King Solomon from the Bible is widely recognized as having the most wives, with biblical accounts stating he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, predominantly foreign princesses, as described in 1 Kings 11:1-3. This extensive polygamy made him stand out, even among other polygamists like King David, who had multiple wives but far fewer.
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).
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.
Abijah married fourteen wives, and had 22 sons and 16 daughters. No attempted harmonization has found acceptance with scholars.
If we accept Ashley's hypothesis, it suggests that Moses may have had two different wives in the Bible: Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro. She plays a significant role in Moses' journey from Midian to Egypt. Cushite woman from Nubia whose exact identity and specific relation to Moses are not elaborated in the Bible.
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).
The first polygamist in Scripture is Lamech, in Genesis 4. There's a positive character named Lamech in Genesis 5, and he's the father of Noah.
Historical Narrations Mention a Much Higher Number
But Al-Hafidh ibn Hajar narrated in his story of Sulayman (peace be upon him) in Al-Bidayah wanl-Nihayah, vol. 2, from many of the Salaf, that the number of Sulayman's wives was one thousand.
Also that Caleb had two wives, Azubah, the first, apparently the same as Jerioth, and Ephrah, the second, the mother of Hur; and that this second marriage of Caleb did not take place till after Hezron's death. SEE NEGEB-CALEB.
According to one view, Abraham remarried after the death of Sarah and had a total of three wives: Sarah, Hagar, and Keturah. Another tradition identifies Keturah with Hagar, and thus Abraham married only twice.
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.
While the Old Testament does not explicitly condemn polygamy, it does present it as a deviation from God's original design for marriage. In the New Testament, Jesus reaffirms the Genesis 2:24 standard for marriage, emphasizing the unity and exclusivity of the relationship between husband and wife (Matthew 19:4-6).
To restore their honor and give them the status of queen, Shri Krishna married them. That is how he came to have 16,108 wives. All princesses of Lord Krishna were extremely beautiful and were attracted to Krishna's beauty.
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.
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.
Generally, Islamic tradition holds that he was the third ruler of the Israelites and a wise one. In contrast to Talmudic tradition, Muslims maintain that Solomon remained faithful to God throughout his life and was blessed with authority given to none before nor after him.
Though the Bible does not specifically forbid having multiple wives or husbands, it is not God's original plan. The Lord's expectation for marriage is that it be held as a sacred covenant between one man and one woman.
The phrase "sons of God married the daughters of men" comes from Genesis 6:1-4, describing a period before the great flood where divine beings or a righteous human lineage intermarried with ordinary women, resulting in powerful, giant offspring called Nephilim (mighty men of old), leading to widespread corruption and God's decision to send the flood. Interpretations vary: the most traditional view sees angelic beings mating with humans, while others suggest godly descendants of Seth marrying wicked descendants of Cain, or powerful rulers taking wives.
God guaranteed Caleb an inheritance in the land of promise because “he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, completely” (Joshua 14:14). Forty years later, an eighty-five-year-old Caleb still displayed an unshakeable faith. When we read Caleb's story, we might be tempted to feel insecure about our own faith in God.
Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha is often cited as occurring when she was nine, consistent with 7th-century Arabian norms where marrying girls at puberty (around this age) was common and accepted, allowing integration into the husband's family before consummation. While some traditional Islamic sources report this age, modern historians and scholars debate it, with some arguing for older ages (like 17 or 18) based on timelines from other historical accounts, suggesting cultural context or misinterpretation of sources might explain the discrepancy.
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.
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.
In some Jewish folklore, such as the Alphabet of Sirach ( c. 700–1000 AD), Lilith appears as Adam's first wife, who was created at the same time and from the same clay as Adam. The legend of Lilith developed extensively during the Middle Ages, in the tradition of Aggadah, the Zohar, and Jewish mysticism.
Polygamy in the Old Testament
The Old Testament allows polygamy but doesn't encourage it. Great men such as Abraham, Israel, Judah, Gideon, Samson, David, and Solomon had multiple wives, though the Old Testament records many problems that resulted.
In the Jewish book The Alphabet of Ben-Sira, Eve is Adam's "second wife", where Lilith is his first.