Dr. Couch, does the Bible condemn polygamy?
ANSWER: By the command that one man should marry one woman makes it clear that
polygamy is unacceptable. Also, in every case I can think of, polygamy
was destructive to the children involved. This is true of Abraham,
David, Solomon, etc. By that fact alone, it is easy to say that polygamy
was wrong.
In the story of Abraham, God made it clear
that Ishmael who was born to the handmaiden Hagar would not be his legal
heir. The Lord punctuated this fact when He spoke to Abraham about
offering up Isaac. God said: “Take now your son, your only son, whom you
love …” (Gen. 22:2). Though Hagar was a mistress of Abraham, Ishmael
did not count in God’s plan for the passing down of the Abrahamic
Covenant to later generations.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch,
