43 Bible Verses about Polygamy

Every one who puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery; and every one that marries one put away from a husband commits adultery.

Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; art thou free from a wife? do not seek a wife.

And now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandments of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

It has been said too, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a letter of divorce.

When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, it shall be if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a letter of divorce, and give it into her hand, and send her out of his house.

The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;

if any one be free from all charge against him, husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of excess or unruly.

Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

And did not one make them? and the remnant of the Spirit was his. And wherefore the one? He sought a seed of God. Take heed then to your spirit, and let none deal unfaithfully against the wife of his youth,

But he answering said to them, Have ye not read that he who made them, from the beginning made them male and female,

Every one who puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery; and every one that marries one put away from a husband commits adultery.

Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; art thou free from a wife? do not seek a wife.

And now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandments of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

It has been said too, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a letter of divorce.

When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, it shall be if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a letter of divorce, and give it into her hand, and send her out of his house.

The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;

if any one be free from all charge against him, husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of excess or unruly.

Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

And did not one make them? and the remnant of the Spirit was his. And wherefore the one? He sought a seed of God. Take heed then to your spirit, and let none deal unfaithfully against the wife of his youth,

But he answering said to them, Have ye not read that he who made them, from the beginning made them male and female,

And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness beside her, during her life.

The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;

Let the ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting their children and their own houses well:

if any one be free from all charge against him, husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of excess or unruly.

Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

And to David were sons born in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jizreelitess; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maachah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; read more.
and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil; but Jehovah has returned Nabal's evil upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her as his wife. And the servants of David came to Abigail to Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to thee, to take thee as his wife. And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thy handmaid be a bondwoman to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. read more.
And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. David had also taken Ahinoam of Jizreel; and they became, even both of them, his wives. But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begot more sons and daughters.

And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

If he take himself another, her food, her clothing, and her conjugal rights he shall not diminish.

And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begot sons and daughters.

And he went in also to Rachel; and he loved also Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet seven other years. And when Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Reuben; for she said, Because Jehovah has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me. read more.
And she again conceived, and bore a son, and said, Because Jehovah has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this one also; and she called his name Simeon. And she again conceived, and bore a son, and said, Now this time will my husband be united to me, for I have borne him three sons; therefore was his name called Levi.

And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold, there is my maid, Bilhah: go in to her, in order that she may bear on my knees, and I may also be built up by her. read more.
And she gave him Bilhah her maidservant as wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God has done me justice, and has also heard my voice, and given me a son; therefore she called his name Dan. And Bilhah Rachel's maidservant again conceived, and bore Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, Wrestlings of God have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed; and she called his name Naphtali. And when Leah saw that she had ceased to bear, she took Zilpah her maidservant and gave her to Jacob as wife. And Zilpah Leah's maidservant bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, Fortunately! and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah's maidservant bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I; for the daughters will call me blessed! and she called his name Asher. And Reuben went out in the days of wheat-harvest, and found mandrakes in the fields; and he brought them to his mother Leah. And Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes. And she said to her, Is it too little that thou hast taken my husband, that thou wilt take my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy son's mandrakes. And when Jacob came from the fields in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in to me, for indeed I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son. And Leah said, God has given me my hire, because I have given my maidservant to my husband; and she called his name Issachar. And Leah again conceived, and bore Jacob a sixth son; and Leah said, God has endowed me with a good dowry; this time will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons. And she called his name Zebulun. And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bore a son, and said, God has taken away my reproach.

And she said to her, Is it too little that thou hast taken my husband, that thou wilt take my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy son's mandrakes.

And he went in also to Rachel; and he loved also Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet seven other years.

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. And she said to Abraham, Cast out this handmaid and her son; for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. read more.
And God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy handmaid: in all that Sarah hath said to thee hearken to her voice, for in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee. But also the son of the handmaid will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder and the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. And the water was exhausted from the flask; and she cast the child under one of the shrubs, and she went and sat down over against him, a bow-shot off; for she said, Let me not behold the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice and wept.

And Esau was forty years old, when he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

And Esau went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.

And Rehoboam took Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as wife, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse. And she bore him children: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham. And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. read more.
And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. And Rehoboam established Abijah the son of Maachah at the head, to be ruler among his brethren; for he thought to make him king. And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities; and he gave them food in abundance. And he desired for them a multitude of wives.

If a man have two wives, one beloved, and one hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated, and the firstborn son be hers that was hated; then it shall be, in the day that he maketh his sons to inherit what he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn; but he shall acknowledge as firstborn the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that is found with him; for he is the firstfruits of his vigour: the right of the firstborn is his.

If a man have two wives, one beloved, and one hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated, and the firstborn son be hers that was hated; then it shall be, in the day that he maketh his sons to inherit what he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn; but he shall acknowledge as firstborn the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that is found with him; for he is the firstfruits of his vigour: the right of the firstborn is his.

And it came to pass when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as the heart of David his father. And Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and followed not fully Jehovah, as David his father. read more.
Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, on the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

But king Solomon loved many foreign women, besides the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites; of the nations of which Jehovah had said to the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in to you; they would certainly turn away your heart after their gods: to these Solomon was attached in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. read more.
And it came to pass when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as the heart of David his father. And Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and followed not fully Jehovah, as David his father. Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, on the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

And it came to pass on the day that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions; but to Hannah he used to give a double portion, for he loved Hannah; but Jehovah had shut up her womb. And her adversary provoked her much also, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb. read more.
And as he did so year by year, as often as she went up to the house of Jehovah, she provoked her thus; and she wept and did not eat.

And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Those that remain of him shall be buried by death, and his widows shall not weep.

And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his chamberlains, and the mighty of the land, he led into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon;

behold, Jehovah will smite with a great stroke thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy substance,

But Abijah strengthened himself, and took fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

And Jehovah said unto me, Go again, love a woman beloved of a friend, and an adulteress, according to the love of Jehovah for the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods, and love raisin-cakes. So I bought her to me for fifteen silver pieces, and for a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley.

And he went in also to Rachel; and he loved also Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet seven other years.

And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begot sons and daughters.

but to Hannah he used to give a double portion, for he loved Hannah; but Jehovah had shut up her womb.

And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, Our own bread will we eat, and with our own garments will we be clothed; only let us be called by thy name; take away our reproach!

And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.

And Lemech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the second, Zillah.

And Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah And Naarah.

And the sons of Ethan: Azariah.

Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, might drink in them.