The God of Israel had forbidden the king to "multiply wives to himself," (Deut. 17:17,) and prohibited to all Israel to form matrimonial alliances with other nations, (1 Kings 11:2;) yet Solomon had seven hundred wives, and three hundred concubines, (v. 3;) and among them were "many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites." (V. 1.) The mournful consequences of such violations of the Divine law, are recorded in sacred history. See 1 Kings 11. Why did not Omicron bring forward this strong case of this licentious king of Israel, who had, besides three hundred concubines, thirty-five times twenty wives, and then triumphantly propose his questions about affinity!
The number of relations by affinity with whom we may not cohabit, specified in the law, are the following:
1. Step-mother, v. 8.
2. Father's brother's wife, v. 14.
3. Daughter-in-law, v. 15.
4. Brother's wife, v. 16.
5. Wife's daughter, v. 17.
