Abrams' Polygamy

 Abrams' Polygamy

Something quite well established in Genesis is that polygamy, having multiple wives, is a great occasion for feud and jealousy.

Originally God had established the marriage bond to be with one man and one woman. They were made for each other and this bond was sacred. They were to be one flesh.

But having multiple wives either takes away from its sacredness or there will be jealousy for that sacred bond.
The first polygamist was Laban from the line of Cain.

But now that we see it among God’s own people it is not particularly described in a positive way.

It says:


[Gen 16:1-6 NKJV] 1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no [children]. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing [children]. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong [be] upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me." 6 So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid [is] in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.


The whole situation was a mess.

Sarai was in the wrong for even proposing this idea in the first place and in the way she handled the situation. Abram was in the wrong for agreeing with it. Hagar was in the wrong for agreeing with it and despising Sarai afterwards. Her response was natural.

Sarai had not been able to get children after all those years and Hagar got it quite easily. It could be easily thought that Sarai was cursed and Hagar blessed. That Hagar was a lot more worthy. And thus she despised her own mistress. And she despised her enough that this was visible in her actions and words. 

The conclusion was that Sarai treated her harshly with Abrams' consent and that Hagar fled away to the wilderness.

And such is the effect of polygamy. Jealousy, people being despised and fights This could all be avoided by simply not allowing this to happen in the first place.
Abram and Sarai should have trusted God’s promises despite circumstances.

Polygamy should be avoided. Marriage is a sacred thing and once it is shared with multiple wives the consequence is that either marriage becomes less meaningful or similar feelings will be present as in this story.


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