Atomic Bible

Esau's wife, daughter of Ishmael

Mahalath

Named in 6 verses of Genesis, first in Genesis 28:9.

מַחֲלַתMahalath

בָּֽשְׂמַתBasemath

Also called Basemath.

Father
Ishmael
Brothers and sisters
Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, Kedemah
Married to
Esau
Children
Reuel
People
Arabia

About Mahalath Written by AI

Mahalath, also referred to as Basemath, was one of the wives of Esau, the son of Isaac and the twin brother of Israel (or 'Jacob') (Genesis 28:9; 36.3). She was the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son with Hagar, making her Esau's cousin (Genesis 28:9). Esau married Mahalath in addition to his other wives, who were Hittite women (Genesis 26:34; 28.8-9). This marriage likely strengthened the ties between Esau's descendants, the Edomites, and the Ishmaelites. Mahalath is mentioned in the genealogies of Esau, which list his wives, children, and descendants (Genesis 36:4). These genealogies emphasize the importance of family lineage and the relationships between different people groups in the ancient Near East. The Bible does not provide further details about Mahalath's personal life or her role in the family dynamics of Esau's household. Her inclusion in the biblical record primarily serves to document Esau's marital alliances and the ancestry of the Edomites.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Mahalath, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

A lute; lyre. (1.) The daughter of Ishmael, and third wife of Esau (Gen. 28:9); called also Bashemath (Gen. 36:3).

(2.) The daughter of Jerimoth, who was one of David’s sons. She was one of Rehoboam’s wives (2 Chr. 11:18).

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names her

  1. Genesis 28:9

    Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.

  2. Genesis 36:3

    and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

  3. Genesis 36:4

    And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath gave birth to Reuel,

  4. Genesis 36:10

    These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esau’s wife Basemath.

  5. Genesis 36:13

    These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.

  6. Genesis 36:17

    These are the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.