Tackling Not So "Traditional Marriage"

Tackling Not So "Traditional Marriage"

By The RAMYK-Rabbi Apostle Moshe Yoseph Koniuchowsky

Moon 8 Day 4 5972 Since Creation-October 2012

PLEASE PASS THIS TEACHING ON IN ITS ENTIRETY TO ANY CHURCH OR MESSIANIC LEADER YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY OR ONLINE, OR SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO WITNESS TO, AS THE HOUR TO FIND AND TRAIN FOR TRIBAL KINGDOM LIVING IS QUICKLY DRAWING TO A CLOSE.

  

QUESTION-VERY IMPORTANT! Who gets the final word and who gets to define TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE? Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family, Perry Stone, Joel Osteen, Evangelicals, Messianics or FATHER YHWH in heaven? WHOSE DEFINITION IS FINAL AND PURE? And, how do those definitions differ? If one reviews Hebrews chapter 11, we find many heroes of the Judeo-Christian faith. What kind of marriages did they have? Traditional or non-traditional? And if traditional, how did that tradition differ from what we today call traditional?

Now nowhere in Scripture does YHWH, the Creator and Savior of all men, state that kosher or traditional marriage is between "ONE" MAN AND "ONE" WOMAN! THIS IS MERELY ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE FOSSILIZED CUSTOMS WE HAVE INHERITED FROM PAGANS. Yirmeyahu-Jeremiah 16:19.

  

Despite evangelical pounding and non-stop usage of this unbiblical phrase to somehow make it seem that this is what Scripture actually records, YHWH's words are quite different. So different in fact that traditional marriage is only defined as between HETEROSEXUAL GENDERS, not ever even remotely as limited to "ONE" MAN AND "ONE" WOMAN from each gender.

As you are about to discover, perhaps surprisingly, church and state definitions, along with that of western society regarding traditional marriage, is an invention of the deprivation of man's minds, against the Creator. The now widely accepted definition of traditional marriage as between one man and one woman exclusively, is not only a deception from pagan non-Hebraic cultures, but an outright twisting of YHWH's Words in both the Tanach ("Old Testament") and the Brit Chadasha ("New Testament"). We call that a BIG LIE. Just because the churches have repeated a lie for some 2,000 years and just because the modern Messianic movement has repeated it without stopping to question it or line it up with what Torah actually says, DOES NOT GIVE MANKIND THE PERMISSION OR AUTHORITY to redefine marriage as traditionally between "one" man and 'one" woman.

  

So does Scripture define traditional marriage? Yes it does. And as we are about to find out that traditional marriage is defined not by man, but by YHWH's Word alone. And in YHWH's Word, we find that what makes a marriage traditional is not whether it is monogamous or polygynous, but rather, whether its homo or heterosexual based and whether it does or does not violate other Torah prohibitions, like marrying your own sister or daughter etc. We will now correct the "traditional marriage" lie not with the words of Dr. James Dobson or Dr. Charles Stanley, but with the words of Doctor Abba YHWH (Primary Physician) and the referrals of the Great Jewish Specialist Physician, Yahushua ben Yah!

  

Beresheeth-Genesis 1:27-So the Word of Elohim [1] created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim He created him; male and female He created them.

Now notice the first reference to TRADITIONAL BIBLICAL marriage! MALE AND FEMALE, or in Hebrew, ZACHAR VE-NEKAYVAH.

Are there any references to the "limitation" lie of ONE male and ONE female? Make sure you answer this HONESTLY and without presumptions!

Those words are RELIGIOUS INSERTIONS MY FRIENDS, learned from the PAGAN NATIONS!! YHWH blesses patriarchy (the original design where a male oversees a female) and yet does not limit how many ONE FLESH COVENANTS can exist between a man and a woman! Only that the true ORIGINAL TRADITIONAL PATRIARCHAL MARRIAGE MODEL, MUST INCLUDE A MAN AND A WOMAN, not a man and man or a woman and woman, or any form of Polyamory. Now let's look at Beresheeth-Genesis 2:21-25:

21 And YHWH Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall upon Ahdahm and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place;
22 And with the rib that YHWH Elohim had taken from man, He made a woman, and brought her to the man.
23 And Ahdahm said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Isha, because she was taken out of Ish.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his abba and his eema, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be basar echad.
25 And they were both naked, the ish and his isha, and were not ashamed.

  

Here again traditional marriage is seen as between "A" MAN AND "A" WOMAN, referring to GENDER, not to numerical considerations! As we see throughout Scripture, from Gideon, and Caleb to Moses and to Yahushua Himself (Jeremiah 31:31-35, Ezekiel 37, Matthew 25:1) a MAN, JUST LIKE OUR MESSIAH THE TRUE AND PERFECT SECOND ADAM, is allowed to make MANY ONE FLESH COVENANTS with any eligible woman. That's exactly what Yahushua has done with us, as we ALL became eligible by His atoning blood! It is most important to note that the first Adam was not perfect and cannot teach us the original pattern for "traditional marriage." THE SECOND ADAM THE PERFECT MASTER FROM HEAVEN, shows us by His shared love, that this is love and traditional marriage in its purest and most SELFLESS form, but indeed the most challenging. A task for the second not the first Adam. YHWH does not define traditional marriage based on numerical considerations, but based on gender alone and the availability of the eligible females. THAT VERY PHRASE "TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE" WHILE SOUNDING QUITE PIOUS, IS A S.A.TANIC TRAP, AS THAT PHRASE APPEARS NOWHERE IN SCRIPTURE and it should alert you to an awaiting snare from the mindset of the gentiles!

THE OVERRIDING POINT IS THAT TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IS WHAT YAHUSHUA SAYS IT IS, not what the Pope or the Methodists, TBN or anyone else says it is. It is time for ALL true bible believers to make a full and MOST HUMBLE TESHUVAH-RETURN-REPENTANCE back to true traditional marriage, which can be either mono or plural heterosexual.

True traditional marriage is all about gender and the eligibility of the perspective female. Now religion is truly such an opiate of the people, that some will fall back on Yahushua's very own Words in Matthew 19, actually believing that they will somehow find the "one man" "one woman" assertions of the modern Messianic movement and Christianity. [The original Messianic Nazarenes were not fooled by today's Messianic pagan versions of traditional marriage] That somehow they will find justification for their inherited lies about traditional marriage by pinpointing the Word "ONE" as in "ONE" man married to only "ONE" woman. But as we are all about to see, they are sadly mistaken, as Yahushua's Words, the very Giver of the Torah, cannot contradict the same Words He gave originally to Moshe/Moses. Let's look at Matthew 19 very carefully:

3 The Prushim also came to Him, tempting Him, and saying to Him, Is it permitted in Torah for a man to put away his wife for any and every cause?

4 And He answered and said to them, Have you not read, that He who made them in Beresheeth made them male and female,

5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave abba and eema, and shall cleave to his wife: and the two shall be one flesh? [2]

6 Therefore they are no more two, but basar echad. What therefore YHWH has joined together, let not man put asunder.

7 They said to Him, Why did Moshe then command to give a Get, and to put her away?
8 He said to them, Moshe because of the hardness of your levavot allowed you to put away your wives: but from the beginning and from eternity [3] it was not so.    

9 And I say to you, Whoever shall divorce his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoever marries her who has not yet been divorced [4] does commit adultery.    

10 His talmidim said to Him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not tov to marry.
11 But He said to them, All men cannot receive your saying, except those to whom it is given.    

Now as we examine things in verse 3, the Pharisees were not seeking truth, but a mere prolonged self justifying argument. Just like many of you!

THE TOPIC IN VERSE 3 OF MATTITYAHU-MATTHEW 19 IS WHAT IS AND IS NOT PERMITTED REGARDING DIVORCE. The subject matter is not monogamy or polygyny! The church and the evangelic anti-Torah Messianics have made it such, sometimes to cover their own sinful divorces. But that is not the question, topic or the trap. The Pharisaic trap is over the issue of divorce. In verse 4 Yahushua asks a rhetorical question regarding "traditional marriage," reaffirming the very same thing that Yahushua said earlier to Moshe/Moses before He came to earth as our Savior! IN BERESHETH/THE BEGINNING/IN THE FIRST BOOK OF TORAH, YHWH MADE "TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE," AS THAT BETWEEN ANY MALE AND ANY ELIGIBLE FEMALE, ZACHAR VE-NEKAYVAH.

Now where in verse 4 of Mattityahu 19 does Yahushua the SON OF YHWH, state that monogamy or polygyny is ok or not ok? Nowhere! That's not the topic/subject/discussion matter. He is not redefining traditional marriage but confirming traditional marriage as defined by heterosexual unions between the eligible. These heterosexual unions CANNOT AND MUST NOT BE BROKEN BY DIVORCE.The subject at hand is divorce, NOT WHAT CONSTITUTES "TRADITIONAL" marriage, which every Jew and every Hebrew from all backgrounds, knew back then, can either be the heterosexual monogamous or the heterosexual polygynous model! If they did not know that they were not Jews or Israelites but pagans, who actually were the ones that did redefine marriage, as they blindly continue to do today!

YAHUSHUA'S QUESTION TO ALL HIS FOLLOWERS TODAY IS THIS: DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IS? IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS MALE AND FEMALE, as it remains to this very hour. NOW PLEASE CAREFULLY NOTE THAT AT NO POINT DOES YAHUSHUA FALL INTO THE TRAP OF THE CHURCH AND THE MODERN EVANGELICAL MESSIANIC MOVEMENT BY ADDING A WORD TO CREATE A SELF JUSTIFYING LIE.

THE LIE IS THE INSERTION OF THE WORD "ONE" BEFORE MAN AND "ONE" BEFORE WOMAN, TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A NUMERICAL PROHIBITION RATHER THAN A GENDER PROHIBITION.

Obviously that was added so as to justify their lascivious lifestyle of divorce on demand, a practice of many spiritual leaders today. These same leaders condemn a righteous practice, as they want the sex in a new marriage, rather than the eternal obligations associated with more than one covenant partner, which is far more expensive, burdensome and less economical. And by twisting Scripture and making polygyny the issue, placing it on trial, they are able to vilify polygynists, who obey YHWH in all their covenant responsibilities and at the same time justify their own sinful and lustful serial monogamy. And like the Pharisees, many today in the body of Yahushua, have fallen prey to the same self righteous justification, putting others on trial for living kosher, in an attempt to justify a litany of lustful marriages, divorces and remarriages, as ways to start having fresh and exciting flesh sex, usually with a younger woman, in a new marriage, or worse yet, outside of it entirely. YHWH's ways are better; nullifying the very need for divorce, if men and women of humility would simply follow His instructions, as opposed to laying out the same trap as our Pharisaical forefathers, through their hard hearts and misguided attempts at self justification.

I hope that no one reading this is content in living in and believing a lie in such a vital area as what exactly constitutes a traditional marriage. Now recall that the issue being addressed in Matthew chapter 19 is divorce and when it is permitted and when it is not. Heterosexual monogamy as well as heterosexual plural marriage are both seen as traditional, as both meet the gender criteria.

Now verse 5 of Matthew 19 does not support or define traditional marriage as monogamy or plural. What verse 5 does do is undergird "traditional marriage" as whenever a man leaves parents to go take an eligible wife. NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY. Every time this process occurs, A NEW ONE FLESH COVENANT is established by ANY TWO, NOT LIMITED TO ONE SET OF TWO! YHWH does not limit the amount of times this process is allowed to occur, nor the subsequent number of covenants that are allowed to be sealed for time and eternity. The point being that all the ONE FLESH UNIONS between a male and an eligible female are for time and eternity AND MUST NEVER BE ANNULLED OR LEAD TO A DIVORCE. There is one exception to this steadfast rule as seen in Yahushua's Words in verse 8 of Matthew 19. Moses-Moshe Rabainu allowed DIVORCE because of mankind's hard hearts. When a man divorces his wife for mere feelings or hurt emotions, or failed expectations of some sort, is what YHWH HIMSELF DEFINES AS "THE FORESAKNG OF THE WIFE OF HIS YOUTH" AND THE "DEALING TREACHEROUSLY" with her. See Malachi 2:14-16 in its PROPER CONTEXT!

In those verses IN CONTEXT, YHWH says He hates DIVORCE; NOT POLYGYNY, because it is a treacherous act against a man's wife or any of his wives. Polygyny is not what YHWH says He hates; but divorce HE HATES.

We read:

14 Yet you say, Why? Because YHWH has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously: yet she is your companion, and the wife of your brit. [5] 

15 And did not He make them echad? And the rest of the ruachim are His also. [6] And why echad? That he might seek a zera from Elohim. [7] Therefore take heed to your ruach, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 For YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, says that He hates divorce: [8] like the one who covers his sin with his garment, says YHWH tzevaoth: therefore guard your ruach, that you deal not treacherously with her.

Notice that many SPIRITS-RUACHIM OR PEOPLES can form one flesh covenants not limited to "one" man and "one" woman to establish the echad-one flesh principle. That can be established by any 2, male and female, from among the eligible RUACHIM-SPIRITS! And none should seek divorce which He hates!

How ironic that much of the misled Messianic movement and church system treasure the divorce option, which YHWH HATES and turns around and condemns or HATES POLYGYNY, which YHWH blesses and considers kosher within the realm of His permissive and even His perfect will. Any male and female that YHWH has joined in marriage let no man separate or put asunder. Please note the "plural reference" in the term "putting away your WIVES." in verse 8 of Matthew 19. Please note that in Malachi 2:16, YHWH declares that DIVORCE and not polygyny is like a garment or a cloak by humans, to conceal or hide a man's sins. Polygyny is never referred to as a sin that men use as a garment or cloak.

And just in case you're still confused as to whether Matthew 19 is about divorce, or the alleged "one" man "one" woman "traditional" marriage model, in verse 9 Yahushua says divorce is NEVER ALLOWED OR PERMITTED BY YHWH, EXCEPT IN THE MATTER OF A WOMAN'S ADULTERY OR A MAN'S FORNICATION. These verses then have absolutely nothing to do with limiting "traditional marriage" to 'one" man and "one" woman, nor is it any kind of clarification that marriage is traditionally defined as "one" man and "one" woman. Rather, that DIVORCE IS WHAT YHWH HATES, not polygyny and that ANY "TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE" AS DEFINED BY BOTH TORAH AND BY THE LIVING TORAH YAHUSHUA, cannot be broken for any reason other than sexual unfaithfulness [By the way, an absent or disappearing spouse, is one that has become sexually unfaithful and is a sure fire grounds for divorce; this can include physically absent, as well as sexually absent from covenant duties].

Also the terms used here in verse 9 for fornication and adultery, are used interchangeably by Yahushua, rather than Torah gender specifics, to refer to general marriage infidelity by both genders. He is not driving home that married women commit adultery when unfaithful and married men commit fornication by having sex with a married woman or a single woman and then refusing to marry her. They understood the Torah technicalities; He merely summarizes this with broad terms that had become equivalent to sexual sin and indiscretion, to show them that infidelity alone was the only grounds for divorce.

Having more than one covenant wife does not qualify as marital unfaithfulness, for if it were, both Torah and Ha Adon Yahushua, the Living Torah, would no doubt have stated such an important issue in no uncertain terms, not to mention, they would not practice it either; and yet they (YHWH and His Son-Himself in flesh) are in a love covenant with ALL OF US SIMULTANEOUSLY and it is called the highest form known as agape love; unconditional pure and shared without condition.

Moreover Matthew 19 verse 9 teaches us that even with the limited divorce allowance; no one can marry AN UNDIVORCED WOMAN, meaning a woman must be eligible for marriage.

In conclusion then, what makes marriage traditional is what YHWH and Yahushua have to tell us, as we are HIS DISCIPLES; HE IS NOT OURS. We follow His Word; He is not bound to follow our perceptions or feelings, or learned gentile traditions. Those who continue to perpetuate the LIE and the myth that YHWH's Word defines marriage as only between "ONE" MAN AND "ONE" WOMAN alone, at the exclusion of a man with several covenant wives, (the very practice of YHWH Himself), have bought into a lie and a dysfunctional disorder of the highest degree, even a lie that exceeds the so called "rapture" lie. A DARK FOSSILIZED CUSTOM, ABOVE ALL OTHER SUCH LEARNED AND INHERITED CUSTOMS, that directly affect our Israelite lifestyles and our abilities to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. We have bought the lie while Allah in his Koran, has put in the truth about "traditional" marriage, thus allowing Islam to suffocate both YHWH'S TRUTH and His desired blessings for the myriads for Jacob's seed. Islam has thus filled the void created by our collective ignorance and pride and our emotional responses to the truth of plural marriage, yet it remains just as "traditional" as heterosexual monogamy.

Thankfully however, as Rav Sholiach Shaul states, the 'WORD OF YHWH, UNLIKE THE OPINIONS OF MERE MEN,' CANNOT BE CHAINED and therein do we greatly take hope and therein do we greatly rejoice, despite our struggles with unbiblical traditions and opinions of men! It is high time that those of us, who are committed to truth, return and make repentance, so as to adopt the Creator's view and His Son's view on what exactly defines a "traditional marriage" for both time and eternity! Again, the words "ONE" before man and woman are human inserts. All those who add them and who proclaim their insertion as somehow inspired, will have to give an account one day soon for lack of truth and abundance in the tents of Shem! Selah! 

---

[1] Aramaic Targum; Onkelos.

[2]YHWH's will for marriages and Yisrael's two-house restoration. See Ephesians 5:31-32.

[3] Shem Tov reference.

[4] Aramaic Peshitta uses the word "shbikta" meaning undivorced, or not yet put away. This lines up with Torah more so than the Greek versions of the Renewed Covenant, which seem to forbid any kind of remarriage. The Aramaic allows for remarriage, as does Torah, but not until a full and legal divorce of any prior marriage has taken place. This prevents remarriage before a prior marriage has been dissolved. See Matthew 5:32.

[5] Rampant divorce in both houses of Yisrael was another reason for our exile.

[6] Aramaic Peshitta.

[7] That Yisrael would collectively be His son.

[8] DSS, LXX: "For if you hate and divorce" says YHWH Elohim of Yisrael.

The man with seven wives

A beautiful story about a man with seven wives.


http://www.4thought.tv/themes/is-adultery-always-wrong/philip-sharp

Win $1000.00 from Polygamy Advocate

I've gotten a few negative comments recently.  So, I'm putting my money where my mouth is...

Take the $1000.00 Polygamy Challenge!*

RULES  


In order to receive the prize you must do the following:

1) Grab a notebook and pen.
2) Watch the playlist below.  Run time is just under 5 hours. (But, hey, how often can you make $1000 in five hours?)




3) You must take notes from each video to prove that you have viewed the entire presentation.

4) After completing the above presentation and taking extensive notes, submit any of the following:
     a. A verse in the Scripture that shows that plural marriage is sinful. or
     b. An example from Scripture where someone is condemned for polygamy. or
     c. Scriptural proof that plural marriage is not valid.

5) Post your answer to number 4 along with your notes and your e-mail address on http://www.facebook.com/PolygamyAdvocates

6) THE CATCH - If you can successfully complete the above steps, you win $1000.00 AND I will post your winning entry here.  (Today's Roman date is 05-08-12 - let's see how long it takes to get a winner)
HOWEVER, if you attempt the challenge and cannot successfully complete it, you must submit a post to http://www.facebook.com/PolygamyAdvocates stating that indeed there is nothing in Scripture that indicates that plural marriage is sinful or invalid.  I'm putting my money on the line, you must put your testimony on the line.

*Contest is only open to residents of U.S. or Canada.  Prize may be paid by electronic transfer or gift certificate.  In the event of more than one winning entry, winner will be determined by draw.

Polygamist Spotlight #3b - Avraham (cont)

Upon further investigation into the life of Avraham, I have discovered one of the greatest Scriptural texts that distinguishes between Adultery and Plural marriage.  The text is located in B'reisheet (Genesis) Chapter 20:

Here we see Avraham traveling with Sarah, his wife and entering the land of Gerar.  Out of fear of the inhabitants of the land, he tells a half-truth and describes Sarah as his sister.  Sarah is described as what would be known today as a "hottie" (i.e. very attractive) and she is taken by King Avimelech to become one of his wives. Avimelech at this point has no idea that she is a married woman.

YHWH is furious!  To take another man's wife is a violation of His revealed will!  YHWH confronts Avimelech.  B'reisheet 20: 3 But Elohim came to Avimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, See, you are but a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.

The penalty for adultery is DEATH!  YHWH is threatening to kill Avimelech for this sin.  (Note that Avimelech is already married to many women and not a word is said about his polygamy - for all those other women are his legal wives)

Avimelech then poses a question to YHWH:


4 But Avimelech had not come near her: and he said, YHWH, will You kill also a tzadik nation?
5 Didn’t he say to me, She is my sister? And she, even said herself, He is my brother. In the integrity of my lev and innocence of my hands have I done this.


Avimelech claims to be righteous and innocent of the charges.  "I was lied to by both Avraham and Sarah.  My heart is pure before you. Will you also destroy the righteous?"

Pay careful attention to YHWH's answer to Avimelech.


B'reisheet 20:6 And Elohim said to him in a dream, Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your lev; for I also withheld you from sinning against Me: therefore I allowed you not to touch her.
7 Now therefore restore the man to his wife; for he is a navi, and he shall make tefillah for you, and you shall live: and if you restore her not, know that you shall surely die, you, and all that belongs to you.


YHWH agrees with him!  Yes, I know you were innocent in wanting to take Sarah as another wife, you didn't know that she was married.  I take adultery very seriously and it will mean your life if you don't return her to her husband, my prophet. You haven't sinned in wanting another wife.  But you can't have this married woman.

Avimelech is never condemned for his polygamy or for wanting to add another spouse.  The distinction here is that he was taking a woman who belonged by covenant to another patriarch.

Yahuwah later puts into place laws concerning adultery and marriage.  Looking at these laws will help us to understand His mindset in this situation with Sarah.

Devarim 22:22 If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shall you put away evil from Yisrael.

If a man (regardless of his marital status) has sexual relations with a married woman - they shall both be stoned to death.  This is EVIL.  This is unacceptable behavior for Yisra'elites.  This is adultery.  (The determination is based solely on the marital status of the woman)


Devarim 22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin is engaged to a husband, and a man finds her in the city, and lies with her; 24 Then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor's wife: so you shall put away evil from among you.


This law applies to a virgin who is engaged (more accurately - betrothed).  Again, it is the status of the woman that makes the determination.  It doesn't matter if the man is married or not. Being a betrothed virgin is legally binding upon the maiden as belonging to another man.  The law also only applies within the city.  If the girl claims that she was raped, yet doesn't cry out "RAPE!", she is also found guilty and they are both stoned. Again, this is called "evil" by YHWH.  How many "Christian" pastors will condemn plural marriage from the pulpit, yet give this action a free pass?


Devarim 22:25 But if a man finds an engaged damsel in the field, and the man forces her, and lies with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die. 26 But to the damsel you shall do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and slays him, even so is this matter: 27 For he found her in the field, and the engaged damsel cried, and there was none to save her.


Again we see an engaged (betrothed) virgin.  This is a rape scenario that occurs in the field (away from the city).  Here, the man (married or not) only is put to death.  The girl is compared with a murder victim and it said that she has no sin worthy of death.  While the adjective "evil" is not expressly used, the comparison to murder makes that point clear.

Devarim 22:28 If a man finds a damsel that is a virgin, who is not engaged, and lays hold of her, and lies with her, and they are found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give to the damsel's abba fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he has humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

Wait a minute!  What is this?  Here we see that a virgin who is not engaged is raped by a man (married or not).  There is no death penalty associated with adultery.  The man's sentence?  He must pay the girl's father and she becomes his wife "till death do us part".  Now, before anyone goes accusing YHWH for promoting rape of innocent virgins, notice that the man is permanently stuck with this woman. What kind of wife do you think she will be to him, knowing that he raped her?  Any man who has ever been in a horrible marriage can attest to the fact that a bad marriage is literally hell on earth.  Such a man will be the first to spread the word of the horrible consequences of rape.  But, see, that the man could have already been married, raped this virgin and now will spend the rest of his life under the weight of two simultaneous bad marriages!  However, the point remains that the man would still be obligated to take a second wife. There is no mention of this being "evil" like in previous examples.  Finally, to finish this section we see:

Devarim 22:30 A man shall not take his abba's wife, nor discover his abba's skirt.


Why doesn't YHWH simply say "You shall not sleep with your mother"? Because Yisra'el was a polygamous nation!  Polygamy was commonplace.  So, by saying "your father's wife" all bases are covered. That is why we see so many laws governing polygamy, not forbidding it.

Now the previous conversation with Avimelech makes more sense. Avimelech thought he was betrothing himself to an unmarried woman. (An innocent act - even though he was a married man).  Yet, in reality, he was trying to marry a woman that was already the property of another man.  YHWH takes marriage and adultery VERY seriously. So should we.  Further, our definitions of marriage and adultery must line up with His person and His word!

10 reasons to declare the truth of Torah Plural Marriage

By: Rabbi Samuel Thompson, BYSW, Australia


In a rural society, the relationship of men and women is abused in one way, and in modern society, it is abused in another way. It is being abused everywhere in the world, whichever form it adopts. In the rural society, polygamy is often abused. In this modern society, polygamy is forbidden, so I will address this side of the coin. Where there is abuse, there the truth will be declared. As a teacher of the Scriptures, this issue is not so much a personal belief or preference but a deeper truth to stand upon and be responsible for. The list is by no means exhaustive and it is impossible for any responsible man, after knowing it to keep quiet.

1. The truth has to be taught. Our fundamental values and understanding of the marriage institution are not according to the Word, and they have affected the way we live life and judge others. Simply, the truth has to be taught.


2. The innocent are wrongfully mocked and ostracized in our society. Modern society has wrongly despised, mocked and ostracized countless true polygamists (who might have done well and have been justified) before Yahuwah. They have been deprived of their rightful place in society. Their offspring are being discriminated as bastards and children of shame. Shouldn’t the truth be declared to defend the wrongly persecuted?


3. The innocent are wrongfully shamed at the pulpit and deprived of their place in the congregation. Many a polygamist has been deprived of community blessing. They are publicly shamed, preached against and wrongly imputed with the sin of adultery and fornication and condemned into hell fire by the modern Church. They have to cruelly give up the other wives and children before they can be "saved" or given membership in the church. What about this? How much do we care for the souls and their rightful place in Yahuwah’s Kingdom?


4. The Assembly is deceived. Historically, it is clear that the Roman-tic should-be monogamy is a theology that has its root, not from our patriarchal forefathers but from the heathen Roman and Babylonian religions. Emperor Nero killed the first wife to marry a second wife and banished the second to get a third, who influenced him to inflict unimaginable cruelty on the early Nazarenes. Do we not expose the works of the devil?


5. The credibility of our founding fathers is being questioned. The foundation of Yahuwah’s Kingdom is questioned and renounced, because by today’s "Christianity", our founding fathers like Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David are in effect considered as backward if not barbaric to have indulged in the "permissive sin" of polygamous adultery. If they were alive today, the "Church" would be erroneously ashamed of them before the world. They would be deprived of church membership, not mentioning their place as founding fathers, yet Yahuwah said in Deut 10:15 that He loves the fathers. Thus, we see the righteousness, holiness and the credibility of our founding fathers undermined. The heathen now set the standard of holiness for our forefathers, whose ignorant children (the church) are now judging them using the laws of the heathen. This must be rectified.


6. True ministers have been wrongfully destroyed. Nowhere in the Scriptures is it mentioned that ministers cannot be polygamous. In fact, there are implications that polygamous servants are acceptable. But in today’s "Christianity", many ministers have been floored, and forcefully thrown out of ministry by opportunists, while in truth, they not only should have been spared but justified, and lifted up as patriarchs. I am not justifying those who take another man’s wife, and those who commit adultery by scriptural definition. I am advocating for those would-be polygamous faithful ministers who have been grounded as fallen stars, robbed and destroyed by ambitious men who took occasion to rise. These have no excuse for not knowing the truth, for if they were led by the Spirit, they would not have destroyed the commanders of Yahuwah in this manner. The Kingdom is losing many mighty warriors because of untruth.


7. From bondage to freedom and fulfillment. Many, because of the anti-polygamy sentiment, stay in secrecy, fear, deprivation and loneliness instead of being set free into the liberty of the Word and fulfilment in their lives. Such, if not for the fear of what others might think or say, may on their own be willing to commit to a responsible polygamous life, but now shy away from doing what is responsible and rightful in their life. Do we not care for our fearful and deprived brothers and sisters? Someone will have to speak up for them.

8. It’s an instruction from Yahushua. Yahushua said, if you love Me, keep My commandments. He also said that when we have the light, we should not keep it under the bed, but place it on the hilltop for all to see. There are those who see this truth but for fear of men and of discrimination and persecution, keep quiet. Do we not obey Moshiach? How much do we love Him?


9. It teaches relationship with Yahuwah and depth in Moshiach. Yahushua said that the deep relationship of Moshiach and His Called-Out Ones of Yahuwah and worthy men, is like a marriage, like that of groom and bride. So, if the forms and principles of the marriage relationship are not properly understood in the right light, the relationship with Yahuwah will never be properly comprehended, and those whom we are ministering to will never be set free. Yahushua told Rabbi Nicodemus, "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" Yochannan/John 3:12. Thus, if one does not have the correct understanding of the natural marriage, he will never be free enough to understand the deeper things of Yahuwah, especially his relationship with Him, and he will never be able to bring others beyond where he is. We need to help others into the depths of Yahuwah if we truly love Him.


10. It’s an urgent answer for the world and Churchianity. Anti-patriarchy means anti-submission to Yahuwah and spiritual leadership. Anti-polygamy means anti-sharing and exclusiveness. Both are the real causes of broken marriages. Both are anti-Moshiach (anti-Christ) and need to be changed. The teaching of patriarchal polygamy will bring about the restoration of Yahuwah’s truth and the right disposition of hearts in Yahuwah’s Kingdom. The hypocritical holiness of should-be monogamy is not answering the world’s need and the frustrated world is turning to homosexuality and lesbianism and are quickly being legalized and infiltrating the Churchianity. The monogamy idol will soon have to be abandoned for the new "homogamy" god if patriarchal polygamy is not quickly put in its right place. If we don’t live in the truth, Churchianity will be plagued and destroyed by untruth and sins.


11. It’s the restoration work of the spirit of Elijah. Here is 1 more than 10. The Word of Yahuwah says that Elijah will come and turn the hearts of the children to the fathers whom Yahuwah said, He takes delight only in them (Deut 10:15). How about doing the Father’s work in the last days?


12. The Called-Out are losing their spiritual women to the world. Here is another 1 more than 11. Not only is it not wrong, but also in some cases scripturally right and noble for patriarchal men to look after more spiritual women, to take care of them so that they can continue to be committed to the Kingdom of Yahuwah, and not have to resort to marrying and subjecting themselves to unbelievers in order for this Yahuwah-given need to be met. Painfully, we see many spiritual women losing their call and contribution to the Kingdom and many times even their salvation because of marriage. This need not happen at all! How can we not take a hard look at this if we truly care for the Kingdom? And know that what is true will provide a solution to this problem. By this we will know that a truth is indeed TRUTH. Christianity is fighting a losing battle because of the lack of knowledge of the truth.


13. The truths regarding Biblical polygamy sets you free. One more than 12. The blindness and darkness over many areas of life are shrouded in the anti-polygamy sentiment and in the misconceptions of Biblical Polygamy. Thus, the truths regarding Biblical Polygamy become the key to unlock the door to many other truths and freedom of life. It is but the key to true liberty and dynamism.


I have listed at least 10 not just good, but important reasons for patriarchal polygamy to be preached and taught.
How can anybody understand these and still keep quiet? The truth will have to be restored, but not without a price! Who will stand for Yahuwah?

Polygamy: What does scripture say?

Polygamy: What does scripture say?

Although Scripture clearly condemns polyandry (a woman having more than one husband, Romans 7:2-3), it does not condemn polygyny (a man having more than one wife). Yet, in today's false "Christian" culture (2 Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3; 2 Peter 2:1-3) this kind of polygamy (i.e. polygyny) is typically viewed as evil, even though the Word of Yahuwah never teaches any such thing (Mishle/Proverbs 4:27).

Popular "Bible teacher" John MacArthur exemplifies this presumption.

In his Study Bible MacArthur writes,
8:30,31 many wives. Gideon fell severely into the sin of polygamy, an iniquity tolerated by many but which never was YHWH's blueprint for marriage (Gen. 2:24). Abimelech, a son by yet another illicit relationship, grew up to be the wretched king in Judg. 9. Polygamy always resulted in trouble. (The MacArthur Study Bible, p.348, copyright 1997, Word Publishing)

MacArthur calls polygamy an "iniquity," faults Gideon for "the sin of polygamy," and calls polygamy and concubinage (Abimelech was the son of Gideon's concubine, Shoftim/Judges 8:31) "illicit" relationships. On page 37 of this same Study Bible MacArthur calls bigamy (having two wives) "open rebellion against Elohim" and a "violation of marriage law" (see MacArthur's footnote for B'reisheet/Genesis 4:19). The problem with this is, Scripture nowhere says any such thing (Mishle/Proverbs 30:5-6). When MacArthur maintains such heresy, he blasphemes (2 Timothy 3:2) Righteous men (e.g. Abraham, Caleb, Gideon, David, even Josiah, see MacArthur's footnote for 2 Kings 23:25), and teaches as doctrines the commandments of men (Mattithyahu/Matthew 15:8-9).

I. Polygamy Was Not Uncommon

As often as polygamy is recorded in Scripture, it is quite amazing how YHVH never condemns the practice. Both wicked men and righteous men were polygamous, and YHVH called neither to repent of it.

Lamech practiced polygamy (B'reisheet/Genesis 4:19). Avraham likewise had more than one wife (B'reisheet/Genesis 16:3-4; 25:6 "concubines"). Nahor, Avraham's brother, had both a wife and a concubine (Genesis 11:29; 22:20-24). Ya'akov was tricked into polygamy (Genesis 29:20-30), yet later he received two additional wives making a grand total of four wives (Genesis 30:4, 9). Esau took on a third wife hoping it might please his father Yitz'chak (Genesis 28:6-9). Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives (1 Chronicles 4:5). Michael, Obadiah, Joel, Ishiah, and those with them "had many wives" (1 Chronicles 7:3-4). Shaharaim had at least four wives, two of which he "sent away" (1 Chronicles 8:8-11). Caleb had two wives (1 Chronicles 2:18) and two concubines (1 Chronicles 2:46, 48). Gideon had many wives (Shoftim/Judges 8:30).

Elkanah is recorded as having two wives, one of which was Hannah filled with the Spirit of Yahuwah (1 Samuel 1:1-2, 8-2:10). Dawid, a man after YHWH's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), had at least 8 wives and 10 concubines (1 Chronicles 1:1-9; 2 Samuel 6:23; 20:3). Shlomo, who breached both Deuteronomy 7:1-4 and 17:14-17, had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:1-6). Rehoboam had eighteen wives and sixty concubines (2 Chronicles 11:21), and sought many wives for his sons (1 Chronicles 11:23). Abijah had fourteen wives (2 Chronicles 13:21). Ahab had more than one wife (1 Kings 20:7). Yehoram had wives who were taken captive (2 Chronicles 21:17). Yehoiada the kohen gave king Yoash two wives (2 Chronicles 24:1-3), and Yehoiachin had more than one wife (2 Kings 24:15). Polygamy is mentioned several times over in the Bible and never once is polygamy condemned.

II. Polygamy Was Governed

Not only is polygyny not forbidden, but Yahuwah actually gave laws concerning its practice. For example, in Devarim 21 YHWH gave Moshe a law regarding a man who had two wives.

"If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved, then it shall be, on the day he bequeaths his possessions to his sons, that he must not bestow firstborn status on the son of the loved wife in preference to the son of the unloved, the true firstborn. But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his." (Deuteronomy 21:15-17)

This law does not condemn the man who has two wives. It simply governs how he deals with the offspring.
Immediately before this passage, we find Devarim 21:10-14.
When you go out to war against your enemies, and YHWH your Elohim delivers them into your hand, and you take them captive, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife, then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and trim her nails. She shall put off the cloths of her captivity, remain in your house, and mourn her father and her mother a full month; after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall set her free, but you certainly shall not sell her for money; you shall not treat her brutally, because you have humbled her.

Here YHWH makes no mention as to whether "you" are already married or not. He simply gives the Yisra'elites the permission to marry a captive girl and how to deal with her. This law applies to either a single man or a married man, and in its application of a married man, YHVH is giving permission for polygamy. In fact, this passage rests in that very context, because the very next statement after verse 14 is, "If a man has two wives, . . ." (Deuteronomy 21:15).

Another interesting law in the light of polygamy is found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10.

If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband's brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Yisra'el.

But if the man does not want to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, "My husband's brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Yisra'el; he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother." Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him. But if he stands firm and says, "I do not want to take her," then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, "So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother's house." And his name shall be called in Yisra'el, "The house of him who had his sandal removed."

This passage requires the living brother to marry his brother's wife, and there is absolutely no statement whatsoever in regards to the living brother's marital status. He could be single, or he could already be married. The passage says nothing either way. All that is said is,

If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband's brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.
If the living brother was already married, then we have here a command from Yahuwah for a man to have a polygamous relationship. If the living brother was already married, in order to obey YHWH, the man would be required to have more than one wife. If he refused to do so, he would be spit in the face and bear reproach (Deuteronomy 25:9-10).

Similarly, if a married man were to have sex with a virgin who was not betrothed, he would be required to marry her, and thus end up with another wife.

If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the bride-price of virgins. (Exodus 22:16-17; see also Deuteronomy 22:28-29)

Here again there is no specification on whether the man is married or not. Therefore, this law would apply to both a single or married man.

Another law regarding polygamy can be found in VaYikra 18:18. Here YHVH forbids, not polygamy, but rather the taking on of a rival sister while the other is still alive.

Nor shall you take a woman as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.
In other words, YHWH forbids a man to take his wife's sister as a wife for the purpose of rivalry.

YHWH also did not allow a man to marry a woman and her mother.
If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness among you. (Leviticus 20:14)

These laws (Leviticus 18:18 & 20:14) do not prohibit polygamy, but rather they ban certain acts of polygamy. Just the same as we are commanded not to murder.  However, under certain circumstances, a man's life may be taken (war, punishment, etc).

Finally, there is one passage in Devarim that some may think condemns polygamy, but, the truth of the matter is, it actually allows it. For the king, Devarim 17:14-17 places a very general limit to the practice of polygamy.

When you come to the land which YHWH your Elohim is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, "I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me," you shall surely set a king over you whom YHWH your Elohim chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Mitsrayim, to multiply horses, for YHWH has said to you, "You shall not return that way again." Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.


This law is given for the king of the land. There is no such law concerning the common Yisra'elite. In other words, if a Yisra'elite were to multiply wives for himself, he would not be breaching this law or any other command from Elohim, because no such command exists. This law does not apply to everyone. It only applies to the king.

Now, does the law say the king cannot have more than one wife? No, it does not. In fact, please note there are three other things the king is not to "multiply for himself," horses, silver, and gold. Could he have a few horses? Certainly, David had at least 100 horses (2 Samuel 8:4), and in this, he did not disobey Yahuwah (1 Kings 15:5). Could a king have some silver and gold? Indeed, David had silver and gold (2 Samuel 12:30; 24:24), and he did not disobey YHWH (1 Kings 15:5). Likewise, could a king have a few wives? Yes he could. David had at least 8 wives and 10 concubines (2 Samuel 3:14; 15:16; 1 Chronicles 3:1-9), and was not disobedient against YHWH in doing so; as 1 Kings 15:5 says,

David did what was right in the eyes of YHWH, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

As for a king who breached Devarim 17:17, Shlomo is the classic example. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Yet, even though Shlomo obviously multiplied wives to himself, YHWH condemns Shlomo, in particular, for his marriage of foreign women (1 Kings 11:1-2; Deuteronomy 7:1-4) and the resultant idolatry (1 Kings 11:4). Yahuwah mentions Shlomo's multiple wives (1 Kings 11:3), but the focus of YHWH's anger is upon Shlomo allowing himself to be seduced by his wives (1 Kings 11:9-10). The focus is not upon how many wives he possessed, but rather upon the marriage of foreign women and how they seduced him into idolatry.

Interesting to note in this polygamous context is the statement about Dawid in 1 Kings 11:6.
Shlomo did evil in the sight of YHWH, and did not fully follow YHWH, as did his father Dawid.

Even though Dawid had at least 8 wives and ten concubines, Dawid fully followed YHWH.

Polygamy was the pattern of Dawid's life. He practiced it unrepentantly. Those who claim Dawid sinned by practicing polygamy (e.g. MacArthur and company) unwittingly proclaim Dawid was of the devil, because 1 John 3:8 says, "He who sins is of the devil." Yet, that is contrary to the word of YHWH himself!

III. Polygamy Included Concubinage

Some today may think that concubinage in the Scriptures was a form of an immoral sexual relationship similar to having a personal mistress. Webster's Third New International Dictionary gives this kind of a definition for "concubine" as one possible meaning.
concubine . . . b: a woman who cohabits with a man without being his wife: MISTRESS (p. 472, copyright 1986, unabridged)
The Hebrew word for concubine is (pilegesh), and it is used for an illicit sexual relationship, but only once.
For she lusted for her paramours, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. (Ezekiel 23:20)
Here in Ezekiel 23:20, the Hebrew word for concubine is translated "paramours." A paramour is an illicit sexual lover indeed, and the context of this passage supports this translation. It is speaking of a woman with her male immoral partners (paramours). The "concubines," so to speak, are male here, not female.

With Ezekiel 23:20 excluded, every time pilegesh is used it speaks of a female concubine that is married to her male partner. Keturah is called Avraham's concubine in 1 Chronicles 1:32, but in Genesis 25:1 she is called Avraham's wife. Dawid's ten concubines are indeed called concubines, but they are also called his wives by YHWH Himself (2 Samuel 12:11; 16:21-22). In Shoftim/Judges 19 & 20 the Levite's concubine "played the harlot" (Judges 19:2) and left "her husband" (Judges 19:3).

She is called a concubine in Judges 19:1, 2, 9, 24, 25, 29; 20:4 and 5, yet at the same time, her male partner, the Levite, is called "her husband" in Judges 19:3 and 20:4. Moreover, the concubine's father is called the "father-in-law" (Judges 19:4, 7, 9), and the Levite is called the "son-in-law" (Judges 19:5). Clearly, concubinage is displayed as a marital commitment.

So, what is the difference between a "wife" and a "concubine"? Wives are free, concubines are not. Scripture portrays concubinage as the marriage of a slave girl. Note VaYikra 19:20.

Whoever lies carnally with a woman who is betrothed to a man as a concubine, and who has not at all been redeemed nor given her freedom, for this there shall be scourging; but they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
Betrothal depicts marriage (Devarim 28:30), and here in VaYikra 19:20 we have the marriage (betrothal) of a slave girl to a man. Being a slave, she is called a concubine, and for this immoral act she is not killed as a free woman would be (Devarim 22:23-24), "because she was not free."

In Shoftim, the concubine's husband is twice called "her master" (Shoftim 19:26, 27). Other concubines are identified likewise. Bilhah, Ya'akov's concubine (B'reisheet 35:22), whom Rachel gave to him for a wife (B'reisheet 30:3-4), was a slave (B'reisheet 35:25 "maidservant"). Likewise, Zilpah was a slave-wife (B'reisheet 35:26; 30:9). Marrying a slave girl was not only practiced; it was legislated in the law of Elohim as well.

And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights. And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without paying money. (Shemot 21:7-11; see also Devarim 21:10-14)
Notice it does not say, "He cannot take another wife." It says, "If he takes another wife." Here we have another law concerning polygamy and it is not forbidden.

Although some today may view concubinage as an evil deed, Leah, in the Scriptures, viewed it as part of that which pleased YHWH.
And YHWH listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Ya'akov a fifth son. Leah said, "YHWH has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband." So she called his name Issachar. (B'reisheet 30:17-18)

Leah had given Zilpah, her slave, to Ya'akov as a wife because she perceived that she had stopped bearing children (B'reisheet 30:9). Yet, she continued to pray for more sons. Yahuwah heard her plea ("YHWH listened to Leah"), and Leah understood this to be a reward from YHWH for giving Ya'akov a concubine.

IV. Polygamy Today

In the beginning YHWH indeed formed one man and one woman and the two became one flesh (B'reisheet 2:24; B'reisheet 1:31; Mark 10:6-8). Whether it be in a monogamous marriage or a polygamous marriage, the two still become one flesh. However, polygamy is NOT illegal in the U.S! What is illegal is Bigamy. (Having "state-reconignized" civil unions with more than one person at a time) Besides, in cases where polygamy is COMMANDED, do we obey the state or YHVH? (For more on this, please see the posts "To Whom are you married" and "Marriage Covenants")

The man becomes one flesh with each of his wives. We know this by the fact that even if a man has sex with a harlot, he nonetheless becomes one flesh with her (1 Corinthians 6:16). Therefore, the two becoming one still applies to each union in a polygamous marriage.
Mishle/Proverbs 18:22 says, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from YHWH." It's a good thing to find a wife, and who's to say it's an evil thing to find more than one? Elohim doesn't say any such thing, and neither should we!

Polygamist Spotlight #3 - Avraham

One of the most famous, and least understood polygamist in scripture is Avraham.  This man was the first Hebrew (crossed over).  According to history and legend he left his pagan father's house and set out to find and worship the One True El.  Consider the following excerpt from Tom Shipley's "Man and Woman in Biblical Law"




B'reisheet 16:1-4:
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bare him no children: and she had a handmaid, a Mitsrite, whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, יהוה  hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. 3 And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Mitsrite, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she
conceived...


Of all the examples of polygamy in Scripture, Avraham’s is one of the most relevant to the question of the lawfulness thereof. John Knox, the great Reformer, once argued that the Biblical incidents or examples of polygamy cannot inform us of the issue of law:


“The men that object the same are not altogether ignorant that examples have no strength when the question is of law. As if I should ask, what marriage is lawful? And it should be answered that lawful it is to a man, not only to have many wives at once, but it is also lawful to marry two sisters and to enjoy them both living at once, because that David, Jacob, and Solomon, servants of God, did the same. I trust that no man would justify the vanity of this reason...for examples may establish no law (emph. supp.-T.S.), but we are bound to the law written and to the commandment expressed in the same.” —John Knox, “The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women,” pg. 63-64


I have no qualm with Knox’s logic here. It is sound. An example of conduct certainly does not justify the conduct or establish any kind of norm. I trust that the reader will perceive that such is not the argument being advocated here. It is to be wished that the monogamy-only proponents would be rationally consistent in advocating this point when it comes to the example of Adam’s supposed monogamy, and confess that “examples may establish no law.”


Knox’s comments, however, treat the subject of polygamy as if it exists in isolation, apart from other textual factors which contribute to an understanding of polygamy’s legal status. For example, if all we know about the man is that he was a polygamist, then this tells us nothing about the legal status of polygamy. But if we add to the fact of polygamy the additional fact that the man was declared by יהוה Himself to be a righteous and obedient man of    יהוה , then this certainly is relevant to the question of the lawfulness of polygamy. For if polygamy is disobedience against   יהוה  , then the man who is a polygamist cannot be declared obedient.


If polygamy is nothing but the heinous sin of adultery, then a man’s polygamy must reflect negatively upon the moral evaluation of the polygamist. But if we know that the polygamist was righteous, then a strong presumption, if not certainty, is created in favor of the proposition that polygamy is lawful. Adultery is not a peccadillo in   יהוה ’s eyes. It is a “great” and heinous sin. It is a form of wickedness for which the Scripture commands the death penalty. Adultery, especially continual unrepented of adultery, cannot be simply overlooked or ignored.


John Knox’s valid logical observation that an example of conduct cannot settle a question of law is just too simplistic to answer the question of the relevance of David’s, Jacob’s, and Solomon’s polygamy. David, Jacob, and Solomon (despite later failures) were all righteous men. They were also polygamists. Moreover, when David committed murder and adultery, he was severely rebuked and punished for both of these sins. Yet nowhere was he (or anyone else) ever condemned for polygamy. How is this to be explained except by the proposition that polygamy is lawful? If it be objected that, “If the polygamy of a righteous man implies the lawfulness of polygamy, then why can’t we turn the logic right around and conclude that the polygamy of an unrighteous man implies the unlawfulness of polygamy?” We have already touched upon this question in regard to Lamech. Many aspects of the lives of the righteous and unrighteous are the same. The fact that many of the unrighteous do many of the lawful things that the righteous do does not make them righteous. The unrighteous are so by virtue of the fact that there remain other sins unrepented of. If, then, polygamy constitutes adultery, or is otherwise unlawful, then he who practices polygamy and does not repent must be counted among the unrighteous. If a polygamist is otherwise unrighteous (i.e., Lamech), this tells us nothing of the status of polygamy. But if we know both that a man is righteous and also a polygamist, then we may rationally conclude that polygamy is lawful. There is another exegetical factor in regard to Avraham and Ya'akov which makes the lawfulness of polygamy virtually certain even without any other supporting evidence.


Consider B'reisheet 18:17-19:
17 And   יהוה  said, Shall I hide from Avraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Avraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of   יהוה  .


And one more relevant statement regarding Abraham:
Because that Avraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. —B'reisheet 26:5


יהוה’s statement to Ya'akov in B'reisheet 26:5 plainly shows that His revelation to Avraham of His laws was very extensive. Unquestionably, the proper regulation of marriage is included in this statement (e.g. Genesis 20). We are explicitly told directly from the mouth of   יהוה   Himself that both Avraham and his household would “keep the way of   יהוה  ,” and then after the fact, that Avraham had in fact done so. Now “keeping” the way of   יהוה   obviously excludes the notion that Avraham violated the way of   יהוה  , yet if we are to believe the traditional line about polygamy, then Avraham was an egregious unrepentant violator of   יהוה  ’s Law. And, indeed, if polygamy constitutes adultery, or is otherwise unlawful, then that conclusion is inescapable. One cannot commit a “great” sin and live in it for many years without repentance, and still be said to be obedient or righteous. The conclusion to be drawn from these considerations is inevitable: if Avraham and Ya'akov kept the way of   יהוה   and were also polygamists, then it follows by logical necessity that polygamy must be lawful.


Shipley does a beautiful job here of illustrating the lawfulness of polygamy through the example of Avraham. However, I think that two very important points are left out.


1)  As I have pointed out several times in past posts, Avraham, who had at least three wives, is used as an example of righteousness by our Master, Yahushua.


Mattithyahu 8:11 And I say to you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Avraham, and Yitzchak, and Yaakov, in the malchut ha shamayim.


The very company of these men (at least two of the three were polygamists) is promised by our Master as a reward for the faithful.  If these men were perverted adulterers, would Yahushua have made such a promise?


Rav Sha'ul, who warned many times about adultery and sexual perversion included our father, Avraham in his list of the faithful in Ivrim 11.




8 By emunah Avraham, when he was called to go out into
a place that he would later receive as an inheritance,
obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he
was going.
9 By emunah he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a
strange country, dwelling in tents with Yitzchak and
Yaakov, the heirs with him of the same promise: 1
10 For he looked for a city that has foundations, whose
Builder and Maker is  יהוה .


Avraham is sited as a man who obeyed on faith!

So we have the testimonies of יהוה, Moshe, Yahushua and Sha'ul that Avraham was a righteous, obedient man of faith.  How dare anyone claim that polygamists are perverts who only want to satisfy the lusts of the flesh!  Shame on you!  These men were MARRIED according to  יהוה . They were righteous according to יהוה.  If your definitions of marriage and perversion don't align with  יהוה 's, then YOU need to repent and fall in line with Him - not the other way around!


2) While not technically a polygamist, I think much can be said about Sarah in the life of Avraham.  Sarah was also listed by Sha'ul in the roll call of great faith.  She gave her husband her maid to be his wife in order for him to  be able to produce children while in her barren condition.  She obeyed her husband and called him "Adon" (Master).  She is sighted as the role model for wives everywhere.  So much can be said about Sarah that I want to devote an entire article about her at a later time.  For now, let us all pray that women everywhere will follow her example and become obedient wives submitted to the authority of their patriarchal heads.

To whom are you married?

This is a MUST SEE video explaining why we should NEVER enter into a "legal" marriage if we are followers of Torah!

New Group

You asked for it - you got it!  We now have a discussion group on Facebook.  It is located at http://www.facebook.com/groups/PolygamyAdvocates/  membership is open for a limited time.  If you are a fan of this blog, I highly encourage you to join.

Why should men have a beard?

Today a co-worker asked me why I keep a beard.  I was able to come up with at least ten reasons.  Here they are:

1) Man was made in Yahuwah's image.  We know that Yahushua is the express image of YHWH's person. (Ivrim/Hebrews 1:3).  And we know that Yahushua kept a beard. (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 50:6).  It was always the custom of Yisra'elites to wear beards.  Thus, to mar or shave the beard is an attack on the very image of Yahuwah.

2) Yahuwah is very clear that men are to look, act and dress like men; women are to look, act and dress as women.  It is an abomination for a man to wear a woman's garments.  The beard was given to man as part of his "manliness."  Therefore, men should look masculine and wear a beard.

3) Historically, shaving the beard is a custom practiced by pagan cultures (most notably those that practiced homosexuality).  Yahushua gave His talmidim clear instructions not to act like pagans.

4) From scripture, we read the account of an incident that happened to some of Melech Dawid's men.  They had half of their beards removed.

2Sa 10:4 So Ḥanun took Dawiḏ’s servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, as far as their buttocks, and sent them away. 
2Sa 10:5 And they informed Dawiḏ, and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the sovereign said, “Wait at Yeriḥo until your beards have grown, and then return.” 

It was a very shameful thing to have your beard shaved.  Notice that the Melech didn't shave the other half of their beards and send them back to their families.  On the contrary, he told them to wait in Jericho until their beards had grown to spare them the shame.

When else were beards shaven?  When someone was cured of leprosy.  (Lev. 14:9)

5) The Kohanim (priests) were commanded to not mar the corners of their beards.  Having such a defect would exclude someone from serving in the Temple.  We are to be a royal priesthood.  (1 Peter/Kepha Alef 2:9)  Therefore, as His priests, we should wear beards.

6)  Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 41:4-7 tells us what happens to shaved men practicing idolatry in the name of YHWH.

7) One of the curses that YHWH pronounces on Moab is to have their beards shaven.  It seems obvious that YHWH doesn't consider being shaved a good thing.
Yirmeyahu 48:37 “For every head is bald, and every beard clipped – cuts on all the hands, and sackcloth on the loins. (They shaved their beards as a sign of immense weeping)

8) Yezekiel HaNavi was commanded to shave his head and beard as a testimony against unrighteous Yisra'el.  This hair was placed on scales and divided.  Since the Kohanim kept their hair short, this pile of hair must have come predominantly from his beard.

9)  We know that this world hates the things of Yahuwah.  This world hates beards.  Our very language proclaims this.  Men are called "CLEAN shaven" or they look like a "DIRTY hippie"with a beard.  Whose Malchut/Kingdom do we want to be a part of?  Yahuwah's (bearded) kingdom or the enemy's shaven kingdom?  Pray that Yah will move upon the heart's of men to stand up and be REAL men - with beards!

10)  "Into the fire down below, that's where the beardless people go.  Where forever they will rot, for all the beards they haven't got."  "There's just nothing better than a beard"  -The Beards of Australia.