MY TAKE ON ISRAEL FORD & TWO WIVES. What is ironic is that I actually know Prophet Israel Ford personally. I have known him for years, and I have known about his marital arrangement. I have spent time in prayer with him, and we have had conversations about ministry and life. But let me put my teaching gloves on and give you my take. First, let me make something clear: I AM A MAN UNDER AUTHORITY. If my man of God & mentor corrects my understanding of Scripture on this matter, I will be willing to correct myself. However, I have been watching people condemn this man, and I have a genuine question: WHERE IS THE SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR YOUR CONDEMNATION? I see a lot of people expressing their displeasure, but very few are taking us through Scripture to establish why they believe this is a sin.I want us to separate what we were taught culturally from what the Bible actually says. We cannot simply declare something sinful because it makes us uncomfortable. Equally, we cannot declare something righteous simply because it’s a pastor doing it. We must study the Word in context. Let us critically look at Scripture. 1. MANY OF THE PATRIARCHS HAD MULTIPLE WIVES. Abraham had Sarah and Hagar (Genesis 16:1–4). Jacob had Leah and Rachel, alongside Bilhah and Zilpah (Genesis 29–30). David had multiple wives (2 Samuel 5:13), and Solomon had many wives (1 Kings 11:3). Now, I know someone will immediately say, “But God was not pleased with everything these men did.” I agree! The Bible records people’s lives without necessarily endorsing every decision they made. Solomon’s wives turned his heart away from God, and Scripture explicitly records this in 1 Kings 11:4. But here is my point: WE MUST ESTABLISH WHAT SCRIPTURE CONDEMNS, NOT SIMPLY ASSUME THAT EVERYTHING WE DISAGREE WITH IS A SIN. The existence of these households demonstrates that plural marriage was a recognised reality within the biblical world, and we must examine how Scripture addressed it. 2. THE OLD TESTAMENT DID NOT IGNORE POLYGAMY. IT ESTABLISHED REGULATIONS. Look at Exodus 21:10. The passage addresses a man taking another wife and establishes that he must not diminish the first wife’s food, clothing, or marital rights. Deuteronomy 21:15–17 addresses a man with two wives and protects the inheritance rights of his firstborn son, even when that son is born to the wife whom the man loves less. The biblical text plainly recognises households involving multiple wives and addresses responsibilities arising within them. Now, let us be intellectually honest: REGULATION DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN ENDORSEMENT. But neither should we ignore these passages when constructing a biblical argument. 3. IF A MAN HAS MULTIPLE WIVES, WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE REQUIRE OF HIM? This is a conversation many people overlook.They are quick to discuss whether a man can have multiple wives, but they rarely discuss the responsibilities Scripture places upon a man who has assumed marital and family obligations. Exodus 21:10 establishes that a woman’s provision and marital rights must not be diminished simply because another wife enters the household. Deuteronomy 21:15–17 protects the rights of a child against discrimination arising from the father’s personal preferences. Ephesians 5:25 commands husbands: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” That is a serious standard. It is a call to sacrificial love, not selfishness. First Timothy 5:8 also stresses the seriousness of providing for one’s household. And Deuteronomy 17:17 warns Israel’s king against multiplying wives, lest his heart turn away from God. Notice the balance in Scripture: there are provisions addressing plural-marriage households, but there are also warnings, restrictions and serious responsibilities. A MAN CANNOT USE THE BIBLE TO JUSTIFY HIS PREFERENCES WHILE IGNORING THE BIBLE’S DEMANDS UPON HIS CHARACTER.