who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

And then goes on to describe the ultimate unattainable virtous woman that none of the Kings ever seemed to marry. Cos if they married the Proverbs 31 woman, they most probably wouldnt need any other wives.
 

Lanolin

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#52
I get the feeling people wanted to be part of the royal court, so if you had a daughter who
was in the royal household that was a great thing.

We do not see how harsh sheep farming is, but that appears to be what most people did,
so getting out of that was a big thing. And for David and Solomon to afford such a large
family, they had serious wealth, and any action in terms of family etc was probably an
advantage.
Hmm I dunno...be a shepherdess or join the harem. Choices choices.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of harem life. Would it be like joining americas next top model. All fun and games and till you slowly realise your fellow sisters being eliminated each week. Maybe you only get to spend one night with the kIng. Sounds like the decadant lifestyle of rock start groupies to me. Its never said if the King just had them all at the same time. I would call that an orgy, but seems like God did put a stop to it at some point. You know, with the destruction of the temple and all.
 

Lanolin

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Dec 15, 2018
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#53
I apologize Lanolin for engaging with someone who sabotaged your thread. :confused: I have blocked him and will not comment on this thread anymore. Blessings to you, dear sister.
Auntie ant, no worries I just ignore those people. Theres a button you can press that just stops them from coming up, so you dont even see their posts. You can still comment on this thread if you like as long as its on the topic...
 

FollowHisSteps

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Feb 15, 2019
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#54
Hmm I dunno...be a shepherdess or join the harem. Choices choices.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of harem life. Would it be like joining americas next top model. All fun and games and till you slowly realise your fellow sisters being eliminated each week. Maybe you only get to spend one night with the kIng. Sounds like the decadant lifestyle of rock start groupies to me. Its never said if the King just had them all at the same time. I would call that an orgy, but seems like God did put a stop to it at some point. You know, with the destruction of the temple and all.
The many wives of David and Solomon demonstrated their wealth, because we do not hear
of other Kings who lived like this.

From my perspective of being a dad and a husband, this life was very dysfunctional.
How many wives did David really know? 5 minutes conversation every year or so?
And satisfaction? This is not exactly a satisfying existence for the women. More like
forced celibacy with a few occasional interactions. And if you are one of 14 brothers
and sisters, free food and lodgings is not a bad life.

So I think the whole thing is a social benefit for the society rather than the King themselves.
Imagine Ahab having any other women than Jezebel. Not a chance.
 

Lanolin

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#55
The many wives of David and Solomon demonstrated their wealth, because we do not hear
of other Kings who lived like this.

From my perspective of being a dad and a husband, this life was very dysfunctional.
How many wives did David really know? 5 minutes conversation every year or so?
And satisfaction? This is not exactly a satisfying existence for the women. More like
forced celibacy with a few occasional interactions. And if you are one of 14 brothers
and sisters, free food and lodgings is not a bad life.

So I think the whole thing is a social benefit for the society rather than the King themselves.
Imagine Ahab having any other women than Jezebel. Not a chance.
Yea I wonder why Bathesheba, and all Davids other women , didnt say no when he asked to marry them, like, you already have a wife, so am not going to marry you , and in Batheshebas case, I already have a husband.

I guess, if a wealthy King wants to marry you just have no choice but to say yes. If they had said no, would he have killed them...like queen esther, apparently if she refused the king she could have perished, I dont know if her head would have been chopped off. I dont know what happened to queen vashti.

Certainly other kings later like the english kings could do that chop off peoples heads I mean. Like Henry the eighth, had eight wives, when they couldnt give him children, he just had them beheaded.
 

tourist

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#56
Huh funny..I thought King Solomon wrote the book. Are you sure Lemuel wasnt another of his names. Or was it only the last chapter, according to verse 1, it was King Lemuels words that his MOTHER taught him. So the Proverbs 31 woman probably wasnt even his wife, it was his mother. She then asks who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

And then goes on to describe the ultimate unattainable virtous woman that none of the Kings ever seemed to marry. Cos if they married the Proverbs 31 woman, they most probably wouldnt need any other wives.
I guess that it would not be a good thing for a guy contemplating marrying a Proverb 31 woman as this would be his mother.
 

Lanolin

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#57
I guess that it would not be a good thing for a guy contemplating marrying a Proverb 31 woman as this would be his mother.
I think marrying your mother is forbidden in Leviticus.

Maybe you can only become virtuous like Mrs Proverbs 31 after becoming a mother. After all NT says women are saved in childbearing.

But you know, becoming a mother and bearing children means you kinda have to give up your chasitity first. A catch 22.

Jesus did say it was better not to marry, and Paul too, well of course they could vouch for it they werent married.
 
Dec 9, 2019
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#58
Well I'm a women and god has worked on me about polygamy and you can find it all through the old testament and what's wrong with this world today is Christian only preach what the people want to hear.
Poly is big in nz mil partners I believe in god plural wives is much better we see more women to men all ready what's wrong with a good man wanting to take care of other widower ect women in need and need help maybe you should think about that before you mock God's word.
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#59
Well I'm a women and god has worked on me about polygamy and you can find it all through the old testament and what's wrong with this world today is Christian only preach what the people want to hear.
Poly is big in nz mil partners I believe in god plural wives is much better we see more women to men all ready what's wrong with a good man wanting to take care of other widower ect women in need and need help maybe you should think about that before you mock God's word.
I don't know why this showed up in my notifications. I have never spoken or subscribed to this thread, nor do I follow you on this forum.
God has not worked on you about this. It was never his plan. I think you should read the Bible. First of all God commanded that Kings and priests were not to multiply wives to themselves even though they did, and it never turned out good. From the strife in the house of Issac between Rachael, and Leah, to David's children from different mother's raping and killing each other even dividing the nation into, to the fall of Solomon who became an idolator because of his wives.
When God gave the command for Kings to not multiply wives to themselves it was an open door for everyone else it was so that they serve as the leaders and thus the examples.
Fast forward to the new testament and Paul leaving instruction on how to run the church to Timothy says any one who desires an office of the church should be the husband of one wife. This sets the example for raising up the future Christian culture. He knew they were in pagan lands and that some converts would already have more than one wife, but he excluded them from holding a position in the church. There by design it would then be the influence for the future generation of the church that the leaders would have only one wife.
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
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#60
Would it be saying anyone who already has a wife and marries another commits adultery.
I think I read that somewhere in the Bible, that Jesus said that.

So all those taking two wives in the OT were commiting adultery on their first wife. I mean, what excuse is there for taking another wife. Not having children? Zecahriah was with elizabeth for I dont know how many years, she couldnt have children, but he didnt take another. Then they had John the baptist.

Was it because the first wife wasnt good enough, or didnt please the husband, but instead of letting her go, keep her and take another. i just wonder about abigail and michal, what was wrong with abigail that David would go after Bathesheba. MIchal, seemd displeased and it was like an arranged marriage for her, ok, but .abigail, why would David cheat on Abigail? Does it say what happened to her or do we just assume she died or wasnt around when David was cheating and then married Bathsheba. I cant imagine them at the wedding, and the minsiter says will you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife. Abigail might say HOld on RAbbi, stop the wedding, he cant marry her cos Im his wife!
David and all the other human beings in the Bible where just that... Human beings.. In the incident between David and Bathesheba David sinned.. Sometimes some people ( and i am not saying you Lanolin ) assume that God approved of all the actions of people like David and Solomon and other notable people in the Bible.. But this was not so.. Just because people in the Bible did certain things does not mean that God was approving their actions..

As for Solomon and His many wives.. It was the custom in those days for Kings to establish alliances by marrying one of their princesses off to the King they wanted to form an alliance with.. King Solomon was a very wise and rich and thus powerful ruler and therefore all the Kings around sought to form alliances with him and thus part of their deals was to get one of their daughters married to Solomon..

Solomon married a lot of foreign woman and in the end they ( the woman ) caused a lot of trouble in Israel because they would set up shrines to their own gods within Jerusalem and on top of the mountains in Israel.. So even Solomon being the wisest man in the world at that time still make great errors that seemed like a smart idea at the time ( taking wives from other nations) but in the long run brought destruction upon his kingdom.