CORRECT EXPLANATION FOR HEBREW AND GREEK TRANSLATIONS
I am sure you are really aware that Hebrew and Greek languages were used to write the Old and the New Testaments respectively. But to my dismay, I do hear some advocates of Polygamy say some wrong things about this very 1COR. 7:1,2 which instruct us to practice monogamy very strictly. At times these polygamy supporters argue that the Hebrew or the Greek word which was translated to mean WIFE could also be in its plural form and as such Apostle Paul didn’t mean only ONE WIFE but also meant WIVES in that context.
In fact with my little knowledge in Hebrew and even Greek I can assure you that it is not so in the STRONGS EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE. This concordance always gives the singular translation and transliteration meaning.
But the truth of the matter is that there is something called LEXICON which also helps to determine the meanings of a particular word. And this Lexicon tries to expand a word in order to make the meaning very clear. So in this wise, one should always consider the PRIMARY USE of a particular word for the correct meaning or translation. Otherwise one cannot understand anything neither can the one also teach or establish the truth. This is because sometimes one particular word found in the Lexicon which helps the translation also shows many meanings even including POSSESSIVE NOUNS. So it is no wonder they are trying to mislead people with such facts about the word WIFE from the Hebrew and Greek translations. For instance I can take you through a classic example from the word ‘DAY’ for you to know that the meaning of a particular word is normally expanded in the Lexicons: And that is why the plural form of wife, ‘WIVES’ is also found in the translations below.
G2250
ἡμέρα
hēmera; a prim. word; day: - always *(1), court (1), daily *(10), day (207), day’s (1), day...another (1), daybreak (1), days (148), daytime (2), midday *(1), time (12), years (4).
Please didn’t you see that the words DAYS (the plural form) and DAY’S (the possessive noun) are all found in the translated meanings lined up above? If it is so then where from that fanaticism by these polygamy advocates that Paul meant wives and not wife alone?
Honestly speaking, the Hebrew word translated wife is spelt ‘ISH-SHAH’ but pronounced ‘ish-shaw’ and here is a copy of such expanded form of particular word from the Hebrew translation in the Hebrew-English Lexicon.
H802
אשּׁה
ishshah (61a); from an unused word; woman, wife, female: - adulteress *(2), any woman (1), childbearing *(1), each (3), each one (1), each woman (1), every (1), everyone (1), female (3), girls *(1), harem *(5), harlot’s *(2), harlot *(3), marriage (9), married (3), married *(6), marry *(3), none *(1), one (8), widow (7), wife (274), wife and his wives (2), wife and the wives (1), wife or a woman (1), wife’s (8), wives (100), woman (203), woman of the wives (1), woman’s (6), women (104), women as wives (1).
Even in the case of Greek translation which was also used to write the New Testament there is the same problem of expansion in meanings. Just look at this below for this same word WIFE.
γυνή
gunē; a prim. word; a woman: - bride (1), wife (71), wife's (1), wives (11), woman (96), woman's (1), women (33).
You see that in the above example for the word WIFE it is spelt ‘GUNE’ in Greek and pronounced ‘goo-nay’ but had many meanings even including its possessive pronoun as I stated above. According to the STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE the word number for WIFE which guides us to find the meanings from the Interlinear Bible is 802 in Hebrew and 1135 in Greek. So if you want to understand it better just do what I have exemplified here and you will get so many things you previously did not understand in the scriptures, if only you have such Bible tools or materials.
Again it is very important to note that this mode of expansion in meaning for words used in the Lexicon is applicable to almost all the words. So in this wise the meaning for the word HUSBAND in 1COR. 7:2 as translated from both languages (HEBREW & GREEK) also has many meanings including its plural and possessive noun. So does it mean a single woman should also have numerous husbands as far as their (polygamy preachers) advocacy is concerned? The answer is capital no. Nature even teaches that such a thing will be impossible.
In fact if what they are contending is true then let us read what the translations have for us in the case of the word translated as ‘HUSBAND’ from Hebrew.
H376
אישׁ
ish (35d); from an unused word; man: - adulteress *(1), all (1), another (2), any (6), any man (21), any man’s (4), any one (3), anyone (16), anyone *(1), archers *(1), Benjamite *(3), certain (6), champion *(2), counselor *(1), counselors *(1), deserve (1), each (148), each had another (1), each his man (1), each man (1), each man (37), each man’s (3), each one (37), each one by another (1), each person (1), each *(5), eloquent *(1), every (1), every man (38), every man’s (7), every one (8), everyone (16), everyone *(3), expert (1), farming *(1), father *(1), fellow (3), fellows (2), friend *(1), friends *(1), high *(1), himself (1), hunter *(1), husband (65), husband’s (1), husbands (4), idiot *(1), Ishi (1), keepers (2), liar *(1), male (2), man (746), man against another (1), man of each (1), man the men (1), man your husband (1), man’s (21), man’s are the men (1), manchild (1), mankind *(1), marry *(1), marrying *(1), men (669), men at one (1), men’s (1), men *(1), no *(1), none *(10), one (89), one of men (1), one’s (1), oppressor *(1), ordinary (1), own (1), people (3), person (5), persons (2), prime (1), rank (1), respective (1), sailors *(1), slanderer *(1), soldiers (1), soldiers *(3), some (8), son *(1), steward *(1), swordsmen *(1), this one (1), this one and that one (1), those (1), those who (3), tiller *(1), together *(1), traders *(2), tradition *(1), traveler *(1), troop (1), warriors (3), whoever *(3).
Please go through the Greek translation as well for clearer understanding.
G435
ἀνήρ
anēr; a prim. word; a man: - brethren *(13), gentlemen (1), husband (39), husbands (13), man (71), man’s (2), men (70), virgin *(1).
I hope you will bear with me that my explanations for the translations are the unique examples and that whatever those advocates for polygamy say is baseless in our quest for salvation as far as this matter in hand is concerned.
For instance their claim that Apostle Paul meant WIVES and not WIFE in 1COR. 7:2 is totally baseless, if one really understands the analytical explanations given in respect of the use of Lexicon and Strong’s Concordance. This is because if their vague claims were correct, it would mean a single woman could also have more than one man or husband as her partner.