The biblical King Solomon is known for having an exceptionally large number of wives and concubines, specifically 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines, totaling 1,000 women, according to 1 Kings 11:3 and 2 Chronicles 9:25. These women, many from foreign nations, were often part of strategic political alliances, though their presence eventually led Solomon to worship foreign gods, turning his heart from the Lord.
He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines—a thousand women in all! And they did seduce him away from God. As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful—he didn't stay true to his GOD as his father David had done.
According to the biblical account, Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. The wives were described as foreign princesses, including Pharaoh's daughter and women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon and of the Hittites.
Solomon, third king of Israel (reigned c. 968–928 B.C.E.), is said to have had a harem that included 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kgs 11:3).
Having so many wives was likely a status symbol for Solomon. Many of these wives were likely obtained as part of a political strategy : think foreign princesses given in marriage to secure peace or alliances. They were probably housed in different locations managed by eunuchs and officials.
And plainly, the New Testament doesn't allow it. Jesus says a man should be joined to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Matt. 19:3-6). Jesus defines adultery as even looking at another woman lustfully (5:27-28).
Both the Deuteronomist and the Chronicler repeatedly testify that Solomon married an African woman who was the daughter of Pharaoh. The fact that Pharaoh‟s daughter was singled out in this manner is significant as similar treatment was not given to his many other wives and concubines.
Bathsheba (/bæθˈʃiːbə, ˈbæθʃɪbə/; Hebrew: בַּת־שֶׁבַע Baṯ-šeḇaʿ, lit. 'Daughter of Sheba' or 'Daughter of the Oath') was an Israelite queen consort. According to the Hebrew Bible, she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite and later of David, with whom she had all of her five children.
“King Solomon was famously known for his 1,000 wives. Nearly every king in ancient history, whether in Europe or in the East, maintained a large harem. Roman and ancient Greek cultures also permitted and normalized the keeping of multiple concubines.
David ruled in Jerusalem 33 years. These were David's children who were born in Jerusalem: David and Bathsheba, Ammiel's daughter, had four children. They were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon.
Therein, Kipling identifies Balkis, "Queen that was of Sheba and Sable and the Rivers of the Gold of the South" as best, and perhaps only, beloved of the 1000 wives of Suleiman-bin-Daoud, King Solomon.
God allowed polygamy then for the same reason that He allows fornication now. Although our sin has consequences, He doesn't prevent us from committing it. Even though David was "a man after God's own heart", he was still a sinner. Just like his son Solomon, who was the wisest man who ever lived but still went astray.
Concerning the kings, Deuteronomy 17: 17 [The king] must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. David had eight wives: Michal, Ahinoam, Jezreel, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, and Bathsheba.
Her purpose was to provide a male heir in the case of a barren wife, to provide more children in general to enhance the family's workforce and wealth, and to satisfy the man's sexual desires. A concubine was endowed with rights and protections by Hebrew law but was not equal in status to a wife.
9Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded.
1 Kings 11 tells the story of his downfall: “… his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted the Lord his God… Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely….”
Abigail's story echoes in the hearts of all women as an example of true submission and courage, even in the face of danger… In 1 Samuel 25, a beautiful story emerges, one of submission and deliverance.
Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines. They bore him 28 sons and 60 daughters. His wives included his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
Michal is a gender-neutral name that may look familiar at first glance! It is a unique diminutive of Michael, a Hebrew name meaning "who is like God?" and "brook," from the root mikal. Michal has Slovak, Polish, and Czech usage too, and is popular in Eastern Europe as an alternative to its Hebrew origins.
Father-daughter marriage was less common. One clear case is Ramses the Great who married at least two of his daughters: Bintanath and Meritamen. The practice of royal incest was fully adopted by the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled Egypt for 275 years.
Moses, a Jew, apparently married a black African and was approved by God. We learn in Numbers that “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman” (Num. 12:1).
Zipporah is a Midianite woman who becomes the wife of Moses. After Moses kills an Egyptian, he flees from the pharaoh and settles among the Midianites, an Arab people who occupied desert areas in southern Transjordan, northern Arabia, and the Sinai.