The Bible offers various perspectives on the practice of polygamy, or marrying more than one wife, reflecting the cultural and historical context in which it was written. While polygamy was not explicitly forbidden in Scripture, the Bible does provide guidelines and teachings that suggest God’s ideal for marriage is one man and one woman, as seen in the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:24, which emphasizes the creation of a single union: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
Despite this, polygamy appears throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the lives of key figures like Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon. These men had multiple wives, and while their actions were often recorded without strong condemnation, the consequences of polygamy are frequently shown in a negative light. For example, the rivalry and conflict between Sarah and Hagar, Abraham’s two wives, illustrate the complications and struggles that arose from polygamy (Genesis 16). Similarly, Jacob’s marriages to Leah and Rachel resulted in familial strife, particularly in the division of affection and the rivalry between their children (Genesis 29-30).
In the case of David, although he had several wives, his actions led to significant turmoil in his family, culminating in the rebellion of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 13-18). Solomon, perhaps the most famous example, had 700 wives and 300 concubines, yet his multiple marriages contributed to his downfall, as his foreign wives led him astray into idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-8).
The New Testament, however, shifts focus to a more monogamous view. In 1 Timothy 3:2, Paul writes that an overseer (church leader) should be “the husband of one wife,” which many interpret as an endorsement of monogamy for Christian leaders. Jesus also emphasized the original intent of marriage in His teachings, reiterating that a man and woman are to become one flesh (Matthew 19:4-6).
In summary, while the Bible does not outright condemn polygamy, it portrays it as a source of tension, division, and sin in many biblical narratives. The New Testament emphasizes monogamy as the ideal, reaffirming the notion of marriage as a sacred union between one man and one woman.
https://www.logos.com/grow/does-jesus-contradict-the-old-testament-on-polygamy/
