Multiple wives

Top verses

Ranked by readers’ votes at OpenBible.info.

• Exodus 21:10

  If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.

• Deuteronomy 17:17

  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

• 1 Corinthians 7:2

  Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

• 1 Timothy 3:2

  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

• 1 Kings 11:3

  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

• Isaiah 4:1

  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

• Luke 16:18

  Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

• 1 Timothy 3:12

  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

• Deuteronomy 21:15–17

  If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

• Matthew 5:32

  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

• Genesis 4:19

  And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

• Proverbs 18:22

  Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

• 2 Samuel 12:8

  And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

• Genesis 2:24

  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

• Matthew 19:3–20

  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? …

• 1 Peter 3:1

  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

• Ephesians 5:31

  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

• Ephesians 5:33

  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

• Titus 1:6

  If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

• Matthew 19:3–9

  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? …

• 1 Samuel 1:2

  And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

• Luke 20:27–40

  Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him, Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. …

• Genesis 35:23–26

  The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: …

• Hebrews 13:4

  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

• 1 Corinthians 6:16

  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

• 1 Peter 3:7

  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

• Philippians 4:6

  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

• Matthew 19:8

  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

• 2 Samuel 5:13

  And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

• Proverbs 12:4

  A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

• Proverbs 19:14

  House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.

• Judges 8:30

  And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

• 2 Chronicles 13:21

  But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

• Genesis 1:27

  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

• Proverbs 14:1

  Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

• Genesis 2:18

  And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

• 2 Chronicles 11:21

  And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

• Luke 1:37

  For with God nothing shall be impossible.

• Isaiah 51:12

  I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

• Malachi 2:15

  And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.