Marrying Again

When David heard Nabal was dead, he sent servants to Abigail with a proposal of marriage. Abigail did not hesitate to accept his proposal (1 Samuel 25:42).

David “was already the husband of one wife, but the custom of the nations of his time had perverted his judgment and influenced his actions. Even great and good men have erred in following the practices of the world. The bitter result of marrying many wives was sorely felt throughout all the life of David.” We are told: “David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. “But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim” (vv. 43, 44).

Ahinoam would soon be the mother of Amnon (2 Samuel 3:2), David’s firstborn son. The next son in line for the throne would be Abigail’s son, Chileab.

Multiple wives meant multiple sons of nearly the same age vying for the throne of their father. As we shall see, this created serious rivalries between the sons, their father, and their mothers. Polygamy was never God’s plan for humankind.

It “was practiced at an early date. It was one of the sins that brought the wrath of God upon the antediluvian world. Yet after the Flood it again became widespread.” During the time of Abraham, “polygamy had become so widespread that it had ceased to be regarded as a sin, but it was no less a violation of the law of God, and was fatal to the sacredness and peace of the family relation. Abraham’s marriage with Hagar resulted in evil, not only to his own household, but to future generations.” “The kingly idolatrous nations considered it an addition to their honor and dignity to have many wives, and David regarded it an honor to his throne to possess several wives. But he was made to see the wretched evil of such a course by the unhappy discord, rivalry and jealousy among his numerous wives and children.” When the sanctity of marriage is violated, Satan claims more than one victim.