5. A woman living as a concubine was more common in Israel during the patriarchal period of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob than in later periods, but it still happened among the wealthy and especially the royal like King David and King Solomon. She is recorded as a wife in Genesis 25:1 but is recorded as a concubine in I Chronicles 1:32. However, some kept Abyssinian slaves who were less costly than maintaining a wife. How long did the baby Jesus stay in the manger in the stable? Interestingly, God specifically forbade polygamy for certain individuals. 3. When Jesus came, He restored marriage to it's ideal in regards to divorce. Because the stories of David and Solomon are a compilation of folk tales about a great king and everyone wants their story told. Kings were not allowed to have multiple wives. While reading stories about concubines in the Bible (or other tragic stories in the Old Testament), it’s important to remember that God included these stories to expose sin and point to the need for Christ. Why didn’t God step in to say this practice is harmful and should not be done by God’s people? Why did God allow men to have concubines in the Bible?” Answer: A concubine is a female who voluntarily enslaves and sells herself to a man primarily for his sexual pleasure. When is the right time for marriage? Why did God allow Solomon to have 1,000 wives and concubines? Why did God allow Solomon to have 1,000 wives and concubines? Scheming and wicked men were actually responsible for it, as I explained in my previous post. In the words of az-Aziz b.Ahmad al-Bukhari "servitude is a vestige of obstinacy in refusing to believe in one God". They were also heart-breaking to God. He meted out to David a tremendous punishment -- God took all his wives, leaving Bathsheba only. Did Ruth seduce Boaz to get him to marry her? Concubines in Israel possessed many of the same rights as legitimate wives, without the same … Not much is known about the stories of these 300 women. Forced slavery and human trafficking was against the Hebrew law anyway (Exodus 21:16). – In Malachi 2:13-16, God expressed anger at a husband’s unfaithfulness to his wife. Answer: A concubine is a female who voluntarily enslaves and sells herself to a man primarily for his sexual pleasure. The Bible never explains why God allowed men to have concubines. Obviously, God "permitted" Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not the same as approval. He allows it because he gave us freewill. Sarah did not trust God to provide a son in his perfect timing, so Sarah gave Hagar to her husband Abraham to have a child. The purpose of the law was to expose human sin and point to humanity’s need for Christ. A concubine, by the way, is a slave who is taken as a wife. But that happened when the Babylonians, an empire that the Edomites had tried to cultivate as an ally against the Israelites, turned against them and destroyed them. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. Answer #2 | 11/06 2016 23:07 What makes you think God allowed them men of power had them, but show me the scripture where God says thats fine with Him? Why did God allow Solomon to have 1,000 wives and concubines? Sin includes actions taken or behaviors that fall outside the will of God, so from that perspective polygamy is a sinful act that God works for His glory and man’s good. Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Tinnakorn Jorruang. As a matter of fact, a study of the lives of men like King David and King Solomon (who had 300 concubines; 1 Kings 11:3) reveals that many of their problems stemmed from polygamous relationships (2 Samuel 11:2-4). 2 Samuel 20:3 tells us “ 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 went not in … The truth is that the story of polygamy in the Old Testament is, well, a problem. As we speculate about God’s silence, there is at least one key factor to consider. It is instructive that in the (awful, horrible, no good) story of the concubine in … More concubines are mentioned in the Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 1:32, 1 Chronicles 2:46, 1 Chronicles 2:48, 1 Chronicles 7:14, and 2 Chronicles 11:21. Answer: First Kings 11:3 states that Solomon “had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines.”. – In Genesis 2:22-24, God clearly designed marriage to be a union of one man and one woman. GotQuestions.org, “Who was Keturah in the Bible?”. These provisions in the law were meant to protect concubines from further oppression, but the Bible records a few stories about the reality concubines and wives experienced. One thing that Absalom did initially to try to win the hearts of the people so that he could eventually take the throne away from his father David was to cultivate a handsome popular image. Perhaps you were brought here by a search engine or by a link to one of the posts. Many historical accounts in the Old Testament range from disturbing to horrifying, lacking a happy ending or moral theme beyond “don’t do what they did.” The Spirit of God did not lead writers of the Bible to include these stories to show that God condoned their sin and that’s how God’s people should live. Join the debate. Why did God allow Solomon to have 1,000 wives and concubines? You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”Should this be interpreted as God causing this to happen, or should this be interpreted as God permitting to happen? According to Ellicott’s Commentary, “These provisions afforded a considerable protection to the slave-concubine, who might otherwise have been liable to grievous wrong and oppression.”. Concubines in the patriarchal age and beyond did not have equal status with a wife. First Kings 11:3 states that Solomon “had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines.” Obviously, God “allowed” Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not … Return to: These 10 women were also sexually violated by a political rival to the throne, Absolom. What does the Bible say about king Solomon’s wives? its only said that god put people who had concubines in heaven. And his wives turned away his heart. If monogamy is such an important principle in Christianity how do we explain this in the light of Biblical perspective? Instead, I think it was with a very heavy heart that God announced to David what the consequences of his own wrong actions would be. 6. A_K posted 7 years ago. And I’m convinced that one of the most painful and heart-wrenching things for David himself about this announcement of consequences was the suffering that his own actions would cause for his innocent loved ones. Solomon’s marital decisions were in direct violation of God’s Law, and there were consequences. A Concubine is… A concubine is a female who willingly gives herself up to enslave herself or sell herself for a man for sexual pleasure. But this world is such a tightly knit web of relationships that we cannot expect that our actions will not affect other people. 2. Why in the Old Testament was it okay for married men to have a concubine when in modern times it is considered adultery? Otherwise, as you say, God would be the direct cause for the victimization of David’s concubines. I do not believe that was the case. 6:23), God also had cleared the way for Bathsheba to become the legal wife of David. Having a concubine did not necessarily imply that the man had multiple wives, though it did happen in many cases. You may want to look for further items of interest by using the resources below: the search bar; the lists of posts; and the list of categories. Hagar was Sarah’s handmaid. Whay is polyandry? But these “I will” divine pronouncements  of judgment can indicate that a person or nation is going to experience the consequences of their own actions, according to the way that God has set up the world. But the long hair that was such a prominent feature of Absalom’s campaign to become king ultimately cost him the kingship. In the Bible, a concubine was a woman acquired by a man as a secondary wife. The Bible never explains why God allowed men to have concubines. In all Israel there was not a man so highly, Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard.”. Why Did God Allow Men to Take Concubines in the Bible? Was Jesus the “angel of the Lord” who appeared to the shepherds? 9. If a man has multiple wives and becomes a Christian, what is he supposed to do? How old was Jesus at his presentation at the temple? ענה in Exodus 21:10 and Deuteronomy 21:14.” Zeitschrift Für Altorientalische Und Biblische Rechtsgeschichte / Journal for Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Law, vol. At the anthropological level, the promiscuous relationship leads to propagation of species. How can we know which way to interpret it? ( Log Out /  God allowed polygamy (as well as divorce) in the Old Testament because of the hardness of people’s hearts (Matt. 2008. You can also read or download the study guides in my Understanding the Books of the Bible series by using the Free Study Guides link at the top of this page. I hope you’ve found what you were looking for. Having a concubine did not necessarily imply that the man had multiple wives, though it did happen in many cases. Genesis 25:6 - "But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east." ( Log Out /  He had two sons by her, who were called Armoni and Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 21:8). Do you believe concubines should be legalized in the US? Whay is polyandry? Why did so many men in the Bible have multiple wives? 87–101. Wives had dowries but concubines did not and this was the chief method of distinguishing between the two social positions. The Rev. Ellicott’s commentary explains the political significance of Abner’s act: “The harem of an Eastern monarch was considered as the property of his successor, and therefore the taking of a woman belonging to it as the assertion of a claim to the throne.”. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Obviously, God "permitted" Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not the same as approval. Kings were not allowed to have multiple wives. If he changed his mind after they were married, she had to be granted her freedom. Q. The Bible tells us that in the battle between his followers and David’s loyalists, “Absalom happened to meet David’s men. So an “I will” pronouncement of judgment actually forecast the ironic consequences of the Edomites trying to play the “power game.”. GOD REGULATED MULTIPLE WIVES AND CONCUBINES IN THE LAW OF MOSES This we do know from the Law that God sometimes does not like a thing to happen but He allows it but with regulation. “Her dignity had to be guarded, and she could not be treated like a slave. Sometimes concubines were used to bear children for men whose wives were barren. For example, God says to the nation of Edom through the prophet Ezekiel, “Because you rejoiced when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. But a man who bought a Hebrew girl as a concubine must commit to provide for her for life, sell her to another man who would provide for her as his concubine, or return the girl to her father without demanding payment for her (Exodus 21:7-11). Why did God allow Solomon to have 1,000 wives and concubines? We do know from 2 Samuel 5 and 1 Chronicles 3 that “David acquired still more wives and concubines who, in turn, bore him more children.” We know we had at least ten concubines. The Hebrew word for concubine, Piylegesh, isn’t even of Hebrew origin. Abner, a rival to King Saul’s throne, slept with Rizpah and defiled her. Question: "Why did God allow polygamy / bigamy in the Bible?" Why did God reject Saul as king for making one small mistake? Women were often uneducated and untrained. God allows us to make our own choices, otherwise we would just be robots on a string, but ultimately He is in control, and our choices will either save us (forgiveness through Christ) or destroy us. A concubine was endowed with rights and protections by Hebrew law but was not equal in status to a wife. (Part 1). Why would you commit adultery with another mans wife? 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. He was active in parish and student ministry for twenty-five years. The master often appointed a male to stud the concubines family once the master started a family. On the way, they stayed the night in Gibeah, and a crowd of “wicked men surrounded the house. I believe that God grieved deeply with those women when they suffered this abuse. He allowed divorce and polygamy, too, although neither was part of His original plan for marriage. In biblical times it was common to find the custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. So we should take responsibility for what we do, and be very careful not to do wrong, knowing how that may cause the ones we love most to suffer. Adultery is taking another man's wife (or another woman's husband), but if a man had two wives and two concubines he was expected to be faithful to them all – it is clear from the Scriptures that this was not considered adultery, unpalatable though this may be for some! Why didn't God give Esau back the blessing that Jacob stole? He loves men and women and has plans of flourishing and purity for them. Having a concubine did not necessarily imply that the man had multiple wives, though it did happen in many cases. It concerns a Levite from Ephraim and his concubine, who travel through the Benjaminite city of Gibeah and are assailed by a mob, who wish to sodomize the Levite. God did command or even approve of David?s or Solomon?s multiple wives. Wasn’t the Messiah supposed to be named Emmanuel? The Bible does not specifically say why God allowed polygamy. Historical Old Testament accounts should be approached and applied differently than, for example, Apostolic letters in the New Testament. We can’t say to God, “I was the one who did this; why did you allow those others to suffer for it?” Our actions will inevitably involve others, especially our closest loved ones. But God did say in Deuteronomy 17:17, "Neither shall he (meaning kings--see v. 14) multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold." Featured Video. Christianity.com, Smith’s Bible Dictionary – Concubine. Why do people use flashing lights in their Christmas decorations? 1 Kings 11:3 (ESV) 3 He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. They are recorded in 1 Kings 11:1-8. A man might have a concubine simply as an economical form of marriage, since no dowry or bride-price was required. They would not relent, so he “took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go” (Judges 19:25). For more Old Testament Bible verses on God’s heart for monogamous marriage, see also: Psalm 128, Proverbs 5:15-19; 18:22, and Ecclesiastes 9:9. In 2 Samuel 12 God reminds David of all that He gave him and basically asking him why would you do what you did? Learn how your comment data is processed. A Gentile captive taken in war (Deuteronomy 21:10-14), “The rights of the first two were protected by the law, but the third was unrecognized and the fourth prohibited. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is an an ordained minister, a writer, and a biblical scholar. Answer: First Kings 11:3 states that Solomon “had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines.”. Obviously, God “allowed” Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not the same as approval. I just don't understand why God allowed concubines if this contradicts what Jesus has said in the New Testament. (Clicking on a category will display all of the posts it, in a continuous scroll with the most recent at the top.). Is Polygamy a sin? The best anyone can do is “informed” speculation. “Concubines and Conjugal Rights. BibleStudyTools.com, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology – Concubine. Why did so many men in the Bible have multiple wives? “These provisos may not have furnished a remedy against all the wrongs of a weak, and, no doubt, an oppressed class; but they were important mitigations of the existing usages, and protected the slave-concubine to a considerable extent,” according to the Pulpit Commentary. A Hebrew girl sold by her father (Exodus 21:7), 2. Rizpah was a concubine of King Saul. God didn't "allow" Solomon since the king had free will with respect to his harem. Answer prepared by Gaylon West www.BibleStudyLessons.net THE BIBLE AND MULTIPLE WIVES and CONCUBINES Several prominent men in the Old Testament were polygamists. 13, 2007, pp. There is another example of this in the Absalom story. The wording seems to lean towards God causing this to happen. But since the first human chose sin over God’s good way, humanity chose more and more sin that affected these ideals God approved of and set in motion. A concubine could not marry her master because of her slave status, although, for her, the relationship was exclusive and ongoing. A concubine could add to a man's prestige by giving him two wives and thus an increased capacity for children. You will be desolate, Mount Seir, you and all of Edom.” And these words did come true; Edom was destroyed and became desolate. I do not believe that was the case. Thank you for visiting my blog Good Question. The fact that legal provisions were made for concubines does not mean that God approved of this marital model. ... Netherlands to allow euthanasia for children below the age of 12; Fuller … He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.” So Absalom was trapped there, David’s men killed him, and that was the end of his palace coup. Signup for our newsletter to get notified about sales and new products. Well, a general way to answer that is: Why does God allow anything that people do that are stupid or sinful? Abraham, Jacob, David (2 Samuel 5:13; 1 Chronicles 3:1-9, 14:3), Solomon (1 Kings 11:3), and others (In 2 Chronicles 11:21, King Solomon's son Rehoboam had … Is God / the Bible sexist? He was also a consultant to Tyndale House for the Immerse Bible, an edition of the New Living Translation (NLT) that similarly presents the Scriptures in their natural literary forms, without chapters and verses or section headings. We know that God was definitely displeased when Abraham took Hagar as his concubine (Genesis 16, Galatians 4). 2. If Jesus gave up his divine attributes to become incarnate, how was he able to do miracles? In relation to this, I wanted to ask how should we interpret 2 Samuel 12:11-12, where we read:“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. In the Bible, a concubine was a woman acquired by a man as a secondary wife. Join John the Revelator as he discusses Biblical law in regards to concubines - wives of a lower social status. Scheming and wicked men were actually responsible for it, as I explained in my previous post. We do know that God has done this at times with the Israelites. Jesus said God allowed divorce because of the hardness of men’s hearts ( Matthew 19:8 ). Obviously, God “allowed” Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not the same as approval. The Levite dismembers her corpse and presents the remains to the other tribes of Israel. First Kings 11:3 states that Solomon "had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines." They are mentioned in 2 Samuel 15:16, 2 Samuel 16:22, and 2 Samuel 20:3. So we should take responsibility for what we do, and be very careful not to do wrong, knowing how that may cause the ones we love most to suffer. wife. In the Bible, a concubine was a woman acquired by a man as a secondary wife. David L. Baker, theologian and seminary professor, said this: “In the ancient Near East, it was acceptable for a married man to have a secondary wife or concubine, so long as he had the resources to support a large family. The word is ALLOWED. Throughout the Old Testament we see people experiencing what are often called “ironic judgments,” in which what they have done to others, or tried to do to others, happens to them. The word is ALLOWED. The fact that female prisoners of war could be taken as wives by the Israelites does not sanction the practice so much as regulate and transform an existing evil.”. Such offspring were normally delivered onto the knees of the legal wife, thus establishing their legitimacy as family members. Why were some books removed from the Bible and is it a sin to read them? That does not mean He approved, or wanted them too to have several wives and concubines. Her story is recorded in 2 Samuel 3:7-11. A woman could avoid prostitution and homelessness by choosing to sell herself to one man as his concubine. The fact is: prior to the Christian New Covenant, God did allow this practise and it was not adultery! A concubine was endowed with rights and protections by Hebrew law but was not equal in status to a wife. Concubines in the patriarchal age and beyond did not have equal status with a wife. How can we justify this interpretation? Add any text here or remove it. Should I be doing more by way of actions to prove my heart to God and display my faith to others? ( Log Out /  Pounding on the door,” (Judges 19:22) they demanded sexual relations with the new man in town – the concubine’s husband. Why did God allow this in the Old Testament period? Men’s Christian Cross Design Charm Bracelet. Built-In Punishment . Solomon started out well early in his life, listening to the counsel of his father, David, as … Why did God allow Solomon to have 1,000 wives and concubines? David was a follower of the Law. Did god command him to have several wives? In Exodus 21:10 God commanded anyone with multiple wives cannot withhold and must provide food, sex and clothing for all of his wives. Solomon’s marital decisions were in direct violation of God’s Law, and there were consequences. In the morning, she found her way to the front door of the house and died there. That does not mean He approved, or wanted them too to have several wives and concubines. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Due to patriarchal societies, it was nearly impossible for an unmarried woman to provide for herself. According to the law, a Hebrew slave would be set free after 6 years of service unless they decided to stay in the household as a slave (Deuteronomy 15:12-17). “Polygamy and concubinage were also allowed in ancient Israel and seem to be have been quite common in the patriarchal period (age of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), but after that most marriages of commoners were monogamous.”. States that Solomon `` had seven hundred wives, why did god allow concubines, and a crowd of “ wicked surrounded! Old Testament Polygamy. ” Gregory Alan Thornbury, 2012 do is “ informed ” speculation loves men and women has. To patriarchal societies, it was nearly impossible for an unmarried woman to provide for herself Evangelical of. Or husband at the same time legitimacy as family members never approved of marital. 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