The Scriptures vs. D&C Section 132: Why the Canon Condemns Polygamy

Dec 03, 2025

For nearly two centuries, Latter-day Saints have been taught that plural marriage was once a divine commandment, revealed through Joseph Smith and practiced by prophets ancient and modern. Yet when we lay aside the single, late, and internally contradictory Doctrine and Covenants 132—and read every other book in the restored canon exactly as it stands—the picture that emerges is startling in its clarity and unanimity.

From the very moment God joined Adam to “his wife” in the Garden, through every restatement of the creation ordinance by Moses, Jesus Christ, Paul, Joseph Smith’s own translation of Genesis, and the Doctrine and Covenants itself (1835 and 1841 editions), the eternal law of marriage is declared in the singular: one man, one woman, one flesh. Seven times the Lord repeats the ordinance; seven times He refuses the plural.

The Book of Mormon is even more explicit. Eight times it mentions “concubines,” and every single instance ties the practice to whoredoms, unrighteous dominion, and the word “abominable.” Jacob denounces David and Solomon’s many wives and concubines as an abomination before God. Joseph Smith’s Inspired Translation of the Bible quietly removes every suggestion that David or Solomon were ever justified. Deuteronomy forbids kings to multiply wives. The original 1835 marriage revelation (still printed in the Doctrine and Covenants until 1876) publicly declares that polygamy is a crime and that “one man should have one wife.”

Nowhere—absolutely nowhere—in the standard works is plural marriage ever commanded, commended, or practiced by a righteous individual. The sole exception clause (Jacob 2:30) requires an explicit divine command to “raise up seed,” yet no such command is ever recorded for Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, or anyone else in the entire canon.

Even beyond the quadruple combination, the witness grows stronger. The deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Sirach) and the expansive Sacred Records of the Nemenhah—ancient records said to descend from Hagoth’s people—repeat the same doctrine with unflinching severity: monogamy reflects the image of Heavenly Father and Mother; polygamy is a Satanic corruption, a form of slavery, an injury upon women and children, and a practice that cannot be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Those who teach or live it are to be cast out lest they “pollute my People Zion.”

This is not a fringe interpretation. It is the plain, cumulative, overwhelming testimony of every book of scripture the Church has ever published—minus one late, contradictory section. The doctrine of Christ on marriage is not ambiguous. It never has been.

1. The Creation Ordinance Is Exclusively Monogamous

Before sin entered the garden, before the Fall, before any commandment was ever broken, God established the eternal pattern of marriage. He did not create Adam and his wives; He created Adam and his wife. Every time the Lord Himself or His prophets repeats the ordinance of marriage, the language is identical and singular: one man, one woman, one flesh. Seven times across the standard works this ordinance is restated, the plural never appears. If polygamy were part of the eternal design, the Author of eternity had every chance to say so. He never did.

Old Testament, Genesis 2:24
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
New Testament, Matthew 19:4–6
“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
New Testament, Mark 10:6–9
“But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
New Testament, Ephesians 5:31
“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”
Pearl of Great Price, Moses 3:24-25
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Doctrine & Covenants 49:16
“Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation.”
Doctrine & Covenants 101:4 (1835 edition)
“Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.”1

The Nemenhah records reinforce this by invoking the Adam/Eve pattern as the unbreakable divine template, deeming any deviation an “abomination” unsealable in eternity. The following comes from Appendix Six: The Law of Chastity:2

1. Adultery is an act most abominable unto me. When a man and a woman are married in my holy way, they pledge themselves to each other. They are sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise when they do this in the sacred manner, and become, as it were, one flesh. They become one, in the similitude of My Father and Mother in Heaven.

2. When, having thus covenanted together, one or the other abandons the covenant and take up with another to satisfy their lust, the Holy Ghost breaks the sealing and the promises are taken away. This grieves the Spirit, as also our Heavenly Parents.

3. Man must learn that without his wife he may not dwell in the same sphere as My Father which is in Heaven. Indeed, without his wife he could not overcome the promptings of the adversary, nor even his own flesh. Only by and through the gift given to all women by My Mother which is in Heaven, is man able to discern between the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the enticing of the adversary and his angels. Therefore, let the man labor diligently all the days of his life to become like unto his wife.

4. But if a man commit adultery, wherein he gain intimacy with any woman other than his own wife, and if a woman do the same with any man who doth not belong to her through the covenant of marriage, they do that thing which makes the New and Everlasting Covenant into a thing of naught. Then are they left unto their own again and must endure the continuation of the deaths. Wherefore, they must live and die eternally, and there is no measuring their torment.

5. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. And they shall enjoy the continuation of the lives and, after the resurrection, they shall die not, but shall be even as My Father and Mother which are in Heaven.

The Nemenhah, The Book of the Generations of Minisouri 1:47
“For, verily, shall a man leave his father‟s house and his mother‟s bosom and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. Yea, and the woman shall leave the care of her mother and her father‟s hearth and cleave unto her husband, and they twain shall be one flesh. Thus saith the Lord.”3
The Nemenhah, The Book of Aku Hawaohtim 4:4
“And this is the way of our people. Children do remain with their parents until they do join themselves with man or woman. Then do they leave their mother and their father and cleave unto their choice. And they, being twain, are yet one flesh.”4
The Nemenhah, The Third Book of Eapalekthiloom The Son of Eapalekthiloom 2:3
“And when a man and woman covenant together to share lives and become one flesh, it is not uncommon for one or the other of them to lay down the stewardship they chose before their marriage and take up the stewardship of their spouse. It is not always so, and many retain their peculiar stewardship, but it is also not uncommon for the couple to unify their stewardship together.”5

2. Plural Marriage and Concubines Are Repeatedly Called “Abominable” and Linked to Wickedness

The Book of Mormon does not mince words. Eight times the word “concubines” appears in its pages—and every single time it is attached to wickedness, whoredoms, unrighteous dominion, and the word “abominable.” The Lord uses Jacob to drive the nail in: David and Solomon, the two men most often cited as “righteous polygamists,” are held up not as examples to follow, but as warnings never to imitate. Their many wives and concubines were an abomination before God. Period. There is no verse that softens the blow.

Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:23-29
“But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord. Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.”
Book of Mormon, Jacob 3:5
“Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.”
Book of Mormon, Mosiah 11:1-4, 14
“And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father. For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness. And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain. And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom….And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his riches, and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with harlots.”
Book of Mormon, Ether 10:5, 7, 11
“And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines, and did lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings….And it came to pass that he did afflict the people with his whoredoms and abominations….And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many whoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord.”
The Nemenhah, The Book of Memish Akekt 7:28-31
“But behold, with every good thing there comes opposition. Yea, the crafty old serpent does make of every good thing something corrupt and evil. See how he wrests nature and corrupts it to his own ends. Yea, I would call your attention to that which he did teach the men who would not listen unto Adam and follow the Thanksgiving Way. Yea, and the thing which he taught them to do was evil in the sight of the Creator who made them. The strong men did take all the women who would follow them and they made them wives unto themselves. And this thing they did because the serpent taught them that the strong must rule over the weak. And they took to themselves many wives and concubines and they did act upon them in their strength. This is a thing that is abominable in the sight of the Lord. For in it does the man become a beast acting out in the lust of his heart….For, behold the end which did come of such men who did this mightily wicked thing. They did make much progeny. Yea, it cannot be denied that they did raise up a great posterity. But that posterity became the slaves of other men because of the wickedness of their fathers. Let this be an ensample unto all they who raise themselves up in the strength of the arm of flesh. Yea, let all who think to place the wisdom of the world over that of the Lord take heed and ponder this ensample. And when the strong men took up all the women, yea, and even the girl children they did separate for themselves alone, this thing did drive the younger men and the weaker men into the wilderness of their despair and loneliness. And they too were counseled of the serpent, that wise old man, and they did also apply that which the old one did teach them.”6

3. The Old Testament and Nemenhah Never Commands or Commends Polygamy — It Only Condemns or Tolerates It in Unrighteous Contexts

Search the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi: you will not find a single verse where God commands a man to take plural wives, nor a single prophet praised for doing so. You will find prohibitions (Deuteronomy 17:17), you will find consequences (1 Kings 11), and you will find Joseph Smith’s own translation stripping away every hint that David or Solomon were justified. The Nemenhah records go further—treating the introduction of polygamy among a righteous people as a Satanic corruption that threatens to “bring down Zion” and must be cast out entirely. The pattern is unmistakable: polygamy appears only where righteousness is already failing.

Old Testament, Deuteronomy 17:17
“Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.”
Old Testament, 1 Kings 11
“1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, and it became as the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, as David his father, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
9 ¶ And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.
11 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, and his heart is become as David his father; and he repenteth not as did David his father, that I may forgive him.
39 And for the transgression of David, and also for the people, I have rent the kingdom, and for this I will afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.”
Old Testament, 2 Samuel 12:13
“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath not put away thy sin that thou shalt not die.”
The Nemenhah, The Book of Manti 3:14-19
“And the story went abroad that this was a great teacher from across the sea. And he came teaching strange doctrines, many of which seemed alike to that which the Savior had taught. For, he taught of peace and of love and of justice to all men. And these things seemed pleasing unto them that heard them. Wherefore, we awaited in anticipation the arrival in Mentinah of this sage from across the sea. And when he did finally arrive, we did welcome him into our city and we did spend much time listening to his teachings. Now, the name of this man was Fhua-Tzen. And behold, of all his teachings we did receive the confirmation of the Spirit – of all but one. Yea, in all things he did teach of love and of charity. He taught of justice and constancy. He taught that man should seek the face of his Creator. Yea, in fine, he taught many things that we knew to be truths and we rejoiced that one from so far away could have such teaching in common with our own. But behold, he did teach one thing against which our prophets had been warned, and about which our scriptures spoke. Yea, he did teach that a man might take to himself more than one wife and be justified in it. He taught that the man is the head of the woman, and if the head of one woman, why not the head of many? Yea, principle to his teaching was the doctrine that the salvation of the woman depended upon the worthiness of the man to whom she was wed. It was his belief that an honorable man could feel free to take as many wives as his resources would allow and that it was the duty of all men to so conduct their lives and their business to afford the man this luxury. Now, this teaching brought about some little controversy among the men of Mentinah. For, there were some who believed this doctrine. For, they opened the scriptures and found instances where the Lord did allow righteous men to take to themselves more than one wife. And they did begin to contend with the councils of the city, insisting that the Temple should allow men to be sealed unto as many women as his means would allow. Thus we see how a doctrine concerning marriage can bring down Zion. For, if marriage, whether it be to one spouse or to one hundred, is to be predicated on the means of the individual, then the institution has become corrupted by property and the getting of gain becomes more important than any other principle in the society. Wherefore, the councils of the city were against the doctrine. But behold, I did exhort the people to take the matter privately to the Lord and rely upon that trust which they had in Him. For, we know that He will always make good the promise He made unto us. Yea, we know that by the power of the Holy Ghost we may ascertain the truth of all things. Wherefore, we did all take the matter severally to the Lord in this manner.”7
The Nemenhah, The Book of Manti 3:31
“Today I have learned a great lesson. I have learned that the wisdom of the wise cannot compare to the gifts of the Spirit. For, though the practice of my people of taking as many wives as one can support is a corrupt practice, if only because of the tendency it might cause for a man to concentrate on the things of this world over the things of heaven.”8
The Nemenhah, The Book of Manti 6:16-17, 22
“Consider with me the consequences of taking that which God has given and applying it outside the bounds which He has set. When men take unto themselves many wives, simply because they are able, they cause an isolation to develop between them and other men. They strengthen themselves, or so they suppose, by the weakness created in others. They raise up a generation devoted to them by blood, but not by love. And what of they who are deprived of that wholeness that comes of the relationship of wife and husband? They are driven into excesses and then into unnatural love….Recall that, when the strong men had taken up all the women to be wives unto them, and this because they were strong, the weaker and younger men separated themselves and were unhappy. Then did Satan enter into their hearts and instructed them according to the laws of nature, only corrupting the laws for his own purposes. And the men did exercise the natural law of strength over weakness and did engage in unnatural desires upon the weaker of their fellows. The result was that their bodies became weakened and disease did run rampant among them. Then they did rise up against the strong men, who were few, and destroyed them, taking their wives unto themselves and enslaving their children.”9
The Nemenhah, The Book of the Generations of Minisourit 1:45-47, 52
“Now behold, I do see the hearts of men and into their secret places. Yea, their flesh is made naked before me and I see them as they really are. And I do perceive that some of the men of the Nemenhah have looked upon the widow and the fatherless that have been created because of this calamity, to make of them wives as many as pleaseth them. And they justify themselves in this because of the custom of the Tuilhah, that a woman is not without shame unless she is married and can lay claim to her husband. Behold, this is abomination, for they do it to satisfy their own lusts. This is my will concerning them: If there is found any man who taketh unto himself women among you and justify the taking of many wives, as was done of old and is still done among the children of unrighteousness, it is a perversion and shall be deemed an injury upon the women, the children and upon the foundation. Wherefore, let them stand before the Council as all who make injury upon another and defend their own case. And if the Council findeth them guilty, they must repent or let them be cast out from among the people. Let them live as seemeth them good, for they make a law unto themselves, but they shall not pollute my People Zion. And any man who teacheth such things in the synagogues shall be cast out. And any man who teacheth such things in the streets or in the shops shall be cast out. Yea, and thou shalt also cast out any woman who teacheth such things. For, verily, shall a man leave his father‟s house and his mother‟s bosom and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. Yea, and the woman shall leave the care of her mother and her father‟s hearth and cleave unto her husband, and they twain shall be one flesh. Thus saith the Lord….Further, the Lord instructed me that if a man does take unto himself many wives with the purpose of being husband unto them in the way of procreation, that he is to be considered the malefactor, for he has done injury upon the woman, the children and the foundation. Yea, and he is to be cast out from among the people if he so much as teaches such things, and behold, the same applies even to the woman who teaches such injury. Wherefore, it appears to me that the Lord will sanction the Levirate marriage, for it is a type of adoption, but nothing else.”10

4. The “Exception Clause” in Jacob Does Not Justify Historical Polygamy

Jacob 2:30 is the most-quoted verse by those defending plural marriage—and the most misunderstood. Far from opening a door, it slams it shut. The Lord declares the default rule: one wife, no concubines. Only if He personally commands otherwise to “raise up seed unto me” could the rule ever change. Yet across the entire canon—Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants—no such command is ever recorded except in the lone, late, contradictory Section 132. Without that explicit command (which is never given), every instance of polygamy falls squarely under Jacob’s earlier verdict: abomination.

Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:27, 30
“…For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none….For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.”

Read plainly, verse 30 is not a loophole; it is a locked gate.

The Default Command Is Absolute Monogamy
Verse 27 is not a suggestion. It is the Lord’s explicit commandment to the Nephites—and by extension, to us: one wife, zero concubines. Everything that follows must be read in light of that ironclad rule.
“Raise up seed unto me” Is Not About Raw Population Growth
The phrase never means “have as many babies as possible by any means.” In the very same sermon (Jacob 2:25) it refers to bringing forth a righteous branch, not a large one. Lehi’s family was commanded to “raise up seed unto the Lord” (1 Nephi 7:1) while practicing strict monogamy. Righteous Nephite societies multiplied exceedingly without polygamy (2 Nephi 5:13; Helaman 3:8).
The Word “Otherwise” Is a Warning, Not Permission
In Book of Mormon usage, “otherwise” always introduces a negative consequence (see 3 Nephi 13:1; Moroni 7:24). The verse is saying:
- If God wants to raise up a righteous posterity, He will personally command His people (and that command will be unmistakably clear).
- Otherwise—in the absence of that explicit command—they will “hearken unto these things,” meaning the abominations, whoredoms, and grosser crimes listed in verses 23–24 and 31–33 (i.e., they will justify polygamy by twisting the stories of David and Solomon).
No Such Command Is Ever Recorded Anywhere in Scripture
Search the entire standard works. You will not find a single instance—before or after Jacob 2—where God says to any prophet, “Take additional wives to raise up seed unto me.”
- Abraham’s union with Hagar produced strife, not righteousness.
- Jacob’s four wives produced murderous jealousy among his sons.
- David and Solomon are explicitly called out as having done that which was “abominable.”
  Joseph Smith’s own inspired Translation quietly removes every excuse that their polygamy was justified.
The Verse Is a Condemnation, Not a Concession
Jacob 2:30 is the Lord explaining why polygamy keeps appearing in history: when people reject His monogamous standard and lean on their own wisdom (“the precepts of men”), they invent justifications for plural marriage. The result is always heartbreak for women, broken families, and divine curses (Jacob 2:31–35).

Far from opening a door for Brigham Young or anyone else, Jacob 2:30 slams it shut and bolts it from the inside. Without a recorded, explicit command from God—and there is none—every instance of plural marriage in scripture or history falls squarely under Jacob’s earlier verdict:

Abominable before me, saith the Lord.

5. Apocryphal Witnesses, Including the Sacred Records of the Nemenhah, Affirm Monogamy as the Doctrine of Christ

Even beyond the standard works, the witness is unanimous. In the deuterocanonical books, Tobias prays to grow old with one wife, quoting Genesis verbatim. In the expansive Nemenhah records—purported ancient records of Nephite descendants—the doctrine is thundered again and again: a man cleaves to one woman, polygamy is a beastly, Satanic corruption, and any attempt to live it or teach it results in being cast out so it will “not pollute my People Zion.” From Tobit’s wedding night to the high councils of Mentinah, the extrabiblical voices echo the canon perfectly: monogamy is the doctrine of Christ; plural marriage is the doctrine of devils.

Tobit 8:5–9 (Tobias’s wedding-night prayer)
“Then Tobias rose from the bed, and said to Sarah, “Sister, get up, and let us pray that the Lord may have mercy upon us.” And Tobias began to pray, “Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers, and blessed is thy holy and glorious name for ever.
Let the heavens and all thy creatures bless thee. Thou madest Adam and gavest him Eve his wife as a helper and support. From them the race of mankind has sprung. Thou didst say, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for him like himself.’ And now, O Lord, I am not taking this sister of mine because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that I may find mercy and may grow old together with her.” And she said with him, “Amen.” And they both slept the night.”11
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 7:26
“Do you have a wife who pleases you? Do not divorce her; but do not trust yourself to one whom you detest.”12
The Nemenhah, The First Book of Shi-Tugohah The Ways and Customs of the Ahmohnayhah (Marriage) 1:8
“And this is the manner in which the Ahmohnayhah do govern themselves. Every man abides in the house of one woman and they are married by and through a sacred ordinance that binds them together.”13
The Nemenhah, The Book of Manti 6:28
“Wherefore, it is commanded of all men and of all women to become like unto their parents. Therefore, you men of the Nemenhah, you chose out and love but one woman to make her a help mete for you. And you women of the Nemenhah, you chose out and love but one man to make him a help mete for you. And you two combined in your hearts and in your intentions become joined together forever, if you seek the sealing power of the Holy Spirit of Promise, which is the Holy Ghost. Then your covenant becomes Christ‟s, and anything that He owns becomes eternal. Wherefore, your covenant is bound in the eternities with a cord that cannot be broken.”14

Conclusion

When Doctrine and Covenants 132 is laid aside—even for a moment—and we let the rest of the restored canon speak with its own voice, the verdict is unanimous and thunderous:

God created marriage as one man and one woman.
He restated that ordinance seven times in the singular and never once in the plural.
He forbade kings to multiply wives.
He called David and Solomon’s plural wives and concubines “abominable.”
He praised the monogamous Lamanites as more righteous than the polygamy-justifying Nephites.
He declared through Joseph Smith in 1835 that “one man should have one wife” and labeled polygamy a crime.
He inspired Joseph’s own Bible translation to strip away every excuse for David and Solomon.
He allowed only one theoretical exception—an explicit command to raise up seed—and never once issued that command in any book of scripture.
He inspired ancient Nephite descendants in the Nemenhah records to condemn plural marriage as Satanic, unsealable, and worthy of excommunication from Zion.

The doctrine of Christ on marriage is not complicated, and it is not ambiguous. Plural marriage and concubinage are whoredoms that break hearts, corrupt societies, and forfeit eternal sealings. Monogamy—one man and one woman sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise—is the only covenant of marriage ever commended to the prophets, ever sealed in the heavens, and ever capable of reflecting the perfect union of our Heavenly Parents.

That is the witness of every book in the Latter-day Saint canon. That is the witness of the Nemenhah and the deuterocanonical writings. That is the doctrine of Christ. And no single contradictory section—added decades after the Prophet’s death—can silence the combined voice of the rest of the restoration.

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