Certainly David was living in sin after Bathsheba and his silence until confronted by Nathan and he did not lose his salvation during this time. Why didn't God punish David for his polygamy? Their polygamy was not a sin, just as it is not now.. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. I understand he had plenty of trouble at home because of all the children from different wives. God did not and does not approve ofpolygamy. How many wives did King David have? - NCESC Head hundreds and some porcupines as well (or something like that). What can we learn from King Davids marriages? 12. David's second wife, Abigail, was the wife of Nabal, a man who disrespected David (it's a long story, but chronicled in1 Samuel 25). Absalom later incited a violent rebellion against David and nearly displaced him as king. But when he is called a man after Gods own heart, that makes me think his polygamy is not looked at as a sin. It can mean bosom, arm or care. For many people the word bosom implies sex. Luke 10:13 (NASB), How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Does Judges 5:30 say men are blessed if they have two wives? God specifically confronted David, through the prophet Nathan, about his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah, and so, as I also say in that post,no divine approval of Davids actions can be found in the earlier description of him as a man after Gods own heart. think their taking more than one wife was sin? Towards the end of David's life, we see the 1 Kings 15:5: In-kind, Solomon's marriage to a woman also deemed "wrong" within the text cost him dearly. (4) Haven't you read, he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' (5) and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? But it will be more tolerable forTyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. For example, Nathan the Prophet rebukes David for many things, but having multiple wives is not among them. For Israelite King Echov, one particular foreign wife, Isabel, was one too many. This polygamy in the Bible stuff is hard to understand. you possess it and dwell in it and then say, 'I will set a king over She compliments him in every way. 15. The stories surrounding his marriages continue to be studied and analyzed, shedding light on the cultural and historical context of the time. 3. Was it fair for God to punish Saul for something that was Samuels fault? And use him in spite of it? Polygamy - Was it a sin for David to have multiple wives? 7. king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. The Problem of David's Eight Wives - Riverview Baptist Solomon ultimately had Adonijah executed. By contrast, when confronted with his disobedience, Saul did not repent but instead insisted that he really had obeyed. How does King Davids marital life relate to contemporary discussions on relationships? (Part 1). Why is King Davids marital life an intriguing topic? So this word from the Lord says that the Lord gave David his masters house and his masters wives (plural) and goes on to say, that if this had been too little He would have given more! Rebecca Aizin. Aah, ok. Deuteronomy 17:16-17 "Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, 'You shall never again return that way.' thanks for writing in. Did Ruth seduce Boaz to get him to marry her? Interpretations of King Davids marital life vary among historians and scholars. According to 1 Kings 11, Solomon was recorded to have at least 700 wives (though the text itself only mentions those wives "of royal birth"), and at least 300 concubines. There's nothing there for you to apply to your own life, except to see where overfeeding the insatiable appetite that is sex may lead. Just an update: I would love more answers on this, but I'll pick an answer by the end of this week if there's no more answers/updates. (Tamar's relationships with her brothers and half-brothers would cause complications in the family.) The "whatever is not of faith is sin" would be a little anachronistic in David's day--though I could be wrong! Even so, he must not acquire many horses for himself, or return the people to Egypt in order to acquire more horses, since the Lord has said to you, "You must never return that way again." Has the sinful nature been totally eradicated within the believer? Thanks for the honesty - it is definitely a tough topic. Does each member of the bride have to make herself ready through righteous acts? Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. As Encyclopedia Britannicaalso notes, a concubine did not have the same legal rights as a wife, and any children born to a concubine do not have the same legal rights as a child conceived by married partners. Why is it important to believe in biblical inerrancy? Many of these wives were actually King Saul's wives which David inherited. Probably not. Good point about Romans 14:23b. These kinds of questions can make the Old Testament seem really confusing. In other words, they are to be "one-woman men" (see 1 Timothy 3:1-13. Among other things, the fact David chose to have multiple wives proves he was a sinner. problem that I have been unable to resolve regarding David, so I decided to write. 1) Despite what many claim, this is not a prohibition against polygamy. Is Galatians 4:9-11 about the feasts and did Paul observe the feasts? Are believers now 'Israel' and commanded to keep the feasts? Even Maachah was allowed by God according to His testimony regarding the multiple wives of David. Why do I feel far from the Lord? The only reason for a number this large is selfishness & pride. Nathan's message is that David had no grounds to want another man's wife because he already had so many wives of his own: " I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. Stack Exchange network consists of 182 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost" (Revelation 22:17 NAS). Great men such as Abraham, Israel, Judah, Gideon, Samson, David, and Solomon had multiple wives, though the Old Testament records many problems that resulted. Wives of King David: First, we know that David had concubines and numerous wives, as seen in 2 Samuel 15:13: And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. Did Spirit baptism replace water baptism? King David had many wives, according to the Bible, although only eight of them are named. The Bible does not provide a specific number, but it mentions him having multiple concubines. Did Solomon himself actually offer sacrifices to other gods? Is forgiveness continual or just once and for all? The rivalry between his sons Absalom and Amnon, for instance, was fueled by the complexities of Davids marital relationships. He was active in parish and student ministry for twenty-five years. Thanks to Jewish biblical writings found in the Book of Samuel and the Book of Chronicles, we know King David had at least eight wives (via MyJewishLearning). 8. Published on July 13, 2023 03:56PM EDT. a) In 2 Chronicles 3. None of it the will of God, but permitted because of their hardheartedness. (Matt 19:4-6, 1 Cor 7:2, Eph 5:22-23, 1 Tim 3:12) I gave you all Israel and Judah. The lesson is that God did not give Adam multiple wives but one wife. My question is in regards to Davids many wives, was that not considered sin? Hope this helps. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (essentially wives of a lower status), according to 1 Kings 11:3. I would like to add to this comment that Kind David had 7 wives and 10 concubines. What impact did King Davids marriages have on biblical traditions? Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, Abigail the Carmelitess, Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Michal, and Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel. The edit makes a lot more sense. In our day this might be "more than one". acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, 'You shall never If a man has multiple wives and becomes a Christian, what is he supposed to do? Just as David's Israelite wives solidified internal relations, Solomon's wives were used to solidify treaties with outside nations. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. If faith is a gift from God, why would Jesus have to pray that Peters faith would not fail? For example, his relationship with Bathsheba and the subsequent events involving Uriah the Hittite created unrest during his reign. 9. King David's Wives and Marriages in the Bible - Learn Religions In Old Testament times, many women were--at best--third-class citizens with few if any of the rights which women today take for granted. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Is it okay to change the key signature in the middle of a bar? Saul sinned repeatedly. King Davids marital life has garnered interest due to its seemingly complex nature. The fact that they have several wives is noted in Scripture more in passing, with little if any shock. Was it a sin for David to have many wives? - Good Question Has water baptism ceased? In light of Deuteronomy 21 & 24, was the hanging of Saul's descendants in 2 Samuel 21 a violation of the law? The gifts had previously been given to King Saul. Is there a way to narrow the gap? None of the prophets had more than one wife and often spoke disparagingly about polygamy, comparing it to polytheism and idolatry. Like father, like son, they say, and Solomon it seems inherited his father's sin and amplified it in his own life. Moreover, divorce laws make it possible for a divorcee to receive help financially until she gets back on her feet after a divorce. Why did God allow polygamy / bigamy in the Bible? Is polygamy supported by 1 Corinthians 7:2? Is it solely bringing people to Jesus? Did God permit David to marry numerous wives in 2 Samuel 12:8? More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! You may not put a foreigner How many wives does Deuteronomy allow a king to have? I have found out Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Did King Davids multiple wives align with the cultural norms of that era? He was a consulting editor to the International Bible Society (now Biblica) for The Books of the Bible, an edition of the New International Version (NIV) that presents the biblical books according to their natural literary outlines, without chapters and verses. With all those wives, how many children did David have? King David, one of the prominent figures in biblical history, is known for his numerous achievements, including his triumph over Goliath and his reign as the second king of Israel. By examining this facet of King Davids life, we can gain insight into the complexities of human relationships, the cultural norms of ancient times, and the lessons that can be applied to our own lives today. Today, Christians cannot plead ignorance as an excuse for taking more than one wife. [emphasis added]. I'd say it's better not to choose a half-right answer just for the sake of selecting one. But why couldn't those who practice homosexuality within the church, use this issue with Davids unrepentant sin and that it didn't seem to matter to God, (until he killed a man to get one of the wives) to support their lifestyle and Christianity? How many wives did King David have? Yes, in addition to his wives, King David is believed to have had concubines. How do we reconcile the kings law Deuteronomy 17:14-20 with 2 Samuel 12:8? Thanks to a number of biblical texts, we know that King David had relationships outside of his multiple marriages with at least 10 women. In this passage the prophet Nathan confronts King David about planning for the death of Uriah and his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:9). In this blog, the author of the Understanding the Books of the Bible study guide series, the Rev. What's The Deal With Polygamy In The Bible? - The Blazing Center What are we to make of these instances of polygamy in the Old Testament? Those who seek approval for polygamy in the pages of scripture ignore the lesson we are to learn from the original marriage that God created in Genesis 2:18-25. Why Did God Give The Law if we can't keep it? Do the Ancient Hebrew Scripture Manuscripts suggest that God was cynical in (Deuteronomy 17:14-16) about an earthly King for Israel? Should we be keeping the feasts of the Lord now? Word for experiencing a sense of humorous satisfaction in a shared problem. All rights reserved. Is it ethical to re-submit a manuscript without addressing comments from a particular reviewer while asking the editor to exclude them? Why did God allow David to have multiple wives? She later helped David escape before her. Although David married numerous women in the course of his lifetime, he never bypassed the limits imposed by the Torah . By. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Side Note And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Why was having concubines not a sin like adultery? The "Got Questions" website is helpful in this regard. The other times the Hebrew word refers to the bottom of the chariot, an arm, the bosom and to cherish. And so what I say in the other post also applies to your question: No divine approval of Davids actions can be found in the earlier description of him as a man after Gods own heart. Free Window Replacement for Low-Income Individuals, What Time Does Panda Express Close-Open? is really the only one we see in depth, but David was an unrepentant sinner in regard to his adultery and lived in his sin his entire life. 11. They would probably be the same as slaves, I'm guessing, too. The book-to-blog version of the book I co-authored with Dr. Stephen J. Godfrey on creationism, paleontology, and biblical interpretation. In fact, when David committed adultery & murder, the Lord God even told him He would have given him more wives if he would have asked (2 Sam. Though David had (probably) eight wives and (probably) 10 concubines, King Solomon seemed to take things up a notch in a Biblical case of "hold my beer." But I'm not sure that this is a direct command against having more than one wife anymore than it is a command against having more than one horse. Is all sports today idolatry? ". David was married to Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacha, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah during the 7-1/2 years he reigned from Hebron. How were there multiple languages in Genesis 10 when Genesis 11 says the whole earth had one language? There's also the matter of courtesans at King David's court rather, women David had relationships with outside of marriage who may have borne him sons, but whose names were not recorded. In contrast to Polygamy, commands concerning homosexuality in the Bible are clear and consistent in both Old and New Testaments and it is clear that it is sin in the eyes of God. 8 I gave your masters house to you, and your masters wives into your arms. (see Matthew 19:3). "a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5). In light of further revelation regarding marriage which came with the New Covenant, however, the spirit of the law became much more important than the letter of the law. I stated that polygamy was not explicitly forbidden, but having "many wives" like Solomon did was certainly forbidden. I want to make breaking changes to my language, what techniques exist to allow a smooth transition of the ecosystem? Obviously Solomon would be a clear (and extreme!)
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