When King Zeniff died, he chose his son, Noah to rule in his stead. The very first thing we learn about Noah is that he did not walk in the ways of his father. (Mosiah 11: 1) This is, unfortunately, a pattern seen over and over in ancient Israel. Here are examples from the ancient Kingdom of Judah. You will notice the pattern of good king, evil king and exemplary kings. You will note that at the high points, there were four kings who were the sons of bad fathers, but who were so righteous themselves, that they created a spiritual revival in Judah. This same pattern was duplicated among the Nephite's living in Lehi-Nephi. Zeniff, though over-zealous, turned out to be a pretty decent king. His son, Noah, however, was about as wicked as they come.
The first evidence of Noah's moral status before God and the people is this: he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness. (Mosiah 11: 2)
How often do we hear wicked people described as a wicked and adulterous generation? I recall a story from the early days of the Church when the Prophet's most dangerous enemies were those who had once embraced the truth, then walked away from it. One such critic was a man who was the editor of a newspaper. His attacks were vicious. On one occasion, after one of these attacks, Joseph told the brethren with him that this man had turned from the faith because he was an adulterer. At the time, it was not known of any such incidence of adultery. Over time, however, it came to light that the man had indeed had a mistress and was guilty of adultery. The Prophet knew that because he understood that when one falls so far and so fast, it almost always involves sexual immorality. Few things can drive away the Spirit so quickly.
The root of King Noah's ever-growing wickedness stemmed from the fact that he had many wives and concubines.(Mosiah 11: 2) Let's look at that term concubine as understood in many ancient cultures. A concubine was, under Judaic law, a sort of secondary wife. She lived in the home of her husband but did not enjoy some of the blessings and legal protections afforded a primary wife. The practice was originally allowed in Israel for the purpose of producing children, particularly when the wife was barren, such as Sarah and Rachel. There were very strict rules governing concubinage in the ancient world. It was not a allowed simply to provide sexual variety for the man. Unfortunately, in too many incidences, that was the exact motivation of the man doing so. The Nephites were guilty. The Prophet Jacob said of concubinage:
For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the thing which were written concerning David and Solomon his son. Behold David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord. (Jacob 2: 23-24)
There is a however in verse 37 of the same chapter:
For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise . . . not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none. (Jacob 2: 30, 27)
The Lord, through His prophet Nathan, gave King David more than one wife to raise up a royal generation before the Lord. However, as we learn with the case of Bathsheba, David was not content with the women whom the Lord had allowed him, but sought after the wife of another man. His sexual intimacy with Bathsheba was adultery and not condoned by the Lord. It led him into an even more gross sin, that of murder. The Prophet Nathan was sent to pronounce judgment upon David. David and Solomon also took many wives and concubines, who were women of other nations, in political alliances. These women were allowed by their husbands to bring their own gods with them. Solomon even allowed his wives to put pagan idols in the temple! In those circumstance, both David and Solomon committed adultery, which was considered abominable in the sight of God.
In the early days of the Restoration, God again allowed men to have more than one wife to raise up seed unto the Lord. God told the Prophet Joseph Smith that David and Solomon and even Moses did not sin by taking plural wives, and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me. (Doctrine and Covenants 13: 38) Again it is a matter of motivation: please God or please yourself. As the Church grew in numbers, they did not need multiple wives and the Lord commanded the Prophet Wilfred Woodruff to end the practice in October of 1890. Groups who practice polygamy today are made up of apostates and are not recognized by the Lord or the Church.
Only in those rare times when the Lord specifically requires it, should a man have more than one wife. The differentiation is that of motivation: is the man taking more than one woman to wife because he has God's permission with the express desire to raise up seed before the Lord; or does he do so to follow his own lusts? In the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament we read: As a man
in his heart, so is he.(Proverbs 23: 7) The cross reference of that verse equates thinking with motivation.
King Noah's motivation was sexual pleasure and the implied royal status of having more than one wife; the priests he had appointed did likewise. None of them were accepted by God, for their behavior is described as whoredoms. Like the newspaper editor who attacked the Prophet Joseph, they were led into all manner of wickedness. Sexual immorality not only offends the Father and the Son, it also offends the Holy Ghost. The Spirit cannot dwell in a man who is unclean.
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One modern interpretation of the word concubine is mistress. Upon such infidelity, God cannot look with allowance. Is it any wonder our world is in such a sorry state? Many have allowed this nation to become a wicked and adulterous nation, as they continue to flaunt God's moral code. When we pray for relief from this current pandemic, we should also pray that we as Saints can avoid becoming part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, May 2020
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