Polygamy in the Bible:
Abraham had 2 wives, Sarah and Hagar - Genesis 16:1-3*
Jacob, son of Isaac had 4 wives - Genesis 26:34, Genesis 28:9
Saul had a wife and a concubine - 1 Sam 14:50, 2 Sam 3:7
David had 8 wives - 1 Sam 18:27, 1 Sam 25:42-43, 2 Sam 3:2-5, 11:27, 12:8
(NB: Neither Jesus Christ nor God ever prohibited polygamy in the Bible.)
"Polygamy is in the Bible—Abraham had Hagar and Sarah (Genesis 16:3), Jacob had four wives (Genesis 29-30), David had many (2 Samuel 5:13)—yet Christians reject it, ignoring their own text. The Qur'an sets it right: ‘And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of women, two or three or four' (Surah An-Nisa, 4:3), allowing it with justice, not excess. Allah made it lawful, as prophets practiced.
Jesus (peace be upon him) brought guidance—‘We gave him the Injeel, in which was guidance and light' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:46)—and never banned it. The Qur'an says, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:75). Christians twist his silence into prohibition, but Islam aligns with the prophets' way—polygamy's fine if fair, reflecting Allah's wisdom for society and worship of Him alone."
Surah An-Nisa, 4:3
The assertion that the historical practice of polygamy in the Old Testament justifies its existence in Christianity today, or that the Qur'an "sets it right," is a theological error that ignores the clear progress of revelation culminating in Christ.
1. Christ Restored the Original Standard 💍
Christians reject polygamy not because the Old Testament explicitly banned it—the Law regulated it, but did not abolish it—but because Jesus Christ explicitly returned marriage to God's perfect, original, creation-level standard.
2. Polygamy is Condemned by New Testament Leadership
The New Testament confirms that polygamy is excluded from the Christian life by setting monogamy as a prerequisite for church leadership, setting the standard for all believers:
3. The Islamic Allowance is a Regulatory Failure
The Qur'an's permission for a man to marry up to four women (Surah An-Nisa, 4:3) is a regulated continuation of a flawed pre-Islamic practice, which is inferior to the absolute standard set by Christ.
Christians follow the Divine Son (John 10:30), who restored God's original, perfect, sinless standard of monogamous marriage, which is infinitely superior to any subsequent limited legal allowance.