Marriage Command in the Bible and Fruitful Multiplication

The Biblical Concept of Marriage and Fruitful Multiplication

The biblical account of creation establishes marriage as a divinely instituted relationship, with the command to "be fruitful and multiply" appearing in Genesis 1:28 ^[3]. This command is repeated after the flood in Genesis 9:1, 7 ^[2]. The institution of marriage is described in Genesis 2:18-25, where Adam and Eve are created to be companions and helpers for each other ^[6].

The Command to Be Fruitful and Multiply

The command to "be fruitful and multiply" is not only addressed to Adam and Eve but is also repeated to Noah and his sons after the flood ^{[2, 3]}. This command is understood by many as a blessing and a directive to replenish the earth. According to John Gill, this command is a renewal of the blessing on Adam, granting the power and faculty of propagating their species ^[9]. Ramban (Nachmanides) interprets this command as a blessing and a commandment, similar to the one given to Adam ^[8].

The command to be fruitful and multiply is also associated with the idea of filling the earth and subduing it ^[3]. This is seen as a task given to humanity, with the expectation of increasing and multiplying. The Psalmist and other biblical writers also reference this command, emphasizing its importance ^{[4, 5]}.

Marriage and Procreation

The biblical account of marriage emphasizes the importance of procreation. The expectation of having children is seen as a natural part of marriage, as evident in Jeremiah 29:6, where the prophet advises the exiles to "take wives and have sons and daughters" ^[4]. The biblical writers also use marriage as a metaphor for the relationship between God and his people, with adultery symbolizing spiritual unfaithfulness ^{[10, 11]}.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul discusses the relationship between marriage and singleness, stating that marriage is a legitimate option for those who cannot remain celibate ^[1]. The biblical writers also emphasize the importance of raising children in a godly manner, with the expectation that they will be a blessing to their parents and to society ^[1].

Interpretations and Traditions

Different traditions have interpreted the command to be fruitful and multiply in various ways. Jewish interpreters, such as Ramban and Abraham Ibn Ezra, understand this command as a blessing and a commandment ^{[8, 13]}. Christian interpreters, such as John Calvin and John Gill, see this command as a directive to replenish the earth and to propagate their species ^{[7, 12]}.

The Reformed tradition, as represented by Calvin, emphasizes the importance of understanding the command to be fruitful and multiply in the context of the creation narrative. Calvin argues that this command is not just a directive to procreate but also a blessing that enables humanity to fulfill their role in the created order ^[12].

Conclusion

The biblical concept of marriage and fruitful multiplication is deeply rooted in the creation narrative and is emphasized throughout the biblical account. The command to be fruitful and multiply is seen as a blessing and a directive to replenish the earth, with the expectation of increasing and multiplying. Different traditions have interpreted this command in various ways, but its importance in understanding the biblical concept of marriage remains a common thread throughout. The biblical writers' use of marriage as a metaphor for the relationship between God and his people highlights the significance of this institution in the biblical narrative.

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Marriage — Divinely instituted -- Ge 2:24. A covenant relationship -- Mal 2:4. Designed for The happiness of man. -- Ge 2:18. Increasing the human population. -- Ge 1:28; 9:1. Raising up godly seed. -- Mal 2:15. Preventing fornication. -- 1Co 7:2. The expectation of the promised seed of the woman an incentive to, in the early age -- Ge 3:15; 4:1. Lawful in all -- 1Co 7:2,28; 1Ti 5:14. Honourable for all -- Heb 13:4. Should be only in the Lord -- 1Co 7:39. Expressed by Joining together. -- Mt 19:6. Making affinity. -- 1Ki 3:1. Taking to wife. -- Ex 2:1. Giving daughte”
Genesis “Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.” -- Genesis 9:7”
Genesis “God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” -- Genesis 1:28”
Jeremiah “Jeremiah 29:6 (BSB) — Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.”
Deuteronomy “He will love you, bless you, multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your livestock and the young of your flock, in the land which he swore to your fathers to give you. -- Deuteronomy 7:13”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — + Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond, except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3) Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6) The respective duties of ”
Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 1:28: And God blessed them,.... The man and the woman he had made, with all the blessings of nature and Providence; with all the good things of life; with his presence, and with communion with himself in a natural way, through the creatures; and particularly with a power of procreating their species, as follows, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth: if this is not an express command, as the Jews understand it, for marriage and procreation of children, it seems to be more than a bare permission; at least it is a direction and an advic”
Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Genesis 9:7: AND YOU, BE YE FRUITFUL, AND MULTIPLY. The plain meaning thereof is as its Midrash, i.e., that it is a commandment. 203 Ibid. , 59b. A similar verse mentioned with reference to Adam, 204 Above, 1:28. also one with reference to the sons of Noah 205 Verse 1 here. in conjunction with the statement that G-d blessed them, constitutes a blessing, just as it is said concerning the fish. 206 Above, 1:22. Now because He spoke here of the other living things and said, that they may swarm in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth , 207 Ibid. , 8:17. H”
Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 9:1: And God blessed Noah and his sons,.... With temporal blessings, not spiritual ones; for though some of them were blessed with such, yet not all, particularly Ham: and said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth; depopulated by the flood: this is a renewal of the blessing on Adam, a power and faculty of propagating his species, which was as necessary now as then, since there were so few of the human race left in the world; and the renewal of this grant was the rather necessary, if, as has been observed, Noah and his sons were restrained from coh”
Ezek (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezek 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
Ezekiel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezekiel 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 5.35: of offspring, as God imparts his power to some and withholds it from others. But here Moses would simply declare that Adam with his wife was formed for the production of offspring, in order that men might replenish the earth. God could himself indeed have covered the earth with a multitude of men; but it was his will that we should proceed from one fountain, in order that our desire of mutual concord might be the greater, and that each might the more freely embrace the other as his own flesh. Besides, as men were created to occupy”
Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 35:11: BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY. This is a blessing as in the account of the Creation. 6 Cf. I.E.’s comments on Gen. 1:26.”

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