Multiple wives as a blessing

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kvanlaan

kvanlaan

Puritan Board Doctor
In 2 Samuel 12, why are multiple wives shown as part of a blessing if they are not part of God's plan for a 'normal' marital relationship?
 
kvanlaan said:
In 2 Samuel 12, why are multiple wives shown as part of a blessing if they are not part of God's plan for a 'normal' marital relationship?
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Kevin,

Here is the passage in context:

2 Samuel 12:1-14 hen the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 "The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 "But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him. 4 "Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." 5 Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. 6 "And he must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion." 7 Nathan then said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 'I also gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 9 'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' 11 "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your companion, and he shall lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 'Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.'" 13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 14 "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."
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Nathan, speaking as a prophet of God, was not calling Saul's wives (given into David's care) a good thing. The reality was that plurality of wives was seen as power and wealth. Power, because Saul, and later David (2 Samuel 11), took the wives they wanted. Wealth, because these wives had to be supported. Even though it was not God's command to have multiple wives, the responsibility due to these wives was to be honored.
 
After 23 years of marriage, my wife, Barbara, died at the end of a long illness. God subsequently brought Susan, my current wife, into my life. Both these godly women have been a blessing beyond my deserving. I know this doesn’t exactly fit the question; but multiple sequential wives, the second following a previous marriage ending in death, can be a blessing.
 
This is really funny, since I was just having this discussion with my father a few minutes ago. I'm interested in hearing people's response on this one too!
 
boschertjd18 said:
This is really funny, since I was just having this discussion with my father a few minutes ago. I'm interested in hearing people's response on this one too!
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Joseph,

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Thanks, and welcome to the PB.
 
As long as he doesn't threaten when you turn forty to turn you in for two twenties.
 
Batman only wears black socks made from a proprietary Kevlar/cotton blend.
 
kvanlaan said:
In 2 Samuel 12, why are multiple wives shown as part of a blessing if they are not part of God's plan for a 'normal' marital relationship?
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I think the point is that David did not need any "additional" wives, namely Bathsheba, since he had already accummulated several by different means. Why steal another man's and then murder him? A rather poignant allegory.

Multiple wives are, in consideration of the practice of polygamy per se, an undoubted curse in Scripture. Started by pagans, leading to confusion, disharmony, chaos, violence, murder, etc. They turned Abraham's house into confusion; they turned Jacob into a sex slave; they turned Elkanah's house to confusion and bickering; they turned Solomon's heart from the LORD, and on and on.

Cheers,
 
Oh, Traci, that was a cheap Batman impostor allowed to roam around while the real one recovered from his difficult encounter with Bane.
 
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