verses that support polygamy/concubines?

[thistle93]

Hi! Wondering if you know of any verses in Bible where God actually sanctions or says He approves of polygamy/concubines? If it does, defense of how and why and not applied today?

If it does not, then it seems many people are purposefully or unintentionally misinterpret Scripture to say the Bible promotes such things. Seems that many today are using the verses that explain that people such as Abraham, David and Solomon had so many wives and concubines as proof we cannot use the Bible to defend "traditional" marriage as between one woman and one man. The interesting thing is the Bible is explicitly clear about homosexual relationships and adultery. My thought is just because David/Solomon did have many wives and concubines does not mean that it was the will of God. It was cultural to that time and not theological. There is alot the the Bible describes which it does not prescribe. My question is why did God not explicitly prohibit it?

Thoughts?

For His Glory-
Matthew

 

[Quatchu]

Multiple wives as well as a harem were status symbols for kings in those days. It was one of many ways Israel conformed the the other nations around them.

 

[AlexanderHenderson1647]

I struggled with this for a while and the answer was right under my nose. It is actually very explicitly stated in the first book of the Bible, reinforced by Jesus and further instructed by Paul:

Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

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.

Personally for me, it was like seeing Jesus precision response to the question of life after death and the resurrection:

Mark 12:18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, 19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

But in terms of the passages on marriage, notice the command/precept of a man and his wife (not wives). The TWO (not 3, 4, 6, 100) shall be one flesh. There are certainly several passages that are DESCRIPTIVE in nature (simply telling us what happened without a command to follow suit like with David, Abraham, Jacob, etc.) but in terms of PRESCRIPTIVE (a command), it is always commanded that one and one is the foundation of a marriage. Not unlike divorcement, God gave a precept via Moses to cover a bad situation from being worse. Divorce was allowed, but never commanded or encouraged. I would argue that this REGULATION of Polygamy in the Mosaic commands were simply "hardness of heart" regulations. To follow what Jesus describes, I believe plural marriage fits rightly under this regulation:

Mark 10:2 "And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept."

Many indulged in it from Christian history in the Old Testament Church. Consider the horror if it had no regulation. Men could have as many wives as they wished, but no standard for how they were to be treated and cared for. The law came to them in that situation and served to keep even worse excesses from occurring. Our missionaries in the OPC run into this often in Uganda. They don't go in and command men (even Christians) to divorce all their wives but one. But, as they evangelize unmarried, they steer them to the command of one and one union. But even plurally married men are forbidden from church offices.

This I believe gives us a reason to consider the nature of plural marriage. Ponder that for a moment - if it is normal and morally ok, why would the Scripture restrict office to men married to only one woman? Clearly, something about it is not Biblical.

There is also the marvel of glorious union with the Savior. In terms of our own salvation, we are pictured with Christ as his Bride (not brides.) Even in example, penultimate example for that matter, our own soteriology is described as a marriage of one man and one bride.

In terms of concubines, it is never regulated or suggested in Scripture (despite descriptive examples) as a legitimate sexual union. It is fornication and never anything less.

If someone supporting concubinage or plural marriage presses that point, this is how I answer. Of course I like you could never say I know for certain WHY God handled it that way. But your reference to descriptive and prescriptive is pretty key here as one reasons with someone about the matter. Are you being challenged by someone, or just generally asking?

 

[Jackie Kaulitz]

They use the example of OT people who had more than one wife as examples. Since the Bible does not outright "forbid" or "declares these godly men as having sinned in taking additional wifes" they believe God might have sanctioned it (even though the Bible also does not state this either).

Abraham
o Sarah (wife)
o Hagar (wife), Gen 16:3, 21:1-13
o Keturah (wife), Gen 25:1
o Concubines & sons, Gen 25:6

Jacob
o Leah
o Rachel (Genesis 29:28)
o Bilhah (She gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife…" Genesis 30:4)
o Zilpah (When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife." Genesis 30:9)

Moses
o Zipporah (And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter." Exodus 2:21. (See also Exodus 18:1-6.))
o Ethiopian Woman And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman." Numbers 12:1)

Gideon (Jerub-Baal)
o Judges 8:29 Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live. 30 He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. 31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek. 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

David (8+ wives +10+ concubines)
o 1) Michal
 "… And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife." 1 Samuel 18:27. (See also 1 Samuel 19:11-18; 25:44; and 2 Samuel 3:13-14; 6:20-23.) But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife," 1 Samuel 25:44,
o 2) Abigail of Carmel
 David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 1 Samuel 25:39, 1 Chr 3
o 3) Ahinoam of Jezreel
 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives." 1 Samuel 25:43, 1 Chr 3
o 4) Eglah
 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron." 2 Samuel 3:4-5, 1 Chr 3
o More wives, 2 Sam 12:8
 And David took him more concubines and wives" 2 Samuel 5:13, 1 Chronicles 14:3
 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 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." 2 Samuel 12:7-8
o 5) Bathsheba
 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife..." 2 Samuel 12:24
o 6) Maacah
 Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;" 2 Samuel 3:3, 1 Chr 3
o 7) Abital
 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron." 2 Samuel 3:4-5, 1 Chr 3
o 8) Haggith
 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron." 2 Samuel 3:4-5, 1 Chr 3
o 10+ concubines
 And David took him more concubines and wives" 2 Samuel 5:13, 1 Chronicles 14:3
 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house." 2 Samuel 15:16. (See also 2 Samuel 16:21-23
 2 Sam 12:11 Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in [a]broad daylight.

Solomon
o 700 wives, 1 Kings 11:3
o 300 concubines, 1 Kings 11:3
 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart." 1 Kings 11:3

Their case is: "If the Bible states any of the men above "followed all the way of the Lord" or "obeyed all the laws", then a case be made for "God must not have considered polygamy a way AGAINST the Lord?"

And also, they argue a cultural case: There have always been more women than men. If these women were unable to find husbands, what would become of them if they couldn't be self-sufficient due to laws of those days (no property ownership, limited job opportunities, etc)? Polygamy might be considered "necessary" for the survival of women in some cultures. Example: In today's world, some cultures make it nearly impossible for a woman to survive unless she has a man who can take care of her. Or else her only job option is prostitution. Examples are India and some other Middle Eastern countries.

Also, there are many laws concerning multiple wives in the OT and none of them forbid polygamy. They only regulate the practice.
Deut 17:17 The king shall not have many wives, that draw his mind to lusts, neither he shall have great weights of silver and of gold. (The king shall not have many wives, who would draw away his mind to lust, or too much fleshliness, nor shall he have great quantities of silver and gold.) (Wycliffe Bible)
Deut 17:17 The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself. (NLT)
=== So "taking some wives" is implied but taking "many or too many" is considered to "turn his heart away from the Lord". Just like too much money will "turn his heart from God" but "some money is not sin."

Exodus 21:10 10 If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.

Deut 21:15-17 15 If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

 

[Scott1]

Scripture clearly condemns all derived forms of violation of the seventh commandment including this one.

Creation patterns the biblical order- God did not create many wives from Adam to be "help meets," etc. By Genesis 2:24,

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

An analogous situation is where the Israelites had long been "putting away" their wife rationalizing that as consistent with God's law:

Matthew 19

3 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?

4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5 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?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

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.

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given

Our Lord said, despite their practice, despite some of the spiritual leaders practicing it, "teachers of the law" imagining it to be permitted, it was NEVER God's law, not ever, even going back to the creation.

So it is with this form of adultery, on whatsoever pretext.

We live in an age, as in Old Testament days, as blinded by sin, confusion and disobedience that rationalizes such things.

You may find helpful studying the Westminster Larger Catechism summary on this commandment and the attendant Scripture proofs which expound both the specifics and broad application of this part of God's moral law, binding on all men in all generations:

Westminster Larger Catechism

Q. 138. What are the duties required in the seventh commandment?

A. The duties required in the seventh commandment are, chastity in body, mind, affections,[767] words,[768] and behavior;[769] and the preservation of it in ourselves and others;[770] watchfulness over the eyes and all the senses;[771] temperance,[772] keeping of chaste company,[773] modesty in apparel;[774] marriage by those that have not the gift of continency,[775] conjugal love,[776] and cohabitation;[777] diligent labor in our callings;[778] shunning all occasions of uncleanness, and resisting temptations thereunto.[779]

Q. 139. What are the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required,[780] are, adultery, fornication,[781] rape, incest,[782] sodomy, and all unnatural lusts;[783] all unclean imaginations, thoughts, purposes, and affections;[784] all corrupt or filthy communications, or listening thereunto;[785] wanton looks,[786] impudent or light behaviour, immodest apparel;[787] prohibiting of lawful,[788] and dispensing with unlawful marriages;[789] allowing, tolerating, keeping of stews, and resorting to them;[790] entangling vows of single life,[791] undue delay of marriage,[792] having more wives or husbands than one at the same time;[793] unjust divorce,[794] or desertion;[795] idleness, gluttony, drunkenness,[796] unchaste company;[797] lascivious songs, books, pictures, dancings, stage plays;[798] and all other provocations to, or acts of uncleanness, either in ourselves or others.[799]

Scripture proofs

[767] 1 Thessalonians 4:4. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour. Job 31:1. I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? 1 Corinthians 7:34. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

[768] Colossians 4:6. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

[769] 1 Peter 3:2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

[770] 1 Corinthians 7:2, 35-36. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.... And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

[771] Job 31:1. I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

[772] Acts 24:24-25. And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

[773] Proverbs 2:16-20. To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

[774] 1 Timothy 2:9. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.

[775] 1 Corinthians 7:2, 9. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.... But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

[776] Proverbs 5:19-20. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

[777] 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.

[778] Proverbs 31:11, 27-28. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.... She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

[779] Proverbs 5:8. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house. Genesis 39:8-10. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

[780] Proverbs 5:7. Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

[781] Hebrews 13:4. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Galatians 5:19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness.

[782] 2 Samuel 13:14. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. 1 Corinthians 5:1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

[783] Romans 1:24, 26-27. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.... For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. Leviticus 20:15-16. And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast. And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

[784] Matthew 5:28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 15:19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Colossians 3:5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

[785] Ephesians 5:3-4. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. Proverbs 7:5, 21-22. That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.... With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.

[786] Isaiah 3:16. Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet. 2 Peter 2:14. Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children.

[787] Proverbs 7:10, 13. And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart.... So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him....

[788] 1 Timothy 4:3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

[789] Leviticus 18:1-21. Mark 6:18. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Malachi 2:11-12. Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

[790] 1 Kings 15:12. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 2 Kings 23:7. And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove. Deuteronomy 23:17-18. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God. Leviticus 19:29. Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. Jeremiah 5:7. How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. Proverbs 7:24-27. Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

[791] Matthew 19:10-11. His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

[792] 1 Corinthians 7:7-9. For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. Genesis 38:26. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

[793] Malachi 2:14-15. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 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. Matthew 19:5. 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?

[794] Malachi 2:16. For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. 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.

[795] 1 Corinthians 7:12-13. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

[796] Ezekiel 16:49. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Proverbs 23:30-33. They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

[797] Genesis 39:19. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. Proverbs 5:8. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house.

[798] Ephesians 5:4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. Ezekiel 23:14-16. And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion, Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity: And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. Isaiah 23:15-17. And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. Isaiah 3:16. Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet. Mark 6:22. And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. Romans 13:13. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 1 Peter 4:3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.

[799] 2 Kings 9:30. And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. Jeremiah 4:30. And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. Ezekiel 23:40. And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments.