One common belief about David is that he had multiple wives and concubines, however this is untrue as only eight wives are mentioned by Scripture, including Michal and Eglah – some rabbis claim Merab also exists though the Bible doesn’t record any children between her and David.
God forbids polygamy, as evidenced in Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 17:17. In fact, He prohibits kings from having multiple wives.
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David was an individual after God’s heart, so it should come as no surprise that he had multiple wives. Polygamy was common at that time in various cultures as an indicator of power and prestige; yet the Bible never condones polygamy in any form; indeed, its verses typically present it negatively.
However, there were several reasons for David having so many wives. First of all, as a ruler he considered his family as property; including house, children and wives. Therefore he would be responsible for providing care as well as food and other necessities to these individuals.
David may have maintained his own harem; however, the text doesn’t mention any sexual relationships between himself and these women; rather it indicates that God provided them as caretakers rather than brides; this term was also used for Uriah’s wife in 2 Samuel 12:11. It is also possible that David kept these women for political gain; for instance he could have married some to strengthen alliances with foreign countries.
One reason that David had so many wives and concubines was to fulfill God’s command to multiply on Earth. At that time, most women were uneducated and needed protection and provision from their husbands – by having multiple wives he could provide for more women and make them more productive.
It was a status symbol
One possible explanation for why God blessed David with so many wives is to demonstrate his status or escape poverty for himself and his children. Additionally, having multiple wives was common practice during that era so this fact alone likely accounts for why the Bible mentions so many.
The biblical account of David’s polygamy can be found throughout 1-2 Samuel. While its narrator simply mentions each new wife without comment, their addition should not be seen as condoned; rather it’s troubling since Deuteronomy 17:17 prohibits Israel’s kings from multiplying wives so much so that even simply noting David’s more marriages is disturbing.
Remembering David’s experience with Bathsheba should serve as a warning of his consequences; his sin cost him four sons, including Amnon. But even after repenting of his sinful ways he did find forgiveness from God; scripture shows this man was indeed after His heart.
Some have difficulty comprehending why God would allow David to have so many wives and concubines, with the argument being that He must have a different definition of marriage than monogamous unions between one man and one woman for life. Unfortunately, this view ignores that David made mistakes as part of human nature.
David may have used his wives and concubines as a status symbol. At that time, this practice was common among warlords as an indication of prestige; these women could also be used sexually as well as being used for child bearing purposes.
God tells Nathan in 2 Samuel 12:8 that He gave all of David’s wives into Nathan’s care, which could be taken to mean He approved of David’s polygamy. It should also be remembered that “care” in Hebrew does not always imply sexual intimacy, and could mean providing food, clothing or shelter as well.
It was a way for David to please God
The Bible does not criticize David for having multiple wives; in fact, it mentions them casually and this would seem to indicate that God approved of such behavior as a means for him to please Him.
Christian Christians may make an assumption that Scripture condones every action depicted in its history narratives; this should be kept in mind when studying David’s polygamous lifestyle.
People often assume that God approved of David’s numerous wives due to what the Bible states: “The LORD gave into his hand the house and wives of Saul the king”. But this statement can be misconstrued; Hebrew “care” can refer to sexual intercourse rather than love. Additionally, it could mean He gave David Saul’s wives as he was Saul’s successor heir-apparent.
Near Eastern kings were customarily allowed to integrate the wives of their predecessors into their royal harems or execute them, in order to prevent any future claims on the throne. David took Bathsheba, married to one of his mighty men Uriah, into his royal harem and got her pregnant (2 Samuel 11-12). Once this baby had been born he sent for Uriah so that he could be killed in battle; thus covering up his sin and continuing their affair while covering up his sin and continuing it while continuing his affair with Bathsheba.
God gave David many wives to help him serve and honor Him, which was why he worked so hard to bring the Ark back into his life and show Israel its significance. David desired for all Israelites to experience joy at God’s presence!
David was an incredible leader with God at his core; however, that does not negate his humanity or mistakes. It’s important to remember that the Old Testament doesn’t feature perfect heroes but is instead about everyday people trying their hardest to please the Lord and seek His will in their lives. Likewise, repentance will bring forgiveness.
It was a way for him to have children
When reading the Bible, it is crucial to realize that “wives” in Hebrew can refer both to husbands and concubines, particularly during Old Testament narrative. God specifically forbade polygamy through Mosaic Law which establishes moral and societal parameters for Israel to live by. Unfortunately many Christians tend to neglect studying this aspect of Israel’s past which provides invaluable context for understanding biblical accounts of history.
David gained respect through hard work and humility. As a shepherd he ran errands for his brothers on the battlefield; additionally, his skill with the harp made him well-known within his community. Although not his father’s first choice or Samuel’s top pick, they both saw something special in him that they didn’t see elsewhere.
David met Bathsheba while still serving as a shepherd and quickly fell in love with her, even though she was married to Uriah the Hittite. David asked Bathsheba to lie with him despite this being adultery; she agreed, though Uriah died causing further unintended complications with David attempting to cover up his sinful affair. But, God warned against continuing it as this affair led to Uriah’s death to cover up David’s sinful activity.
Due to David’s actions surrounding his multiple wives, God through prophet Nathan directly addressed them through Nathan. However, He didn’t specifically criticize David about their multiple marriages but rather commented upon their relationships with Bathsheba and Uriah.
As the Lord began to love David more and more, He blessed him in various ways: helping him defeat Goliath, lead military campaigns, write psalms and build the temple; also blessing him with son Solomon who later went on to rule Israel and father Jesus Christ. God saw in David an individual after His own heart who loved what the Lord loved while disliking what He disapproved of, was obedient and quick to repent whenever sin occurred – therefore giving your entire heart over to Him is key if wanting God to see what He sees within yourself! So if you want God’s blessings on your journey then give up everything you’ve got right now!
