Biblical Distinctions Between Wives and Concubines

In ancient Israelite society, the distinction between a wife and a concubine was less pronounced than in modern Western cultures, largely due to the absence of the moral stigma often associated with concubinage today ^[1]. While both were conjugally united to a man, a concubine held a secondary or inferior status compared to a principal wife ^[2].

One key difference lay in the right of divorce. A wife could be repudiated through a bill of divorce, a right not typically extended to a concubine ^[1]. The Mosaic Law regulated but did not prohibit polygamy, allowing a man to have multiple wives, though a wife could only have one husband ^[6]. Concubines were often considered wives of secondary rank, and specific laws provided for their protection, such as in Exodus 21:7 and Deuteronomy 21:10-14 ^[2]. However, they generally lacked authority within the family and could not share in household governance ^[2].

Despite their secondary status, children born to concubines were not considered illegitimate in the same way as in some other cultures. They formed a supplementary family to the principal wife's children, and their names appear in patriarchal genealogies, such as in Genesis 22:24 and 1 Chronicles 1:22 ^[1]. Their position and provision depended on the father ^[1]. For instance, Abraham had concubines, and the scripture distinguishes between his principal wife and these concubines, indicating he had more than one ^[10].

The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7:34, discusses a difference between a wife and a virgin, though this distinction relates more to their focus and responsibilities rather than their legal status within a household ^{[3, 4]}. The unmarried woman is described as caring for "the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit," while a married woman "cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband" ^[4]. This passage highlights the differing priorities and concerns that arise from marital status, with the married woman having domestic duties and obligations to her husband ^[8]. John Chrysostom interprets this difference not as a condemnation of marriage, but as a distinction based on "leisure from engagements and multiplicity of engagements," noting that the evil is not in cohabitation itself ^[11]. John Gill suggests that a married man's thoughts might be "distracted with the cares of the world," his mind divided between the Lord and his wife ^[9].

The position of women in the Hebrew commonwealth, including wives, was generally more favorable than in many other ancient Eastern societies. They enjoyed a significant degree of liberty, mingling freely in public life rather than being confined to harems ^[5]. Marriage itself was understood as a fundamental covenant relationship, rooted in the created order, entailing a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse and uniting two into one ^[12]. While the Mosaic law provided for wives' legal rights and duties, it also allowed for divorce in specific cases, though a wife could not divorce her husband ^[6]. Widows, while not having specific legal provisions for maintenance, were dependent on family affection and certain privileges, such as participation in tithes and religious feasts ^[7].

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Concubine — The difference between wife and concubine was less marked among the Hebrews than among us, owing to the absence of moral stigma. The difference probably lay in the absence of the right of the bill of divorce, without which the wife could not be repudiated. With regard to the children of wife and of concubine, there was no such difference as our illegitimacy implies. The latter were a supplementary family to the former; their names occur in the patriarchal genealogies, (Genesis 22:24; 1 Chronicles 1:22) and their position and provision would depend on the f”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Concubine — In the Bible denotes a female conjugally united to a man, but in a relation inferior to that of a wife. Among the early Jews, from various causes, the difference between a wife and a concubine was less marked than it would be amongst us. The concubine was a wife of secondary rank. There are various laws recorded providing for their protection (Ex. 21:7; Deut. 21:10-14), and setting limits to the relation they sustained to the household to which they belonged (Gen. 21:14; 25:6). They had no authority in the family, nor could they share in the household gov”
I Corinthians “I Corinthians 7:34 (Darby) — There is a difference between the wife and the virgin. The unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but she that has married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please her husband.”
1 Corinthians “There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. -- 1 Corinthians 7:34”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Women — The position of women in the Hebrew commonwealth contrasts favorably with that which in the present day is assigned to them generally in eastern countries. The most salient point of contrast in the usages of ancient as compared with modern Oriental society was the large amount of liberty enjoyed by women. Instead of being immured in a harem, or appearing in public with the face covered. The wives and maidens of ancient times mingled freely and openly with the other sex in the duties and amenities of ordinary life. Rebekah travelled on a camel with her face unv”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Wife — The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Gen. 4:19), and continued to prevail all down through Jewish history. The law of Moses regulated but did not prohibit polygamy. A man might have a plurality of wives, but a wife could have only one husband. A wife's legal rights (Ex. 21:10) and her duties (Prov. 31:10-31; 1 Tim. 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (Deut. 22:13-21), but could not divorce her husband. Divorce wa”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Widow — Under the Mosaic dispensation no legal provision was made for the maintenance of widows. They were left dependent partly on the affection of relations, more especially of the eldest son, whose birthright, or extra share of the property, imposed such a duty upon him, and partly on the privileges accorded to other distressed classes, such as a participation in the triennial third tithe, (14:29; 26:12) in leasing, (24:19-21) and in religious feasts. (16:11,14) With regard to the remarriage of widows, the only restriction imposed by the Mosaic law had reference to”
1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 7:34: There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin - That is: There is this difference between a married and an unmarried woman. The unmarried careth (only) for the things of the Lord, having no domestic duties to perform. That she may be holy - separated to Divine employments, both in body and spirit. Whereas she that is married careth (also) for the things of the world, how she may please her husband, having many domestic duties to fulfill, her husband being obliged to leave to her the care of the family, and all other domestic concerns. On this verse t”
1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:34: There is difference also between a wife and a virgin,.... The word translated "there is difference", stands in some copies at the end of the last verse, and in the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, by which it is rendered, "and is divided"; referring to the married man, whose thoughts are distracted with the cares of the world, and his mind divided between the Lord and his wife, between the things that please the one, and those that please the other; so that he cannot attend upon the Lord without distraction, as the unmarried person may; see Co1 7:35. But th”
Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 25:1: KETURAH. Keturah is not to be identified with Hagar 1 See Bereshit Rabbah 61:4; also Rashi’s comments. because Scripture explicitly states, But unto the sons of the concubines (pilagshim), that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts (v. 6). 2 “Concubines” indicates that Abraham had more than one concubine. If Keturah and Hagar were one and the same person the verse would have read concubine. I.E. goes on to note that pilegesh (concubine) refers exclusively to a handmaid to forestall the argument that verse 6 refers to male slaves ( pilagshim has a masculine ending) a”
CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 & 2 Corinthians: distraction. Let the virgins hear that not by that one point is virginity defined; for she that is careful about the things of the world cannot be a virgin, nor seemly. Thus, when he said, “There is difference between a wife and a virgin,” he added this as the difference, and that wherein they are distinguished from each other. And laying down 111 the definition of a virgin and her that is not a virgin, he names, not marriage nor continence but leisure from engagements and multiplicity of engagements. For the evil is not in the cohabitation, but ”
Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 2:24: 2:24 Marriage between a man and a woman is not just a human social construct but is rooted in the created order. • a man leaves . . . and is joined: Marriage entails a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse. • the two are united into one: Marriage and its commitments make it the most fundamental covenant relationship observed among humans. Marriage is a powerful image of Israel’s covenant with God (Hos 2:14-23) and of Christ’s relationship to the church (Eph 5:22-32). Marriage is designed as an inseparable, exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. The f”

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