by jimwalton » Sun Oct 11, 2020 4:02 pm
I agree with you that the problem was not multiple wives, but wives who compromised his relationship with God. In those days, wives were the way they secured political treaties, so Solomon could not have Israel at peace with all its neighbors without all these treaties (i.e., wives). Walton and Walton write: "Marriage in the ancient world was primarily an alliance between families. It is not surprising, then, that international and political alliances also came to be established by marriage among the parties. These marriages were purely diplomatic and did not serve any of the purposes that marriage serves in the modern Western world. ... Royal polygamy was essential for international treaties and also demonstrated the power of the king. Prohibiting the practice to Israel’s king does not represent some monogamous ideal. The reason for the prohibition in Dt. 17.17 is to prevent his heart from being led astray. Israel is thus called to resist what was a standard behavior in the ancient world because such a practice would prove detrimental to the nation’s covenant loyalty to YHWH."
Verse 2 makes clear what the problem was. It wasn't multiple wives, but wives that "will surely turn your hearts after their gods."
So it's not even the case that if Solomon had married Israelite women it would have been OK, since marrying Israelite women would not have accomplished the goal of international treaties.
I agree with you that the problem was not multiple wives, but wives who compromised his relationship with God. In those days, wives were the way they secured political treaties, so Solomon could not have Israel at peace with all its neighbors without all these treaties (i.e., wives). Walton and Walton write: "Marriage in the ancient world was primarily an alliance between families. It is not surprising, then, that international and political alliances also came to be established by marriage among the parties. These marriages were purely diplomatic and did not serve any of the purposes that marriage serves in the modern Western world. ... Royal polygamy was essential for international treaties and also demonstrated the power of the king. Prohibiting the practice to Israel’s king does not represent some monogamous ideal. The reason for the prohibition in Dt. 17.17 is to prevent his heart from being led astray. Israel is thus called to resist what was a standard behavior in the ancient world because such a practice would prove detrimental to the nation’s covenant loyalty to YHWH."
Verse 2 makes clear what the problem was. It wasn't multiple wives, but wives that "will surely turn your hearts after their gods."
So it's not even the case that if Solomon had married Israelite women it would have been OK, since marrying Israelite women would not have accomplished the goal of international treaties.