I thought in the beginning it was to populate the earth? Adam and Eve had children. Who did their children marry/mate with to conceive children?
I have read different theories. The original family mated with one another to bear children.
The other, when they were kicked out of Eden they went out and conceived with people that God had also made.
Theories? Anyone?
I’ve heard, in context with the first theory you mentioned, that since Adam and Eve (Chavvah) were created genetically perfect, their siblings producing offspring would not incur the kind of chromosomal damage that incest causes today at least for a number of generations.
Science these days traces humanity back to a “mitochondrial Eve” and a “Y-chromosomal Adam”; in other words, just two ancestors for all of mankind.
BTW, the first bigamist in the Bible is named Lamech, a descendant of Cain (Gen. 4:19) who married two wives, Adah and Zillah. Lamech was also known for being an unrepentant murderer (vv. 23-24).
1. Adam]s children did originally marry kin, as the effects of the Fall were progressive, and did not reach the point where marrying near kin would often have negative effects.
2. Since the average lifespan was hundreds of years, a man could marry a sister that was a 70 years younger or more, which would be less difference than a 50 year-old man marrying someone 25. Meaning that may be like mere acquaintances.
3. The potential problems with the above would be reduced with polygamy.
4. Children. In a mainly agrarian culture children were your laborers. The more the better.
5. Children were your social security. The more the better.
In contrast to early history, the trajectory of Scripture is toward one wife and even celibacy.
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. (1 Corinthians 7:2-5)
The above clearly is in the context of one wife.
But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. 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. (1 Corinthians 7:6-7)
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (1 Timothy 3:2)
Look at the ratio of male/female births.
All things being equal; some fellows will miss out on getting a wife.
(But since Darwin tends to weed out the REALLY dumb guys; this’ll fix itself; I guess)
There is NO math reason that a man should NEED more than one wife.