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From Polygamy to Monogamy Chart |
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Old Testament |
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New Testament |
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Polygamy: Man and more than one wife was tolerated. |
“If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.” (Exodus 21:10 KJV) |
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Polygamy was not permitted in the New Covenant. |
“Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:27 KJV) |
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Hebrew men were allowed more than one wife. They could purchase daughters from one another. If the purchased Hebrew woman became a wife to the purchaser or his son, she was provided food, rainment and marriage duties (sex and having children) in the case that her husband took another wife. She wasn't allowed to be disregarded as to the necessities and natural blessings of life. If these provisions were not fulfilled to the purchased Hebrew woman, she would be considered no longer a purchased woman in debt to her husband, but would be considered free and able to leave the man. Multiplication and family growth was encouraged and expected in the Old Covenant. However, singleness (without carefulness for a wife) and spiritual concern became more important in the New Covenant.
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Obviously, if a person having divorced is told not to seek another wife, then the once Old Testament option of choosing more than one wife must no longer be effective! Polygamy was permitted in the Old Testament (Ex. 21:10); that is, the males were permitted several wives--not the wives were permitted several husbands. Although, such as the marriage laws may have been previously, monogamy was instituted according to the teachings of the New Testament. There was at most one wife among the New Testament church leaders; and in some cases, such as the Apostle Paul's--none! (I Tim. 3:2, 12; 5:9; Tit. 1:6) Links: Deacon's Degree Marriage Counseling
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