God, in the Book of Mormon, speaks out strongly against plural marriage. It is condemned as wicked in Jacob 1:15. "And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi,... began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son." The practice is condemned again in Jacob 2:23. "...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." The following verse, verse 24, calls it an abomination. "Behold David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord." Jacob 2:26 says that God will not tolerate the practice. "Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old." Jacob 2:27&28 commands us to only have one wife. "...For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; for I , the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts." The God of the Book of Mormon calls plural marriage "wicked" and an "abomination".
Many disagree with the Book of Mormon and claim that God commanded the practice in the old Testament. It was obviously practiced in the old testament, but was it commanded by God? D&C 132:34 contradicts the Bible in saying that, "God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law;..." Genesis 16 does not call it a law or say that it was commanded by God. It was entirely Sarah's idea. "...She said to Abram, "The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her. Abram agreed to what Sarai said." (Genesis 16:2)
The Bible speaks against plural marriage in Deuteronomy 17:17. "Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, That his heart turn not away:..." King Solomon's heart problem is mentioned in 1 Kings 11:3&4. "And he (Solomon) had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 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, as was the heart of David his father."
D&C 132:54 is a prophesy about Emma Smith. "And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But is she will not abide this commandment she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law." Not only did this prophesy not come to pass, the opposite happened. Joseph Smith accepted plural marriage and was assassinated. Emma Smith rejected plural marriage and taught her sons that Joseph Smith did not practice it. She lived a long life. She finally died in 1879. This was a false prophesy.
The Old Testament details the lives of many plural marriage families over many years. The fruit of plural marriage was contention, jealousy, envy, murder, rape, incest, etc. It was not a peaceful lifestyle. Mormon writer Todd Compton has written a 788 page history book on the wives of Joseph Smith. The name of his book is "In Sacred Loneliness." Again, these are not peaceful, happy stories. There was a lot of contention and sadness. They lived very hard lives.
To say that God commanded plural marriage for the patriarchs is false according to the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
