Episode 113: The polygamy revelation (132)

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 132

Revelation given through Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, Illinois, July 12, 1843

The polygamy revelation

¹ Since you asked me how I, God, justified the many wives and concubines of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David and Solomon, here is my answer.

³ Everyone must obey the law that I am now revealing to you. ⁴ This is an everlasting covenant. Those who do not accept it are damned. No one who rejects this covenant may enter into my glory. ⁵ This law was instituted before the foundation of the world. ⁶ The law was instituted for the fulness of my glory. Abide by it or be damned, says the Lord God.

⁷ I've appointed Joseph Smith in the last days to hold power on earth. No one else has this power. ¹¹ My Father and I appointed you [Joseph Smith] before the world began.

¹⁴ Whatever remains is mine; whatever isn't mine will be destroyed.

¹⁵ So if a man marries a wife in the world and not by me, their marriage no longer exists when they are dead. When they are dead, they are no longer bound by any law.

¹⁶ Those who don't get married are appointed to be angels in heaven to serve those who have more glory. ¹⁷ These angels didn't obey my law, so they can't be enlarged. They are angels, not gods.

¹⁸ And again, I say to you: If a man marries a wife in the world and not by me and isn't sealed, their marriage no longer exists when they are out of the world. ¹⁹ But if a man marries a wife by my word and law, and it is sealed by the Holy Spirit, they and their seeds will have a fulness of glory forever. ²⁰ Then they will be gods, with everything subject to them. They will hall all power and the angels will be subject to them.

²⁷ But those who commit blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or shed innocent blood will be damned.

³² Do as Abraham did and be saved. ³⁴ God commanded Abraham and Sarah gave him Hagar for a wife. Why did she do that? Because it was required by the law. ³⁵ Should Abraham be condemned for this? No, I commanded him to do it.

³⁶ I commanded Abraham to kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice to me, even though I also said, "Don't kill." But Abraham didn't refuse to kill his son for me, and he was righteous for it.

³⁷ Abraham had concubines, who bore him children. And he was righteous for that too. Isaac and Jacob only did what I told them to do. They are now gods, not angels.

³⁸ David, Solomon, and Moses also had many wives and concubines, as did many others from the beginning of creation. They didn't sin by any of this.

³⁹ I gave David his wives and concubines. And he never sinned - except for once, in the matter of Uriah and his wife. But David won't get Uriah's wife when he's out of the world; I'll give her to another man.

⁴¹ You asked about adultery. If a man receives a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and if she has sex with another man that I haven't appointed to her, then she has committed adultery and must be destroyed.

⁴² If she isn't in the new and everlasting covenant and she has sex with another man, she has committed adultery. ⁴³ The same goes for her husband.

⁴⁴ If she hasn't committed adultery and I reveal that to you, Joseph [Smith], then you have the power to give her to another man who hasn't committed adultery - because he will be the ruler over many.

⁴⁵ Because I've given you [Joseph Smith] the keys and power of the priesthood, by which I someday will reveal and restore everything. ⁴⁶ Whatever you seal on earth will be eternally sealed in heaven, and whatever sins you remit or retain will be remitted and retained in heaven. ⁴⁷ Whoever you bless I will bless, and whoever you curse I will curse. ⁴⁸ Whatever you, Joseph, give on earth, and whoever you give it to, will be blessed by me and condemned by no one in heaven or on earth. ⁴⁹ You will be exalted by me. I've prepared a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father. ⁵⁰ I'll forgive you [Joseph Smith] of all your sins. So go, I'll find a way for you to escape, like I accepted Abraham's offering of Isaac.

⁵¹ Here is a commandment to Emma Smith, your wife that I gave to you: Accept all those I have given to Joseph [Smith], and who are virtuous and pure. Those who aren't pure, but claimed to be pure, will be destroyed. ⁵³ I'm God. Obey me. ⁵⁴ Be Joseph's wife and do not marry anyone else. If you don't obey this commandment, you will be destroyed. ⁵⁵ If you, Emma Smith, don't obey this commandment, I will bless Joseph Smith a hundred-fold, with wives and children and crowns of eternal lives in eternal worlds. ⁵⁶ Forgive Joseph for his trespasses, and I'll bless you and forgive you for yours.

⁶¹ If any man marries a virgin and wants to marry another virgin who isn't vowed to another man, and the first gives her consent, then he is justified, and does not commit adultery - because they are given to him and belong to him and no one else. ⁶² If ten virgins are given to him, he can't commit adultery, because they belong to him. So he is justified. ⁶³ But if any of these ten virgins after they are married to one man, has sex with another man, she has committed adultery and shall be destroyed. Wives are given to a man to produce children.

⁶⁴ If a man has a wife, who he has taught this law to, and yet she refuses to believe or obey that law, then she must be destroyed. I will destroy her. ⁶⁵ If a wife will not obey this law by accepting her husband's other wives, then I will give him wives anyway. She is the guilty one, and her husband is exempt from the law of Sarah, who allowed Abraham to take Hagar for another wife, and I commanded Abraham to take her.

⁶⁶ I'll reveal more on this later. But this should satisfy you for now. Amen.