The Book of Mormon says: “Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.”
But the Doctrine and Covenants says: “Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines…”
Why does it seem that these two scriptures contradict each other? Thanks for your time.
Hi Daniel. I'm happy you posted your question. The Book of Mormon makes it clear that polygamy is generally sinful, except in rare cases when God allows it (Jacob 2:30).
The Bible demonstrates that God did in fact authorize David to practice polygamy (2 Samuel 12:7-8). He was one of these rare exceptions. However, David took wives beyond those that God gave him (2 Samuel 12:9). These additional plural marriages were not authorized, and so these marriages were sinful.
Solomon committed the same sin. God authorized him to practice polygamy, but he took on additional wives that were not authorized (1 Kings 11:1-6). These additional marriages were also abominable.
In our days, God does not authorize polygamy. Anyone Mormon found to have more than one wife is excommunicated from the church. I hope this answer helps.
Stephen Douglas
2014-04-13 04:13:39
Daniel, if you read the entire chapter in the Book of Mormon about polygamy, which is Jacob 2, you will find the answer to your own question. That is the problem with taking things out of context, especially from anti-Mormon sites. They have an agenda, and most of it is not honest and fair in their investigation, given most of them just regurgitate old, debunked information. If you are interested in reading my responses to Evangelical questions about our doctrine, send me an email to puteoli1@aol.com and I will send you my manuscript on a Word file.
Grandpa Chet
2014-05-05 07:07:15
Read the rest of those scriptures - they don't stop at the verses quoted. Both clearly explain that the Lord gave those guys specific wives (and those wives their specific husbands) but that the dudes got conceited and thought they could take what they wanted. David went way over the line, as did Solomon, and ended up weakening their own testimonies. (I rather assume they've had to work out their repentance not only during their mortal lives, but in the next - and perhaps continue to do so. Repentance ain't easy! )
The material that became the Book of Mormon is a secondary source. It was written by people many hundreds of years removed from David's and Solomon's time. It was then condensed and a copy made several hundreds of years later. Both undoubtedly meant that cultural biases an understandings and misunderstandings crept in. The Doctrine and Covenants, however, was recorded directly from the mouthpiece of God, an is therefore more of a primary source.
The Bible demonstrates that God did in fact authorize David to practice polygamy (2 Samuel 12:7-8). He was one of these rare exceptions. However, David took wives beyond those that God gave him (2 Samuel 12:9). These additional plural marriages were not authorized, and so these marriages were sinful.
Solomon committed the same sin. God authorized him to practice polygamy, but he took on additional wives that were not authorized (1 Kings 11:1-6). These additional marriages were also abominable.
In our days, God does not authorize polygamy. Anyone Mormon found to have more than one wife is excommunicated from the church. I hope this answer helps.