"The Meeting of David and Abigail", c 1630, by Sir Peter Paul Rubens. (National Gallery of Art)
1 Samuel 25:43 - David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives.
I don't know that I will spend a great deal of time on this issue, but it keeps cropping up in my mind as I have been reading through the Hebrew Canon.
Over, and over, we find the ancient patriarchs with many wives, and concubines. Ancient patriarchal polygamists? What's up with that?
Certainly the adultery with Bathsheba was wrong, and confronted by God, but I don't see God confronting David, for example, with his polygamy.
Please understand, I am not looking for another wife, I am most pleased with mine. Further, I am not making argument one way or another. I am just asking the question.
I wonder, with our strong cultural, and particularly strong Christian proclivities, can we even have an honest conversation about such things.
I am not going to stop my studies, on this issue, but I would be interested in hearing your two cents on God's view on polygamy.
Does God tolerate polygamy?