Polygamy in the Bible

And Lamech took to him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me."

Then the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all that they liked.

Then went Esau to Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest what service I have done thee.

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels.

If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.

The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon an Hittite and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon an Hivite.

So Esau took his wives and his sons, and his daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his flocks, and all his cattle, and all his substance, which he had gotten in the land of Canaan, and went into another country from his brother Jacob.

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.

And Gideon had seventy sons begotten of his body: for he had many wives.

And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they were both his wives.

And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.

David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.

So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.

Thus said the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of his sin.

And he had seven hundred wives, that were princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned away his heart.

For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, so that his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the heart of David his father.

And so did he for all his outlandish wives, which burnt incense and offered unto their gods.

Then the King of Israel sent for all the Elders of the land, and said, Take heed, I pray you, and see how he seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I denied him not.

And he carried away Jehoiachin into Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his eunuchs, and the mighty of the land, carried he away into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

But Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah, and Naarah.

Also David took more wives at Jerusalem, and David begat more sons and daughters.

And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: for he took eighteen wives and threescore concubines, and begat eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.

So Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives, so that there was not a son left him, save Jehoahaz the youngest of his sons.

And Jehoiada took him two wives, and he begat sons and daughters.

Then were brought the golden vessels, that were taken out of the Temple of the Lord’s house at Jerusalem, and the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines drank in them.