When people think of biblical marriage, they often imagine one man, one woman, forever—but that’s not what the Bible actually teaches. In fact, many of the most famous biblical figures were polygamists, and nowhere does God explicitly forbid it. So, is polygamy actually biblically acceptable?
The Shocking Truth: Polygamy Was the Biblical Norm
Forget the idea that the Bible promotes modern, monogamous marriage. In the Old Testament, having multiple wives was completely normal—even expected—for powerful men. Some of the most famous biblical figures had multiple wives, including:
- Abraham – Had Sarah and Hagar (Genesis 16).
- Jacob – Had Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah (Genesis 29-30).
- Moses – Had at least two wives (Numbers 12:1).
- David – Had at least 8 wives (2 Samuel 5:13).
- Solomon – Had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).
At no point does God punish these men for having multiple wives. In fact, God even facilitates polygamous marriages—giving King David his many wives (2 Samuel 12:8) and setting up laws to regulate polygamous unions (Exodus 21:10, Deuteronomy 21:15-17).
If polygamy was so sinful, why would God allow, regulate, and even bless it?
Does the New Testament Outlaw Polygamy?
Many Christians argue that the New Testament ends polygamy, but does it?
- Jesus never explicitly condemns polygamy. When discussing marriage, he references Genesis 2:24—a verse often used to argue for monogamy—but this doesn’t contradict polygamy, since all polygamists in the Bible were also “one flesh” with their wives.
- Paul’s instructions for church leaders suggest monogamy—but not for everyone. In 1 Timothy 3:2, Paul says an overseer should be “the husband of one wife,” but this rule only applies to church leaders. It doesn’t say polygamy is forbidden for regular believers.
Nowhere in the New Testament does God abolish polygamy outright.
The Church’s Distortion of Biblical Marriage
So why do most Christians today believe polygamy is unbiblical? Because the church rewrote the narrative.
- Greek and Roman culture influenced early Christianity. These societies viewed polygamy as barbaric, and as Christianity spread, the church adopted Roman marriage customs instead of sticking with biblical traditions.
- The Catholic Church enforced monogamy. By the time Christianity became the dominant religion, the church had banned polygamy—not because of the Bible, but because of European culture.
- Modern Christians are taught a version of marriage that isn’t biblical. Today’s “biblical marriage” is a modern invention, not a return to the Old Testament or early Christianity.
So, Is Polygamy Actually OK?
If we’re going by the Bible alone, polygamy is never condemned as a sin. Instead, it was a normal, regulated practice among God’s people for centuries. The idea that biblical marriage = monogamy is a later Christian tradition, not a biblical command.
Does this mean polygamy should be brought back? That’s another debate. But one thing is clear: if you think the Bible says marriage is only between one man and one woman, you haven’t read it carefully enough.