KING, QUEENS, AND THE ART OF DOMINION: THE GRAND STRATEGY OF BIBLICAL MARRIAGE

Written and later reworked by Abrie JF Kilian. Marriage, like chess, is no pursuit for the feeble-minded nor the faint of heart. Like a bard of old, Pat Benatar hinted at the truth over thirty years ago. Unlike Benatar, marriage is not a mere frolic of ephemeral emotions but a battlefield where wisdom, foresight, and dominion are tested and proven. The King does not reign in solitary grandeur, and his power is not a mere function of his crown. No, the King's strength is found in the stronghold he commands—the intricate tapestry of alliances that cements his rule. Similarly, Biblical marriage does not bestow authority upon a man still stuck in a vacuum. A man's dominion is not self-proclaimed. However, it is upheld by divine wisdom and the strategic relationships that fortify his household and legacy.

From Abraham to David, from Solomon to the patriarchs of old, history unveils a truth as unyielding as granite: a man's strength is in the stability of his house. A wise King moves with measured intent, each step a calculated stroke in the art of dominion. His greatest ally—and, should his judgment waver, his gravest undoing—is the Queen. A formidable force of both might and mastery, she, when rightly placed, buttresses the realm, safeguards the throne, and compliments the enduring prosperity of the kingdom. However, the King does not reign on account of the Queen, but the Queen supports because of the King.

And so, in a stroke of irony, woven into the stark interplay of ebony and ivory, lies an ancient key to the art of legacy building—its foundation, its expansion, and its endurance. The irony is that the King can elevate a second Queen. However, a grandmaster will be quick to correct anyone who may believe in numbers rather than purpose. A righteous man does not gather for the sake of abundance; he aligns himself with divine order. His household prospers not by its breadth but by its brilliance—not through surplus, but through structure—not by excess, but by excellence.

For centuries Christianity has championed its unimpeachable Greco-Roman monogamy-only standard. Yet, Scripture places far greater emphasis on righteous governance, faithfulness, and legacy than Christianity's rigid marital model. The question is not how many Queens stand beside the King, but rather whether he governs his house with wisdom and righteousness.

I. THE KING: THE CROWN IS HEAVY, BUT IT MUST BE WORN

A King is a figure of immense authority, however far from omnipotent. His moves are slow and deliberate; his defences are paramount. Should the King falter, the game is lost. Not in an instant, but through gradual collapse.

The Biblical husband is no different.

• He is the head of the household, yet his leadership is strengthened by wise counsel (Ephesians 5:23).

• David, Jacob, and Solomon expanded their dominion through well-governed marriages (2 Samuel 5:13, Genesis 29-30).

• Through order and stability and not by dishonesty, a righteous man builds a legacy (Proverbs 29:4).

The righteous man's dominance does not come from rash exertions of power but from measured authority and strategic alliances. A wise King does not demand submission—he inspires it.

Herein lies a truth too often ignored: Biblical patriarchy is not a numerical contest, but a test of righteousness. The question is never how many but how well. A man who has failed to govern one wife will fare no better with two, nor with three. But should his rule be strong, should his leadership call for an expanded house, then plural covenants become not an indulgence, but an incidental result of righteous dominion. An incidental result of Biblical Patriarchy.

Lest he find himself in stalemate, a chess master does not promote pawns to Queens for the sheer thrill of it—he does so only when the game demands it.

II. THE QUEEN: POWER, INFLUENCE, AND DIVINE STRATEGY

The Queen, the most formidable piece on the board, moves with grace and fury alike. She wields influence, power, and precision, acting not as a rival to the King, but as the very safeguard of his rule.

Likewise, the Biblical wife is no mere ornament. She is a force in her own right.

• Esther, through cunning and courage, preserved her people (Esther 4:14).

• Abigail, through wisdom, turned away wrath and secured the stability of her house (1 Samuel 25).

• Bathsheba, through strategy, ensured the rightful heir took the throne (1 Kings 1:11-31).

Virtuous women do not undermine the righteous man’s authority—they amplify it. They do not diminish his strength but contribute to it.

A well-ordered household does not obsess over whether it has one Queen or many—it ensures that all within it understand and fulfil their role. Some Kings may require a single Queen; others may find that governance and legacy necessitate more. But no house can stand where order is forsaken for chaos, or where passion is elevated above purpose.

The rules of Chess allow for multiple Queens, but not every game demands it. Likewise, other than Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:4-10), Scripture does not command polygyny—but neither does it prohibit it. The wise man does not seek multiple Queens; he accommodates them only if divine order requires it.

III. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KING AND QUEENS: STRATEGIC ORDER AND MULTIPLICATION

It is a marvel to witness a chessboard dominated by multiple Queens—control increases, defenses solidify, and victory becomes inevitable. But it is not a strategy for every game, nor for every player.

So it is with Biblical marriage.

• A household of wise, strong women ensures stability, legacy, and dominion (Proverbs 14:1).

• Righteous multiplication expands dominion and secures generational prosperity (Genesis 22:17).

• A King’s success is often measured not by his strength alone, but by the strength of those who stand beside him.

Some critics, burdened with the shackles of tradition, protest that Matthew 19 stands as an ironclad rejection of polygyny. But careful minds, such as Tom Shipley and William Luck, dismantle this fragile claim with ease.

Matthew 19, they argue, is not a treatise on marriage structure, but a discourse on divorce. The Pharisees sought to test Yahshua ha'Messiah on the matter of dissolving a union, not on the number of unions a man may enter into. To read it otherwise is to mistake the thrust of the debate entirely.

A righteous man does not build his house on preference, but on divine order. Just as a chess player only promotes a pawn when the strategy demands it, a godly man structures his household only as righteousness requires.

IV. THE GRAND STRATEGY: RIGHTEOUS LEADERSHIP ABOVE ALL ELSE

The reckless chess player, enamoured with the thrill of movement, falls swiftly to defeat. The wise player, calculating each step, secures his kingdom with precision and prudence.

Likewise, the godly man builds not according to whim, but by the mandate of wisdom.

• Men must prioritise righteousness over numbers—whether a house is built upon one Queen or more, the foundation must be Biblical righteousness.

• Women should seek virtue through their husbands—a household is only as strong as those within it.

• Households must be structured for success—not according to fleeting notions, but following divine Biblical governance.

A King without a household is vulnerable and no king at all. A woman without a king can never be promoted to a queen. The true question is not whether a man may have multiple wives, but whether he has ruled his household in wisdom and righteousness.

V. CONCLUSION: THE MASTERY OF GOVERNANCE AND DOMINION

Marriage, like chess, is won not by indulgence, but by strategy. Rather than fixating on the number of Queens on the board, the greater question must always be:

• Is the King ruling wisely?

• Are the Queens fulfilling their role with virtue?

• Is the household structured for enduring dominion? and

• What is the goal?

A Biblical marriage, like a masterfully played game of chess, is won through foresight, discipline, and divine order. The victorious King is not the one who seeks power but the one who exercises it with wisdom. Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first His (Yahshua ha'Messiah) kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."