Help me understand OT multiple wives

[lbeels]

I've been reading 2 Samuel. I know in OT times that having multiple wives and concubines was a part of the culture. In 2 Samuel, David had multiple wives and concubines and was a man after God's own heart. David won every battle he went in to because it says that the Lord was with him.
I know that his adultery with Bathsheba was the start of his downfall. Actually it was staying home from the battles that preceded this that was the beginning of problems.

Please help me understand why it is that the Lord favored David while he had so many wives and concubines. I understand that God's grace is with us sinners but even though this was cultural isn't it clearly against God's commands of one man and one woman for life? This has been God's will (one man and one woman for life) since Adam and Eve.

I guess I just can't comprehend this. :idunno The thought of my husband having another wife is painful at best to think about. I imagine these women of OT days had a very difficult time living together.

Thanks

[BrideOfChrist]

I'd be interested in a response to this too..........

[ByHisGrace]

I know, me too.

Although look at Sarai, *she* told her husband to sleep with her maidservant Hagar, because she couldn't have babies. Maybe the wives didn't see it the way wives today would see it.?

I thank you God that I'm alive right now in America! And it's just me and hubby! Praise God!

[CelticMist]

http://www.bibleanswer.com/wives.htm

[ByHisGrace]

Thank you!

[Solo Fide]

[QUOTE=ByHisGrace;252303]
Maybe the wives didn't see it the way wives today would see it.? QUOTE]

There aren't too many instances in the Bible where multiple wives worked out very well- so I don't think they felt any differently. Sarah came to hate Hagar- and her son!

A friend of mine was considering surrogacy- I warned her that the woman she was carrying the baby for would eventually go nuts- that she only THOUGHT she wanted you to carry her husband's child- guess what? She did go nuts!! But thank God my friend didn't become pregnant- so she was able to get out of this situation. BTW, I warned her about it on multiple levels, and the woman's emotions was only one small issue.

[Sing4Him]

And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David
For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Mark 12:35,36

David's acceptance of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.. and David repented to God.

David was seen righteous in the eyes of God.

(Jesus, son of David, Messiah, Lord God Almighty)

[Lexie]

[QUOTE=ByHisGrace;252303]
Maybe the wives didn't see it the way wives today would see it.? QUOTE]

There aren't too many instances in the Bible where multiple wives worked out very well- so I don't think they felt any differently. Sarah came to hate Hagar- and her son!

A friend of mine was considering surrogacy- I warned her that the woman she was carrying the baby for would eventually go nuts- that she only THOUGHT she wanted you to carry her husband's child- guess what? She did go nuts!! But thank God my friend didn't become pregnant- so she was able to get out of this situation. BTW, I warned her about it on multiple levels, and the woman's emotions was only one small issue.

Solo,

I don't think Sarah hated Hagar. Hagar acted proudly, against Sarah, once she knew she carried Abrahams child. Ishmael mocked Isaac, and would have killed Isaac, if Sarah wouldn't have listened to God, by warnng her husband. It's kind of funny how Sarah blamed Abraham for Hagar, when she was the one who asked Abraham, to give her children, through Hagar..

The Birth of Ishmael
But Sarai, Abram's wife, had no children. So Sarai took her servant, an Egyptian woman named Hagar, 2 and gave her to Abram so she could bear his children. "The Lord has kept me from having any children," Sarai said to Abram. "Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her." And Abram agreed. 3 So Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram first arrived in the land of Canaan.)
4 So Abram slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress Sarai with contempt. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "It's all your fault! Now this servant of mine is pregnant, and she despises me, though I myself gave her the privilege of sleeping with you. The Lord will make you pay for doing this to me! [fn1] "
6 Abram replied, "Since she is your servant, you may deal with her as you see fit." So Sarai treated her harshly, and Hagar ran away.
7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a desert spring along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?"
"I am running away from my mistress," she replied.
9 Then the angel of the Lord said, "Return to your mistress and submit to her authority." 10 The angel added, "I will give you more descendants than you can count." 11 And the angel also said, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael, [fn2] for the Lord has heard about your misery. 12 This son of yours will be a wild one-free and untamed as a wild donkey! He will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live at odds with the rest of his brothers."
13 Thereafter, Hagar referred to the Lord, who had spoken to her, as "the God who sees me," [fn3] for she said, "I have seen the One who sees me!" 14 Later that well was named Beer-lahairoi, [fn4] and it can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old at that time.

[Solo Fide]

Well I didn't say that Sarah didn't have cause to dislike Hagar. And it does she that Sarah treated her harshly and that Hagar ran away. My main point was that, Biblically speaking, I can't think of a multi-wife marriage that went very well- that's all. I mean I know we aren't told about all the relationships of all the kings and such that had huge harems or anything- but that's really a bit different than having just a few wives who had regular duties and interaction. I mean think about it- I wonder who my husband is going to sleep with tonight?!!!:tsk

[KnightErrant]

[QUOTE=ByHisGrace;252303]
Maybe the wives didn't see it the way wives today would see it.? QUOTE]

There aren't too many instances in the Bible where multiple wives worked out very well- so I don't think they felt any differently. Sarah came to hate Hagar- and her son!

When sociologists interview women in polygamous societies, such as Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, many of the women do appear to be happy and content. No one explains just why, but one possible explanation is that the wives enjoy the fellowship and task sharing of the arrangement. More research needs to be done.