I Chronicles 4:5

Common misinterpretations treat this genealogical note as prescriptive endorsement of polygamy, ignoring that Scripture presents it descriptively amid cultural norms rather than ideally, as monogamy is upheld as God's original design in Genesis 2:24 with polygamy often linked to discord elsewhere; others erroneously link Ashur to the Assyrian empire or invent spiritual allegories for the wives' names, distorting the verse's plain purpose as historical record-keeping without moral imperatives or prophetic significance.

This verse records a detail in the genealogy of the tribe of Judah, stating that Ashur, known as the father of Tekoa, had two wives named Helah and Naarah, illustrating the familial and societal structures of ancient Israel where polygamy was practiced among some prominent figures to ensure lineage continuation and inheritance. The core truth emphasizes God's preservation of Judah's line, from which King David and ultimately the Messiah would descend, underscoring the importance of ancestry in biblical history as a foundation for covenant promises.