Moses' Wife or Wives
 

In Exodus 2:15-22 it says that Moses fled to Midian and married Zipporah, the daughter of Reul who was a priest there. In Exodus 3:1 Reul is called Jethro. After his call at the burning bush, Moses returned to Egypt with Zipporah and his two sons, ref Exodus 4:18-26 and on the way one of his sons was circumcised. Do we know why only one was circumcised and how old his sons were by then? In Exodus 18:1-27 we read about Jethro, Zipporah, and Moses' two sons joining up with them in the wilderness after the Exodus. It says that Moses had sent his wife and sons back some time (to Midian) before that. Jethro offered a sacrifice to YHWH and gave Moses advice on governing Israel and then returned to his own land. In Numbers 12:1 it says that Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman that he had married.

A couple of questions:
Is the Ethiopian wife mentioned in Numbers 12:1 the same wife as Zipporah that Moses had married in Midian? Or is this Ethiopian wife referenced in Numbers 12:1 a second wife for Moses?

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Dunno.

Next question?

:D

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

It was his 2cnd wife. The first, Zipporah, was a Midianite who are the modern day Saudis.

The second was a from Ethiopia, which is way across the straits from there. The two lands are fairly close, but are still different.

There is no talling what happened to Zipporah, or there sons. It is possible that she died, or that she stayed with her father, Jethro in Midian. I believe, personally, that she probably died thus freeing Moses from that covenant. But.. no proof, just conjecture.

TJJJ

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Polygamy is not a sin, so stop acting like she had to die for him to marry another. nowhere in the OT law is it made a sin. Actually the law made rules concerning polygamy but not against.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

speaking of polygamy,
do you believe Mary (the mother of Jesus) was the only wife of Joseph?

Some believe Joseph was married before and had children and that he later married Mary and lived with her but had no sexual relations with her all his life. Is it possible that he had two wives at the same time, one more his age and then Mary as a child bride?

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Who would they say is the father of Jesus' brothers? Oh no! Don't tell me! More virgin births? :uhoh

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Some believe the brothers and sisters of Jesus were children of Joseph and a wife before he married Mary. Some believe that wife died and he then married Mary. Some believe the brothers and sisters of Jesus were actually His cousins. The word "brother" was broadly used at that time to represent kinfolks.

Some Roman Catholics believe that Mary was a perpetual virgin. That she and Joseph never had sex together. The idea that the brothers of Jesus were from a previous marriage of Joseph or that they were cousins is compatible with that idea.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

speculation which is worth nothing!

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

right.....and they also believe that she(Mary) was born from a virgin also....so that makes two virgin births.

speaking of "words"....the word "virgin" has been challenged and many scholars simply believe that word could also be translated "young girl"....meaning not old....but there I go with that word thing again.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

I would consider Moses as a polygamist. For further info, this chart might be helpful in locating other polygamists in the Bible:
http://www.biblicalpolygamy.com/polygamists/

As for Mary, I've heard, tradition say that Joseph was a widower, with children and then married Mary. I doubt Mary was a perpetual virgin. However, the Bible doesn't tell us that Joseph was married before Mary, either way.
Older siblings of JESUS, though, would prove Joseph as a widower.

-Bro. Alex

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

The only reason they say that is so they can believe Mary remained a virgin all her life. There was actually no reason for her to stay a virgin.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Hey.... what has been going on.... :spit

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Sure Luke, you and Joseph Smith believe that! How many wives you have anyway?

:gotcha

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

I agree and I don't buy into that. I believe Mary had other children by Joseph.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Jesus taught that a man should not have more than one wife when He said:
"No man can serve two masters..." (Matthew 6:24)

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

:ursofunny

:hmmm

:hmmm

:sad

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Deal with the Bible my friend as you are captured by a cultural bias that is not biblically based.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

So was Moses the first true "PLAYER" LOL

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

AMEN! Good to see someone else who can look past the bias and not call something sin that many holy men of GOD practiced.

I'm also sure there are some of GOD's people overseas (in Africa and the Middle East) who still practice polygamy, and they are our brethren.

-Bro. Alex

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

True dat!:ursofunny

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Having someone be our brother does not excuse their ignorance. Time and history have proven out that polygamy produces jealousy, envy, hatred and strife in a home and family. Polygamy was, and is, mostly practiced because of the perversion of a heart of man! It is another excuse for adultery!

I could almost bet, sept5, that you are a male. Sure, it might seem macho to a man to have 5 wives, yet what would the 5 wives think? You say AMEN! You don't have a clue the spiritual oppression behind polygamy. The perversion and the power struggles that exist. If you did you would never say AMEN!

.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

interesting.

St.Paul does write about having multiple wives....and it is included in the canon....making it Biblical....and he says twice in Timothy and once in Titus that if someone wants to be an elder/bishop/overseer/deacon that he should be the husband of only one wife.

Since St.Paul was a learned student of Jewish law and history....then he must have known of Moses(and all the rest)...but clearly St.Paul believes that the "rules" have changed.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

It's not just overseas. With African American men in this country, some practice a form of polygamy by having children by several different women, living with different women, and being supported by several women. They figure that if it was good enough for father Abraham (a friend of God) and David (a man after God's heart), it's OK for them.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

God "allowed" some things due to the hardness of men's hearts. However, God did not "approve" of everything he allowed.

Just as the bride of Christ is espoused to ONE husband, likewise the bride submits to ONE husband, not multiple husbands.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Thank you! I agree! But according to some on this thread it is only for the husband to have rights! They must feel that the only right that a woman should have is the right to share her husband with other women!

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Move to Utah! The conservative estimate is that there are over 30,000 polygamists in the western US. All white I should add!

Then don't forget the hispanic population! Very common for them to have more than one with multiple families! We have addressed the issue in the last year in our home church! Very current!

Poligamy is a big problem even today!

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Yes, what you say is the sad situation of some, and I believe this sort of thing upsets GOD greatly. If the man wants to make each one of these women his wives, then that is one thing, but if he wants these women to just call up at whim and have relations with, then that is a whole other.

There was a Black Hebrew Israelite on 20/20 though, in their show on polygamy a few months back, who had four wives (who all actually looked a lot alike, which smacks against the logic of "these men want lots of different women and whatnot"... because one almost looked like the other, so he wasn't getting "variety"), and they all lived together, and he owned a vegetarian restaurant and they lived in Chicago or Detroit I think. The women claimed that it is difficult to find a good black man, and so they found one and they live in a plural marriage arrangement, and are happy with things.

Ok, let's look at various "situations" and see the approval and disapproval of GOD...

Relations between the unmarried- Disapproved of, plainly, in many Scriptures concerning fornication

Relations of married people with those other than their spouse- Disapproved of, "Thou shalt not commit adultery"

Homosexual relations- Disapproved of, as an abomination, and something done by the reprobate


Ok, so there, we see Scripture clearly disapproving of those things.

Is monogamous marriage approved of? Yes. Is celibacy approved of? Yes. Is polygamy disapproved of? No. The case is NOT clear AT ALL if we are to find a case for polygamy's disapproval. GOD allows/approves of people marrying or being celibate. When a man takes a wife, there is nothing that says he can not take another, and Scripture shows us where men took multiple wives. The only prohibition on a man with multiple wives, is in regards to being able to serve as a bishop/elder/deacon.

-Bro. Alex

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

A loving husband will not force polygamy on his wife.

I am not some Mormon, who believes plural marriage is the way to some spiritual exaltation. Plural marriage, like all marriage, is temporal, and ends at death. If a man takes multiple wives, it does not "exalt" him in any way, and it keeps him from being a bishop/elder/deacon (although more could be said on the matter of this leadership prohibition, which I am still grappling with, I should not make it sound so cut-and-dry, as I did in my last post, concerning this possible "prohibition").

-Bro. Alex

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

That was the issue with my great-grandfather, he had three "women" (not wives, which makes what he did dishonorable), and he fathered 13 children between them. Our last family reunion, in 2002 had over 150 people, and that was not even all of the family. When he died, and the family got together again in July of 2008, it was really amazing to see all of the people come together. He was a wicked man, but the effect of this procreating, brought about some saved people, and I love the members of my family, even if they did come as a result of bad decisions.

Two of the women he had children with were at his funeral. My great-grandmother was his wife- I am of the legitimate line... BOO-YAH!

-Bro. Alex

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

That's not what it's about in my mind. Not that I have any plans to be a polygamist- I can't even find one sister to marry... However, as for this "macho" thing, it is "macho" to have as many women as you want, and different women, and not get bogged down with kids, and be "cool" or whatever. When a man takes on a wife, he has "buckled down" and become a family man. Most men can't handle one wife, and the 2.2 kids. When a man has 5 wives, as you provide the example, and 24 children, he is probably the furthest thing from macho, providing he knows all their names, it working hard to support them, and gives them his time (constantly- forget about "me time") as a father and husband and spiritual leader (in this scenario) of 29 people.

Also, as for "oppression", I have spoken with polygamists, and many of them are happy. There is a group of polygamists about 5 miles from one of the places I stay, and they are not Mormons or anything like that, they have just chose this lifestyle and are happy with things.

-Bro. Alex

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

bump

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

This is almost sadly insane... You make God a sinner and liar. Getting married period can cause those things. Matter of fact you don't have to be married for those. Your arguments are poor not based on the Bible and what God has said but your personal bias and possible envy and pride for such. You don't think God knows how humans interact and the possible results of such? YET HE NEVER CALLED IT SIN and said he would have given David more if he had asked. Moses the law giver from God had laws instructing how such interactions in a polygamist marriage should happen. Yet you are greater than Moses and know better than God. Sorry but it's not a sin and and has never been said to be.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Me and my wife were talking about this she said it was a sin I said how God allowed it then why would he not now..

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Good luck with that! :toofunny

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

so following this logic....if God allows something....then it cannot be a sin? Interesting!!

Do you follow all the practices of Moses?(murder, fits of rage, his eating rituals, etc...)

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Please address what St.Paul said about having only one wife.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

Very romantic of the Catholic Church, but scripture denies that.

Matthew 1:25 "And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS." (KJV)

Matthew 1:25 "But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus." (NIV)

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

what verse and chapter....

also don't put scripture against scripture it doesn't work. If Paul says something (according to your interpretation)out of the clear and general teaching of scripture then you need to rethink your understanding of scripture.

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

claiming something is a sin does not make it a sin. People talk about men wanting polygamy because of lust or whatever yet the same could be argued against women on pride and selfishness etc...

Re: Moses' Wife or Wives
 

this is funny....if the scripture is the ultimate authority...then what other source could be used?

Please read St.Paul's writings and see if I have misunderstood what he says.

1 Tim 3:2
2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
NIV

1 Tim 3:12
12 A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.
NIV

Titus 1:6
6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife ,
NIV