The Lord's Clear Message Concerning Multiple Wives
Many point to Jacob 2:30 as scriptural support for the idea that God has, in the past and may in the future, “command” his people to participate in polygamy. I’d like to suggest that a proper reading and understanding of this chapter shows that the Lord does not give any allowance for such a practice and that He, overwhelmingly, condemns it.
Indications of the severity and seriousness of the situation
Jacob makes his purpose clear of why he is speaking to the people. They are “beginning to labor in sin” which he realizes is very severe:
“which sin appeareth very abominable unto me, yea, and abominable unto God. Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts.”Jacob 2:5
Jacob is a man of God, a consecrated preist, who has had conversations with the Lord and he is caused to “shrink with shame before the presence of” his Maker. His Maker, who is a holy and just being. Even the idea of multiple wives cannot be brought close to God without wanting to dissapear from His presence.
Jacob also explains that the Lord gave him strict command concerning this issue: “because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes”(Jacob 2:9). He even says it again in the very next verse: “I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations”(Jacob 2:10). This is clearly a very serious matter to God and to Jacob that the people should not be involved in multiple wife relationships and that they need to hear this message in a way that there would be no mistaking the meaning. In fact, Jacob goes on to address the issue of pride using his own words and then turns to the “grosser crime” of many wives. However, instead of using his own words this time, he uses a direct quote of what the Lord has spoken to him. Remember Jacob is under strict command and we can see that here. Jacob doesn’t want to paraphrase and risk diluting the message. Instead, he tells the people exactly what the Lord has said. Starting in verse 23:
“For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.”Jacob 2:23
Some of the people in Jacob’s day were trying to use the scriptures, specifically David and Solomon as justification for committing whoredoms. God pointedly tells them that they do not know the scriptures and that what David and Solomon did was “abominable before me”(Jacob 2:24). It is crystal clear up to this point that polygamy is a serious diversion from the will of God, abominable, and a gross crime. There is zero room here for this message to be interpreted otherwise. The Lord continues:
Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.
Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people otherwise.
They shall hearken unto these things; for behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.Jacob 2:24-30