Beth-El Baptist Church

1/07/076

Greg Tomlinson

What is the difference between a wife and a concubine?

The scriptures use multiple terms for women that are in personal and intimate relationships with men. The two most common terms for women in a longer-term relationship, meaning not whore, harlot or prostitute, are the words wife and concubine. In the context of this study, we will also take a second look at issues of plural wives versus a single wife.

1. What is meant by a wife?

Genesis 2:24-25 see also Matthew 19:5-6

Genesis 2:18; 3:20

The Hebrew word that is translated as “wife” is “ishah”. It is the feminine version of “ish”. It has the simple meaning of woman, meaning the female counterpart of man. These are different Hebrew words that what is in Genesis 1:27 for “male” (zakar) and “female” (neqebah).

The Greek word that is translated as “wife” is “gune”. It carries the same basic meaning as the Hebrew “ishah”.

In simplified terms, a wife is a woman who is considered to be a part of or complementarily to her husband or man. The two combined are considered “one flesh”.

2. What is meant by a concubine?

2 Samuel 15:16

The Hebrew word for concubine is “piylegesh”. The word carries with it the connotation of a servant, slave, or maid. She is one that has service responsibilities for the house and can also be used for sexual relations and for procreation purposes.

3. How does one become a wife?

Genesis 2:22; 24:50-58; 29:22-28; 34:1-12

Exodus 22:7-10; 16-17

Judges 14:1-3, 10-11, 15-18

The best way to get to know whom your wife/spouse will be is for God himself to introduce you and to make it clear. Such is the case with Adam/Eve and Isaac/Rebekah. Part of becoming a wife includes asking and getting the permission of the family. There is also a very public notification of the newly created relationship. This lets every one know that the two are now being defined as being married. There is commonly a weeklong feast as seen with Jacob and Leah/Rachel and with Samson.

4. How does one become a concubine?

Genesis 30:1-4, 9-11; 37:2

Judges 8:30-31; 19:1-10

The process of becoming a concubine is less defined. The word itself indicates that it would be associated with being a household servant. Thus a concubine would come from amongst the man’s slaves or other servants. In some cases, the concubine would be the handmaid of the wife who was “given to” her husband in order to bare children for the wife. It appears that there would be no feast or high profile identification of the union. It just sort of began.

5. What are some other interesting verses about wives and concubines?

Genesis 38:6-14; Deuteronomy 25:5 – Deceased brother without children

Ezra 10:2-3, 10-19, 44; 2 Corinthians 6:14 – Believers are to marry believers

Exodus 22:16-17 – Sex outside of marriage could force a marriage

Leviticus 20:10-12 – Death for adultery

Leviticus 21:7, 13-14 – Priest could only marry a virgin

Deuteronomy 20:7; 24:5 – Marriage resulted in one-year release from the military

Proverbs 5:18; Ecclesiastes 9:9 – remain with wife for life

Proverbs 18:22; 19:14 – Wife is a gift from God

Exodus 22:16; Deuteronomy 20:7; Matthew 1:18-20 – Delay between proposal and marriage

2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:31-32 – Picture of relationship between Christ and church

Judges 19:22-28; Esther 2:14 – Different care for a concubine

2 Samuel 3:7; 16:21-22; 1 Kings 2:19-24 – Sex with king’s concubine – seeking kingdom

6. Are there limits associated with the number of wives?

Genesis 2:24-25

Matthew 19:5-6

Mark 10:7-9

1 Corinthians 7:2-5

Ephesians 5:31-32

Genesis 7:13 – Clearly identified that Noah and sons each had one wife

Genesis 25:1; 1 Chronicles 1:32-33 – Keturah referred to as wife, later as concubine

The scriptures are clear. A godly designed marriage is one man, one woman, for life. For further clarity, look at plural wives.

Genesis 4:19-24 – First plural wives – Lamech, descendant of Cain, treated as possession

Genesis 6:1-3 – Plural wives identified as part of reason for world wide flood

Genesis 16:3-9; 17:15-19; 18:9-10; 24:36 – Only Sarai referred to Hagar as Abram’s wife

Genesis 29:18-30 – Jacob tricked into multiple wives

Genesis 16:1-5; 30:14-16; 1 Samuel 1:2-6 – Plural wives sparks jealously

Genesis 26:34; 28:9 – Esau’s multiple wives

1 Kings 11:3-4 – Plural wives resulted in Israel broken into two parts

2 Samuel 11:3-5; 13:1-14 – Plural wives directly attributed to David’s downfall (Bathsheba, Absalom, Amnon)

1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:5-6 – Elders, deacons one wife

Deuteronomy 17:15-17 – Kings are not to have multiple wives

Looking at scripture regarding multiple wives, for the most part multiple wives is associated with the unbelievers (Lamech, Esau) and the recipient of judgment (flood), or result of deception (Jacob). Although man may see it as multiple wives, God still only sees the one wife, the wife of your youth (Abraham). Even with Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon, the plurality of wives resulted in great trouble.

Summary:

Scripture defines a special relationship between one man and one woman and calls it marriage. The wife is the lifetime companion of the husband. A concubine is a servant that cares for the house and has relations with the man of the house. Plural wives has always lead to problems and is not God’s desire.