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'''Polygamy''' is an inclusive term for several variant forms of [[marriage]]. It encompasses polygyny, the practice of having multiple wives, [[polyandry]], the practice of having multiple husbands, and [[group marriage]], the practice of having multiple husbands and wives.  Any marriage of 3 or more people is polygamous.

'''Polygamy''' is an inclusive term for several variant forms of [[marriage]]. It encompasses polygyny, the practice of having multiple wives, [[polyandry]], the practice of having multiple husbands, and [[group marriage]], the practice of having multiple husbands and wives.  Any marriage of three or more people is polygamous.

Polygamy, in ancient times, was widespread, but has become less common over time.  The most common form of polygamy is polygyny.  Polygynous marriages are found in the [[Old Testament]], especially among the early Hebrew kings.  The book of [[Deuteronomy]] gives an inheritance rule for polygynous families.<ref>Deuteronomy 21:15-17 [http://www.bartleby.com/108/05/21.html#15]</ref>  The culmination was [[Solomon]] with 700 wives and 300 [[concubine]]s; however, the fact that they were from the pagan nations led him down the path of corruption.<ref>I Kings 11:1-3 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1Ki/1Ki011.html#top]</ref>  There was also a practice of giving a maid servant to a husband to sire children in the period of the patriarchs; [[Holy Scripture|Scripture]] refers to such a maid servant variously as a wife<ref>Genesis 30:4 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen030.html#4]</ref> and as a concubine<ref>Genesis 35:22 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen035.html#22]</ref>.  There are examples of polygamy in the [[New Testament]] and it is stated that a deacon is to be the husband of one wife.  That the church leaders saw fit to suspend the practice for such a small group, but allow it for everyone else speaks volumes.<ref>I Timothy 3:2 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/popup.pl?book=1Ti&chapter=3&verse=2&version=kjv#2]</ref><ref>Titus 1:6 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Tts/Tts001.html#6]</ref> (in some Christian denominations today, that has been taken to mean that divorced men and in some cases even widowed men can not be deacons if they remarry.)

Polygamy, in ancient times, was widespread, but has become less common over time.  The most common form of polygamy is polygyny.  Polygynous marriages are found in the [[Old Testament]], especially among the early Hebrew kings.  The first recorded polygamist was [[Lamech]] ([[Genesis]] 4:19), in the seventh generation from [[Adam]].  The book of [[Deuteronomy]] gives an inheritance rule for polygynous families.<ref>Deuteronomy 21:15-17 [http://www.bartleby.com/108/05/21.html#15]</ref>  The culmination was [[Solomon]] with 700 wives and 300 [[concubine]]s; however, the fact that they were from the pagan nations led him down the path of corruption.<ref>I Kings 11:1-3 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1Ki/1Ki011.html#top]</ref>  There was also a practice of giving a maid servant to a husband to sire children in the period of the patriarchs; [[Holy Scripture|Scripture]] refers to such a maid servant variously as a wife<ref>Genesis 30:4 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen030.html#4]</ref> and as a concubine<ref>Genesis 35:22 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen035.html#22]</ref>.  There are examples of polygamy in the [[New Testament]] and it is stated that a deacon is to be the husband of one wife.  That the church leaders saw fit to suspend the practice for such a small group, but allow it for everyone else speaks volumes.<ref>I Timothy 3:2 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/popup.pl?book=1Ti&chapter=3&verse=2&version=kjv#2]</ref><ref>Titus 1:6 [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Tts/Tts001.html#6]</ref> (in some Christian denominations today, that has been taken to mean that divorced men and in some cases even widowed men can not be deacons if they remarry.)

[[Ashkenazi]] Jews banned polygyny around A.D. 1000.  [[Sephardi]] Jews continued to practice it in [[Islam]]ic lands for some time after that.  [[Yemen]]i and [[Ethiopia]]n Jews practice it to this day.  [[Israel]] forbids polygyny, with the exception that a man with multiple wives who moves to Israel may remain married to his existing wives but not marry additional ones.<ref>Judaism 101: Marriage [http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm#Relationship]</ref>

[[Ashkenazi]] Jews banned polygyny around A.D. 1000.  [[Sephardi]] Jews continued to practice it in [[Islam]]ic lands for some time after that.  [[Yemen]]i and [[Ethiopia]]n Jews practice it to this day.  [[Israel]] forbids polygyny, with the exception that a man with multiple wives who moves to Israel may remain married to his existing wives but not marry additional ones.<ref>Judaism 101: Marriage [http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm#Relationship]</ref>