POLYGYNY IN THE SCRIPTURES

COPYRIGHT � JANUARY 14, 1995 All rights reserved.
Copyright � 01/12/�96  (Revised)

By L. Tyler   P.O. Box 620763, SanDiego, CA 92162-0763
 [email protected]
This work is dedicated with love and honor to Carol Lynn McIntyre of Camelot (3/24/'49), Beverly  Landers Tyler(4/11/'52),  Keith Adams, Diane Tava Lovelady, Lua Nguyen,  Marilyn Tyler (7/27/'49) and Paula Dugas.  This is an excerpt from the master document.


IV.  THE VARIOUS FORMS OF MARRIAGE  IN THE BIBLE  --- LET THE WORD SPEAK!

�       THE FIRST MARRIAGE
Gen.2: 7 And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
8 � And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. . . 15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 � And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
18 � And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought [them] unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that [was] the name thereof.  20 And Adam gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field. But there was not found a suitable helper for Adam.
       21 � And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh underneath.  22 And the LORD God made the rib (which He had taken from the man) into a woman. And He brought her to the man.
>>>>[Is this an ideal setting for the first marriage?  Do we have such a face to face relationship with God?  Had man been designated as her head/ruler yet?   Had she been told by God yet that Adam would take the lead in their marriage?  Weren't they still perfectly equal partners still?  Is it realistic to take this perfect marriage-in-paradise and hold it up as the norm and standard for us today?  Wasn't it God Himself that changed the marital relationship when they were expelled from the Garden?  Does God anywhere in His Word  say that this marriage-made-in-Paradise is to be our model and standard for Godly marriage?  Where?  If He didn't make it the norm and the standard, dare we make it the standard (Mark 7)?
       [Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically allows only monogyny?  Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically forbids polygyny?  Is there anything in this passage that indicates that God set monogyny up as the model we must follow?  Is there anything in this passage that clearly and specifically instructs us to follow Adam's example of monogyny?]

       [The first mention of marriage in the Bible is where God miraculously provided Eve to Adam in the Garden of God.  Monogamists say that if God approved of polygyny  God would have given Eve, Eyvette, Eva and Evellyn to Adam.  On the other hand, just like with you and I, if we have more than one good option, we don�t need to exercise all of them, just the one that is best at the time.  There is no quarrel with the fact that God has ordained that the male leaders of his Church are to have one wife>33 , and that even in the Old Testament the leaders were instructed not to �multiply� wives to themselves.  To be a valid prefigure of Christ (as �the first Adam�) you would expect Adam to have one wife, just as Christ, the �last Adam�, has one wife the Church.    [Footnote: >33   1 Tim. 3; Titus 1]

Gen.2: 23 And Adam said, This [is] now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. [She] shall be called Woman because [she] was taken out of man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife; and they were not ashamed.
Does Jesus' statement �The two shall become
one flesh� mean that only one man and one woman
should become one flesh, as in monogamy>57 , as
most of the "leaders" maintain?  Doesn't the Spirit uses �The
two shall become one flesh� principle in 1 Corinth. 6
to show �that he who is joined to a harlot is one body
with her� , and then uses the same �one flesh�
principle in Eph. 5 about a husband and his wife?
Jerome (340-420AD) didn't indicate any problem
understanding the  possibility when he wrote,
"Lamech, a man of
blood and a murderer, was the first who divided one
flesh between two wives.">58
[Footnotes:>.57  Please see THE INSTITUTES OF
BIBLICAL  LAW, by R. Rushdonney, p. 363.   >.58  A
Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers
of The Christian Church,  Vol. VIII;  p. 358.]

Since the harlot is one flesh with every fornicator she
has sexual union with and the husband is one flesh
with his wife, how can the �one flesh� principle be unique to
marriage and how can it be an argument for monogamy
or against polygyny ? Doesn't the �one flesh� principle in
physical reality  describe only the result of
sexual union, whether it involve a harlot, a fornicator,
a married couple or a polygamous marriage?  Weren't  David,
Israel and Abraham  �one flesh� with each of
their wives, just as the adulteress of Prov. 6 & 7 was
one flesh with each of her adulterers?  Under the Law
by Moses, being �one flesh� could have been the basis
for marriage>11  but not so for us after the Sinai Law
of Moses was declared voided in Eph. 2 and Col. 2,
especially in the case of 1 Cor. 7:9; 1 Tm. 5:11-14, right?  If
we do not control ourselves today, aren't we commanded
to marry>12 , with who to marry  not specified, only
that your mate be saved>13 and godly>14?
[Footnotes: >11   (Deut. 22:22-30; Ex. 22:16,17).    >12
1 Cor. 7:9,36;  1 Tim 5:14;  Appendix Six of this
document.    >13. 2 Corinthians 6.    .>14 1 Corinthians
5:9-11; 2 Thess. 3:6-14]

Gen.3:6 � And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food. and that it was pleasing to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she took of its fruit, and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 And the eyes of both of them were opened. And they knew that they [were] naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made girdles for themselves. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God in the middle of the trees of the garden.
       9 � And the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, Where [are] you? 10 And he said, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [am] naked, and I hid myself.
       11 � And He said, Who told you that you [were] naked?  Have you eaten of the tree which I commanded you that you should not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom You gave [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. 13 And the LORD God said to the woman, What [is] this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.
       16 � To the woman He said, I will greatly increase your sorrow and your conception. In pain you shall bear sons, and your desire shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you.
       17 � And to Adam He said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat [of] it! The ground [is] cursed for your sake. In pain shall you eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It shall also bring forth thorns and thistles to you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you [are], and to dust you shall return.
       20 � And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
       21 � And for Adam and his wife the LORD God made coats of skins, and clothed them.
       22 � And the LORD God said, Behold, the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever, 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he had been taken. 24 And He drove out the man. And He placed cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
       4:1 � And Adam knew Eve his wife. And she conceived and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she bore again, his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
>>>>>[ Are they now in a whole new "universe", under a curse, mortal, subject to sickness and weakness and a whole new way of relating to each other as a result of their sin?  Isn't there a significant change in their relationship with each other and with God?  Hadn't the ideal first marriage become a very different thing because of sin?  Didn't their world become like ours is today?  Isn't this the beginning of the changes that would take place in human matrimony?  Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically allows only monogyny?  Is there anything in this first marriage that clearly and specifically forbids polygyny?  Is there anything in this passage that indicates that God set monogyny up as the model we must follow?  Is there anything in this passage that clearly and specifically instructs us to follow Adam's example of monogyny?]
       [Leaders say that one of God's purposes in creation was that the marital standard for man be monogamy>32 even though there is not one scripture, quoted or paraphrased, that says that.  Yet I understand  a Christian elder and most of the "leaders" to persist, apparently maintaining that there is no doubt that God's indisputable will, as seen in the Old Testament, is monogamy.>33.
[Footnotes:>.32  Please see THE INSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL  LAW, page 362,  by R. Rushdonney.;  >33. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.21]

       Whether or not it is the best form of marriage for each individual depends on the gift and the leading (Rom. 8:1-14) each individual receives from God. St. Augustine (4th Century AD) had a gentler way of saying it that I feel more reflects the God  of Gen. 1 and 1 Cor. 13. Consider the following:
�That the good purpose of marriage, however, is better promoted by one husband with one wife, than by a husband with several wives, is shown plainly enough by the very first union of a married pair, which was made by the Divine Being Himself, with the intention of marriages taking their beginning therefrom, and of its affording to them a more honorable precedent.  In the advance, however,  of the human race, it came to pass that to certain good men were united a plurality of good wives,  --- many to each; and from this it would seem that moderation sought rather unity on one side for dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other side for fecundity.  For on natural principles it is more feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for many to have dominion over one.�
[Footnote: >..34  2b A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church; Vol. V; p. 267]
       Not one verse, quoted or paraphrased, says that  God's purpose was that "monogamy be the standard for man"  but most of our relgious leaders teach this doctrine.  They say that Gen. 2:18-24 shows that "The normative marriage is clearly monogamous.�
       First that passage says nothing about Gen 2 being normative, and no other passage in the Bible says that.    None of us are commanded by God to emulate or imitate Adam.  Adam had to be unique as the first Adam just as Christ had to be unique to be the �last Adam�>35. , and being unique it is no surprise that both �Adams� have one unique wife (the first Adam, Eve; the last Adam>36.   Jesus, the Church).   In the Old Testament Jesus portrayed Himself as a polygynist>37  in accordance with His own Law governing polygyny, and as King of Kings He did not �multiply� wives to Himself.  In the New Testament as the Leader of the Church, He could have only one wife in accordance with His own Law governing the marital status of Church leaders>4
[Footnotes:>.35. 1 Cor.  15:45-49; Romans 5:12-21.  >.36.  DITTO 1 Cor.  15:45-49; Romans 5:12-21.  >.37   Ezekiel 23;  >.>4 Titus 1; 1 Timothy 3]

"Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam.  Yet polygyny  is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn. 4:19), and is not forbidden inScripture. . . ...Polygamy continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African countries." [Douglas� New Bible Dictionary : MARRIAGE: .....p.787]
�. . Elkanah, the husband of Hannah and Peninnah, is an interesting example of a man of no particular position who nevertheless had more than one wife; this may be an indication that bigamy, at least, if not polygamy, was not confined to the very wealthy and exalted.  At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution from the earliest of times.�>39  [Footnote: >39.  HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.259.]

�Polygamy meets us as a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the Judges, David, Solomon; 1 Ch 7:4 is evidence of its  prevalence in Issachar; Elkanah (1 Sam.1:1ff) is significant as belonging to the middle class; Jehoida (2 Ch 24:3) as a priest. . .Legislation . . . safeguarded the rights of various wives, slave or free; and according to the Rabbinical interpretation of Lv 21:13>40. . . .the high priest was not allowed to be a bigamist. . . The marriage figure applied to the union of God and Israel . . . implied monogamy as the ideal state. . . Being .. apparently legalized, and having the advantage of precedent, it was long before polygamy was formally forbidden in Hebrew society, though practically it fell into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis was strongly against it.  Herod had nine wives at once. . . Its possibility is implied by the technical continuance of the Levirate law, [Deut. 25:5-10] and is proved by the early interpretation of 1 Ti 3, whether correct or not. Justin reproaches the Jews of his day [A.D.]   with having 'four or even five wives,' and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they wish.'  The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at least the reproach had some foundation.  Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany.  In Spain, Italy, and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan countries>41.
[Footnote: (>.(40. Septuagint Lev. 21:13 "He shall take for a wife a virgin of his own tribe.".  .>41.  HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.583ff.]
        Eugene Nida's (American Bible Society) book Customs and Cultures>42  documents the practice of polygyny  by Christians in non Western countries, and how it is still practiced in China, SE Asia, India, Africa and parts of South America.  Eugene Nida points out that when polygamists become Christians they are told of their limitations in church offices and are asked not to take any additional wives because it stumbles western Christians>5  . They are not usually asked to abandon their other wives to a premature widowhood because of l Cor. 7:1-15.
[Footnotes:>.42  1954, Harper & Brothers, New York; >5   (Rom 14, l Cor. 8 and 10)]
       The unscriptural condemnation of polygyny/concubinage  by the Western Christian community has proven to be one of the main obstacles for people in Eastern and third world  countries to accept the message of Christ, especially if Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, or African,  fulfilling Christ's Word in Mark 7:13 "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have delivered . . ." The Western �Christian� tradition against polygyny hinders the spread of the Gospel of Christ in Moslem and other polygynous societies.
       What about all those third world folks, especially the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans, who are practicing polygyny/ concubinage  and are told that they have to dump or abandon their extra wives in order to become Christians?  This requirement keeps many from Christ and alienates many against Christ, being one of the biggest obstacles for the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African communities.  These "Christian" folks who feel their  own tradition about monogamy and polygyny  must be kept by Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and Africans and other third world polygamists for them to become Christians, sound like the folks: Mat. 23:13 "� But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you  shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for *you* do not enter, nor do you  suffer those that are entering to go in."
       The angels are waiting to rejoice over the conversion of one polygamous Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African or third worlder.  "Christian legalists and traditionalists" wont let them into their "Christian" churches unless they sin by (1) "dealing treacherously">6   with their wives by putting them away in repudiation, (2) disobeying Christ's command not to leave their wives>7 , and (3) not remaining in the marital condition in which they were called to Christ, whether it be concubinage, polygyny or in monogamy.  I understand one source to make the point has been made that it would be brutal for the Christian community to force a polygamist to have to choose between (1) being saved and then baptized, and  (2) having his wives in legally and sociably acceptable polygyny.>43.
[Footnotes:>6  Malachi 2;  >7  1 Cor. 7:11,12,13,14; ^>.^43.  Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.33; [Karl Barth, CHURCH DOGMATICS, III/4, p. 203].
       So what is the solution?  What is God's solution? At the very least the Spirit's Word in Paul tells us that if you, husband or wife, are saved in polygyny/concubinage, then remain in polygyny/concubinage and accept it as God's distribution for each person involved in particular.
1 Cor.7: 17 � �However, as the Lord has divided to each, as God has called each, so let him walk; and thus I ordain in all the assemblies. . . .   20 Let each abide in that calling in which he has been called. . . .  24 Let each, wherein he is called, brethren, therein abide with God. . . .  26 I think then that this is good, on account of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a man to remain so as he is.  27 Are you  bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed; are you  free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.�



�       ADAM'S CREATOR, JEHOVAH,  LATER PRESENTED HIMSELF AS A POLYGYNIST WITH TWO WIVES.
MKJV EZEKIEL 23: 1 � The word of the LORD came again to me, 2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother.  3 And they fornicated in
Egypt; they whored in their youth, their breasts were handled, and there their Oholibah, her sister. And they were Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And their names: Samaria [is] Oholah, and Jerusalem [is] Oholibah. 5 And Oholah whored under Me. And she lusted after her lovers, to [her] Assyrian neighbors, . . .  18 So she uncovered her fornications and uncovered her nakedness. And My soul was alienated from her just as My soul was alienated from her sister.  36 � And the LORD said to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah, and declare to them their abominations, 37 that they have committed adultery, and blood [is] on their hands? And they have committed adultery with their idols and have also caused their sons whom they bore to Me to pass through the fire to them, to devour them. . . . . 45 And [as] righteous men, they shall judge them [with] the judgment of adulteresses, and the judgment of women who shed blood; because they [are] adulteresses, and blood [is] in their hands.

EZ 16:8 And I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, says  the Lord Jehovah. And you became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And
their names: Samaria [is] Oholah, and Jerusalem [is] Oholibah. . . . . . .   20 And you have taken your sons and your daughters, whom you have borne to Me, and you gave these to them for food. [Are] your fornications small? . . . . . . . . .  30 How weak is your heart, says the Lord Jehovah, since you do all these, the work of a woman, an overbearing harlot; 31 in that you build your mound at the head of every way, and make your high place in every street. Yet you have not been as a harlot, scorning wages. 32 [Like] the adulterous wife, instead of her husband, she takes strangers. 33 They give a gift to all harlots, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them to come to you from all around, for your fornication. 34 And in you was the opposite from [those] women in your fornications, since no one whores after you, and in your giving wages, and hire is not given to you. [In] this you are opposite. . . . . . . 59 For so says the Lord Jehovah: I will even deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.
60 � But I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant. 61 And you shall remember your ways and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your older and your younger. And I will give them to you for daughters, but not by [your] covenant. 62 And I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall know that I [am] the LORD; 63 so that you may remember and be ashamed; and it will not be [possible] to open [your] mouth any more because of your shame; in that I am propitiated for all that you have done, says the Lord Jehovah.
[Does God ever portray Himself as a sinner commiting sin?  Can polygyny be a sin if God portrays Himself as a polygynist?  Is there anything in this passage that condemns or forbids polygyny?]
[In the Old Testament Jesus, as Jehovah>34 , presents Himself as the husband of one wife remembering their wedding day and the exchange of the vows at Mt. Sinai in the desert>35 .  Reflecting the reality of how Israel and Judah divided after Solomon died, Jesus (as Jehovah) presents Himself as the husband of two wives
God never presents Himself as sin or sinner to us except for when holy Christ became sin for us on the cross.  In Ezek. 23, the sinners were His wives and He was righteous as the husband of two wives.  It was only two wives in accordance with His own Law that decreed that the ruler must not multiply wives to himself. Polygyny , even God�s polygyny , is NEVER labeled or declared to be sin or sinful in the Bible.
       God portrays Himself, in the fullness of His holiness, as the polygamous husband of two wives in Ezekiel 23.  I believe God was not a victim of the fall, and remains holy in a world of sin.  If �polygamy clearly appears as a product of the fall� then why isn�t there one scripture or even one verse that says that?  Since there isn�t,  it seems to be more men�s teaching.  No where does polygyny  appear, in the Old or the New Testaments, in any list of sins, list of fleshly works or list of abominations to God.  I understand  Rev. Gerhard Jasper to make the following points: (1) In Old Testament times a Jewish polygynist's marriage was fully recognized as marriage, protected by the Law and the elders;  (2) the Jewish polygynist's faith in or faithfulness to God was not questioned because of his polygyny; (3) the polygyny of the Jewish polygynist did not keep him from being admitted to the congregation with full membership.>44.  Moses did not forbid polygamy>8   (Dt. 21:15,16) >8  but apparently it was unusual among average people .>45.
[Footnotes:>.f89  Please see p. 362, THE INTSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney.    >44.  Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.18; (AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Rev. Gerhard Jasper of Lutheran Theological College in Makumira, Tanzania; Februrary 1969, p. 41).    >45.  Please see THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p. 407.]
       St. Augustine (4th Century AD) had a good word on this subject. Consider the following:�That the holy fathers of olden times after Abraham, and before him, to whom God gave His testimony that "they pleased Him," [Heb. 11:4-6]  thus used their wives, no one who is a Christian ought to doubt, since it was permitted to certain individuals amongst them to have a plurality of wives, where the reason was for the multiplication of their offspring, not the desire of varying gratification. . .In the advance . . . of the human race, it came to pass that to certain good men were united a plurality of good wives,  --- many to each; and from this it would seem that moderation sought rather unity on one side for dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other side for fecundity.  For on natural principles it is more feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for many to have dominion over one.�>46
[Footnote: >46 A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church Vol. V; p. 267.]


�       LAMECH, THE FIRST POLYGYNIST.
Gen.4:17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 And Irad was born to Enoch. And Irad fathered Mehujael. And Mehujael fathered Methusael. And Methusael fathered Lamech.
19 � And Lamech took two wives to himself. The name of the first one [was] Adah, and the name of the other [was] Zillah.

As Jerome (340-420AD) put it, "Lamech, a man of blood and a murderer, was the first who divided one flesh between two wives.">3  Some maintain that polygamy was much less common in the Old Testament than is frequently thought to be the case, though its practice usually seemed to have a valid reason >4.
[Footnotes:>39.  MKJV GEN. 4: 19 ;  A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church,Vol. VIII; p. 358.  >4.  Please see THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY;  p.119.]

Have you considered what Saint Augustine said in the fourth century AD?
       "But here there is no ground for a criminal
accusation: for a plurality of wives was no crime when
it was the custom; and it is a crime now, because it is
no longer the custom.  There are sins against nature,
and sins against custom, and sins against the laws.  In
which, then, of these senses did Jacob sin in having a
plurality of wives?  As regards nature, he used the
women not for sensual gratification, but for the
procreation of children.  For custom, this was the
common practice at that time in those countries.  And
for the laws, no prohibition existed.  The only reason
of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom
and the laws forbid it."
[Footnote: >.14  A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv;  p. 289]



�       THE POLYGYNOUS PATRIARCH, ABRAHAM , SARAH AND HAGAR

GEN. 16: 2 And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, the LORD has kept me from
bearing. I pray you, go in to my slave woman. It may be that I may be built by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai, Abram's wife, took
Hagar her slave woman, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife (after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan);   . . . . 9 And the Angel of the LORD said to her [Hagar], Return to your mistress and submit yourself under her hands.
        10 � And the Angel of the LORD said to her, I will multiply your seed exceedingly, so that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her, Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son. And you shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction 12 And he will be a wild man. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. And he shall live in the presence of all his brothers. 13 And she called the name of the LORD who had spoken to her, You [are] a God of vision! For she said, Even here have I looked after Him that sees me? 14 Therefore the well was called The Well of the Living One Seeing Me. Behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered.
       15 � And Hagar bore Abram a son. And Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 And Abram [was] eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
       17: 1 � And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, I [am] the Almighty God! Walk before Me and be perfect. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face. And God talked with him, saying,
4 � As for Me, behold! My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations. 6 And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, greatly so, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you.
7 � And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you. 8 And I will give the land to you in which you are a stranger, and to your seed after you, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. And I will be their God. 9 And God said to Abraham, And you shall keep My covenant, you and your seed after you in their generations. 10 This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you. Every male child among you shall be circumcised.
[If polygyny is a sin, why does God bless both Abraham and his two wives in their polygny?  Is there anything in this passage that specifically and clearly shows God's disapproval of and displeasure in Abraham's polygyny?]

15 � And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name [shall be] Sarah. 16 And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother] of nations, kings of people shall be from her. 17 And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born to him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said to God, Oh that Ishmael might live before You! 19 And God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed. And you shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.  20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time in the next year. 22 And He left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
[If polygyny is condemned by God and forbidden to man, then why does God bless Sarah who influenced Abraham to become a polygynist?   If Abraham's polygyny was a sin, why did God bless the offspring of his polygyny?  If Abraham's polygyny was a sin, why did God personally talk with him and bless him so richly?  Where is the condemnation of Abraham's polygyny?]

23 � And Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his silver; every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins in the same day, even as God said to him. 24 And Abraham [was] ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And his son Ishmael [was] thirteen years old [when] he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.
       GEN. 21:1 � And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said. And the LORD did to Sarah as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him (whom Sarah bore to him) Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

[WHERE IS THE CONDEMNATION OF ABRAHAM'S POLYGYNY?  WHERE IS THE DENUNCIATION OF THE CHILDREN OF HIS POLYGYNY?]

       Gen. 21: 9 � And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian (whom she had borne to Abraham) mocking. 10 And she said to Abraham, Cast out this slave woman and her son. For the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son, with Isaac. 11 And the thing was very evil in Abraham's sight, because of his son. 12 And God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the boy and because of your slave woman. In all that Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice. For in Isaac your Seed shall be called. 13 And also, I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman, because he [is] your seed.

[WAS SHE KICKED OUT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THEIR POLYGYNY DISPLEASED GOD?  WHAT IS THE REASON SARAH GAVE FOR THE EXPULSION OF HAGAR AND ISHMAEL?  DID HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR POLYGYNY?]

       GEN. 21: 14 � And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave [it] to Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder. And he gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15 And the water was gone in the bottle, and she cast the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 And she went and sat down across from him, a good way off, about a bowshot. For she said, Let me not see the death of the boy. And she sat across from him, and lifted up her voice, and cried. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of the heavens, and said to her, What ails you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Rise up, lift up the boy and hold him up  with your hand, for I will make him a great nation. 19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave drink to the boy. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew, and lived in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 And he lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

[WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT GOD CONDEMNED OR PUNISHED HAGAR AND ISHMAEL FOR THEIR POLYGYNY?  If their polygyny were a sin, why did God take such good care of them and promise them such great blessings?]

       Gen.22: 20 � And it happened after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold Milcah! She also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Huz his first-born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 And Bethuel fathered Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 24 And his concubine, named Reumah, she also bore Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
Gen. 23: 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave at the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which [is] Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
       Gen. 25: 1 � Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian: Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abida and Eldaah. All these [were] the sons of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts. And he sent them away from Isaac his son while he still lived, eastward to the east country.
1 Chronicles 1: 32 And the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: She bore Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33 And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these [are] the sons of Keturah.
[Where is God's denunciation of Abraham for having concubines?  Where is God's denunciation of the concubines for marrying Abraham?  Where is Abraham's confession of his sin, if polygyny is sinful as some say?]

Have you considered the following?
". . . a man's 'house' might consist of his mother; his
wives and the wives' children; his concbines and their
children . . . and slaves of both sexes.  Polygamy was
in part the  cause of the large size of the Hebrew
household; in part thecause of it may be found in the
insecurity of early times, when safety lay in numbers
. . Polygyny and bigamy were recognized features of
the family life.  From the Oriental point of view there
was nothing immoral in the practice of polygamy.
The female slaves were in every respect the property
of their master and became his concubines; except in
certain cases, when they seem to have belonged
exclusively to their mistress . . . At all events,
polygyny was an established and recognized
institution form the earliest times">8 HASTINGS
DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;  p.259.

Eerdmans' Douglas' New Bible Dictionary: �Concubine.
A secondary wife acquired by purchase or as a war
captive, and allowed in polygamous society such as
existed in the Middle east in biblical times....Where
marriages produced no heir, wives presented a slave
concubine too their husbands in order to raise an heir
(Gen. 16). Handmaidens, given as a marriage gift,
were often concubines (Gen. 29:24,29). Concubines
were protected under Mosaic law (Exod. 21:7-11; Dt.
21:10-14), though they were distinguished from
wives (Jdg. 8:31) and were more easily divorced
(Gen.21:10-14)."
[Footnote: >10. 1962, IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas; W. B.
Eerdmans Publishing]

FUNK & WAGNALLS NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA:
CONCUBINAGE, �refers to the cohabitation of a man
and a woman without sanction of legal marriage.
Specifically, concubinage is a form of polygyny  in
which the primary matrimonial relationship is
supplemented by one or more secondary sexual
relationships. Concubinage was a legally sanctioned
and socially acceptable practice in ancient cultures,
including that of the Hebrews; concubines, however,
were denied the protection to which a legal wife was
entitled. . .. In Roman law, marriage was precisely
defined as monogamous; concubinage was tolerated,
but the concubine's status was inferior to that of  a
legal wife.  Her children had certain rights, including
support by the father and legitimacy in the event of
the marriage of the parents� [>11 1986, Funk &
Wagnalls]

HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE: �The relative
positions of wives and concubines were determined
mainly by the husband's favour.  The children of the
wife claimed the greater part, or the whole, of the
inheritance; otherwise there does not seem to have
been any inferiority in the position of the concubine
as compared with that of the wife, nor was any idea
of  illegitimacy, in our sense of the word, connected
with her children. . . . The female slaves were in every
respect the property of their master, and became his
concubines; except in certain cases, when they seem
to have belonged exclusively to their mistress, and
could not be appropriated by the man except by her
suggestion or consent (Gn 16:2,3).  The slave-
concubines were obtained as booty  in time of war (Jg
5:30), or bought from poverty-stricken parents (Ex
21:7); or, possibly, in the ordinary slave traffic with
foreign nations.� >12
[Footnote: >12. HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;
p.259.]

� The difference between a wife and a concubine
depended on the wife's higher position and birth,
usually backed by relatives ready to defend her.� >13
[Footnote: >13. 1989, HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE
BIBLE;  p.585.]
For this paper a distinction is made between a mistress and a concubine.  I understand a mistress to mean a human female who has sexual (breast &/or vagina) intimacy with another human with whom she has no marital covenants/vows/ commitment. So a mistress is in the same category as a whore, harlot, prostitue etc. except that she might be having sexual intimacy with only one person during a specific period.   I attempt to show at length, later in the paper, that in the Bible a concubine has the status of a wife, even though it may be by informal marital covenants/vows/ commitments. And so, continuing the discussion . . . .   Having one wife/concubine is said to significantly complicate one�s life and distract one who is waiting on God>37 , so of course we understand that any godly man with more than one wife/concubine would be significantly more distracted from waiting on God and would have a significantly greater struggle in his spiritual life with God. In the New Testament in accordance with His law for church leaders, Jesus presents Himself to His people as  having only one wife, the Church>38   because believing Jews and believing Gentiles were reconciled into one Body,  the Church, to be one unified and united Bride to Christ.
[Footnotes:>37  1 Cor. 7; >38   (1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1) ]
       In the Bible's reality is a concubine the same as a mistress?  In the following paragraphs I believe you will see that a concubine has marital status in God's eyes even though socially and culturally she doen't have as high a status as a wife who was married publicly and according to the laws of the culture. The difference between a wife and a concubine is discussed in the next paragraph.  On the other hand a mistress is a female who lets "her man" relate to her  sexually by means of  her breasts>50 and/or genitals>51 without them making or agreeing to any marital "for life" commitments or covenants>52.   So a mistress provides sex and affection to her partner without marital commitments or covenants.
[Footnotes:>50  Prov. 5:19,20,21; Ezek.23:3,8,21;   >51   1 Cor. 6:15,16, 17,18;     >52  Prov. 2:16,17,18,19;  5:3,4,5,6;  6:24,25,26; 7; Ezek. 16; 23]
       The only differences I can detect between a concubine and a wife are: (1) that the concubine's marriage is confirmed by a solemn covenant between the husband and concubine>53 without a public wedding, (2) the concubine�s rights were protected by God (see below), and (3) their status as concubines spared them certain penalties>54 .  The Holy Spirit by the writer of Judges 19 declared the Levite to be the concubine's "husband", declared the father of the concubine to be the Levite's "father-in-law", and declared the Levite to be the "son-in-law" of the concubine's father.  This is a very strong legitimization of the husband-concubine marital status.  It is the same legitimization of the relationship that the Holy Spirit used in Matthew 1, calling the espoused Mary "wife" and the espoused Joseph "husband".  If God so recognizes them and describes them, then who are we to do any less.  By the Holy Spirit here in Judges 19 we see that a concubine had a "husband" who was the "son-in-law" of her father, his "father-in-law".  A wife has a "husband" who is the "son-in-law" of her father, her husband's "father-in-law".
[Footnotes:>53    (Ezek. 16 and Malachi 2);  >54   (Lev. 19:20 vs. Deut. 22)]

Sarai gave her slave/maid "to her husband Abram to be his wife", not concubine, but �wife�.  Consider the following points that appear to be made in one commentary: (1) It was Sarai's idea>* ; (2) it was a common at the time for a wife to obligate herself to get an heir by providing a slave girl to her husband so he could have his heir by the slave girl; (3) this was legal but left a tangle of emotions due to the heartlessness of conventional law; (4) polygamous marriages cause damage of
a psychological nature; (5) there is no reproof of Abram for fathering Ishmael who, in his turn, was blessed of God and became the father of an important nation.>5.   By the way there is no proof or documentation given that proves that polygamous marriages cause psychological damage.
[Footnotes:>*  MKJV GEN. 16: 2 And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, the LORD has kept me from bearing. I pray you, go in to my slave woman. It may be that I may be built by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her slave woman, the Egyptian, and gave her to her
husband Abram to be his wife (after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan);          >5. THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; Editor, F.F.Bruce; pp. 126ff]
       I understand the same commentary to make these points: (1) Abraham was reluctant because of the customs and the laws of his society, valid concerns about his reputation; (2) very old documentation reveals that normally it was not correct or legal to get rid of one's concubine and children in this way; (3)
God intervened and instructed him so that he was assured that Ishmael's rights and his mother's  prospects were ensured.>6.
[Footnote: >6. THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; Editor, F.F.Bruce; p. 129]
       Yes it is obvious that Sarai apparently acted on her own and there was no divine guidance in this move, but there was also no divine condemnation.  God intervened and sent Hagar back into the marital situation with Abram and Sarai>41  When God next spoke to Abraham>42  there was no condemnation of his polygyny , but instead God blessed him with an even greater blessing than before. In response to the blessing he takes his son by Hagar and  circumcised  him>43 .  But  I understand a Christian elder to maintain that there was no blessing from God on Abraham's polygamy, that the Biblical record of it is a criticism of Abraham's conduct. >7.  He gives no references so  look at the Word for yourselves -- "in all things the Lord had blessed Abraham" (Gen. 24:1).
[Footnotes:>41  (Gen 16:9-16.);    >42  (Gen. 17:1--);    >43  (Gen. 17:23-25);    >7.  MY WIFE MADE ME. . . .p.20.]

       Consider the following:
". . . a man's 'house' might consist of his mother; his wives and the wives' children; his concbines and their children . . . and slaves of both sexes.  Polygamy was in part the  cause of the large size of the Hebrew household; in part thecause of it may be found in the insecurity of early times, when safety lay in numbers . . . Polygyny and bigamy were recognized features of the family life.  From the Oriental point of view there was nothing immoral in the practice of polygamy.  The female slaves were in every respect the property of their master and became his concubines; except in certain cases, when they seem to have belonged exclusively to their mistress . . . At all events, polygyny was an established and recognized institution form the earliest times">8 HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;  p.259.

       God blessed Sarah with fertility in  polygyny>44  and God blessed Hagar and Ishmael even though she was cast out of Sarah's house at Sarah's confirmed request because of the question of an heir, not polygyny>45 .   Abraham had another concubine after Hagar, named Keturah>46  by whom Abraham had six children without any condemnation or denunciation by God.  What about   a Christian elder's apparent assertion that polygamy is a breeding ground for contemptuous, jealous, quarrelsome conduct in a marriage resulting in alienation between wife and husband<9   Forgive me if I sound a little naive (I'm only in my 50's and have experienced marriage for only 24 years) but divorce court records and sociological studies of divorce indicate that those vices are quite common in monogamy in America today.  Does that make monogamy evil?  I think not.  Contempt, jealousy, quarreling and estrangement are sinful works of the flesh and need to be dealt with Spiritually, just like any other sins involving more than one person.  Sin and the flesh are the evils, not polygamy or monogamy.
[Footnotes:>44    (Gen 21:1-7); >45   (Gen. 21); >46   (1 Chron.1:32) ;  >9.   See Gen. 16 and 21 as well as HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;p.259]



�       ESAU'S POLYGYNY
Genesis 26: 34 � And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; 35 who were a grief of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.
Gen. 28: 8 and when Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please Isaac his father; 9 then Esau went to Ishmael, and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to the wives [which] he [had] for his wife.
Gen.36: 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son. And she bore to Eliphaz Amalek.

�       THE POLYGYNOUS PATRIARCH JACOB, HIS WIVES & CONCUBINES.
Were these Old Testament saints less Godly than we?
I think not.  But what of those who say that having
more than one wife in those days was a falling short
of the will of God and reflected a weakness in the
character of those who participated in polygyny?   St.
Augustine has a good word on that, as follows:
"But those who have not the virtues of temperance
must not be allowed to judge of the conduct of holy
men, any more than those in fever of the sweetness
and wholesomeness of food. . . If our critics, then,
wish to attain not a spurious and affected, but a
genuine and sound moral health, let them find a cure
in believing the Scripture record, that the honorable
name of saint is given not without reason to men who
had several wives; and that the reason is this, that the
mind can exercise such control over the flesh as not to
allow the appetite implanted in our nature by
Providence to go beyond the limits of deliberate
intention. . . . the holy patriarchs in their conjugal
intercourse were actuated not by the love of pleasure,
but by the intelligent desire for the continuance of
their family. . . .nor did the number of their wives
make the patriarchs licentious. But why defend the
husbands, to whose character the divine word bears
the highest testimony. . . ."
[Footnote: >.23  A Select Library of the Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv;
p.290]

Gen. 29: 21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give [me] my wife, for my days are fulfilled, so that I may go in to her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it happened in the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him. And he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave Zilpah his slave woman to his daughter Leah for a handmaid. 25 And it happened in the morning, behold, it [was] Leah! And he said to Laban, What [is] this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me? 26 And Laban said, It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you shall serve with me still another seven years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. And he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave Bilhah his slave woman to his daughter Rachel, to be her handmaid. 30 And he also went in to Rachel. He also loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with him still seven more years.
31 � And when the LORD saw that Leah [was] hated, even He opened her womb. But Rachel [was] barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son.
Gen. 30:1 � And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, Give me sons, or else I will die. 2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel. And he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? 3 And she said, Behold my slave woman Bilhah; go in to her, and she shall bear upon my knees, and yea, let me be built up from her, me also. 4 And she gave him her slave woman Bilhah to wife. And Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son.  . . .  9 When Leah saw that she had quit bearing, she took her slave woman Zilpah and gave her to Jacob to wife. 10 And Leah's slave woman Zilpah bore Jacob a son. . . . . 16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening. And Leah went out to meet him, and said, You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's love-apples. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob the fifth son. . . . . 22 And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. . . . . . 26[And Jacob said to Laban]  Give me my wives and my children, [for] whom I have served you, and let me go. For you know my service which I have done you.
Gen.31: 3 And the LORD said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers, and to your kindred, and I will be with you.
[If polygyny is the sin that some say it is, why did God intervene to help Leah conceive?  Why did God remember and bless Rachel when she influenced Jacob to have a third wife?  Why did God listen to Leah's prayer after she influenced Jacob to have a fourth wife?  If polygyny is unacceptable to God, then why did the Lord speak to Jacob and promise to bless him with His abiding presence?]


Gen 32: 1 � And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, This [is] God's camp. And he called the name of that place Refuge. . . . . .  .24 � And Jacob was left alone. And a Man wrestled there with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh. And the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with Him. 26 And He said, Let Me go, for the day breaks. And he said, I will not let You go except You bless me. 27 And He said to him, What [is] your name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And He said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for like a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked and said, I pray You, reveal Your name. And He said, Why do you ask after My name? And He blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he limped upon his thigh.
>>>>>[Why would God allow his angels to meet Jacob, since he was practicing polygyny with four wives?  Why did Jesus wrestle with Jacob, and bless Him with a new and significant name, if Jacob was under God's judgment for practicing polygyny?  Exactly where is God's denunciation and disapproval Jacob's polygyny expressed?
       Jacob marries Rachel and Leah>58 , and goes on to have children by his concubines as well>59.    Sure, treachery was involved in the Rachel and Leah marriage, but it appears that the treachery stands alone as the evil since at the first mention of the polygyny  option,>60  Jacob has no moral objection and nowhere does God denounce the development. Yes Lev. 18:18  shows that much later in the time of Moses, God forbade  two sisters being wives to one husband at one time and makes rivalry the issue. God  deliberately involved Himself in the polygyny  of Jacob by blessing Leah with fertility>61.  God repeated himself in this way with the mother of Samuel without denouncing her polygyny>62 . God intervened and granted fertility to Rachel in her polygyny>63  .  God not only blesses Jacob with fertility but also with miraculous prosperity in his polygyny> 64 . God not only blessed Jacob in his polygyny  but also delivered him from evil and harm as a polygynist>65
[Footnotes:>58   in Gen 29 & 30;  >59    (Gen. 35:22; 37:2);. >60   (Gn. 29:27,29).    >61  (Gn. 29:31,32; 30:17);  >62   (l Sam 1:1-6); >63  (Gn. 30:22);  >64  (Gn. 30:41-31:10); >65  (Gn. 31:24, 29,42)
       In spite of this Biblical record of God's blessings on Jacob, I understand a brother  to write that Jacob experienced only troublesome times with Rachel and Leah, and that they were angry, envious, and hateful rivals.>15.  Only troublesome times?  What about all of God's miraculous provision and prospering their family experienced directly from God's intervention?  What about their cooperation, their love, trust and loyalty for Jacob when he was in conflict with their father and then with Esau?  Maybe their polygyny lacked the sweet bliss and loving harmony of Solomon's early polygyny >66  , but there is no passage that Rachel and Leah only had troublesome times.
[Footnotes:>15. Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . ; p. 20; >66  (Song of Songs 6:4-9)]
       I wish I had some of that trouble in my life! What about the rivalry?  God saw the destructive potential of such sibling rigalry and made the law that a polygynist should not marry the sister of his wife >67  . He did not condemn the man for being a polygynist, He just indicated that the man as polygynist should not marry his wife's sister while she lived.  What about the hatred, envy and anger?  Well folks, I don't mean to be redundant, but we see those sins in monogamy, between sisters, between brothers (Cain  & Abel) and between children and parents (Absalom and David) then and today.  If you aren't aware of that, then I have to ask you if you were raised by Robinson Crusoe on some island.
[Footnote: >67  (Lev. 18:18)]

�       PATRIARCHAL POLYGYNY
1 Chronicles 2: 4 And Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah [were] five. 5 The sons of Pharez: Hezron and Hamul.
9 And the sons also of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.
18 � And Caleb the son of Hezron fathered [sons] of Azubah [his] wife, and of Jerioth. Her sons [are] these: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon. 19 And when Azubah died, Caleb took Ephrath to himself, who bore him Hur.  . . . . . . 46 And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bore Haran, and Moza, and Gazez. And Haran fathered Gazez. 47 And the sons of Jahdai: Regem and Jotham and Geshan and Pelet and Ephah and Shaaph. 48 Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bore Sheber, and Tirhanah. 49 She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea. And Caleb's daughter [was] Achsah. 50 These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur. The first-born of Ephratah [was] Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim; 51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Beth-gader.

1 Chronicles 4: 1 � The sons of Judah [were] Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.  . . . . . .These [are] the sons of Hur, the first-born of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem. 5 And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

1 Chronicles 7:14 The sons of Manasseh: Ashriel, the son born to his Syrian concubine with Machir the father of Gilead, 15 and Machir took a wife for Huppim and for Shuppim; and the name of his sister [was] Maachah. And the name of the second [was] Zelophehad. And Zelophehad had daughters. 16 And Maachah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she called his name Peresh. And the name of his brother [was] Sheresh, and his sons [were] Ulam and Rakem.

1 Chronicles 8: 8 And Shaharaim fathered [sons] in the land of Moab, after he had sent them away. Hushim and Baara [were] his wives. 9 And by his wife Hodesh, [were] Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham, 10 and Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These [were] his sons, heads of the fathers.
[Exactly where is God's denunciation and disapproval of the patriarchs' polygyny expressed?
       Consider what Saint Augustine said in the fourth century AD.
"But here there is no ground for a criminal accusation: for a plurality of wives was no crime when it was the custom; and it is a crime now, because it is no longer the custom.  There are sins against nature, and sins against custom, and sins against the laws.  In which, then, of these senses did Jacob sin in having a plurality of wives?  As regards nature, he used the women not for sensual gratification, but for the procreation of children.  For custom, this was the common practice at that time in those countries.  And for the laws, no prohibition existed.  The only reason of its being a crime now to do this, is because custom and the laws forbid it."
[Footnote: >.14  A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. iv;  p. 289]

       I hope that dear brother Augustine is having a wonderful time in Heaven.  I also hope that Jesus has shared with Him meaning of Prov. 5:18, 19----- a husband's sensual gratification by and with his wife's breasts, being enraptured and intoxicated with and by her lovemaking;  the sensual gratification  of the marital joys of the Song of Solomon; the joyful marital living of Eccles. 9:7,8,9; and the sensual gratification of the blissful exchange of intimate marital affection required in 1 Cor. 7:2,3,4,5.  I don't understand how he could have missed these obvious God given instructions to blissfully and wholeheartedly love our mates in marriage.
       The maidservant status of Hagar and Jacob's wives is clothed in marital status>74 .  It is a profound statement that in all of the explicit moral injunctions of Lev. 18, 19, &20; Deut 12 & 27 there is not one denunciation of polygyny  or concubinage. Concubinage apparently, because it involved maidservants, seems to have a lower status as reflected in Ex. 21:7-9 with Lev. 19:20 in contrast to Deut. 22:23-26.]


�       GOD GAVE MOSES RULES ABOUT POLYGYNY
*Exodus 21:7 And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no power to sell her to a strange nation, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her as with daughters. 10 If he takes himself another [wife], her food, her clothing, and her duty of marriage shall not be lessened. 11 And if he does not do these three to her, then she shall go out free without money.
[If polygyny is a sin, why doesn't God forbid the men from taking an additional wife?   If polygyny is unacceptable to God, why does He instruct men what He requires of them if they take an additional wife?  If polygyny is sin, where is His command that a woman not marry a man who already has a wife?]

*Leviticus 18: 17 The nakedness of a woman and her daughter shalt thou not uncover; thou shalt not take her son's daughter, nor her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness: they are her near relations: it is wickedness. 18 And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness beside her, during her life. [darby]
�And thou shalt not take a woman to her sister, to be a rival
to her . . .. beside the other in her lifetime.�>47
[Footnote: >.47 The Holy Scriptures, Masoretic Text]
�Thou shalt not take a wife in addition to her sister, as
a rival  . . in opposition to her, while she is yet
living.�>48
[Footnote: >.48 The Septuagint Version, 1972]
�And you shall not take to wife a sister of your wife,
to distress her. . ..beside the other in her lifetime.�>49
[Footnote: >.49 The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern
Manuscripts]
�And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to be a
rival to her , . . ...besides the other in her life-
time.�>50
[Footnote: >.50  American Standard Version 1901 &
1929]
�You must not marry a woman in addition to her
sister, to be a rival to her. . . .when the first one is
alive.�>51
[Footnote: >.51 Amplified Bible, 1965, Zondervan
Publishing House.]
The New King James Version agrees with the meaning
of those above.The New International Version agrees
with the meaning of those above. >53
[Footnote: >.53 HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION.]
[Can Lev. 18:18 be used to condemn polygyny, or does it forbid being married to two blood sisters at the same time?  Is the issue here that of marrying sisters, or is the issue polygyny? I SEE A PROHIBITION OF RACHEL+LEAH MARRIAGES INVOLVING TWO SISTERS BEING MARRIED TO THE SAME HUSBAND, BUT WHERE IS THE IMPLIED PROHIBITION OF POLYGYNY?  It seems to me that God is simply prohibiting a husband from marrying the sister in-the-flesh of his wife.
       Does it apply to sisters in the Spirit?  The obediently believing Israelite women were as much sisters in the Lord as are the Christian women sisters in the Spirit and there was no prohibition against them being in polygynist marriages like King David�s.  Are you willing to add to the scripture to support the tradition of men?

*De 17:15 �You  shall only set him king
over you whom Jehovah your God will choose: from
among your brethren shall  you  set a king over you;  .
. 16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself,  . . .
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his
heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply
to himself silver and gold.�
[If this passage is used to make a case against polygyny, shouldn't it also be used to make a case that the king should have only one horse, only one bar of gold, and only one bar of silver?]
God's Law forbade a king from "multiplying" wives>.75 to himself  without making such a command to  we nonkings.  It appears from later scripture about Godly and God blessed kings of Israel that God makes a distinction between MULTIPLYING wives & horses to yourself and adding wives & horses to yourself.   None of us object to King David having more than one horse but many object to King David having more than one wife, yet it is the same command "he shall not multilply hoses . . . wives to himself." By 2 Samuel 5-12  God had �given� him seven wives plus a number of concubines.  We see His implied blessing on David�s polygyny .  This implied blessing of his polygyny  would have to mean that David, with concubines  and seven wives, had not yet violated the prohibition against a king multiplying wives and horses to himself.
[Footnotes:>75  De 17:15 �You  shall only set him king over you whom Jehovah your God will choose: from among your brethren shall  you  set a king over you;  . . . 16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself,  . . . 17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.�  NO PROHIBITION FROM HAVING SOME HORSES , SOME WIVES and some gold]



*Deut. 21:15 � �If a man have two wives, one beloved,
and one hated, and they have borne him children,
[both] the beloved and the hated, and [if] the first-
born son be hers that was hated;  16 then it shall be,
in the day that he makes his sons to inherit [that]
which he has, [that] he may not make the son of the
beloved first-born before the son of the hated, who is
the first-born;  17 but he shall acknowledge as first-
born the son of the hated, by giving him a double
portion of all that he has; for he is the firstfruits of his
strength: the right of the firstborn is his.�
[If God condemns polygyny, why does he not only allow a man to have two wives, but he actually legislates the right of one wife's child over the right of the other wife's child?   If the children are children of polygyny, why would God give them any rights at all, if it is such a sin as some say?]

I understand  Rev. Gerhard Jasper to make the following points:
(1) In Old Testament times a Jewish polygynist's marriage was fully recognized as marriage, protected by the Law and the elders;
(2) the Jewish polygynist's faith in or faithfulness to God was not
questioned because of his polygyny;
(3) the polygyny of the Jewish polygynist did not keep him from being
admitted to the congregation with full membership.>44.  Moses did not forbid polygamy>8
(Dt. 21:15,16) >8  but apparently it was unusual
among average people .>45.
[Footnotes:>.f89  Please see p. 362, THE INTSTITUTES
OF BIBLICAL LAW, by R. Rushdonney.    >44.
Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . . P.18; (AFRICAN
THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Rev. Gerhard Jasper of
Lutheran Theological College in Makumira, Tanzania;
Februrary 1969, p. 41).    >45.  Please see THE
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p. 407.]
It was expected that the female slave would become her master's wife or concubine, or become the wife or concubine of her master's son, and the law protected her rights if he was unwilling to do so.>16.   Her owner could not sell her to foreigners because he had "trifled" with her (see LXX),   "seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.">17.
[Footnotes:>16.  Please see the discussion in THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY; p.126ff & p.172ff.;  >17. Ex. 21:8; The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic Text].
       He legislated polygyny without one word or hint of condemnation.  If polygyny were sin, why didn't God condemn it instead of putting the royal seal of His holy Law on it?  God's designated and anointed leaders freely and openly practiced it (Abraham, Jacob, David, Jehoida the priest, and God in Ezekiel 23).  Where in the Bible does he find an Old Testament writer embarrassed to report polygamy?  If you know of a single passage that clearly and explicitly states that, please let me know.  How can any Old Testament writer be embarrassed of something God sanctioned and legislated,  and that His designated and anointed leaders freely and openly practiced with God's obvious and abundant blessing in their lives (see the next section)? The Old Testament writers untiringly and realistically show the negativity of polygamy?  Abram and Sarai, Rachel and Leah had problems, as did Hannah and so did Solomon, but even with these four there is no  untiring and relentless criticism of polygamy? I couldn't find it.  In the next section, covering thousands of years and each major period of Jewish history there is no such relentless criticism of polygyny found in the Bible.


�       POLYGYNY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE JUDGES
Judges 8: 29 � And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 And Gideon had seventy sons, begotten of his body. For he had many wives. 31 And his concubine, who was in Shechem, also bore him a son whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah [of] the Abiezrites.
>>>>>[If Gideon were in open sin as a polygynist, why did God choose him to lead Israel, and grant him success in his confrontation of the enemy?  Where is God's explicit and specific denunciation of Gideon's polygny?
Gideon had MANY WIVES, was blessed and used of God without any condemnation/denunciation from God about his polygyny>77  .  A dear brother apparently states, of Gideon's (Jerubbaal's ) son Abimelech,  that polygamy actually lead to murder in Judg. 9:5 >18.  Excuse me!  With logic like that I guess you would have to say that the monogamy of Adam and Eve led Cain to murder Abel.  I think not.  Jesus makes it clear that murder comes from the murderer's heart >78  or from the inner working of the evil ones>79  , but not from monogamy or polygamy.  The problem is sin and the flesh, not polygamy.
[Footnotes:>77   (Judges 8:29-32);  >18. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME>.>.>.p. 20;      >78  (Matt. 15:18,19); >79   (Eph. 2:1,2; 6:12)]

Judges 19:1 � �And it came to pass in those days,
when [there was] no king in Israel, that there was a
certain Levite,  . . . who took to him a concubine out of
Bethlehem-Judah.  2 And his concubine played the
whore against him, and went away from him to her
father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there
four whole months.  3 And HER HUSBAND rose up and
went after her, to speak friendly to her, [and] to bring
her again;  . . .  And she brought him into her father's
house; and when the father of the damsel saw him he
rejoiced to meet him.   4 And his FATHER-IN-LAW,
the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with
him three days;  . . .5 . . . And the damsel's father said
to his  SON-IN-LAW, . .�
[If a concubine is not a legitimate wife, then why does God call the Levite "her husband", and why does God call her father the Levite's "father-in-law"?
       If a concubine is a harlot in God's eyes, then why was the outrage so universal and so right in their eyes, their outrage against the sexual abuse and sexual murder of his concubine?  The death of a harlot or an adulteress was expected and accepted as righteous by Israel, so why wasn't that the case in the sexual murder of the Levite's concubine?
What about the Levite�s?  These keepers of the tabernacle, did they have special rules that kept them from polygyny? Not according to the following, because when his concubine was mercilessly murdered by rape, the nation of Israel rose to vindicate him and avenge her murder.
SO A CONCUBINE IS NOT A HARLOT.  Just like any other wife, she can become a harlot while married (Ezek. 16 and Hosea).   HARLOTRY IS AN EVIL THAT EITHER A WIFE OR A CONCUBINE CAN PRACTICE WHILE MARRIED.   Not only is a concubine not a harlot, the Holy Spirit by the writer of the book of Judges declared the Levite to be the concubine's "husband", declared the father of the concubine to be the Levite's "father-in-law", and declared the Levite to be the "son-in-law" of the concubine's father.  This is a very strong legitimization of the husband-concubine marital status.  It is the same legitimization of the relationship that the Holy Spirit used in Matthew 1, calling the espoused Mary "wife" and the espoused Joseph "husband".  If God so recognizes them and describes them, then who are we to do any less.  By the Holy Spirit here in Judges 19 we see that a concubine had a "husband" who was the "son-in-law" of her father, his "father-in-law".  A wife has a "husband" who is the "son-in-law" of her father, her husband's "father-in-law".


1 Sam. 1: 1 � And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim from the hills of Ephraim, and his name [was] Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 And he had two wives, the name of the one [was] Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city from year to year, to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, [were] there.4 And the time came that Elkanah offered, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters.  5 But to Hannah he gave one double portion, for he loved Hannah. But the LORD had shut up her womb. 6 And her foe also provoked her grievously, in order to make her tremble, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 7 And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her. And she wept and did not eat. 8 And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? [Am] I not better to you than ten sons?
       9 � And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk. And Eli the priest sat on the seat by the side post of the temple of the LORD. 10 And she [was] in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, and wept sorely.    11 And she vowed a vow and said, O, Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look upon the affliction of Your handmaid and remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, but will give to Your handmaid a man-child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 12 And it happened as she continued praying before the LORD, Eli noticed her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. And Eli thought she had become drunk. 14 And Eli said to her, How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you! 15 And Hannah answered, No, my lord, I [am] a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have neither drunk wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.   16 Do not count your handmaid for a daughter of wickedness, for out of the abundance of my meditation and grief I have spoken until now. 17 And Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant [to you] your petition that you have asked of Him. 18 And she said, Let your handmaid find grace in your sight. So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer [sad].
[If her polygyny were an evil thing, why would Eli bless her and ask God to grant her request?]
       19 � And they rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 And it happened when the time had come around, Hannah conceived and bore a son and called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of the LORD.
>>>[Why would the Lord remember her if she were in sin because of her polygyny?  Why would God bless her and answer her prayer, if her polygyny were a sin and an evil in the eyes of God?  Where is God's explicit and specific condemnation of this family's polygyny?
Hannah, the wife of polygamous Elkanah, received the same intervention and blessing from God that Sarah, Rachel and Leah received in their polygyny>80  .   Her problem with her co-wife and her own infertility is quite similar to Abraham and Sarah's experience.  The co-wife had a sin problem, and it was her problem, not a polygyny problem.  You find the same sinful behavior today between sisters, brothers, wives in social groups, wives socializing in church or work settings.  Sin and the flesh are the problems, not polygyny.
[Footnote: >80   (l Sam. 1:1-19)]
]

�       POLYGYNY UNDER THE LEAD OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL
Consider St. Augustine�s point in the following:
� . . . no one doubts  . . . who reads with careful attention what use they made of  their wives, at a time when also it was allowed one man to have several, whom he had with more chastity than any now has his one wife . . . But then they married even several without any blame . . �>65
[Footnotes:>..65 St. Augustin: On The Trinity; p. 406.]

2 Samuel 3: 7 � And Saul had a concubine whose name [was] Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And [Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine? 8 And Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbosheth, and said, [Am] I a dog's head, who shows kindness against Judah this day to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? [Am] I a dog's head that you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman today?
>>>>[If a concubine is just a harlot as some say, then why all the fuss?  Why is the offense give the status of being indiscreet with another's wife, if a concubine is just a harlot?  If polygyny is a sin, as is consulting mediums (for which Saul was clearly condemned), then why isn't his having a concubine dealt with in the same manner as his other sins?]

DAVID'S SEVEN WIVES AND HIS TEN CONCUBINES.
1 Samuel 18: 27 And David arose and went forth, he and his men. And [they] killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD [was] with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
1 Samuel 25: 42 And Abigail hurried and arose, and rode on an ass, with five of her maidens who went after her. And she followed the messengers of David and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. And they became, both of them, his wives. 44 And Saul gave his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who [was] of Gallim.
2 Samuel 3: 1 � And there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David [became] stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 2 And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his first-born [was] Amnon, [the son of] Ahinoam of Jezreel. 3 And his second was Chileab, of Abigail of Carmel, the former wife of Nabal. And the third [was] Absalom, the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. 4 And the fourth [was] Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the fifth [was] Shephatiah, the son of Abital. 5 And the sixth [was] Ithream, by Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

2 Samuel 6:16 And it happened [as] the ark of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD. And she despised him in her heart. . . . . .  20 � And David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! 21 And David said to Michal, [It was] before the LORD, who chose me before your father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. And I danced before the LORD. 22 And I will be still lower than this, and will be base in my own sight. And of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, with them I shall be had in honor. 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
[If God made Michal childless because of her error, why didn't God punish David in some equally significant way, since he had at least six wives by the time of this incident?  If polygyny is sinful, why didn't God punish David instead of Michal, his first wife?]

2 SAMUEL 7:4 � And that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan saying, 5 Go and tell My servant David, So says the LORD, Shall you build Me a house for My dwelling?  . . . . . . 8 And now so shall you say to My servant David, So says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name like the name of the great ones in the earth.  . . . . . Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. 12 And when your days [are] fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall come out of your bowels. And I will make his kingdom sure. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not leave him, as I took [it] from Saul, whom I put away before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne [shall be] established forever.
>>>>>[If polygyny is a sin like adultery, why did Jehovah confer such a great blessing, reward and heritage on a man with six wives and numerous concubines?]

MKJV 2 Sam.12:  7 And Nathan said to David, You [are] the man! So says the LORD God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.
[Do I have a reading problem, or did God just say that He gave wives (plural) to David?   Why is this giving of wives listed by God among the blessings that He gave to David, if polygyny is the sin that some say it is?]

2 Samuel 12:9 And if that [was] too little, I would have given to you such and such [things] besides. 9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have stricken Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife [to be] your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 And therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.11 �So says the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I
will take your wives before your eyes and give [them] to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.�
MKJV 2 Sam 16: 21 �And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, that he left to keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that you are
abhorred by your father. And the hands of all who [are] with you will be strong.  22 And they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.�
MKJV2Sam.20:3 �And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them but did not go in to them. And they were shut up till the day of their death, living in widowhood.�

1 Kings 11:  4 For it happened when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. . . . 6 and Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and did not [go] fully after the LORD like his father David.
[Why would God say that King David went "fully after the LORD", being blessed and commended by God, even though he had fallen into adultery and had many wives and concubines?  Why would God say that David's heart was perfect with the Lord his God, when the Lord knew that David was a practicing polygynist, if polygyny is a sin as some say?   Where do we see God blessing evil doers in their sin?  Adultery is a sin and God exacted a severe punishment on David, so why didn't God punish David for his polygyny, if it is a sinful as some say?]

1 Chronicles 3:1 � And these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron. The first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel. The second, Daniel, of Abigail of Carmel. 2 The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith. 3 The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital. The sixth was Ithream by Eglah his wife. 4 [These] six were born to him in Hebron. And there he reigned seven years and six months. And he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years. 5 And these were born to him in Jerusalem Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four of Bathsheba the daughter of Ammiel 6 and Ibhar, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, 7 and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 8 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9 [These were] all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.
>>>>>[ IF POLYGYNY IS THE SIN THAT SOME SAY IT IS, WHERE IS GOD'S CONDEMNATION OF THE SEVEN WIVES AND TEN CONCUBINES OF KING DAVID?  WHY WOULD GOD REBUKE AND CHASTEN DAVID FOR HIS ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA, AND THEN TURN AND BLESS DAVID IN HIS MARRIAGE TO BATHSHEEBA AND HIS OTHER WIVES, IF POLYGYNY IS SIN AS SOME SAY?  If you count his first wife, Michael, then he had eight wives when he died. In these passages you see God calling and recognizing as "wives" David�s concubines.  If that is the way God sees them, only a fool would treat them as less than a wife (Malachi 2).  Malachi 2 makes it pretty clear how God feels about those who break their covenants with their concubines and wives.
       David is a fascinating case.  He marries Michal in l Sam. 18.  Then, as the anointed future king of Israel, David took to himself three additional wives in l Sam 25, and one is recognized by the Spirit for her grace and wisdom.  He does this at a time of God's miraculous intervention and blessing in his life.  God neither denounces or condemns him or his polygyny.  In the case of three or four wives you are still dealing with addition, rather than the multiplying of Deut. MKJV DEUT. 17:16 �But he shall not multiply horses to himself. . . . 17 Nor shall he multiply wives to himself, so that his heart does not turn away. Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold to himself.�
       It is interesting that horses, silver and gold - AS WELL AS WIVES - were not to be multiplied.  I can't believe this was meant to limit the king to ONE HORSE, or ONE SILVER OR GOLD BAR,  even so I can't believe it limits a king to one wife.
       In fact in 2 Sam 6, it is Michal who is condemned and punished instead of her polygamous husband David.  By the time he becomes King in Judah he has 6 wives>83 and is being blessed and prospered by God. At the time of the wonderful Covenant with David in 2 Sam. 7, God specifically blesses and covenants with polygamist David and his concubines and his seven wives, as part of his house, receive a blessing. God even said "I gave you . . . your master's wives" >84  ". And Nathan said to David, you  are the man! Thus says    Jehovah the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you  out of the hand of Saul;  8 and I GAVE YOU  YOUR MASTER'S HOUSE, AND YOUR MASTER'S WIVES INTO YOUR BOSOM, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that] had been too little, I would moreover have given unto you such and such things."
[Footnotes:>83   (2 Sam. 3);  >84a 2Sa 12:7]
       At this time God had �given� him seven wives plus a number of concubines (1 Chronicles 3).  God here condemns David�s adultery and murder, but implies His blessing on David�s polygyny .  This implied blessing of his polygyny  would have to mean that David, with concubines  and seven wives, had not yet violated the prohibition against a king multiplying wives to himself. >84b to David in his polygyny.  Apparently even concubines plus seven wives is not "multiplying" wives to oneself. He had about 14 wives and concubines at the end of his life>85.  David the polygamist was declared to be loyal to God>86.   God declares that David, the polygamist, fully followed God>87.
[Footnotes:>84b 2Sa 12:7;  >85   (1 Chron 3);  >86   ( l King 11:4);  >87   (l King 11:6)]
       In contrast to God's evaluation of David, we have a beloved brother's evaluation that David was adulterous, unjust, favored some over others, and his sons became killers because he didn't have the authority deal decisively with his heritage>19.  Unless I'm mistaken, I believe that monogamous Adam and Eve had a similar problem with Cain and Abel, and monogamous Isaac and Rebekah certainly had their share of "favoritism and injustice. . . intrigues" in their parenting of Jacob and Esau and Jacob's obtaining the blessing instead of Esau.  Again and again we see that sin and the flesh are the problems, not polygyny.
[Footnote: >19. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . . p.20.]
       God conferred the status of wives on David's concubines in 2 Sam. 12:11 as we see how the prophecy was played out in 2 Sam. 16:21, 22;  and 20:3.  Again  the distinction between concubines and wives seems to be an issue on man's end, not on God's end where it seems to be the solemn vow/covenant>20 and not the wedding ceremony>21  that makes a woman a wife  even if society calls her a concubine>88 .
[Footnotes:>.20 See appendix #4.; >.21   See appendix #4; >88   (Ezek. 16; Malachi 2; Eccles. 5:5-9;and Matt. 1:18-20 where we see the Holy Spirit call Mary and Joseph husband and wife based on their betrothal/ espousal alone and before the actual wedding and cohabitation)]



KING SOLOMON
1 Kings 3:1 � And Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.  . . .  3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father. Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. . . . . .
5 � In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, Ask what I shall give you! 6 And Solomon said,  . . . .  7 And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of David my father. And I [am] a little child; I do not know to go out or come in! 8 And Your servant [is] in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a numerous people who cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9 And give to Your servant an understanding heart, to judge Your people, to discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this, Your great people? 10 And the word was good in the eyes of the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, and have not asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to judge justly, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Lo, I have given you  a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like you before you, and after you none shall arise like you. 13 And I also have given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 And if you will walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.
Ecccles 2:8 I also gathered silver and gold to myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got men singers and women singers for myself, and the delights of the sons of men, a wife and very many wives.
Song of Solomon 6: 8 There [are] sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and virgins without number.   9 But My dove, My undefiled is one [alone]. She [is] the [only] one of her mother. She [is] the choice of her who bore her. The daughters saw [her] and blessed her; the queens and the concubines saw her, and they praised her.
>>>>>[Isn't this a strange way to punish Solomon for having sixty queens (including Pharaoh's daughter) and eighty concubines?  Why did God heap such great blessings on a practicer of polygyny on a large scale, if polygyny is the sin that some say it is?
Why did God put in His Book a book about Solomon in his early polygyny, a book blessed and used mightily by God,  a bold and extravagant practicer of polygyny, if polygyny is the sin some say it is?]
       In fact if you accept the Song of Solomon as the story of young Solomon and his Shulamite wife in a polygamous marriage>34  ,  you have one of the most beautiful and positive statements of good will and love between the Shulamite and her co-wives as well as with the daughters of Jerusalem, many of whom probably also became wives to Solomon later in life when he went too far and disobeyed God by multiplying wives to himself>35  .  Let's look at the record in the Word.
[Footnotes:>34    (Song of Sol. 6:8-10).     >35    (Deut 17:15-17)]


1 KINGS 11:1 � And king Solomon loved many foreign women, even the daughter of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittites; 2 of the nations which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, You shall not go in to them, and they shall not go in to you; surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it happened when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites; 6 and Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and did not [go] fully after the LORD like like his father David. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill which [is] before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the sons of Ammon. 8 And likewise he did for all his foreign wives, and burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
9 � And the LORD [was] angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; and he did not keep that which the LORD commanded. 11 And the LORD said to Solomon, Since this is done by you, and since you have not kept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 But I will not do it in your days, for David your father's sake, [but] I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Only, I will not tear away all the kingdom, [but] I will give one tribe to your son for David My servant's sake,  . . . . .
Ne 13:26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But women from other lands caused even him to sin.
Ne 13:27 Shall we then listen to you, to do all this great evil, to sin against our God in living with foreign women?
[If polygynous exceses were Solomon's damning sin, why isn't that stated here?  God plainly rebukes Solomon for disobeying Him by marrying unbelieving aliens,
so why doesn't God also condemn him for practicing polygyny?   God plainly condemns Solomon in his latter years for disobeying Him by multiplying wives and concubines, so why did God lift, bless, anoint and exalt Solomon in his early polygyny when he had married Pharaoh's daughter and had numerous wives and concubines?
Solomon's polygyny  was sinful first because He disobeyed God�s command against a king multiplying wives to himself>89;  and secondly because he married unbelievers with whom God had specifically forbidden marriage>90.  Too many wives and forbidden wives both had the same predicted result, that they turned his heart away from God. Solomon was declared to be disloyal to God in his polygyny>91  while David the polygamist was declared to be loyal to God>92  . God even declares that polygynist David fully followed God>93 .
[Footnote: >89    (Deut. 17:15-17);  >90  (Nehemiah 13:23) ; >91    (1 Kings 11:1,2,6, 11);  >92   ( l King 11:4); >93   (l King 11:6)]


THE  POLYGYNOUS KINGS AFTER DAVID & SOLOMON
2 Chronicles 11:17 And they made the kingdom of Judah stronger, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years. For three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.  18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as a wife for himself, [and] Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, 19 who bore him sons, Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom, who bore Abijah to him, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). . . . . . And he demanded many wives.
       12:1 � And it happened when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had made himself strong, he departed from the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. 2 And it happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had sinned against the LORD. . . . . .  6 And the rulers of Israel and the king humbled themselves. And they said, The LORD [is] righteous. 7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will give them some deliverance.  . . . .  11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and carried them and brought them again into the guardroom. 12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him so that He would not destroy [him] altogether. And also things went well in Judah.
[If Rehoboam's polygyny were sin, why didn't God rebuke it and judge him for it, as God rebuked and judged him for his idolatry and his departure from the law of the Lord?  Where is God's explicit and specific condemnation of Rehoboam's polygyny?]

2 Chronicles 13: 13 � But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come around behind them, so that they were in front of Judah, and the ambush [was] behind them. 14 And Judah turned, and, behold, the battle [was] before and behind. And they cried to the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15 And the men of Judah shouted. And it happened as the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the sons of Israel fled before Judah. And God delivered them into their hand. . . . . . 21 And Abijah became mighty, and married fourteen wives, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, [are] written in the inquiry of the prophet Iddo.
1 � And Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David.
>>>[If polygyny is unacceptable to God, then why did God intervene to help Abijah and deliver his enemies into his hand?  Does God consistently deliver his sinning people into the hands of their enemies?]

2Ch 21:12 � And a writing came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, So says the LORD God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the people of Jerusalem to go lusting like the fornications of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers of your fathers house ([who were] better than you), 14 behold, the LORD will strike your people with a great plague, and your sons, and your wives, and all your goods. 15 And you [shall have] great sickness by disease in your bowels, until your bowels fall out because of the sickness day by day. 16 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of the Philistines against Jehoram, and of the Arabians who [were] near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up into Judah and broke into it, and carried away all the stuff that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives, so that there was not a son left with him except Ahaziah, the youngest of his sons.
>>>[Why didn't God say one of the reasons He punished this evil king was because of his polygyny, if it is the sin some say it is?]

2Ch 24: 2 And Joash did the right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.  3 And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he fathered sons and daughters.   . . . . . . 20 And the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people and said to them, So says God, Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot be blessed? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you. . . . . .  24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the God of the fathers. And they executed judgment against Joash. 25 And when they had departed from him (for they left him in great diseases), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died. And they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.
>>>[Joash's sins and the reason for his punishment are clearly stated, right?  Then where is God's explicit and specific denunciation of his polygyny?]

CONCUBINE ESTHER BECOMES POLYGYNOUS QUEEN  ESTHER, ENABLED BY GOD TO SAVE ISRAEL
Esther 1: 1 � And it happened in the days of Ahasuerus (this [is] the Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, [over] a hundred and twenty-seven provinces). 2 in those days, when king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom in Shushan the palace,
Es 2:5 In Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew whose name [was] Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 And he brought up Hadassah, that [is], Esther, his uncle's daughter. For she had neither father nor mother, and the young woman [was] fair and beautiful, whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. 8 And it happened when the king's command and his order was heard, and when many young women had been gathered to Shushan the palace, into the hand of Hegai, Esther was also brought to the king's house, into the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women.   9 And the young woman pleased him, and she received kindness from him. And he quickly gave to her purifiers and her portion. And seven young women [who were] fit to be given her, out of the king's house. And he moved her and her servant women to the best place in the house of the women.  12 And when the turn of each young woman had come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after she had been purified twelve months, according to the law of the women (for so the days of their anointing were done, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with the perfumes of the women). 13 And in this way the young woman came to the king. Whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king's house.  14 She went in the evening, and on the next day she returned to the second house of the women, into the hand of Shaashgaz, the king's officer who kept the concubines. She did not come in to the king any more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.  15 And when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her for his daughter, had come to go in to the king, she asked nothing but what was chosen by Hegai the king's officer, the keeper of the women. And Esther had favor in the sight of all who looked on her. 16 And Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which [is] the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she rose in grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins. And he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast. . . . .  20 Esther had not yet revealed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her. For Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as she did when she was brought up with him.
>>>[If concubines are just harlots, then why did godly Mordecai allow Esther to become one of the king's many concubines?  If she were so careful to obey godly Mordecai, why did she obey him when he told her to become one of the king's concubines, if that is such an evil thing as some say?]

4: 7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and of the sum of the silver which Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews in order to destroy them. 8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree which [was] given at Shushan in order to destroy them, to show [it] to Esther and to declare it to her, and to command her that she should go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to seek help for her people. 9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10 Again Esther spoke to Hatach, and gave him command to Mordecai. 11 And the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, [there is] one law of his, execution, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter so that he may live. But I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days. 12 And they told Mordecai Esther's words. 13 And Mordecai commanded them to answer Esther, Do not think within yourself that you shall escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. 14 For if you are completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house shall be destroyed. And who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for a time like this? 15 And Esther said to return to Mordecai [this answer],   16 Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, night or day. My maidservants and I will also fast in the same way. And so I will go in to the king, which [is] not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish. 17 And Mordecai passed over and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
9: 29 And Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30 And he sent the letters to all the Jews, to the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, [with] words of peace and truth, 31 in order to confirm these days of Purim in their [set] times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had ordered them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed the matters of the fastings and of their cry. 32 And the order of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim. And it was written in the book.
>>>[If concubines and polygyny were such a disgusting thing to (and so unpopular with) Israelis, then why did they, and why do they, honor Esther and Mordecai so highly in the celebration of Purim?}

POLYGYNY, A MARITAL SOLUTION IN TIMES OF WAR.
Isaiah 3: 25 Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war. 26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall sit deserted on the ground.
4:1 � And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, we will eat our own bread and wear our own clothing; only let us be called by your name, to take away our shame.
[Does God anywhere explicitly and specifically denounce this marital remedy for such a shortage of men?]

FOOLISH KING BELSHAZZAR
Da 5:2 When tasting the wine, Belshazzar commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, that the king and his rulers, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.     3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God in Jerusalem. And the king, and his rulers, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. . . . . . . 23 But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And they have brought the vessels of His house before you; and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, or bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. And you have not glorified the God in whose hand [is] your breath and all your ways.
>>>[In listing the sins of Belshazzar, why didn't God include his polygyny and concubines, if it is comparable sin as some say it is?]

JEHOVAH AS THE POLYGYNOUS HUSBAND OF TWO WIVES
Ezekiel 23: 1 � The word of the LORD came again to me, 2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. 3 And they fornicated in Egypt; they whored in their youth, their breasts were handled, and there their virgin nipples were worked. 4 And their names [were] Oholah, the oldest, and Oholibah, her sister. And they were Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And their names: Samaria [is] Oholah, and Jerusalem [is] Oholibah. 5 And Oholah whored under Me. And she lusted after her lovers, to [her] Assyrian neighbors, . . . . . . . .  35 So the Lord Jehovah says this: Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, therefore bear also your wickedness and your adulteries.
36 � And the LORD said to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah, and declare to them their abominations, 37 that they have committed adultery, and blood [is] on their hands?
Never by God or His prophets is polygyny denounced, condemned or grouped with sins or carnal expressions of the flesh.  God Himself portrays Himself as a monogynist in Ezekiel 16 and then as polygynist in Ezekiel 23.  It appears He has no problem with the marriage styles he initiated, legislated and in which He blessed His people.  So who are we to condemn as sin that which God never condemns as sin?  Why would we want to do such a thing?  Yes it is against the law in some countries and we know that God wants us to obey the laws of the land as long as it does not violate His Law.  So we should not practice formal and public polygyny in those lands in obedience to Romans 13 etc.   So why not simply say that instead of teaching as doctrine the tradition of religious men,  i.e. that polygyny is sinful?

SINCE JESUS IS JEHOVAH, HOW DID HE FEEL ABOUT THE LAW HE GAVE TO MOSES, WITH ALL ITS PROVISIONS FOR AND REGULATIONS OF POLYGYNY?
MATT. 5:17 � Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the law until all is fulfilled. 19 Therefore whoever shall break one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.

DO YOU MEAN THAT JEHOVAH AS JESUS OBSERVED THE LAW OF MOSES,
THE LAW THAT INCLUDED POLYGYNY?
**Matt. 8: 4 And Jesus said to him, See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.;
**12: 10 And behold, a man having [a] withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbaths? This so that they might accuse Him. 11 And He said to them, What man among you will be, who will have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the sabbaths, will he not lay hold on it and lift [it] out? 12 How much better is a man then than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13 Then He said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched [it] out, and it was restored whole like the other.
**13:53 � And it happened when Jesus finished these parables, He departed from there. 54 And when He had come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so much so that they were astonished and said, From where does this [man have] this wisdom and these mighty works?
**15: 3 But He answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, "Honor your father and mother"; and, "He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him die by death." 5 But you say, Whoever says to [his] father or mother, Whatever you would gain from me, [It is] a gift to God; 6 and in no way he honors his father or his mother. And you voided the commandment of God by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 "This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9 But in vain they worship Me, teaching [for] doctrines [the] commandments of men.". . . . . . .
 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan coming out of these borders cried to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us. 24 But He answered and said, I am not sent except to the lost sheep of [the] house of Israel. 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me! 26 But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and to throw [it] to dogs. 27 And she said, True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' tables. 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great [is] your faith! So be it to you even as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
 **19: 17 And He said to him, Why do you call Me good? [There is] none good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He said to Him, Which? Jesus said, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, 19 honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
** 21:12 � And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, It is written, "My house shall be called the house of prayer"; but you have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
** 22:34 � But hearing that He had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked, tempting Him and saying, 36 Master, which [is] the great commandment in the Law? 37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second [is] like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
** Matt. 26: 18 And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say to him, The Master said, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them. And they made the passover ready. 20 And when evening had come, He sat down with the Twelve. . . . .
59 And the chief priests and the elders and all the sanhedrin sought false witness against Jesus, in order to put Him to death. 60 But they found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, they found none.
>>>[Doesn't this mean that He had an impeccable record as a citizen of Israel, as a keeper of the Sinai Law?  Wouldn't they easily have had a case against Jesus if He had been disobedient to His Sinai Law?]

WHAT DID JESUS TELL HIS FOLLOWERS TO DO ABOUT THE LAW OF MOSES, THE LAW THAT INCLUDED POLYGYNY?
Matthew 23: 1 � Then Jesus spoke to the crowd and to His disciples, 2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do. But do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
Some might say all or most of those Old Testament passages on marriage and morality were for the nation Israel under the Law of Moses and not for  Jesus' church under the Law of LOVE in Christ.  Bible history indicates quite clearly that Jesus came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it>96  .  Jesus showed that He was observing all the Law of Moses as an adult when He said that whoever does the commandments and teaches others to do the Law of Moses "shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven">~ .  Over and over again in the Gospels you see Jesus obeying the Law of Moses and telling His followers to obey it>97  .  Matt. 23:3, 4, and 23 are the strongest statements of this expectation that His followers were to be obeying the marriage and morality laws of Moses when He was still visibly with them, and Jesus made it soon before His death.
[Footnotes:>96   (Matt. 5:17,18);    >~  (Matt. 5:19);     >97   (Matt. 8:4; 12:11,12; 13:54; 15:3-6, 22-26; 17:24, 27; 19:17-19; 21:12,13; 22:34-40; 23:3,4,23; 26:18,19; 26:63,64; etc.)]

IF JESUS TOLD HIS FOLLOWERS TO BOTH KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES AND THE TEACHINGS OF THEIR RELIGIOUS LEADERS, WHY DON'T WE NON-JEWS KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES TODAY, INCLUDING THOSE LAWS ABOUT POLYGYNY?
Acts 15: 4 And arriving in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and [by] the apostles and elders. And [they] declared all things that God had done with them. 5 But some of those from the sect of the Pharisees, having believed, rose up, saying, It was necessary to circumcise them and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses.
. . . . .  7 And after much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men, brothers, you recognize that from ancient days God chose among us [that] through my mouth the nations [should] hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit even as to us. 9 And He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you tempt God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples, a yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of [the] Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, according to which manner they also believed. . . . .  22 � Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men from them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas, whose last name was Barsabas; and Silas, chief men among the brothers. 23 And they wrote these things by their hand: The apostles and elders and brothers [send] greeting to the brothers, from [the] nations in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 24 Because we have heard that certain ones who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, Be circumcised and keep the law! (to whom we gave no such command);   25 it seemed [good] to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will also announce [to you] the same things by word. 28 For it seemed [good] to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from meats offered to idols, and [from] blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which, if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Be prospered. 30 Then indeed they being let go, they came to Antioch. And gathering the multitude, [they] delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read [it], they rejoiced at the comfort.

WHY THIS DOUBLE STANDARD IN THE BOOKS OF ACTS?
       Consider Hebrews 8, especially the Greek of verse 13:
�In that he says, �A new [covenant]�, he has made the
first  [covenant] old.  Now that which is becoming
obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.�
       Consider The Greek of 2 Cor. 3:7,11:
�. . . the ministration of death, written [and] engraved
in stones, was glorious . . . How shall not the
ministration of the Spirit be more glorious? . . . For if
what is passing away [was] glorious, much more that
which is reamaining [is] glorious..�

These passages show there was a period of transition (�is becoming obsolete..growing old..is ready to vanish..is passing away�)  from the Sinai Law of Moses to the Calvary Law of LOVE in Christ.  The book of Acts is full of the apostles keeping the Sinai Law of Moses after Pentecost. You see them worshipping in the Temple regularly>98 , Peter refuses to socialize with Gentiles according to the Sinai Law>99 , Peter refuses to eat the animals classified as unclean in the Sinai Law>1 , Paul circumcises Timothy, Paul keeps the Law's feasts>2 , Paul recognizes the authority of the Chief Priest, the believing Gentiles are released from the Sinai Law of Moses while the believing Jews are not released >3  .
[Footnotes:>98  (Acts 4, 12, 15, 21);  >99   (Acts 10, 11, Gal. 1 & 2); >1   (Acts 10 & 11); >2  (Acts 21); >3   (Galatians, Acts 15 and see Acts 10; 11:8, 23; 15:5; 16:3;  18:18, 21;21:18-25; 24:18)]

DO YOU REALLY THINK THE CHURCH WAS DIVIDED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, WITH ONLY THE BELIEVING JEWS KEEPING LAW?
Acts 10: 9 � On the next day, as these went on [the] road, and drawing near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about [the] sixth hour. 10 And he became very hungry and desired to eat. But while they made ready, an ecstasy fell on him. 11 And he saw the heaven opened and a certain vessel like a sheet coming down to him, being bound at the four corners and let down to the earth; 12 in which were all the four-footed animals of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the reptiles, and the birds of the heaven. 13 And a voice came to him, saying, Rise, Peter! Kill and eat! 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice [spoke] to him again the second [time], What God has made clean, you do not call common. 16 This happened three [times], and the vessel was received up again into the heaven. 17 And while Peter doubted within himself what the vision which he had seen might be, even behold, the men who were sent from Cornelius had asked for Simon's house and stood on the porch. 18 And they called and asked if Simon whose last name is Peter was staying there.
19 � And [while] Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Therefore arise and go down and go with them without doubting, for I have sent them.  . . . . . . 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up! I also am a man myself. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 And he said to them, You know that it is an unlawful thing for a man, a Jew to keep company with or to come near to one of another nation. But God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean.
***Galatians 2: 11 � But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed [him] to his face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before some came from James, he ate with the nations. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also dissembled with him, so as even Barnabas was led away with their dissembling. 14 But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, If you, being a Jew, live as a Gentile, and not as the Jews, why do you compel [the] nations to judaize?
***Acts 16: 3 Paul wanted him to go with him, and taking [him he] circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they passed through the cities, they delivered to them the commandments to keep, the ones that were ordained by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
***Acts 18:18 � And Paul having remained many days more, taking leave of the brothers, he sailed from there into Syria. And Priscilla and Aquila were with him. And Paul had shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus and left them there. But he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 And they asking [him] to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent 21 but took leave of them, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that is coming in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you, God willing. And he sailed from Ephesus.
***Acts 21:18 And on the next [day] Paul went with us to James. And all the elders were present. 19 And having greeted them, he related one by one what things God had done among the nations by his ministry. 20 And hearing, they glorified the Lord, and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous of the law. 21 And they are informed concerning you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the nations to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, nor to walk after the customs. 22 What is it therefore? At all events a multitude will come together, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this, what we say to you: We have four men who have a vow on themselves; 24 taking them, be purified with them, and be at expense for them, so that they may shave [their] heads. And all may know that what they have been told about you is nothing, but you yourself also walk orderly and keep the Law. 25 And as to the nations who believe, we joined in writing, judging them to observe no such things, except only that they keep themselves from both idol sacrifice, and blood, and a thing strangled, and [from] fornication. 26 Then taking the men on the next day, being purified with them, Paul went into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of the purification, until an offering should be offered for each of them.
[Doesn't this mean that the marriage and morality teachings
of 1 Thess. 4 ; Romans 7; 1 Corinthians 5, 6 and 7, which
were written before the time of Acts 21:16 while Paul
and the believing Jews, including the apostles, were
still obeying and teaching the marriage and morality
laws of the Law of Moses, discussed at length above
including polygyny ?  Doesn't that mean that all of their terms and definitions were in harmony and accord with the Law of Moses, which the apostles were still keeping since they were believing Jews?  Isn't it amazing that when God made up and gave all the exhaustive lists of sins, both in the Sinai Law and in the New Testament, He never included polygyny?  If He made sure to condemn sodomy, pederastery, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, adultery and fornication, then why didn't He also make sure to condemn polygyny, if it is the sin that some say it is?]
So we see Paul, the Apostle of Grace to we non-Jews, purify himself with four other Christian Jews under a vow, pay the expenses of their being under the vow including the shaving of their heads,  and have an offering offered for  them all so that he could show the believing Jews that he walked orderly, keeping the Sinai Law and its customs and telling the believing Jews to circumcize their children and walk in Moses' customs.  These customs of Moses included the laws given to Moses regulating and recognizing polygyny.   So the apostles and believing Jews were still keeping the Law, not for salvation, but to obey Jesus in Mat. 23:1-3, and still they do not condemn or reject the polygyny being practiced all around them by both Jews and Romans



WHY DON'T THE BELIEVING JEWS OF TODAY STILL KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES, WITH ITS PROVISIONS FOR POLYGYNY?
In fact, it is not until after Acts 22 that the Spirit has
Paul write the following:
MKJV  EPHES. 2: 14 � �For He is our peace, He making
us both one, and [He] has broken down the middle
wall of partition [between us],  15 having abolished in
His flesh the enmity (the Law of commandments
[contained] in ordinances) so that in Himself He might
make the two into one new man, making peace
[between them];  16 and so that He might reconcile
both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the
enmity in Himself.�
MKJV COLOS. 2:13 � �And you, being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made
alive together with Him, having forgiven you all
trespasses, 14 blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to
us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the
cross. 15 Having stripped rulers and authorities, He
made a show of them publicly, triumphing [over]
them in it. 16 � Therefore let no one judge you in
food or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the
new moon, or of the sabbaths.�
MKJV 2 PETER 3:15 �And think of the long-suffering
of our Lord [as] salvation (as our beloved brother Paul
also has written to you according to the wisdom given
to him  16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them
of these things; in which are some things hard to be
understood, which the unlearned and unstable
pervert, as also [they do] the rest of the Scriptures, to
[their] own destruction).�

SO WHAT PLACE DID POLYGYNY HAVE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?
Christian elders agree that during Jesus' physical
and visible walk on earth, the Jews practiced
polygamy>24.�
[Footnote: >24.  Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P. 23. ;
"Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the
Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d. 1000), and
then at first only for France and Germany.  In Spain,
Italy,m and the East it persisted for some time longer,
as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan
counties".   HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE,
p.584. ;          A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-
Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V, p. 267.;
A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers of The Christian Church,  Vol. iv,  p.290.;
A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII,  p. 258. ;
St. Augustin: On The Trinity, p. 402.;
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.259,  583ff.]

Let's look at the following evidence:
DOUGLAS� NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY : MARRIAGE:
"Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and Eve,
since God created only one wife for Adam.  Yet
polygyny  is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn.
4:19), and is not forbidden in Scripture . . ..It is
difficult toknow how far polygamy was practised, but
on economic grounds it is probable that it was found
more among the well-to-do  than among the ordinary
people.  Polygamy continues to the present day
among Jews in Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian,
Oriental, and African countries." >25
[>25   IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas;  1962,W. B. Eerdmans
Publishing, p.787]

Eerdmans' Douglas' New Bible Dictionary:   �Concubine.
A secondary wife acquired by purchase or as a war
captive, and allowed in polygamous society such as
existed in the Middle east in biblical times....Where
marriages produced no heir, wives presented a slave
concubine too their husbands in order to raise an heir
(Gen. 16). Handmaidens, given as a marriage gift,
were often concubines (Gen. 29:24,29). Concubines
were protected under Mosaic law (Exod. 21:7-11; Dt.
21:10-14), though they were distinguished from
wives (Jdg. 8:31) and were more easily divorced
(Gen.21:10-14)�
[Footnote: >26  IVCF, Editor J.D.Douglas;  1962,W. B.
Eerdmans Publishing.]

FUNK & WAGNALLS NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA:
CONCUBINAGE, �Refers to the cohabitation of a man
and a woman without sanction of legal marriage.
Specifically, concubinage is a form of polygyny  in
which the primary matrimonial relationship is
supplemented by one or more secondary sexual
relationships. Concubinage was a legally sanctioned
and socially acceptable practice in ancient cultures,
including that of the Hebrews; concubines, however,
were denied the protection to which a legal wife was
entitled. In Roman law, marriage was precisely
defined as monogamous; concubinage was tolerated,
but the concubine's status was inferior to that of  a
legal wife.  Her children had certain rights, including
support by the father and legitimacy in the event of
the marriage of the parents�.
[Footnote: >27 1986, Funk & Wagnalls NEW
ENCYCLOPEDIA.]

In HASTING'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE we read
"Being .. apparently legalized, and having the
advantage of precedent, it was long before polygamy
was formally forbidden in Hebrew society, though
practically it fell into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis
was strongly against it.  Herod had nine wives at once.
. Its possibility is implied by the technical
continuance of the Levirate law," [Deut. 25:5-10] "and
is proved by the early interpretation of 1 Ti 3,
whether correct or not.  Justin reproaches the Jews of
his day" [A.D.] " with having 'four or even five wives,'
and marrying 'as they wish, or as many as they wish.'
The evidence of the Talmud shows that in this case at
least the reproach had some foundation.  Polygamy
was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the
time of R. Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first
only for France and Germany.  In Spain, Italy, and the
East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still
among the Jews in Mohammedan countries."
[Footnote: >28.  HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;
p.583ff.]

Eugene Nida's (American Bible Society) book Customs
and Cultures>.29  . .  documents the current practice of
polygyny  by Christians in non Western countries, and
how it is still practiced in China, SE Asia, India, Africa
and parts of South America.  Eugene Nida points out
that when polygamists become Christians they are
told of their limitations in church offices and are
asked not to take any additional wives because it
stumbles western Christians (Rom 14, l Cor. 8 and 10).
They are not usually asked to abandon their other
wives to a premature widowhood because of l Cor>.
7:1-15.
[Footnote: >.29   1954, Harper & Brothers, New York]

Tacitus, who died in 117 A.D., was a Roman historian
who provided us with one of the earliest detailed
descriptions of the Germans and their Germanic
tribes, which later migrated into western Europe and
included the English and the French. >30    These
Germans of his time were unique.  They strictly
observed the marital tie and were generally content
with one wife for each husband, in marked contrast to
most of the "barbarians" of the time who often
practiced polygyny.  The few exceptions to this
Germanic monogyny was when they were sought for a
polygynous marriage because of their high birth>31
[Footnotes:>30  Source: Tr. Maurice Hutton, in Tacitus:
Dialogus, Agricola, Germania, Loeb Classical Library
(Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1914).
WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE  - A
SOURCEBOOK;   p. 36.;>31 WOMEN'S LIVES IN
MEDIEVAL EUROPE  - A SOURCEBOOK; p. 37.]

MKJV 1 CORINTH. 7: 7 �For I would that all men were
even as I myself am. But each has his proper gift from
God, one according to this manner and another
according to that. 8 I say therefore to the unmarried
and the widows, It is good for them if they remain
even as I.  9 But if they do not have self-control, let
them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. 17
� But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord
has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain
in all churches.18 [Was] any called having been
circumcised? Do not be uncircumcised. Was anyone
called in uncircumcision? Do not be circumcised. . . .
20 Let each one remain in the calling in which he was
called.  21 Were you called as a slave? It does not
matter to you, but if you are able to become free, use
[it] rather. . . . 24 Each in whatever way he was called,
brothers, in this remain with God.�
[Doesn't this principle extend to include being called in polygyny?
Wouldn't it be like this? '� But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord
has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain
in all churches.18 [Was] any called in polygyny/concubinage? Do not become monogynous.  . . . . . 20 Let each one remain in the calling in which he was
called.' ]

Consider the following: �That the good
purpose of marriage, however, is better promoted by
one husband with one wife, than by a husband with
several wives, is shown plainly enough by the very
first union of a married pair, which was made by the
Divine Being Himself, with the intention of marriages
taking their beginning therefrom, and of its affording
to them a more honorable precedent.  In the advance,
however,  of the human race, it came to pass that to
certain good men were united a plurality of good
wives,  --- many to each; and from this it would seem
that moderation sought rather unity on one side for
dignity, while nature permitted plurality on the other
side for fecundity.  For on natural principles it is more
feasible for one to have dominion over many, than for
many to have dominion over one.�
[Footnote: >..34  2b A Select Library of the Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church; Vol. V; p.
267]
Ephesians 2:14-18 and Colossians 2:11-17, confirmed by 2 Peter 3:15, show us that Jesus reveals and instructs us to accept the end of the Law of Moses, finally releasing believing Jews from having to obey the Law of Moses (as the Gentiles were in Acts 15) and then not many years later causes the Jerusalem Temple to be destroyed so that it would be impossible to keep on obeying the Law of Moses with its sacrifices and temple worship.
       This means that the marriage and morality teachings of 1 Thess. 4 ; Romans 7; 1 Corinthians 5, 6 and 7 were written before the time of Acts 21:16 while Paul and the believing Jews, including the apostles, were still obeying and teaching the marriage and morality laws of the Law of Moses, discussed at length above including polygyny . The change of significance was not that
polygyny  was condemned or forbidden but that monogamy was made a prerequisite for holding an official position of leadership in the local church.  The polygyny  of the Jewish, Greek and Roman world was not attacked, but the leadership of the local churches was transformed by the monogamy restriction, probably to prevent polygamous leaders from getting involved in church service that would result in the neglect of time with their own children and/or wives.  What was the actual status of polygamy in New Testament time, the First Century AD?  Christian elders agree that during Jesus' physical and visible walk on earth, the Jews practiced polygamy>24.�
[Footnote: >24.  Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME..P. 23. ;    "Polygamy was not definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R. Gershom (c. A.d. 1000), and then at first only for France and Germany.  In Spain, Italy,m and the East it persisted for some time longer, as it does still among the Jews in Mohammedan counties".   HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.584. ;    A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V, p. 267.;      A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church,  Vol. iv,  p.290.;      A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII,  p. 258. ;         St. Augustin: On The Trinity, p. 402.;             HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, p.259,  583ff.]

WHAT THEN DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT ACTUALLY SAY ABOUT POLYGYNY FOR BELIEVERS TODAY?
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits
adultery against her." Mark 10:11 Pretty clear, right?  But did you note
that nowhere in the Bible does He say "Whoever remains married to
his wife and marries another woman in polygyny commits adultery against her."
Why?   When Jesus walked on earth didn't He Himself
command the apostles and His disciples to observe and obey all of
the Law of Moses>a., including the Laws about polygyny cited in the
following, and that the apostles and Jewish believers kept and
observed all the Laws given to Moses (including those about
polygyny) through the entire book of Acts>b period up until God
released the apostles and believing Jews from the Law of Moses in
Ephesians 2 and Colosians 2?   What about the following facts:
(1) Immediately after God gave Moses the ten commandments He
gave Moses instructions for men who have more than one wife>14. .
(2) Later He gave Moses instructions (Dt.12:1ff) for a husband who
has two wives>15. .
(3) He gave Moses specific instructions for the brother-in-laws of a
widow and did not exempt any brother who was already married>16.
and Jesus introduced no such exemption when He spoke of this
passage>17.
(4) God Himself told polygynist King David (he had ten +/- wives and
concubines at the time>18. ) that He had been with him wherever he
had gone, that He would make a great name for him, that his descendant
would be the Messiah>19. , and that He Himself had given David
more than one wife>20.
(5) God, who cannot sin and never portrays Himself as sinning,
portrayed Himself as the polygynist husband of two wives in Ezekiel
23.
[Footnotes: >a.  Matthew 23:1-3
>b.  In Matthew 23:1-3 Jesus commands obedience to the Laws give n
to Moses.  In Acts 15 the believing  non-Jews, not the believing Jews, were released from the Laws given to Moses.  In Acts 21:15-25 we see the Jewish apostle Paul and the surviving apostles still obeying the Law of Moses in obedience to Christ in Matt. 23:1-3.
>14.  Exodus 21:7-11 (See Hosea 3:2; Deut. 25:5-10; Lev. 19:20)
>15.  Deut. 21:15-17 (See 2 Chron. 24:3; Gen. 29:33; 1 Chron.5:2; 26:10;
2 Kings 2:9)
>16.  Deut. 25:5-10
>17.  Matt. 22:23-25; Mark 12:18-20; Luke 20:27-29
>18.  2 Samuel 5:13; 6:12-23
>19. 2 Samuel 7:8-17
>20.  2 Samuel 12:8 ; that this did not mean platonic care is evident
from 1 Kings 1:1-3; 2:13-25.


Does Jesus' statement �The two shall become
one flesh� mean that only one man and one woman
should become one flesh, as in monogamy>57 , as
most of the "leaders" maintain?  Doesn't the Spirit uses �The
two shall become one flesh� principle in 1 Corinth. 6
to show �that he who is joined to a harlot is one body
with her� , and then uses the same �one flesh�
principle in Eph. 5 about a husband and his wife?
Do you recall the discussion of this issue in the section on
Adam and Eve?


1Cor.7:2's �. . . ..each [man] is commanded to be having
his own wife, and  each [woman] is commanded to be having her own
husband� .  How can this be an argument for monogamy as most Christian leaders
maintain>62?  Whenever Abraham had Sarah, he had his own wife;
and whenever Abraham had Hagar, he had his own wife, not
someone else's wife,right? When David had Ahinoam, didn't he have his own
wife?  When David had Abigail, didn't he have his own wife?  When
David had Maacah, didn't he have his own wife?  When David had
Haggith, didn't he have his own wife, instead of having another's wife?  When David had Abital, didn't he have  his own wife?  When he had Eglah, didn't he have his own wife, not someone else's wife?   Each time Jacob, Joash or Gideon had one of  their own wives in polygny, wasn't he having his own wife/concubine? Wasn't each wife/concubine of these polygamists having her own polygamous
husband?  Isn 't this also true of a man and his concubine with whom he
has maritally covenanted>22 honorably before God?   Doesn't each polygynist
have his own wife, and have each one of them intimately and each one is
his own wife?  Doesn't each of the polygynist's wives have her own husband
and have him intimately in their marriage. How does the passage above
rebuke, demean or condemn polygyny?  Doesn't the  passage address
marital faithfulness and exclude adultery, which involves a husband
having another�s wife and a wife having one who is not her own
husband?  Doesn't it restrict sexual �having� to marriage with one�s own
mate in monogyny or polygyny?
�. . . ..let each man have his own wife, and let each wife have her own husband� is not an argument for monogamy as most Christian leaders maintain>62 .  Whenever Abraham, David, Jacob, Joash or Gideon had one of their own wives, he was having his own wife/concubine; and each wife/concubine of these polygamists had her own polygamous husband.  This is also true of a man and his concubine with whom he has maritally covenanted>22 honorably before God.  David had his own Abigail and Abigail had her own David.  David had his own Abigail and Bathsheeba, and Bathsheeba and Abigail both had their own David.  The polygynist has his own wife, and has each one of them intimately and each one is his own wife.  Each of the polygynist's wives has her own husband and has him intimately in their marriage. This passage does not rebuke, demean or condemn polygyny.  The  passage addresses marital faithfulness and excludes adultery, which involves a husband having another�s wife and a wife having one who is not her own husband.  It restricts sexual �having� to marriage with one�s own mate.
[Footnotes:>.62  Please see THE INSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL  LAW, by R. Rushdonney, p. 363.    >22  Ezek. 16:8; Malachi 2:10-17; Neh. 9:38 with 1 Sam. 20:3-17; As in Matt. 1:18-24 and Luke 1 & 2, she was his "wife" by their covenant even before their actual formal wedding.]



1 TIimothy 3: 1* � Faithful [is] the word: If anyone reaches out to overseership, he desires a good work. 2* Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching, 3 not a drinker, not quarrelsome, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, 4 ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor. 5 (For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of the Devil. 7 But he must also have a good report from those on the outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil.
8 � Likewise the deacons [are to be] reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of ill gain, 9 having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be tested, then let them [use the office of a deacon], being blameless. 11 Even so [their] wives are to [be] reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and households well.
Titus 1: 6 � if anyone is blameless, husband of one wife, having believing children, not accused of loose behavior, or disobedient. 7 For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not full of passion, not given to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy for ill gain; 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just, holy, temperate 9 holding fast the faithful word according to the doctrine, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convict the gainsayers.
[Are these requirements only for elders,overseers and deacons, or are they for all of us in Christ?  Aren't we all supposed to be without reproach,  temperate, sensible, well-ordered, not  drinkers, not quarrelsome, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous,   reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine,  having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, being blameless, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. having a good report from those on the outside?

But doesn't 1 Corinth. 12 and Ephes. 4 make it plain that we all have different gifts so that some [but not all] are hospitable,  some [but not all] are able to teach, some [but not all] rule their own house well, some [but not all] have their children in subjection with all honor,  (For if one does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)?     Since  novices are not expected to be able or qualified to be an elder, overseer or deacon, doesn't that also mean that they are therefore not expected to be mongynous?   Since all believers are not required to have the gift of hospitality, of teaching, of ruling well and effectively their children, and since all believers are novices at one point in their spiritual lives, then isn't it obvious that not all believers have the gift (1 Cor. 7) of monogyny? If these standards (especially monogyny) are to be required of all believers, then what about those believers Paul encourages to never marry at all so that they can wait on God without distraction in times of persecution?  Isn't it clear that these requirements are required only of those who seek to qualify for such positions?
Husband of one wife: Yes! Definitely! An elder/overseer/bishop/superintendent of a church must be the husband of only one wife. Are we all elders/overseers/bishops/ superintendents?  Clearly not. The unmarried are not.  The married who have unruly children are not.  Husbands with  disrespectful, uncooperative and defiant wives are not. The married and unmarried who are unable to teach are not.  All novices are not.  Those with a bad reputation, earned or unearned, among the unsaved through slander or misunderstandings are not.  Those who don�t want a church leadership position are not.  That includes most of us, and most of us are not covered by the injunction  to be the husband of only one wife.
       There is the problem of the polygamous mentality.  A man who has learned to love passionately and maritally  more than one wife at one time would be more vulnerable to sexual temptation in church ministry than a man who has learned to love passionately and maritally only one wife at a time.  A ministering polygamist in a leadership position would be more likely to be tempted to accept the advances/ propositions of an unmarried sister in the church who falls in love with him and he with her.  This could result in sex outside of marriage (fornication) or yet another addition to his polygamous "harem". This would stumble the saints and would be a reproach to the unsaved. It would appear that a godly polygamist would have to have a very low profile (no leadership position) in the church, as the scripture requires.]

Douglas� New Bible Dictionary : MARRIAGE:
...."Monogamy is implicit in the story of Adam and
Eve, since God created only one wife for Adam.  Yet
polygyny  is adopted from the time of Lamech (Gn.
4:19), and is not forbidden inScripture. . . ...Polygamy
continues to the present day among Jews in Moslem,
Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African
countries."
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE: . �. . Elkanah,
the husband of Hannah and Peninnah, is an
interesting example of a man of no particular position
who nevertheless had more than one wife; this may
be an indication that bigamy, at least, if not polygamy,
was not confined to the very wealthy and exalted.  At
all events, polygyny was an established and
recognized institution from the earliest of times.�>39
[Footnote: >39.  HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE;
p.259.]

�Polygamy meets us as a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the
Judges, David, Solomon; 1 Ch 7:4 is evidence of its
prevalence in Issachar; Elkanah (1 Sam.1:1ff) is
significant as belonging to the middle class; Jehoida (2
Ch 24:3) as a priest. . .Legislation . . . safeguarded the
rights of various wives, slave or free; and according to
the Rabbinical interpretation of Lv 21:13>40. . . .the
high priest was not allowed to be a bigamist. . . The
marriage figure applied to the union of God and Israel
. . implied monogamy as the ideal state. . . Being ..
apparently legalized, and having the advantage of
precedent, it was long before polygamy was formally
forbidden in Hebrew society, though practically it fell
into disuse; the feeling of the Rabbis was strongly
against it.  Herod had nine wives at once. . . Its
possibility is implied by the technical continuance of
the Levirate law, [Deut. 25:5-10] and is proved by the
early interpretation of 1 Ti 3, whether correct or not.
Justin reproaches the Jews of his day [A.D.]   with
having 'four or even five wives,' and marrying 'as
they wish, or as many as they wish.'  The evidence of
the Talmud shows that in this case at least the
reproach had some foundation.  Polygamy was not
definitely forbidden among the Jews till the time of R.
Gershom (c. A.D. 1000), and then at first only for
France and Germany.  In Spain, Italy, and the East it
persisted for some time longer, as it does still among
the Jews in Mohammedan countries>41.
[Footnote: (>.(40. Septuagint Lev. 21:13 "He shall take
for a wife a virgin of his own tribe.".  .>41.  HASTINGS
DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; p.583ff.]

So what are you doing if you are condemning
polygyny  in general as sin?Mark 7:8 �[For], leaving
the commandment of God, you  hold what is delivered
by men [to keep] --washings of vessels and cups, and
many other such like things you  do.  9 And he said to
them, Well do you   set aside the commandment of
God, that you  may observe what is delivered by
yourselves [to keep]. . . . 13 making void the word of
God by your traditional teaching which you  have
delivered; and many such like things you  do�.

       Pretty serious stuff, laying aside God's
commands so you can keep your own traditions and
making God's Word ineffective through your
traditions.  It wont look good for those folks at the
judgment seat of Christ.  What about all those third
world folks, especially the Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist,
Asian, Oriental, and Africans, who are practicing
polygyny  and are told that they have to dump and
abandon their extra wives &/or concubines in order
to become Christians, the biggest obstacle for the
Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental, and African
community?  These "Christian" folks who feel their
own tradition about monogamy and polygyny  must
be kept by Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian, Oriental,
and Africans and other third world polygamists for
them to become Christians sound like these folks:
Mat.23:13 � �But woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites, for you  shut up the kingdom of
the heavens before men; for *you* do not enter, nor
do you  suffer those that are entering to go in.�

I understand that Rev. Joseph Conrad Wold>*, a
Lutheran missionary in Liberia,  maintains  the
following points: 1. Some missionaries have become
like the Pharisees, knit picking legalists;  2. For
unbelievers it is more of a question of who is or is not
a polygamist  rather than who is and  who isn't a
Christian; 3. Rejecting polygamy has become the
rejecting of polygamists; 4.  If Cornelious>45  could be
born again without circumcision, then surely
polygamists should be able to be born again without
cutting away their wives, breaking their solemn
promises and forcing their beloved and faithful wives
into adultery for survival; 5 Let the polygamist be lost
because he refused to love and obey Jesus, rather
than because he loved his wives too much to cause
them to suffer, or was too virtuous to be a
hypocrite.>70  He makes such an impassioned case I
hope you take the time to read the original.  Truly the
commandments of men, condemning as sin and
forbidding polygamy,  make of no effect the
commandments of God for so many.
[Footnote: >*GOD'S IMPATIENCE IN LIBERIA, Rev.
Joseph Conrad Wold, pp. 179ff.          >45    (Acts 10 &
11).       @>.@70  Trobisch, MY WIFE MADE ME. . .
Pp.16 & 17;].

What about those who practice polygyny/concubinage
where most of the people on earth live, in China,
India, SE Asia, Africa and in parts of South America
where it is legal and a part of man�s tradition? If the
condemnation of polygyny/concubinasge  is only the
commandment and tradition of men, dare we impose
as Doctrine the commandment and tradition of men
about polygyny/concubinage  as if it were the Word
of God?  If our teaching against polygyny  is only the
tradition and commandment of men,  will we not
again make of no effect the Word of God in the lives
of these people who live where most of the people on
earth live ?

The angels are waiting to rejoice over the conversion
of one polygamous Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Asian,
Oriental, and African or third worlder and "Christian
legalists and traditionalists" wont let them in unless
they sin by "dealing treacherously">46  with their
wives &/or concubines by putting them away in
repudiation, and sin by disobeying Christ's command
not to leave their wives>47  , and sin by not
remaining in the marital condition in which they were
called to Christ.  According to the New York Times
News Service, there were 200,000 polygynists in Paris
France alone.    Can we turn away such a mission
field?
[Footnote: >46  (Malachi 2).     >47   (1 Cor. 7:11)]
1 Cor.7: 17 � �However, as the Lord has divided to
each, as God has called each, so let him walk; and thus
I ordain in all the assemblies. . .  20 Let each abide in
that calling in which he has been called. . . . 24 Let
each, wherein he is called, brethren, therein abide
with God. .  . . 26 I think then that this is good, on
account of the present necessity, that [it is] good for a
man to remain so as he is. 27 Are you  bound to a
wife? Seek not to be loosed; Are you  free from a
wife? Do not seek a wife.�

Yes, that means if they were called in polygyny, they
remain in polygyny unless their polygyny violates the
law>48  of the land they are called in.  If the law of
the land prohibits their polygyny, they cannot dump
their wives since they are bound by God to them in
marriage since God�s Laws take precedence over the
laws of man>49  , so they must change their formal
polygyny to informal concubinage to live without
offense>50 .
[Footnote: >48  Romans13.     >49   (Moses & Pharaoh,
Daniel and the lions, Shedrach and the fiery furnace,
Acts 4).     >50  Romans 13 & 14.]

Yes, that means that if they were called in
concubinage, they remain in concubinage unless (1)
their informal concubinage should become formal
polygyny so as not to offend or stumble the Church
>51  , or (2) their open and public concubinage must
become personal, private, discrete and secretive>52
so as not to stumble or offend the saints.
[Footnote: >51  Romans 14 & 15.    >52   Romans 14 &
15, 1 Cor. 8 & 10]

So polygyny  in and of itself is not a sin and was
tolerated in the Bible>71, unless practiced in violation
of men�s laws>53  , or unless its practice is abused by
offensive selfishness and sinfulness>54.  The polygyny
of concubinage is not illegal in modern society, but is
bound by the principles of Liberated Love in Romans
14, 1 Cor 8 and 10.
[Footnote: >.71   Please see THE INSTITUTES OF
BIBLICAL  LAW, by R. Rushdonney, p. 364.
HASTINGS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; 1989,  p.259;
p.583ff.       >53    (Rom 13).     >54   (Rom. 14) ]

The New York Times News Service reported in Jan. '96 that there were 200,000 individuals involved in polygamous marriages in Paris France alone.  These polygamous individuals were reported to be  mostly immigrants from SE Asia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Africa.  This is significant since England and Germany also have similar immigrant populations with similar marriages.  This is an awesome mission field right in middle of Western Europe, involving our NATO allies.  Are we going to exclude them from the Gospel message because of their polygamy?  Are we going to tell the husbands to disobey the Jesus  who condemns the breaking of marital covenants (Mal.2; Rom. 1) by abandonning/divorcing all their wives but one.  Are we going to disobey the Jesus who tells new converts to stay in the calling in which they were called (1 Cor.7:25-35)  and tell the husbands not to abide in the polygamous calling in which they were called, but to dump and abandon their "extra" wives, condemning them to widowhood, poverty and prostitution?
       It is incredible to think that Jesus and the apostles would say nothing about such a widespread contemporary practice as polygyny if it were indeed sinful, less than God's best, carnal and reprobate to good works.  God never said such a thing in Old Testament times and He obviously never said such a thing in New Testament times.  When you consider how specific God was in Lev. chaps. 18-22; Deut. chaps. 22-24; Romans 1; 1 Cor. 6; 2 Cor. 6; Gal. 5 and etc.,  I can not believe that God would "forget" to include polygyny if it is as bad as most Christian leaders say  it is.  Let's take a look at what most Christian leaders say about polygyny and concubines in the next section.
       Being one flesh, as Eph. 5:22-33 shows, is one of the best motives for the husband being good and godly to his wife.  A Christian elder apparently maintains that godly equality is possible only in a monogamous marriage, and that polygamy increases women's subordination.>59 He apparently believes that the harmony and unity of Gen. 2:24 is unable to develop in a polygamous marriage, and that monogamy best reflects Christ's love to the Church>60. How did I miss that? Was it the blissful and enraptured love the Shulamite had for her Solomon who loved and adored her in their polygynous marriage>15?   Was it Abigail who gave up her wealthy independence as Nabal's widow in order to be David's wife in a polygynous marriage?
[Footnotes:>59.  Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME A POLYGAMIST;  p21ff.    >60. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . . . P. 25.    >15  (Song of Sol. 6)]
        No, but I think  a Christian elder missed the point that a tragic number husbands around the world have neglected, been unloving to, abused and subordinated their wives in monogamy.  The women's movement for the right to vote, the heart breaking of spousal abuse and neglect, the right to have equal pay for equal tasks done by men, and the whole affirmative action program for women shows that monogamy proves to be a pretty effective context in which women can be subordinated and treated quite unlovingly.  The problem, again, is that sin and the flesh are the problem, not monogamy or polygyny.  There is no question that monogamy best reflects Christ's love to the Church, that is why He chose it and modeled it for all the Church leaders>16  of whom He is the Chief leader.  The real situation is that we are all not Church leaders and we all have our "best", our different "gifts" from God>17  .
[Footnotes:>16   (1 Tm. 3 & Ti. 1).    >17    (1 Cor. 7:6,7,17-28)]
       I understand  a Christian elder to state that in monogamy both leave and both cleave, becoming one flesh, and this is only possible for two marital partners, therefore polygamy is excluded by the Biblical idea of equality>61. He gives no scripture reference for this position, and I don't believe he would be able to do so. Statistics show that most Christian monogamous marriages fail to maintain this harmonious equality, and again because of sin and the flesh. There is no claim that in polygyny three "become one", but indeed the husband does become one flesh with each of his wives>18  and the fornicator becomes one flesh with each harlot with whom he fornicates>19  .  There is no reason why a polygynist and his wives/concubines could not attain to the level of the saints in the early church where they shared all that they had, and had all things in common>20  in a sweet and loving harmony.  In the Lord any family, even a polygynous family, can achieve that unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace>21  .
[Footnotes:>61. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . . >. P. 49ff.     >18    (Matt. 19).     >19    (1 Cor. 6:12-20).    >20   Acts 4.      >21   (Phil. 4:13;Eph. 4:1-5; Psalm 133 and Acts 3 & 4)]
       Are polygyny and concubinage a form of female abuse?  Without even discussing cases like that of OJ Simpson's, there is a very well documented serious and growing problem of spousal abuse in monogamous America.  There is still an internationally known serious and abiding problem of males killing their wives either to free them so they can get the dowry of a new wife, or just because they don't love their wives, in India where open polygyny has been illegal for some time.  You will find spousal abuse in every form of marriage known to and practiced by humans because their sinful nature>3  or because of the involvement of evil spiritual beings>4.   The problem is not the social form of the marriage.  The problem is in the humans who exercise that social form of marriage.  Mates will abuse mates whether it be polygyny or monogyny.
[Footnote: >3  Rom 3:23.      >4   Eph. 2:1,2; 6:12.]
       Does it denote inferiority on the part of the woman? There is nothing in the Bible that says women are inferior to men.  "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.">5   What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus?   "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great Love with which he Loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ . . . and has raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus . . . for through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." >6  In terms of what is real, spiritually right now we who are His children have a presence in His very presence right now where sex is totally irrelevant and inconsequential.   "Therefore, from now on, we know no one according to the flesh. . .">7    Our sexuallity is not a legitimate basis for knowing each other or relating to each other.  Our sexuality is like a temporary "uniform" we wear during a short period of our eternal life with God, or like an instrument we temporarily play in God's orchestra.
[Footnote: >5  Gal 3:28.      >6  Ephes.  2:1-18.      >7  2 Cor. 5:16]
       Our Father decided>8 which of us would wear female "uniforms" and which would wear male "uniforms", which of us would play female insturments and which of us would play male instruments during our pilgrimage on earth.  As the Grand Conductor of his orchestra, He decides where we should be and when we should play our "instrument" or wear our "uniform".  All are uniformed musicians in God's orchestra and all are musicians with an instrument to play.  There are varying degrees of skill and varying degrees of importance in His orchestra>9   We know that everyone in the orchestra must be harmonious and unified in their effort because it takes only one musician to make one sour note to mess up the performance, so clearly all are important and are all under the command of the Conductor.
[Footnote: >8  Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:28.  >9  Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12.]
       For some of us life means we are males, for some of us life means we are females, all under the same Conductor.    His males and His females must be harmonious and unified in their effort because it only take one member to be grieved for the whole Body of Christ to be hurting>10 .   The females' part in the symphony of life is spelled out in Bible passages>11  and the males' part in the symphony of life is spelled out in Bible passages>12.   They are not the same parts, but under the grand Conductor the parts can and should be harmonious and unified, blending to produce a wonderful work for the benefit of all.
[Footnote: >10  Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:26,27.      >11  Gen. 2;  1 Cor. 11:1-16; 14:34,35,36; Ephes. 5; 1 Tim. 2 & 5 and Titus 2.      >12  Gen. 2; 1 Cor. 11:1-16;  Eph. 5;  1 Tim 3 & 5; Titus 1 & 2.]
       If that means the Conductor wants the male to play the lead violin and the female to play the lead viola in a duet (marriage), then He knows best and can draw out of us in that relationship beautiful harmonies for the delight and benefit of all.    The female is not inferior to the male, but while they are male and female, He has laid down some rules how we are to relate in His Church when we assemble in one place, and He has laid down some rules when we come together in marriage/sex.  If we Love Him, we will obey His rules in those settings>13 .  If we love Him, we will compassionately cherish each other, male and female, in obedience to Him.  Sacrificial and self-denying compassionate cherishing results in no victims, not tyrants, no dictators, no slaves and no abuse.  It means seeking the best for the object of such Love and cooperating with them to achieve that best.
[Footnote: >13  John 14:15, 21; 1 John 2:1-5; Heb. 5:8,9]
       Do polygyny and concubinage unfairly or unjustly give a male the advantage over his women? The husband is still commanded to live wisely and respectfully>14  with his wife and we know that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord resulting in obedience to the Lord>15 .   The husband is still commanded to compassionately cherish his wife as Christ compassionately cherishes the Church.  The advantage over women?  It sounds more like the male is given additional and solemn responsibilities for the loving of his woman.
[Footnote: >14   1 Peter 3:7.         >15 Psalm 19:9; Prov. 1:7; Hebrews 5:6,7,8,9; Prov. 4:20-22]
       I submit to you that, as most Christian messengers have said, monogyny is the ideal and preferable form of marriage for most people.  Most of us do not live in an ideal and preferred world.  Most of us do not have first class tickets for the trip of life.  Most of the Christian leaders told us that our ancestors were wrong in their practice of polygyny, so most of us stopped practicing it.  In this document I submit that, for us who find ourselves in such a less than perfect world, we need to know our options and know them better.  I try to show in this paper, that polygyny and concubinage are options available to followers of Christ today, that polygyny and concubinage are neither sinful nor displeasing to God, that polygyny or concubinage may be God's ideal/best for you, and that there is a way for the godly in Christ Jesus to live in polygyny or concubinage that  today is acceptable to God and allowed by society.  As with any controversial thing>16   in life, one must search out the will of God in the matter and, with His wisdom and enabling, walk in it as He leads and provides. Hopefully this paper will help you move in that direction, if it is His will.
[Footnote:  >16   Romans 14]

VI.  ADULTERY DEFINED,  A  SURPRISE!   ISN�T POLYGYNY ADULTERY?
        Some say �The same laws apply to both male and female.  This is an issue of nature, not role.  Therefore all are equal: male and female.�  Some Bible interpreters are more zealous for unisex doctrines and practices than the bleeding heart liberals who encourage unisex restroom and coed dorms.  God made males and females very different for a reason, and we miss the mark when we fail to recognize the differences He made and instituted. Mary leave/divorces Elias.  Some say that this forsaken Elias commits adultery when he marries Sally but the Biblical definition of adultery>143  in Matt. 5:32 and 19:6-9; Mark 10:1-11; Luke 16:18; 1 Thess. 4:4-6 and Romans 7:1-3>143 plainly states the double standard in the definition of adultery.  There really are different scriptural laws for men than for women governing marriage and remarriage, and there are different scriptural laws for men than for women defining adultery.

Adultery for the woman:
1. "Whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery">144.  The reason being that she is still bound to him as wife.>145.
[Footnote: >144  Mat. 5:32; 19:9; Luke 16:18; except in the cases of 1 Cor. 7:12-15,39; 1 Tim. 5:14.      >145.  1 Cor. 7:10, 11, 39; Romans 7:1-3. ]

2.  The husband "causes her to commit adultery" when he divorces her for any reason other than sexual immorality>146.   The reason being that she is still bound to him as wife.>147       In 1 Corinth. 7:5 we see that her husband "causes her to commit adultery"  because her husband is failing to meet her marital needs and the enemy of her soul tempts in her burning need. (On the other hand: The wife is not said to cause her husband to commit adultery when she divorces him for any other reason than sexual immorality, probably because he is free to be a polygynist.)
[Footnote: >146.  Matt. 5:32; 19:9.     >147  1 Cor. 7:10, 11, 39; Romans 7:1-3.]

3. "And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.">148.   The adultery consists of both divorce AND remarriage.   The reason being that she is still bound to him as wife.>149.
[Footnotes:>148.  Mark 10:12.    >149.  1 Cor. 7:10, 11, 39; Romans 7:1-3.]

4. "if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.">150
[Footnote: >150.  Romans 7:3.]

Adultery for the man:
1. "Whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery", obviously because she still is bound to the husband from whom she is divorced.
[>.^151. Mat. 5:32; 19:9; except in the cases of 1 Cor. 7:12-15,39; 1 Tim. 5:14.]

2. "Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."  The adultery consists of divorcing his wife for something else besides sexual immorality AND then remarrying.    If he stayed married to his wife and married another, he became a polygynist.  On the other hand, it is implied here that if he divorces his wife for sexual immorality and marries another, he does not commit adultery.   His divorcing her does not cause  her to commit adultery because she is already immorally sexually involved with someone else.   His refusal to meet her sexual needs (1 Cor 7:2-5) does not cause her to be immoral because she is already being immoral.  He is commanded not to be intimate with her (1Cor.5:11) but his lack of her intimacy will cause him to be tempted (1 Cor.7:5).  If the temptations overcome him and he is faling to control himself, burning with marital desire, he comes under command to marry (1Cor.7:9) and so remarries in the Lord. [Footnote: >152.  Matt 19: 9: Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18.152.]

3. "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.">153.    "You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife�>154.  "For this is the will of God. . . ..that no one should take advantage of and defraud/cheat his brother in this matter.�>155.    A genuine Christian wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives and she becomes an adulteress when she marries another while he still lives.
[Footnotes:>153. Exod. 20:17.  >154. Leviticus18:20.     >155. 1 Thess. 4:3-6.]

       Adultery for the female is sexual intimacy with anyone else besides her own husband/mate. Adultery for the male is when (1) he is married to a new wife and had left/rejected/divorced his former wife in order to marry this new wife>99 . ; or (2) is sexually intimate with some one else�s wife. It is this double standard that allowed Abraham, Jacob, David and Joash to be godly polygamists, but declared a woman to be an adulteress if she was intimate with anyone but her own mate.  It is a double standard for the man and the woman, just like polygyny was/is a double standard for the man and the woman.  The same sin is defined differently for the woman and differently for the man.  See more on this below.
[Footnotes:>99 It is  the combination of divorcing one's mate in order to marry another and then marrying that other. If he both dutifully keeps his own wife and then marries another woman, it is polygyny and not adultery.  If the wife dutifully keeps her own husband and marries another it is adultery (Romans 7:3)  The double standard is clearly laid out in Matt. 5:32 and 19:6-9; Mark 10:1-11; Luke 16:18; 1 Thess. 4:4-6 and Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinth. 7:39]
       It is this double standard that results from the man being the designated the head of the family (Gen 2;  1Cor. 11), that results in what appears to be another inequity.    In Mt. 5:32 Jesus apparently allows the genuinely believing husband to divorce his wife because she is snared in sexual immorality.  Not only is he allowed to divorce her, he is allowed to remarry.  If she is genuinely saved, she is still bound maritlly to him as wife before the Lord, even though she is snared in sex sin and Jesus hasn't finished his Mat. 18;15-18 & 1 Cor. 5:5-11 work with her yet.  He remarries with a free-in-the-Lord-to-marry genuinely believing woman and is now bound before the Lord to two wives. If the one involved in sex sin survives 1 Cor . 5 and repents according to 2 Cor. 2 & 7, he must accept her back as his wife along with his new wife, being bound to both as long as he and they all live.  But what about the genuinely saved wife whose "believing" husband is involved in sex sin so she is commanded to separate from and not be intimate with him.
       Such a wife separates from him according to 1 Cor. 7:10,11 but after a while she finds herself being tempted according to 1 Cor.7:5.  Then she falls to the temptation and is afraid she might fall to it again, finds herself maritally burning and under command be married and have marital sex (1Cor.7:5,9).  Hopefully Jesus has finished his 1 Cor. 5:4,5-11 work and the guy has either died and his spirit is with the Lord, if he were really saved, or he has repented according to 2 Cor 2 & 7 and is ready to be reconciled to her.  Or in the case of Matt. 18:15-18 she has learned that she is to relate to him as an unsaved person, an unsaved person who no longer wants to live with her, no longer wants her as his wife(1Cor7:13,15), so she is free from him and free to obey the Lord and get married in the Lord.
       Will God intervene in behalf of His fasting and praying but maritally burning and sorely tempted daughter, who as wife is separated from her husband because of his 1 Cor. 5 sin, and because of that separation is burning with marital desire and sorely tempted?  If He took out the rich and unloving believers in 1 Cor. 11 for the shabby way they stumbled and offended their poorer brethren in the celebration of the Lord's supper, don't you think He will give her a 1 Cor. 10:13 out or make a quick end the husband causing her the grief?  The God who promised 1 Cor. 10:13 and Phil. 4:6,7,13,18,19 will not break those promises.
       Let's look at some hypothetical examples.  Elias was divorced/ rejected/abandoned by Jane (with his never repudiating or rejecting Jane as wife) his new marriage to free-to-marry Sally may violate no scripture, may not be what the Bible calls adultery and may seem to put him in the Old Testament position of having and being bound to more than one wife. I understand he would still be bound by the Lord to the saved wife who left him.
       But the way is narrow.  If saved Jane leaves/divorces her saved Elias and marries Harry, it is adultery as long as both Jane and Harry are married and Elias lives.  If saved Elias leaves/divorces saved Jane for Sally and marries saved Sally, it is adultery as long as Jane lives and Elias and Sally are married and repudiating Jane.   If Elias's wife Sally is sexually intimate with someone else it is adultery.  If  Elias is sexually intimate with Pete's lawful wife, it is adultery.  If married Elias is sexually intimate with single/ unmarried Susie who is playing the harlot (having sex without being married), it is fornication>156 If American and legally married-to-Jane Elias also legally marries free-to-marry Betty, it is a sin because Elias is under command>157 to obey the laws of the government authorities which forbids official/legal bigamy and polygyny  and he would have to live with the legal consequences.
[Footnotes:>156  (Ezekiel 16 and 23 and 1 Corinth. 6.      >157 Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:12-14]
       Mark 10 ; 1 Cor 7:10,11, 12, 13-15,39; and Rom 7 seem to state rather clearly that a Christian marriage lasts and is binding on both as long as both live. That being the case I often wondered why God gave the Christian wife the second best option of departing and remaining unmarried and possibly being reconciled with her saved husband later.  The husband is given no such second best option.  He must not leave his wife, period! Because of spousal abuse I can understand why God would allow  a wife to separate herself while still bound to the abuser in marriage in order to allow the exercise of church discipline>158 to have an effect.  But what about that poor turkey of a husband who is warned by God>159 that being deprived of his wife will result in Satanic temptations to immorality and that he is explicitly forbidden to leave her, send her away or ask her to leave>160. No qualifications or exceptions.  Why the double standard?  See below.
[Footnotes:>158  (Matt 18 and l Cor 5).      >159  (1 Cor. 7:1-5).      >160  (Greek of l Cor. 7:11,12 and Mark 10)]
       The scriptures above make it plain that if Jane Dovany exercised her 1 Cor 7:11 repentance option, having left/divorced Elias, and then Elias repudiated/ rejected Jane in order to marry Sally, Elias's rejection/repudia-tion of Jane coupled with his marriage to Sally constitutes Biblical adultery.  It would be adultery if saved Jane divorced/ rejected saved Elias and married Harry because Biblical adultery in the scriptures above is saved Jane divorcing/  rejecting saved Elias and marrying some one else.  According to all of those scriptures, adultery for the male is either (1) the act of marrying or being intimate with someone else's wife, (2) or the act of leaving one wife and taking another wife.  Adultery for the wife is having sexual intimacy with anyone else except her husband to whom she is married for life.   If you very carefully examine those scriptures you will see that the Bible does not say it is adultery for Elias to recognize AS WIFE his self-separated Jane and at the same time take as wife another saved and free-to-marry (unbound/ unmarried) sister.  See the discussion on polygyny.
       Yes, that�s right, there is a double standard going all the way back to Genesis.  It was not adultery for a married man to marry another woman free-to-marry under the laws of God throughout the whole Old Testament.  It was legal and divinely permitted polygyny , if the scriptures  are understood correctly.  Under the same Word of God, a woman who was sexually intimate with another besides her own husband was an adulteress.  The double standard started in Genesis 3:16, restated in 1 Corinth. 11 and 1 Timothy 2  appear to allow a godly man to be a polygamist but does not allow a godly woman to be a polyandrist.
       The woman's repentance option explains the �double standard� and apparent inequity of 1 Corinthians 7:10,11 where it appears that the woman who has left her husband has the repentance option of  remaining single but the man must never leave his wife. If a wife left her husband according to 1 Cor. 7:11, he would immediately be put in the hazardous position of 1 Corinth 7:1-5, being tempted to sin because his wife will not give him the marital sexual outlet since she is gone. It seemed to me to be quite unfair that she could leave him and live  unmarried, and he, knowing he is still bound to her for life, has to struggle with the burning temptations predicted in 1 Corinth. 7:1-5, 9 with no legitimate sexual outlet.
       Then I realized that 1 Corinth. 7:1-5 predicted his need of marital intimacy, how Satan would use the wife's absence to tempt him, how marital intimacy is the prescription to avoid Satan's temptations, and then the command  in verse 9  plainly commands the one to marry who is failing to have successful self-control>100  .  Then I realized that the polygyny  option balanced the equation.  The wife could leave her husband and remain single and the husband who was still bound to such a departed wife seems to have had a Biblical option of polygyny / concubinage, (depending on the laws of his land) if he found himself tempted and burning as in 1 Cor. 7:5, 9,12.  She could leave and he could remarry becoming a polygamist and the inequity was gone.  She could separate and remain single, and he could remarry as long as he recognized that he was still bound to his separated wife.
[Footnote: >100    See Appendix Six.]
       Now consider the case where the  wife, claiming to be a Christian, refuses for years to obey 1 Cor. 7:1-5 with her saved husband and then finally leaves, abandons, rejects ,separates herself , and dismisses him from her presence.  She doesn't care about getting a formal divorce but feels free to  date and get involved with another man.  Her abandoned  husband is faced with the question, "Is she saved and is it a case of 1 Cor. 7:11 & 39 or is she unsaved and is he free according to l Cor. 7:12 & 15?"  Her abandoned husband wants to do Matt. 18:15-17 to clarify the situation and get an answer to his question but can find no Christian body willing to do the following:
MKJV MKJV 1 CORINTH. 5:  . . . �I indeed have judged already [as though I were] present [concerning] him who worked out this thing;  4 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, with my spirit; also, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ; 5 to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. . . . 11 But now I have written to you not to associate intimately, if any man called a brother [and is] either a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one not to eat. 12  . . .  Do you not judge those who are inside?  13 . . .  Therefore put out from you the evil one.�
MKJV MATTHEW 5:32* �But I say to you that whoever shall put away his  wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her     to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put      away commits adultery.�
MATTHEW 18: 15 � �But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  16 But if he will not hear [you], take one or two more with you, so that in [the] mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-
collector.�
5:32*� But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for  the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery. . . .�
18 �Truly I say to you, Whatever you shall bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven; and whatever you shall loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in Heaven.�

       This means he is unable to clarify the status of both himself and his departed wife.  He is unable to determine if she is unsaved and he is free to remarry>161,   , or if she is saved and he is bound maritally to her for life>162    So without sending her away, dismissing , repudiating, leaving, releasing or separating himself from her, he gets a legal divorce (on the grounds of irreconcilable differences) for state and federal tax and inheritance purposes but reaffirms in writing  to her what he believes may be the binding nature of their relationship>163 .
[Footnotes>161    1 Cor. 7:12,13,14,15.        >162    1 Cor. 7:10,11, 39; Mark 10; Rom. 7:1-5.       >163  (1 Cor. 7:39)]
       So the divorce is only a  legal recognition of the wife's departure and
unwillingness to be reconciled, while he still publicly recognizes  the binding nature of their relationship.  Then he  remarries another  Christian because his burning and his 1 Cor. 7:5 predicted failures to control himself bring him under the command to marry in l Cor. 7:9,36 (NIV & Amplified "they should marry"),
1 Cor. 7:36 (NIV "They should get married);
1 Tim 5:14 (NIV "So I counsel younger widows to marry.."
       Amplified "So I would have younger [widows] marry..") and
1 Thess 4:3-8 (NIV "that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable . . ..") >101
[Footnote>101  Please see Appendix Six;   NIV  , NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. ]
       He has entered the realm of American polygyny .  Legally divorced and remarried but openly acknowledging his marital ties to two "sisters-in-Christ", he is an American polygamist.  The departed wife could remarry in adultery or remain single the rest of her life while he continues in his new marriage.  If she repents and opts for reconciliation after he has married again,  all of her rights and privileges as in 1 Cor. 7:1-5 & 39 are in force and the husband faces the complex dilemma described next.  How do you have two wives in America where it is illegal to officially and "legally" have more than one wife of  official public record with tax and inheritance rights granted and protected by the government? Please see the discussion of polygyny in chapter 4.

I understand  a Christian elder to state that it is inadequate to prescribe polygamy as a treatment for the problem of adultery, because polygamy facilitates stepping into adultery.  Apparently he maintains that polygamous wives are often driven to adultery by the sinful neglect)>23  of their husbands, and may have to bribe their husbands away from their other wives, resulting in  very unsatisfying sexual relations for the wives.>63.  First of all, God is the only real antidote against adultery, because He tells us that even in monogyny spousal neglect can result in temptations to adultery>24  .  Secondly, whether it be the "inclusive sex-partnership" of polygyny or the exclusive sex-partnership of monogyny, the step to adultery depends entirely on the individual's relationship to Jesus, obedience to Jesus and level of commitment to both Jesus and the marriage.  Surveys show that monogamous America today steps easily and frequently to adultery. Lastly, if the polygynist husband was obeying Jesus by having his own wives >25  , defrauding none of them>26  , loving them and laying down his life for them>27  , showing no favoritism or partiality in his behavior towards them>28  , by simply walking in the Spirit his family would be very unlikely to experience the problem described above by  a Christian elder.
[Footnotes:>23    (1 Cor. 7:2-5.   {>63. Trobisch; MY WIFE MADE ME. . .. P. 31ff.   >24    (1 Cor. 7:1-5).    >25   (1Cor.7:1-4).     >26   (1Cor.7:5).     >27    (Eph. 5).     >28    (1Tim5:20,21)]

XXIII.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

>1. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. IV; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.);  W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956
>2. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. V; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.); ; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956; p. 267
>3. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. VIII; edited by Philip Schaff (D.d., LL.D.) and Henry Wace (D.D.) ;  W.B.      Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956
>4. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of The Christian Church, Vol. XIV; edited by Philip Schaff (D.D., LL.D.) and Henry Wace (D.D.) ; W.B.        Eerdmans  Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956
>5. Amplified Bible, The; 1965, Zondervan Publishing House
>6. ANALYTICAL GREEK LEXICON, THE: Harper & Brothers, New York
>7. Arndt & Gingrich: A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT and Other Early Christian Literature  ; By W.F.Arndt & F. W. Gingrich; The Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, Ill.; Cambridge at the Univ. Press.; 1957
>8. ASV: The Holy Bible, American Standard Version 1901 & 1929; Thomas Nelson & Sons, New York
>9. Gold Cord, by Amy Carmichael, Christian Literature Crusade, Fort Worthington, Penna.; London's Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, Holy Trinity Church, Marylebone Rd., N.W. (N.Y. The Macmillan Company).
>10.  CUSTOMS AND CULTURES, Anthropology for Christian Missions, by Eugene A. Nida1954, Harper & Brothers, New York
>11. Darby's 1890 translation: Most of the scriptures quoted in this work, if not otherwise indicated, are from the a modernized version of J. N. Darby's translation, the  OnLine Bible computer program of  "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil  1-908-741-4298; [E-Mail: [email protected]].
>12. DIVORCE, John Murray, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.  \
>13. G. Duty's book on divorce and remarriage , Downers Grove, Ill.
>14. HASTING'S DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; 1989, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Mass;, Editor James Hastings, DD.,
>15. I LOVED A GIRL;  Walter Trobisch,  Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Ill.
>16. INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY, THE; Editor, F.F.Bruce; 1979; Zondervan    Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan.
>17.    Jay Adam's� book on divorce and remarriage
>18. JEWISH: The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic Text,  1955, The Jewish     Publication Society.
>19. KINSHIP & MARRIAGE, Robin Fox, 1967,  Penguin Books, Inc., USA & England
>20. LAMSA: The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts, 1940, Holman Co., by G.            Lamsa.
>21. MARRIAGE EAST AND WEST; David & Vera Mace, 1960, Dolphin Books, Double Day & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY
>22.MARRYING AGAIN; David Hocking, 1977, Fleming H. Revell Co.
>23. MKJV: MODERN KING JAMES VERSION, 1993, by Jay P. Green Sr., in Online Bible 2.5.1; the  OnLine Bible computer program of  "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil  1-        908-741-4298; [E-Mail: [email protected]].
>24. MY WIFE MADE ME A POLYGAMIST; Walter Trobisch, 1971, Inter-Varsity Press,
>25. NASB: Holy Bible New American Standard; Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville Tenn.; The Lockman Foundation, 1977
>26. NEB: NEW ENGLISH BIBLE, 1970; Oxford/Cambridge University Press
>27.  NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY, THE; Editor J.D.Douglas Ph.D; 1962; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.
>28.  NEW TESTAMENT GREEK FOR BEGINNERS, By, J. Gresham Machen, D.D, Litt. D.,1959
>29. NIV:  "Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright @ 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society." Used as required by Zondervan Bible Publishers.
>30. NKJV:  New King James Version, 1984, Thomas Nelson, Inc.
>31. OnLine Bible computer program of  "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil  1-908-741-4298; [E-Mail: [email protected]].
>32.  PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE LOVE ME!; Walter Trobisch,  Inter-Varsity Press,
>33. St. Augustin: On The Trinity; translated by Arthur West Haddan, B.D.; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids Mich; 1956
>34. Strong�s Lexicon, Open Bible "Online Bible f", Ken Hammil  1-908-741-4298.  Also Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Mich.
>35. Thayer: Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament; Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D.; American Book Co., New York, 1889
>36.  The Septuagint of the Old Testament and Apocrypha With an English Translation; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; 1972; Samuel Bagster & Sons, Ltd. London
>37. WOMEN'S LIVES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE  - A SOURCEBOOK;  Edited by Emile Amt;    Routledge, Chapman, Hall; NY, NY; 1993
>38. Wuest's THE NEW TESTAMENT, An Expanded Translation, Kenneth S. Wuest, 1961
>39. YLT; Young's Literal Translation, 1898: OnLine Bible computer program of  "Online Bible f ", Ken Hammil  1-908-741-4298; [E-Mail: [email protected]].

You are viewing proxied material from infinitelyremote.com. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.