All Polygynous Families in the Bible Had Troubles

The Monogamy-Only Objection

This objection claims that all polygynous families described in the Bible experienced significant problems, suggesting that polygyny is inherently flawed and against God's design for marriage. The argument typically proceeds as follows:

1. Familial conflicts in scripture include:

   • Abraham's family: Tension between Sarah and Hagar (Genesis 16, 21)
   • Jacob's family: Rivalry between Leah and Rachel (Genesis 29-30)
   • David's family: Conflicts among his children from different wives (2 Samuel 13-15)
   • Solomon's family: His many wives led him astray (1 Kings 11:3-4)

2. These conflicts often included jealousy, favoritism, and even violence.

3. Therefore, polygyny must be inherently problematic and not part of God's ideal plan for marriage.

The Answer

While it's true that the Bible records conflicts in polygynous families, this argument falls into the logical fallacy of hasty generalization, it is also simply not true. If you really go and look at all of the issues that people use as examples they are almost all regarding child bearing and envy or strife over women not bearing children, not having the same husband. It was a matter of great reproach as a woman to be barren.

Can you name what problems Joash and his 2 wives had? The very next line after we are told that Joash was given two wives, and that he did right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest, it tells us that he set about to restore the house of the LORD. Why would being given two wives be right in the sight of the LORD and then that man set about to restore the house of the LORD, if it's immoral and against God's will?

Here's why it's a bad argument:

It's Just Not Accurate

1. There are over 40 polygynous families in the Bible, and we only have narratives from a small portion of them and even those that we have are very small windows of time in their entire lives.
2. There are more examples of men with multiple wives with no issues reported at all than there are ones with issues. Joash, Gideon, Moses, Elkanah, etc. What problems did they have as a result of polygyny?
3. The Bible covers thousands of years of history, during which polygyny was common practice. The few instances of "drama" reported are exceptions rather than the rule.

Correlation vs. Causation

1. The presence of conflicts doesn't necessarily mean polygyny caused them.
2. Many monogamous families in the Bible also experienced serious problems (e.g., Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob and Esau, etc).
3. A majority of Christian families today end in divorce and are filled with conflict, but we do not consider monogamy to be the cause. How many biblical families with more than one wife ended in divorce?
4. Adam and Eve led all mankind to sin and death, and Cain killed his brother Abel. Should we then conclude that monogamy is against God's will along with having multiple children?

Cultural Context

1. The Ancient Near Eastern culture was different from modern Western society.
2. What appears as conflict to modern readers might have been considered normal then. For instance, Leah and Rachel bargaining with each other with mandrakes makes little sense to the modern Western reader, and is turned into a conflict, but it's just an example of Leah and Rachel working among themselves to accomplish what they want or need.

Additional Considerations

Logical Fallacies in the Objection

1. Exception to the Rule: The few reported cases of conflict in polygynous families are used to generalize about all such families, ignoring the many instances where no problems are mentioned.
2. Begging the Question: The objection often starts with the premise that polygyny is bad or against God's will, without first establishing this as fact. This circular reasoning weakens the argument.

Theological Implications

1. Divine Approval: If polygyny were truly against God's will, we would expect to see clear and consistent condemnation of the practice throughout Scripture. Instead, we see laws regulating it and examples of godly men practicing it without rebuke or calls to repentence.
2. God's Character: Claiming that polygyny is against God's will despite His explicit laws regulating it implies that God made a mistake or changed His mind. This raises questions about God's consistency and infallibility, God tells us that He does not change and that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Polygyny was righteous for Jacob, it is righteous for his descendants today.

Conclusion

While the Bible does record some troubles in polygynous families, using this as definitive proof against polygyny is a hasty generalization. It fails to consider the limited and potentially biased nature of the biblical record, ignores cultural context, and overlooks similar problems in monogamous relationships and the number of polygynyous families in scripture where no family history is reported at all. A more nuanced approach to biblical interpretation is necessary when examining complex issues like marriage structures in the Old Testament.

When examining complex issues like marriage structures in the Old Testament, it's crucial to avoid logical fallacies, consider the full breadth of biblical evidence, and understand the historical and cultural context. The argument that all polygynous families in the Bible had troubles oversimplifies a complex issue and fails to account for the many examples where no such troubles are reported.