Concubinage is when a man lives with a woman (a concubine) who is considered either his sexual partner or a secondary wife. This woman has a lower status than his primary wife. Concubinage was practiced in many ancient cultures, especially in Mesopotamia. There, kings had harems, and even private citizens might have one or two concubines along with their main wife. The Bible also refers to both types of concubinage. Often, a concubine was a slave or captured in war (Judges 5:30).
Men might choose to have a concubine because it was a cheaper way to marry since no dowry or bride-price was needed. Having a concubine could also boost a man's prestige by giving him more children. These children were often recognized as legitimate by being presented to the primary wife, making them part of the family. The concubine also added to the household's workforce.
In the patriarchal period, concubinage was a common practice (Genesis 22:24; 35:22; 36:12), especially when the primary wife was unable to have children (Genesis 16:1–3; 25:5–6; 1 Chronicles 1:32). A concubine had certain rights, and her children could be recognized as part of the family and inherit property (for example, Genesis 49:1–28 includes the sons of concubines along with those of the primary wives; see also Genesis 35:22–26). The Mosaic law did not forbid concubinage and included it in its rules for multiple wives (Deuteronomy 17:17; 21:15–17).
Concubinage continued during the time of the judges. Gideon had a concubine (Judges 8:31), and a Levite also had one (Judges 19). The mistreatment of this Levite's concubine by men from the tribe of Benjamin led to a bloody civil war (Judges 20–21). During Israel's monarchy, only kings could afford the luxury of concubines, such as:
Solomon (1 Kings 11:3)
Royal harems were also common in other cultures of that time, including:
Egypt
Persia (Esther 2:14)
Babylon (Daniel 5:2–3, 23)
Although concubines were accepted in many ancient cultures, marriage between two people was seen as better. Concubinage was a result of wanting prestige and a large family but could sometimes lead to sexual freedom (Ecclesiastes 2:8). While concubinage was common in Greek and Roman cultures, it did not align with Jesus's teachings (Matthew 19:1–9).