Twelve Brothers, Four Mothers, One Man, God's Plan

Jacob, a.k.a., Israel, was a polygamist. God selected him to be the father of a great nation -- His people. And he had twelves sons who (basically) became the tribes of that nation. How could God choose such an immoral relationship as the basis for a nation?

Perhaps it wasn't -- and still isn't -- the least bit immoral.

Leah was Jacob's first wife. She wasn't favored by Jacob, but God saw her distress and favored her with Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, the four eldest children. Later she would give birth to Issachar and Zebulun (as well as a daughter, Dinah).

Rachel, Jacob's favored wife, was barren and wanted to even the score. She gave her handmaiden to her husband as a concubine, Bilhah -- not even a wife. So...

Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naphtali, who were considered equal sons.

Leah sought to stay ahead in this race, so she too gave her handmaiden, Zilpah, as a concubine for Jacob. So...

Zilpah gave birth to Gad and Asher.

Finally, Rachel gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin.

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that this was the ideal relationship -- a norm on which to pattern your marriage. Leah was married to Jacob as part of a deception by her father, and it doesn't sound like Jacob loved her as he should've. Bilhah and Zilpah probably didn't have much choice in the matter, given that they were slaves. The family itself was, in many ways, full of dysfunction.

Yet the point should not be missed: Nowhere in Scripture are these conjugal relationships condemned -- not ever, not once, and not even slightly. Jacob is not accused of adultery or fornication. Nor are his wives and concubines of any sin for marrying and/or bearing Jacob's children.

Who wishes to cast the first stone at this man and these women? If God did not prohibit or condemn plural marriage -- if God didn't call it sin -- should we?

If so, on what basis?

"In Essentials, Unity; in Non-essentials, Liberty; in All Things, Charity."