Recently, we had a GraceTALK session that posed a question about polygamy—a man being married to more than one woman. The questioner asked:

If I am reading my Bible right, Moses and David both had multiple wives and were never rebuked or told it was sinful.  Solomon was never rebuked for multiple wives but for having non-Israelite wives that would lead his heart astray.  In I Timothy 3:2 it says that an “overseer” must be the “husband of one wife.”  Therefore, it makes sense that there were some in the church that had more than one wife but that the elders could not.  So, does this mean it is okay to have multiple wives but just not in our country due to the “law of the land”, but not God’s Law? P.S. I am going to enjoy watching married pastors answer this question….

I will tackle this question in three sections.

 “If I am reading my Bible right, Moses and David both had multiple wives and were never rebuked or told it was sinful.”

You are correct. However, you forgot to mention Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, and Solomon also had more than one wife. In all, we find six biblical examples of polygamy in pre-Mosaic times, four during the period of the Judges, and nine among Kings of Israel.

“Solomon was never rebuked for multiple wives but for having non-Israelite wives that would lead his heart astray.” 

You are correct.

 “In I Timothy 3:2 it says that an “overseer” must be the “husband of one wife.”  Therefore, it makes sense that there were some in the church that had more than one wife but that the elders could not.” 

You are correct.

“So, does this mean it is okay to have multiple wives, but just not in our country due to the “law of the land”—but not God’s Law?” 

You are not completely correct. Yes, we obey the ‘law of the land”, and yes, it was not against God’s Law per se. However, it was/is contrary to God’s ideal or intent from the beginning when He created the marriage relationship.

In Part 2, I will address why polygamy was not considered sinful in the Old Testament, but it should be considered against God’s ideal for marriage. I know…that sounded like a very “political” answer. I will base my rationale for polygamy as not being sinful, but being against the ideal of God by framing the issue within the various covenant relationships found in the Bible.  In doing so, I believe that it will not only help you understand the issue of polygamy but a whole host of other Old Testament social issues as well (slavery, punishments found in the Levitical Law, etc.).