Polygyny: God’s Order or Patriarchal Greed?

(A Man and His Wives/Zhateyah)

DNA or Desire? We all get tired of hearing unbalanced men on podcasts, usually with a mic he shouldn't have, claim that having multiple women is in their DNA. These men love to blame Western influence—particularly “white” influence—for the push toward monogamy, asserting that men are “naturally” polygynous and that polygyny is the true heritage of non-Western people. They’ll even use the Bible to justify their claims.

It is okay for them, but don’t you dare think that you can have more than one husband, cause then you are a Jezebel who didn't grow up with a father that loved you, and maybe even better yet- you are masculine and brutish. The double standard is glaring, and borderline comical, but we must ask is there any validity in their claims?

Let’s explore polygyny and monogamy in Nature, History, and Religion and see if this lifestyle is called by heritage or just a sign of patriarchal greed.

Polygyny in History

Polygyny (one man with multiple wives) has been common across cultures. Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China all permitted kings and elites to have multiple wives and concubines, primarily as a means of producing heirs and consolidating power . Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, polygyny was historically a sign of wealth and status: a man with many wives demonstrated that he had the resources to care for them and their children .

Yet, there are also examples of polyandry (one woman with multiple husbands) such as among the Toda of India and Tibetan communities, often practiced for economic reasons—keeping family land undivided among sons . Monogamy, by contrast, was promoted by Greco-Roman society and later codified into Christian Europe, eventually influencing global law and culture.

Polygyny in Nature

Nature is not a one-size-fits-all model. Yes, some animals are polygynous. Lions have harems, where one dominant male mates with several females and defends the pride . Elk and gorillas exhibit similar behavior. But monogamy is not absent in nature: wolves, swans, bald eagles, and even some fish species mate for life and share parenting duties .

Humans are unique in that we can choose beyond instinct. We aren’t bound to one reproductive strategy. We can create culture, morality, and laws that either normalize or prohibit polygyny. So the question becomes less about what is “natural” and more about what is wise — and whether this choice leads to harmony or chaos.

(Shango with Wives/Zhateyah)

Polygyny in Religion

Yoruba Ifá Faith

The Orishas of Yoruba cosmology are not strangers to polygyny. Ogun, the god of iron and war, had multiple wives; Shango, the god of thunder, famously had three — Oba, Oshun, and Oya — whose rivalries are legendary.

Their myths often illustrate both the blessings and the chaos polygyny brings: alliances, fertility, and power on one hand, jealousy and strife on the other .

• Blessing and Harmony – Shango, Oshun, and Oya: Shango, the god of thunder and lightning, famously had three wives — Oba, Oshun, and Oya. Oshun, the goddess of sweetness and rivers, and Oya, the goddess of storms and transformation, worked together to empower Shango’s reign. Their union is often seen as a symbol of balance — fire and water, storm and calm — producing a kingdom that prospered under Shango’s rule.

• Jealousy and Strife – Oba’s Ear: The darker side of polygyny is seen in the story of Oba, Shango’s first wife. According to legend, Oba was tricked by Oshun into cutting off her ear and offering it to Shango as food to win his favor. When Shango discovered this, he rejected her, and Oba fled in shame, weeping until she became the Oba River. This tale warns that jealousy among wives can lead to tragedy, exile, and even death.

Islamic Influence

Islam permits a man up to four wives — but with strict conditions: “Marry those that please you of women, two, three, or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one...” (Qur’an 4:3). The emphasis is not on unlimited sexual access, but on justice and financial provision. Early Islamic polygyny functioned as a protection for widows and orphans in times of war .

Hebraic Influence

The Hebrew Bible begins with a singular union: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

The first polygynist named is Lamech, a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:19), and his story is hardly told as exemplary. Later Torah law warns kings: “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away” (Deuteronomy 17:17).

Biblical polygyny often appears as crisis-management. Jacob married both Leah and Rachel through manipulation by their father Laban (Genesis 29). The result? Rivalry, bitterness, and children locked in competition — yet God still brought forth the twelve tribes of Israel through that dysfunction.

David’s marriages sometimes served as acts of protection — such as marrying Abigail, a widow, to secure her household (1 Samuel 25). But David’s polygynous life eventually turned toward lust: his taking of Bathsheba involved not only adultery but coercion — Bathsheba could not defy the king — and David compounded the sin by orchestrating the death of her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11). Polygyny here became not a blessing but a path to rape, murder, and divine judgment. 

And Solomon multiplied wives beyond measure, a fate warned by Torah — seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines — which ultimately “turned his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:4). 

The record shows a pattern: where polygyny appears, so does rivalry, envy, and sometimes bloodshed. The Bible does not outlaw polygyny outright, but it rarely portrays it as ideal.

(Biblical Wife and Husband / Zhateyah)

Polygyny in Christianity

Christian teaching consistently moves toward monogamy. The pastoral epistles set the standard: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife...” (1 Timothy 3:2). Jesus himself, when asked about divorce, reaffirmed Genesis 2:24 — suggesting that one man, one woman, as one flesh, was the ideal from the beginning (Matthew 19:4–6).

How to Know if Polygyny is for You

Before diving headfirst into this lifestyle, it’s important to pause and ask some hard questions. Polygyny is not just a trend, a cultural throwback, or a way to have more hands in the kitchen. It is a spiritual, emotional, and economic covenant that impacts everyone involved — the husband, the wives, and the children. If the foundation isn’t right, the house will collapse. The following questions are meant to help you discern whether polygyny is truly your calling, or whether it’s simply a cover for lust, pressure, or societal expectation.

Are You Called to It?

This is not a lifestyle to be forced into. Without a divine call or mutual agreement, expect the kind of chaos Rachel and Leah endured.

Who Benefits?

Is this about covering women in honor, or just about satisfying male lust? A true house of polygyny should build everyone involved, not just the man.

Can You Afford It?

Multiple wives mean multiple households’ worth of care. If your wallet — and emotional maturity — cannot sustain it, polygyny will collapse under its own weight.

Are You Symbiotic or Selfish?

If you seek a sister wife only to lighten your burden, you are not seeking sisterhood. Ask whether the union would also elevate her. For example, a single business woman with no children and no real responsibility probably doesn’t want to join forces with you, your husband, and your 5 kids to help assist financially, watch the kids and make your burdens easier while sacrificing her comfort. Don’t be selfish. Be symbiotic.

What Does Your God Say?

Ultimately, this is a question of divine order. The God you serve should set the standard. If He has not called you to it, perhaps the “DNA argument” is just a cover for greed. 

Related: Bloodlines, Behavior, and the Gods: Tracing Ancestry through DNA, Destiny, and Scripture

Order or Greed?

Polygyny can be holy, but it can also be hellish.

History, nature, and scripture reveal that while polygyny has existed for millennia, it is not universally mandated — and certainly not universally wise. When done without justice, provision, and divine order, it leads to jealousy, strife, and broken households.

Perhaps the better question is not “Is polygyny allowed?” but “Can polygyny be done with abundance, equity, and peace?” 

If we embrace an abundance mindset, polygyny could be a system of mutual uplift. But if it is simply a tool to satisfy lust or consolidate power, it is nothing more than patriarchal greed.

Dig Deeper for Yourself

Further Reading:

1. Murdock, G. P., & White, D. R. (1969). Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. Ethnology, 8(4).

2. Fadipe, N. A. (1970). The Sociology of the Yoruba. Ibadan University Press.

3. Levine, N. E. (1988). The Dynamics of Polyandry: Kinship, Domesticity, and Population on the Tibetan Border. University of Chicago Press.

4. Packer, C., et al. (1991). "Male lions: Cooperation, conflict, and patterns of kinship." Nature 351, 562–565.

5. Kleiman, D. G. (1977). "Monogamy in mammals." Quarterly Review of Biology 52(1), 39–69.

6. Drewal, H. J., & Drewal, M. T. (1983). Gelede: Art and Female Power among the Yoruba. Indiana University Press.

7. Esposito, J. L. (2002). What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam. Oxford University Press.

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ABOUT ZHATEYAH

Zhateyah YisraEl is a multi-venture entrepreneur, writer, and creative strategist passionate about reshaping narratives for Black women and amplifying underrepresented voices. As the founder of Z Branding & Business Solutions and visionary behind SISTAH Magazine, she has built an ecosystem that celebrates Black womanhood, cultural pride, and generational wealth.

Zhateyah’s writing focuses on identity, spirituality, empowerment, and economic freedom — weaving together storytelling, history, and practical wisdom to inspire action. 

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