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'Excepýi for rare cases in countries
t where Muhammedan I law prevails.
monogamy is enforced by both law and custom among Jews. although
neither Bible (Old Testament) nor Talmud formally forbids polygamy.
And it was said that 'Some Rabbis prohibited polygamy, but others
allowed it only in the case of the first wife being sterile.
Moreover. itwas reported that King Solomon had seven hundred wives,
Princesses and three hundred concubines. His son had eighteen wives
and sixty concubines. Each of Rehobama's twenty eight'sons had many
wives. Even the wise men of the Talmud have given good advice that
no man should marry more than four-wives.
3 And according to some
aacounts, 'The Hebrew Family, along with the whole family system of
the Middle East historical times. has been characterised as polygamous.
The Bible set no limit to the number of wives or concubines a man might
take.
4 Also. the Persians used to have many wives with a view to
having as many boys as they could, because boys were needed for wars.
So it was not strange that polygamy was common in Jahiliyyals time.
Possible reasons foran ordinary man taking a new wife, included the
desire for more children, to strengthen family and tribe or to father
more sons if only daughters were borne by his former. wife, for sons
would help him in his work and give a source of prid4.
The Chief of the Tribe, in addition, sometimes desired to bring
reconciliation between conflicting tribes or to strengthen their
relations with another tribe. Afurther reason operated. when a man
had some women. captives from noble families, in which case they used
to consider it better to free them and to &at married to them.
Hastings James. Encyclopedia of Religion and_Ethics, Voý. VIII@
P. 461.
2.9 v .ý
Sý&Ati HamudallWamily Structure in lslamv P. 113--
3.0
4. Ibid.
5. al-pabb;
'gh, op. cit., P. 245
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