Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ph600fev@sdcc14.ucsd.edu (Robert O'Barr) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Does the Bible prohibit Polygamy ? Message-ID: Date: 30 Jan 91 09:35:16 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 42 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article chappell@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Glenn Chappell) writes: >In article jmoon@lehi3b15.csee.lehigh.edu (Jonggu Moon [890911]) writes: >>Where in the Bible does it say that we may not have more than >>one spouse ? > >The easy answer to that question is "nowhere". There is never a blanket >prohibition of polygamy in the Bible, although it is never spoken of >highly. Here are some verses on the subject (all quotes are from the NIV): > >In Deuteronomy 17:17 it says that kings of Israel "must not take many >wives...." Are there any Hebrew experts out there who can say whether >this prohibits *all* polygamy, or merely excessive polygamy? > > GGC <>< I don't have the Bible in front of me right now but I would refer you to the following. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (or at least two of the three) had more than one wife at the same time. Christ on occasion said things to imply that these men were in paradise, or would rule in the kingdom of heaven. Never does the scriptures condemn their actions. Never have I heard a Christian claim that the house of Israel and the Lord himself came from an illigitimate marraige relationship. What did the phophet Nathan? say to David. He told him a story about a man who had several sheep and another that had but one most precious lamb. Even though the one had so many, he desired the lamb of the poor man and took it by force. David was angry upon hearing this. Nathan told him that he was this man. He tells him that the Lord had given him his wives and would have given him many more. Solaman (even while he had many wives) was highly favored in the sight of the Lord. His downfall was that he began to marry with the daughters of the "heathens". An act the Lord had stricly forbidden him. Sorry about the lack of documentation for these claims. If you like, I can post the references at a future time. Robert