Who was Basemath in the Bible?
Answered from the commentary of Morrish Bible Dictionary, Scripture Quarterly and William Kelly
Basemath was a wife of Esau. In Genesis she is named as the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and she bore Esau’s son Reuel. The earlier account also calls Esau’s wife Bashemath, daughter of Elon, and says that his wives grieved Isaac and Rebekah.
The names differ between the earlier account and Esau’s genealogy: Basemath daughter of Elon is probably the same woman as Adah, and Bashemath daughter of Ishmael is probably the same woman as Mahalath. One commentary instead says that Basemath daughter of Ishmael was given a Canaanite name to mark her sorrowful character.
Verses: Genesis 26:34, Genesis 36:2, Genesis 36:3
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
One of the wives of Esau, the daughter of Ishmael and the mother of Reuel. Gen. 36:3-4. In the earlier narrative, Gen. 26:34; Gen. 28:9, the names of Esau's wives differ from those given in Gen. 36:2-3. The women may have had two names, or another name have been given them on their marriage. It appears probable that Bashemath, daughter of Elon, is the same as ADAH, daughter of Elon; and that Bashemath, daughter of Ishmael, is the same as MAHALATH, daughter of Ishmael. JUDITH, daughter of Beeri, may be the same as AHOLIBAMAH, daughter of Anah, if Beeri is her father's name and Anah her mother's.
Daughter of Ishmael and wife of Esau. Gen. 28:9. See BASHEMATH.
An officer of Solomon in Naphtali who married Basmath, daughter of Solomon. 1 Kings 4:15.
As a proper name Mahalath has significant appellation in Genesis. When Esau was 40 years of age (i.e., age of normal discretion) he took to wife (a deliberate selection) Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Bashemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite. They were a grief of mind (marginal reading, "bitterness or sorrow") to his parents. (Gen. 26:34-35). Later when Esau saw that Jacob had been sent away with his father's blessing and charged not to take a wifeof the daughters of Canaan who were not pleasing to his father, He went to Ishmael and took his daughter Mahalath for a wife. (Gen. 28:6-9). Later the Spirit of God giving the genealogy of Esau, (Gen. 36:3), said that he took Bashemath, Ishmael's daughter for a wife. Historians say that the writer of Genesis made a mistake in mixing the names! We submit that the revised name had deliberate significance. In the eyes of God there was no difference between Ishmael's daughter and the daughter of Canaan. So in the record she was given a name of Canaan. She was a sorrow by name and no less so in nature and practice to the parents and to God. In his second selection Esau came near to the right line, but stopped short of the mind of God for the descendants of Abraham, the friend of God. How often intimate associations are formed by Christians with those who are externally connected with Christian profession, but who prove to be not different from the world.
Daughter of Beeri a Hittite, and wife of Esau. Gen. 26:34. See BASHEMATH.
A Hittite, father of Bashemath, and Adah, wife, (or wives) of Esau. Gen. 26:34; Gen. 36:2. See BASHEMATH.
Second son of Zebulun and founder of the ELONITES. Gen. 46:14; Num. 26:26.
A Hittite, father of Judith, wife of Esau. Gen. 26:34. See BASHEMATH.
One of the wives of Esau: she was the daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon the Hivite. She bare to Esau "duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah." Gen. 36:2-25. See BASHEMATH.
Verses
- Genesis 26:34And Esau was forty years old, when he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basmath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
- Genesis 36:2–32Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3and Basmath Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.