Bible Verses about “polygamy”
The Bible contains 40 verses about polygamy across both Old and New Testaments. These scriptures offer guidance and inspiration for your spiritual journey.
“Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.”
“The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;”
“He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.”
“of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, "You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods." Solomon joined to these in love.”
“When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.”
“She gave him Bilhah her handmaid as wife, and Jacob went in to her.”
“David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.”
“If brothers dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her to him as wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.”
“It shall be, that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel.”
“and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.”
“If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights.”
“Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.”
“If the man doesn't want to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, "My husband's brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me."”
“Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him: and if he stand, and say, "I don't want to take her;"”
“then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, "So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's house."”
“His name shall be called in Israel, The house of him who has his shoe untied.”
“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 would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.”
“Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.”
“Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:”
“If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers who was hated;”
“but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has; for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.”
“then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn:”
“Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, "We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothing: only let us be called by your name. Take away our reproach."”
“For it happened, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father.”
“Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;”
“and these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel;”
“Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites;”
“the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;”
“the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife:”
“six were born to him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months. In Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years;”
“and Ibhar, and Elishama, and Eliphelet,”
“and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,”
“and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.”
“All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.”
“But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.”
“Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he became the father of sons and daughters.”
“Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.”
“Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)”
“Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.”
“Joash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all the days of Jehoiada the priest.”